Leeds post-punk/indie rockers Yard Act have announced their upcoming sophomore album Where's My Utopia?, scheduled to release on March 1, 2024, via Republic Records. The quartet has also shared the album's lead single, "Dream Job," with an accompanying music video directed by James Slater.
Produced in collaboration with Gorillaz's Remi Kabaka Jr. (who co-produced the entire album), the track "feels like an apt introduction to the themes explored on Where's My Utopia? — though not all encompassing," said bandleader and vocalist James Smith in a press release.
According to Smith, "Dream Job" was his attempt to try and address the whirlwind of events he had experienced over the past year, including the upward trajectory of Yard Act, and the birth of his first child.
"I tried to capture it in a pop song that lasts less than three minutes once the fog had cleared a bit. It's good and bad. I'm still glad that everything that happened to me happened," said Smith.
"Dream Job" is nihilistic and wry; it is reminiscent of the prominent indie acts of the late '90s, while building upon the sound Yard Act established on their 2022 debut album, The Overload.
Along with the album, Yard Act has also announced an extensive 2024 tour, with one Canadian stop in Vancouver next June during its North American West Coast leg.
Watch the music video for "Dream Job" below, where you'll also find Yard Act's tour dates, as well as the tracklist for Where's My Utopia?
Where's My Utopia?:
1. An Illusion
2. We Make Hits
3. Down by the Stream
4. The Undertow
5. Dream Job
6. Fizzy Fish
7. Petroleum
8. When the Laughter Stops (feat. Katy J. Peterson)
9. Grifter's Grief
10. Black pool Illuminations
11. A Vineyard for the North
Yard Act 2023–2024 Tour Dates:
11/02 Reykjavík, Iceland - Iceland Airwaves
11/04 Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw
11/05 Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts
11/06 Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
11/07 Durham, NC - Motorco Music Hall
11/09 Nashville, TN - The Basement East
11/10 Atlanta, GA - The Earl
11/11 New Orleans, LA - Toulouse Theatre
11/14 Austin, TX - Mohawk
11/15 Dallas, TX - Deep Ellum Art Company
11/17 Mexico City, Mexico - Corona Capital Festival
12/02 Bangkok, Thailand - Maho Rasop Festival
12/03 Hong Kong, China - Clockenflap Music and Arts Festival
12/05 Osaka, Japan - Shangri-La
12/07 Tokyo, Japan - Club Quattro
03/13 Norwich, UK - The Nick Rayns LCR, UEA
03/14 Nottingham, UK - Rock City
03/15 Glasgow, Scotland - O2 Academy
03/16 Manchester, UK - O2 Apollo
03/17 Newcastle, Northern Ireland - Northumbria University
03/19 Belfast, Northern Ireland - Mandela Hall
03/20 Dublin, Ireland - Vicar Street
03/22 Liverpool, UK - Invisible Wind Factory
03/23 Bristol, UK - O2 Academy
03/25 Brighton, UK - The Dome
03/27 London, UK - Eventim Apollo
04/04 Nantes, France - Stereolux
04/05 Paris, France - Cabaret Sauvage
04/06 Bordeaux, France - Rock School Barbey
04/08 Lisbon, Portugal - Lisboa ao Vivo
04/09 Madrid, Spain - Mon
04/11 Barcelona, Spain - La 2
04/12 Lyon, France - Le Transbordeur
04/13 Bologna, Italy - Locomotiv Club
04/14 Milan, Italy - Santeria Toscana 31
04/16 Zurich, Switzerland - Mascotte
04/17 Munich, Germany - Muffathalle
04/18 Berlin, Germany - Festsaal Kreuzberg
04/20 Stockholm, Sweden - Slaktkyrkan
04/24 Hamburg, Germany - Uebel & Gefährlich
04/25 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso Main Hall
04/26 Nijmegen, Netherlands - Doornroosje
04/27 Cologne, Germany - Kantine
04/28 Brussels, Belguim - Les Nuits Botanique
05/30 Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern
05/31 Los Angeles, CA - The Regent Theater
06/01 Pioneertown, CA - Pappy and Harriet's
06/03 Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst Atrium
06/04 San Francisco, CA - The Independent
06/06 Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
06/07 Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre
06/08 Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
08/03 Leeds, UK - Millenium Square
Produced in collaboration with Gorillaz's Remi Kabaka Jr. (who co-produced the entire album), the track "feels like an apt introduction to the themes explored on Where's My Utopia? — though not all encompassing," said bandleader and vocalist James Smith in a press release.
