# Yard Act Loosen Their Collar and Rock Adventurously on ‘You’re Gonna Need A Little Music’

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/yard-act-loosen-their-collar-and-rock-adventurously-on-youre-gonna-need-a-little-music/
- Published: 2026-07-19T14:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-21T00:35:58+00:00
- Original publisher: Rolling Stone
- Original article: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/yard-act-youre-gonna-need-a-little-music-album-review-1235595166/
- Topics: Americas, Entertainment, Music, UK, World

## Key points

- Yard Act's third album trades bite for melody and groove
- Producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen widens their sound with piano and funk influences
- First album written together in one room; "Thrill of the Chase" praised as standout

## Summary

Yard Act, the Leeds post-punk band known for sardonic, politically charged lyrics, have released their third album, "You're Gonna Need A Little Music", which sees them adopt a noticeably more melodic and expansive sound. Rather than abandoning their trademark wiry edge, the record channels it into groove, movement and a broader instrumental range, marking a clear step forward in the band's musical development.

Reviewer Sophie Miller highlights tracks such as "New Beginnings" and the title track as evidence of this growth, with producer Justin Meldal-Johnsen (known for work with Beck, Nine Inch Nails and St. Vincent, among others) widening the band's sonic palette with piano and funk- and dance-rock-influenced rhythms. It is the first Yard Act album written by all four members together in the same room, lending it a spontaneity absent from earlier work, while "Thrill of the Chase" is singled out as the strongest track, pairing a relentless rhythm section with some of frontman James Smith's sharpest lyrics.

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