Album Of The Week: Pursuit of Momentary Happiness — Yak
Sophia Bonner offers her take on the latest release from Yak, for our Album of the Week review. Here’s why this is a release that ought to offer listeners more than just a momentary glimpse of happiness.
Yak, a trio from Wolverhampton, burst onto the indie rock scene in 2014 as a relatively unique band. I have been following them since about 2015 and was incredibly happy to have them release another album. Their powerful, sometimes grungy, breed of guitar music attracted attention from all within the indie rock sphere. Their support shows in the years 2015 and 2016—for Peace, The Last Shadow Puppets, and King Gizzard—brought new fans to their shows, whilst May of 2016 brought the release of their debut album, Alas Salvation: a confident and gritty release that earned them a prominent place in the scene. And last week brought with it their second endeavour. A more emotional album, potentially, but still of the same high quality… Possibly, an even better album.
First up is ‘Bellyache’, a loud introduction that heralds Yak’s return to the rock scene. The stomping bass forms the foundations for a strong opener, signifying that the trio have taken the same path as the first album in terms of their heavy riffs, but also that they have progressed to harness a melodic sound that may be more appealing to some new listeners. Quieter tracks such as ‘Words Fail Me’ and ‘Layin’ It On The Line’, are examples of this—easier listens for those less into the high-intensity rock that Yak pump out elsewhere.
The band do not mess around, as each track transitions from one to the next without pause. The quick shift into ‘Fried’ keeps listeners eager. Lyrics like: “What you got is what you make it”, provide a sinister feeling to the grunge-esque track, whilst perhaps reflecting the hardships that the trio underwent to produce this album. The band have been known to have links with Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, with whom they released a single, under Yala! Records, The Maccabees’ Felix White’s own record label. This link to Parker is noticeable in the band’s heavy guitar backing, which is reminiscent of some of Parker’s older tracks, like ‘Elephant’.
The third track, ‘Pursuit of Momentary Happiness’, ushers in a calmness, as lead singer Oliver Henry Burslem demonstrates the potential of his vocal abilities. For me, it provides a break in the album, away from the raspier tracks that offer familiar Yak characteristics, and delivers a fresh, new extension to the band’s sonic range.
A highlight of the album is the track ‘White Male Carnivore’, a fast-paced, rigid track that saw the light of day back in August as Yak’s first single since their debut in 2016. This is a welcome addition to the album, and it is without doubt one of the strongest on the whole release, allowing the band to demonstrate all their capabilities wrapped up in a song that treads the line between melodic and aggressive perfectly.
The emotive element to this album can be felt in the lighter breaks of certain tracks, when Burslem bursts through the loud melodies to uncover his feelings. Speaking before the release of the album, Burslem talks about the struggles he encountered trying to create this album. Stories of bankruptcy and homelessness resonate throughout, but particularly within the punchy ‘Pay Off vs. The Struggle’, where anger and fear reverberate throughout the lyrics: “The biggest pieces in my puzzle / It’s the payoff versus the struggle”.
The album ends with the beautiful ‘This House Has No Living Room’, the meaning of which is unknown to me, but the song oozes with excellent production, ensuring the band go out on a high. And the eight-and-a-half minute track concludes what is arguably a better-written album than their debut. Ending with a well-earned instrumental, a kind that is absent in the other tracks, the last couple of minutes feature a range of instrumentation—including what sounds like the call of birds—descending into increasing quietude, to be replaced by a silence that marks the end of an impressive album.
The decision to include more heartfelt pieces is one that sees the band demonstrate the range of their abilities, a sign that they are much more than a punchy rock band capable of loud sounds. There is a sense that the emotiveness of the release may have been inspired by Burslem’s own experiences and struggles, but, nonetheless, this slightly different direction is an exciting moment, especially when thoughts turn to the new kind of live performance that the three-piece might well be showcasing along with it.
Perhaps the title of the album is how the band feels about their latest release—an album they have worked for together, with the result being a fleeting, temporary happiness, before more work begins. But this record is a glowing reflection of their effort. It is a more coherent release than their last, with each song introducing the next seamlessly so that the full forty-one minutes hangs together as one. This is a confident second chapter in the band’s life.
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