According to Smith, "Dream Job" was his attempt to try and address the whirlwind of events he had experienced over the past year, including the upward trajectory of Yard Act, and the birth of his first child.
"I tried to capture it in a pop song that lasts less than three minutes once the fog had cleared a bit. It's good and bad. I'm still glad that everything that happened to me happened," said Smith.
"Dream Job" is nihilistic and wry; it is reminiscent of the prominent indie acts of the late '90s, while building upon the sound Yard Act established on their 2022 debut album, The Overload.
Along with the album, Yard Act has also announced an extensive 2024 tour, with one Canadian stop in Vancouver next June during its North American West Coast leg.
Watch the music video for "Dream Job" below, where you'll also find Yard Act's tour dates, as well as the tracklist for Where's My Utopia?
Where's My Utopia?:
1. An Illusion
2. We Make Hits
3. Down by the Stream
4. The Undertow
5. Dream Job
6. Fizzy Fish
7. Petroleum
8. When the Laughter Stops (feat. Katy J. Peterson)
9. Grifter's Grief
10. Black pool Illuminations
11. A Vineyard for the North
Yard Act 2023–2024 Tour Dates:
11/02 Reykjavík, Iceland - Iceland Airwaves
11/04 Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw
11/05 Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts
11/06 Baltimore, MD - Ottobar
11/07 Durham, NC - Motorco Music Hall
11/09 Nashville, TN - The Basement East
11/10 Atlanta, GA - The Earl
11/11 New Orleans, LA - Toulouse Theatre
11/14 Austin, TX - Mohawk
11/15 Dallas, TX - Deep Ellum Art Company
11/17 Mexico City, Mexico - Corona Capital Festival
12/02 Bangkok, Thailand - Maho Rasop Festival
12/03 Hong Kong, China - Clockenflap Music and Arts Festival
12/05 Osaka, Japan - Shangri-La
12/07 Tokyo, Japan - Club Quattro
03/13 Norwich, UK - The Nick Rayns LCR, UEA
03/14 Nottingham, UK - Rock City
03/15 Glasgow, Scotland - O2 Academy
03/16 Manchester, UK - O2 Apollo
03/17 Newcastle, Northern Ireland - Northumbria University
03/19 Belfast, Northern Ireland - Mandela Hall
03/20 Dublin, Ireland - Vicar Street
03/22 Liverpool, UK - Invisible Wind Factory
03/23 Bristol, UK - O2 Academy
03/25 Brighton, UK - The Dome
03/27 London, UK - Eventim Apollo
04/04 Nantes, France - Stereolux
04/05 Paris, France - Cabaret Sauvage
04/06 Bordeaux, France - Rock School Barbey
04/08 Lisbon, Portugal - Lisboa ao Vivo
04/09 Madrid, Spain - Mon
04/11 Barcelona, Spain - La 2
04/12 Lyon, France - Le Transbordeur
04/13 Bologna, Italy - Locomotiv Club
04/14 Milan, Italy - Santeria Toscana 31
04/16 Zurich, Switzerland - Mascotte
04/17 Munich, Germany - Muffathalle
04/18 Berlin, Germany - Festsaal Kreuzberg
04/20 Stockholm, Sweden - Slaktkyrkan
04/24 Hamburg, Germany - Uebel & Gefährlich
04/25 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso Main Hall
04/26 Nijmegen, Netherlands - Doornroosje
04/27 Cologne, Germany - Kantine
04/28 Brussels, Belguim - Les Nuits Botanique
05/30 Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern
05/31 Los Angeles, CA - The Regent Theater
06/01 Pioneertown, CA - Pappy and Harriet's
06/03 Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst Atrium
06/04 San Francisco, CA - The Independent
06/06 Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
06/07 Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre
06/08 Seattle, WA - The Crocodile
08/03 Leeds, UK - Millenium Square