JSU Album Review




The Yards
'The Yards'
Snapper Music/Industrial Erotica Records
Release Date: 18th April 2005








So, this is the Yards debut album. It's been a long-time coming since the band formed back in 2002 and this is frontman Chris Helme's (and bassist Stuart Fletcher's) first album release since the Seahorses debut and only album 'Do It Yourself' in May 1997. What have they learnt? Thankfully a lot, having spent most of 2004 touring and really building on their songs, each musician perfecting their parts.

A good few of the songs here have been written over a period of literally years and the band have just worked on them and built them up live so they've become a strong and obvious collection of songs for their debut album which will be both comfortingly familiar with their steadily-rising fan base and a real treat to discover for all the others willing to give the album their full attention.

Starting off in true celebration style with building "Yeah, yeah, yeahs" and a strong drumbeat writing the foreword of the album, 'Forget Your Regrets' is a great, feel-good opener and one of the only moments on the album that displays a blatantly positive outlook; "Forget your regrets/And accept you are only here for a moment of your life". 'Get Of My Back' is in contrast, sulky, almost confused ditty which doesn't seem to be about anything in particular but I certainly smiled as I read the lyric "Hal always told us that we didn't compute".

'The Devil Is Alive And Well And In DC', the Yards' two minute-odd 'Song 2'-like freakout, which has to be the Yards best-known song live. For the album it has been given a tune-up and re-recorded, however, I tend to prefer the original, maybe because I've heard it so many more times up to now or perhaps, you think, as hard as you try, you just can't re-record a good song and improve on it… that said, this could not be further from the truth with 'Only Myself To Blame' which received an extreme-makeover - of sexy guitar licks, exaggerated bassline, much more confident vocals and keys more in the foreground - for its single release back in August 2004 (and, of course it's this version that makes it onto the album).

Fifth track 'Crime' grabs your attention immediately with a sinister, creeping, almost off-tempo repeating guitar riff that creates the illusion that the song is really closing in on you, Helme's deliberately-strained, shifty vocal just adds to the effect but the track works itself up into a frenzy at the chorus as the band blow it into the open, only stopping to take a grim view of the world as it is "I wanna turn this world back round/Make it alright/If Superman were here he'd have a lot on his hands." before creeping out with edgy piano, the lightest hi-hat tapings and sly guitar.

I can just see Chris Helme's eyes nervously panning left and right, whilst recording the vocal for next track, 'On The Inside'. With its tip-toeing piano and paranoid guitars on the outro the band create another fittingly troubled track, which almost sighs with relief as it draws to a close just in time for 'Superhuman', which is a nice intermission track, stripped bare, it's acousticy, slow-tempo'ed, with soft drumming and keys, smooth guitar sliding notes mirror the non-constant bassline.

The band really pull out all the stops on the epic 'Pure', starting with just Helme's vocal, then added strings, the band are in no hurry with each of their parts, intentionally merging at the chorus. 'California' resumes the darker suggestions from throughout album but thrashes it out in a similar style to 'Devil'.

'Fireflies' slows the pace one last time making it the perfect penultimate track. Starting with its sedating lullaby tones, slowly building as the rhythm section kicks in, setting it all up for the lead guitar; Helme's vocals rising throughout the track, the whole band winding down before the verses.

'Up Til Dawn', pure, innocent acoustic signature from Helme except his playing is much more sophisticated than anything you've heard him perform before. Only joined by the subtlest of piano (and strings toward the end of the track). This song tucks you in, kisses you goodnight, leaving you warm and content and letting you know that the world is not as bad as they previously made out.

You should know by now that The Yards, whilst their own entity now, features the two ex-Seahorses (John Squire's pop project); successful frontman, Chris Helme (sole-author of 'Blinded By The Sun' one of their greatest moments) and Stuart Fletcher, the bass player that John Squire just had to steal.

A Warning for Seahorses fans though, there is no 'Blinded By The Sun' tune, there is no 'Movin' On' (those days have gone). What there is, is a bittersweet collection of more lyrically-mature tunes, which at times takes a very dark and paranoid look at the world and their surroundings and at other times they're just happy to have a good thrash out, melodically done of course.



Tracklisting


01.Forget Your Regrets 3:29
02.Get Off My Back 2:44
03.The Devil Is Alive And Well And In DC 2:25
04.Only Myself To Blame 4:36
05.Crime 4:44
06.On The Inside 5:05
07.Superhuman 3:24
08.Pure 3:40
09.California 2:26
10.Fireflies 6:08
11.Up 'Til Dawn 3:08



"The Yards" will be released on 18th April and the band are expected to announce a UK tour to follow (more details soon) and the new version of 'The Devil Is Alive And Well And In DC' is scheduled for internet-only release from 11th April.





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