7/10

When Yard Act released their breakthrough debut LP 'The Overload' in 2022, it was greeted as one of the more impactful releases of that year. Earning the Yorkshire four-piece a Mercury Prize nomination, they have moved from strength to strength in the years since, even collaborating with Elton John on a revamped version of their single '100% Endurance'. But with the buzz still very much at its highest peak, they return with their eagerly-awaited sophomore studio album 'Where's My Utopia?', a record that looks to pursue a different path.

With 'The Overload', Yard Act sit snuggly into that revived post-punk direction many others had been trying in recent years, but for 'Where's My Utopia?', it feels as if they are looking to broaden their musical horizons and invite a more varied direction this time around. Dabbling with disco-inspired beats, a more commercial energy, and a more adventurous pursuit throughout, this new collection is both familiar and original in equal measure as they seek to prevent their sound from becoming too stale too soon.

While it doesn't quite live up to the rousing impression their first full-length delivered, 'Where's My Utopia?' shows that they aren't the kind of band to simply rest on their laurels. Branching off into a wild and unexpected avenue for almost every track, it certainly makes for an interesting return.