ALBUM REVIEW: Yard – Slow Pulp
Every now and then an album will come along that has everything; from heavier tracks, to catchy hooks, to beautiful songwriting and everything else that might make it stand out and demand attention. Yard – the latest album from US indie rockers SLOW PULP – is one such record.
The intro track Gone 2 starts the album off strong despite being a more heartfelt song. Driven mostly by light vocals and simplistic instrumentation, the lyrics themselves are great. They’re well thought out, and they fit perfectly and compliment the overall tone created by the rest of the band. It’s not super-fast or high octane but of course, a song doesn’t need to be to hit hard just like this track does.
Doubt is a song about searching for validation where there seemingly is none. SLOW PULP write songs about everything that’s inside such as insecurities and not being enough and such, and this song shows that perfectly. The catchy guitar part is an instant hook and the low vocals bring the tone down as this is a rawer song. Moving into Cramps is a step into more punk territory. It’s heavy and really is a lot of fun with the distortion of the guitar creating the perfect feel. It’s defiant with a clear message about self-exploration and looking for all the things that make you who you are, and how sometimes those things are difficult to find.
Slugs slows down again to simple chugging chord progressions with a lot of fuzz creating a woozy feel overall. It was written about young love or brief summer love and how it’s not perfect and it captures all of this perfectly through the vocals and the feeling created through them. It runs like a storybook and it’s this clever writing style that sets SLOW PULP apart.
Title track Yard is more of a gut-wrenching piano ballad showing just another side to the band. Even though the lyrics aren’t exactly happy the piano keeps things pretty melancholy using a lot of major notes which is a nice juxtaposition. Keeping with this style, Carina Phone 1000 switches the piano for a mostly acoustic guitar-driven track with beautiful soaring vocals over the top. These two tracks work so well as they bounce off each other at almost the midway point showing all they can do.
MUD is a little subdued but it’s a really chilled-out track and relies on little and simplistic instrumentation. It gets a little heavier as it goes on which is awesome as it’s got a feel as if it’s building up and coming back down like a swell. It brings back the heavy effects and almost dreamy hazy feel which works really well on this track in particular with smoky vocals. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and SLOW PULP close this album with Fishes. This is a very emotional track. It’s self-reflective and is a meditation on self-acceptance. It’s a bit of a gut punch as the lyrics cut and are honest. It’s mostly led with a finger-style acoustic guitar part with no effects, and it’s raw to the bone and the most beautiful way to end Yard.
SLOW PULP have really defined themselves on this album. It’s just dripping with their signature style and sound, with the heavier tracks really hitting hard whilst the softer ones hit just as hard in a different way. Yard is a truly excellent album.
Rating: 8/10
Yard is set for release on September 29th via Anti-Records.
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