Yard Act Announce Second Album 'Where's My Utopia?' With Lead Single Dream Job
Wednesday, 25 October 2023
Written by Jon Stickler
Photo: Phoebe Fox
Yard Act have announced their second album.
'Where's My Utopia?' will arrive through Island Records on March 1, following up their 2022 Mercury Prize-shortlisted debut 'The Overload'.
Co-produced by the Leeds band and Gorillaz member Remi Kabaka Jr., it's led by the first single, Dream Job, which is propelled by a lively drum and bass groove over which frontman James Smith delivers his distinctive conversational vocals. Head below to view the song's accompanying video, directed by James Slater. Smith commented:
"Dream Job feels like an apt introduction to the themes explored on 'Where's My Utopia?' - though not all encompassing. In part I was scrutinizing and mocking myself for being a moaning ungrateful little brat, whilst also trying to address how the music industry is this rather uncontrollable beast that hurtles forward unthinkingly and every single person involved in it plays their part. Myself included, obviously.
"As with pretty much everything else going through my head last year, trying to find the right time to articulate the complexity of emotions I was feeling and the severity to which I was feeling them couldn't be found - or accommodated, so instead I tried to capture it in a pop song that lasts less than three minutes once the fog had cleared a bit. It’s good and bad. I'm still glad that everything that happened to me happened."
Having recently announced an extensive UK and European tour for spring 2024, the quartet has confirmed a huge homecoming show at Leeds' Millennium Square on August 3, with tickets on general sale at 10am on November 10. They'll also play US dates this November, followed by shows in Thailand, China and Japan.
Back in the summer, Yard Act dropped the eight-minute single The Trench Coat Museum, though the track won't appear on the record.
'Where's My Utopia?' tracklist:
1. An Illusion
2. We Make Hits
3. Down By The Stream
4. The Undertow
5. Dream Job
6. Fizzy Fish
7. Petroleum
8. When The Laughter Stops (ft. Katy J Pearson)
9. Grifter's Grief
10. Blackpool Illuminations
11. A Vineyard for the North
NEW // With their new album 'Here's Our Utopia' on its way, hometown heroes @yardactband have now announced a HU-U-UGE show at @millsqleeds on August 3!
Sat November 04 2023 - BROOKLYN New York - Warsaw (USA)
Sun November 05 2023 - PHILADELPHIA Pennsylvania - Underground Arts (USA)
Mon November 06 2023 - BALTIMORE Maryland - Ottobar (USA)
Tue November 07 2023 - DURHAM North Carolina - Motorco Music Hall (USA)
Thu November 09 2023 - NASHVILLE Tennessee - Basement East (USA)
Fri November 10 2023 - ATLANTA Georgia - Earl (USA)
Sat November 11 2023 - NEW ORLEANS Louisiana - Toulouse Theatre (USA)
Tue November 14 2023 - AUSTIN Texas - Mohawk (USA)
Wed November 15 2023 - DALLAS Texas - Deep Ellum Art Co (USA)
Wed March 13 2024 - NORWICH UEA
Thu March 14 2024 - NOTTINGHAM Rock City
Fri March 15 2024 - GLASGOW O2 Academy Glasgow
Sat March 16 2024 - MANCHESTER O2 Apollo
Sun March 17 2024 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Northumbria University
Tue March 19 2024 - BELFAST Mandela Hall
Wed March 20 2024 - DUBLIN Vicar Street
Fri March 22 2024 - LIVERPOOL Invisible Wind Factory
Sat March 23 2024 - BRISTOL O2 Academy Bristol
Mon March 25 2024 - BRIGHTON Brighton Dome Concert Hall
Wed March 27 2024 - LONDON Eventim Apollo
Thu April 04 2024 - NANTES Stereolux (France)
Fri April 05 2024 - PARIS CABARET SAUVAGE (France)
Sat April 06 2024 - BORDEAUX ROCK SCHOOL BARBEY (France)
Mon April 08 2024 - LISBON LAV (Portugal)
Tue April 09 2024 - MADRID Mon (Spain)
Thu April 11 2024 - BARCELONA La 2 (Spain)
Fri April 12 2024 - LYON LE TRANSBORDEUR (France)
Sat April 13 2024 - BOLOGNA Locomotiv Club (Italy)
Sun April 14 2024 - MILAN Santeria Toscana 31 (Italy)
Tue April 16 2024 - ZURICH Mascotte (Switzerland)
Wed April 17 2024 - MUNICH Muffathalle (Germany)
Thu April 18 2024 - BERLIN Festsaal Kreuzberg (Germany)
Sat April 20 2024 - STOCKHOLM Slaktkyrkan (Sweden)
Wed April 24 2024 - HAMBURG Uebel and Gefährlich (Germany)
Thu April 25 2024 - AMSTERDAM Paradiso (Netherlands)
Fri April 26 2024 - NIJMEGEN Doornrosie (Netherlands)
Sat April 27 2024 - COLOGNE Kantine (Germany)
Sun April 28 2024 - BRUSSELS Les Nuits Botanique (Belgium)
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