Biography
Yard Act are a four-piece post-punk band from Leeds, England, fronted by James Smith.
The band began in autumn 2019, when guitarist Ryan Needham stayed in Smith's spare bedroom for about four months and sent him ideas for a hip-hop-flavoured proto-punk project.[1] Smith had worked as a support worker and a music teacher before the band took off.[1] Their first single was recorded just before the March 2020 lockdowns, and an EP drew heavy rotation on BBC Radio 6 Music, leading to a deal with Island Records.[1]
The lineup is completed by bassist Sam Shjipstone and drummer Jay Russel.[1] Their debut album, The Overload, was produced by Ali Chant and released in January 2022. It reached number two on the UK albums chart[1] and was nominated for the Mercury Prize.[2] Critics frequently compare the band to The Fall and Sleaford Mods.[3]
References
- Yard Act interview (Spin) — Band formation, album production, chart debut, comparisons to The Fall
- The Overload (Wikipedia) — Release details and Mercury Prize nomination
- The Overload review (Guitar.com) — Critical reception and spoken-word sketches of broken Britain