Leeds, UK · post-punk · art-rock

Yard Act

2 upcoming festivals

Wry Leeds post-punk gone disco — talk-sung satire you can dance to, Britain narrated mid-groove, grooves with a permanent smirk.

Yard Act formed in Leeds in 2019, built around James Smith's spoken, half-sung vocals and a rhythm section that draws on post-punk, funk and dance music. Smith's lyrics work as character sketches and social commentary, often narrated from the perspective of figures he is quietly mocking, delivered in a flat Yorkshire accent over taut basslines. Their first album drew wide attention in the UK, and later work broadened the palette towards disco, strings and studio production while keeping the talk-sung approach at the centre.

post-punkart-rock