The sophomore effort from Slow Pulp, Yard, builds on the hugely promising groundwork laid by their fine debut effort Moveys, which was released in 2020. Yard continues the themes of introspective reflection, only this time confronting emotions with greater clarity and focus.
Having gained legions of fans through their first album and having served as opener to Death Cab for Cutie in Europe and Pixies in the US, it may seem that the road to their second album has been smooth. However, it has been anything but. Guitarist Henry Stoehr and drummer Teddy Mathews met at an elementary school in Madison, Wisconsin. Soon after, they would meet bassist Alex Leeds through a local music program. The three friends would later recruit guitarist and vocalist Emily Massey while at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who would prove to be the last piece of the Slow Pulp jigsaw.
Despite Leeds attending college in Minneapolis, the group remained together, recording and playing shows across the Midwest, before releasing their first recording as a band, EP2, in 2017. The group decided to relocate to Chicago in September 2018, with their Big Day EP being released the following January after having recorded it in Michigan. The hype around the band was growing, and things were looking positive when working on their debut studio offering, Moveys. Massey was diagnosed with Lyme disease and chronic mono, leaving her battling physical and mental health problems just before the first Covid lockdown period. The album would be finished in isolation, with Massey recording vocals at her father’s home studio, although at that time, it was their only option for Yard; the band again chose to record the vocals at that studio.
On Moveys, the group was not afraid to explore various soundscapes and travel through different genres, as is the case for their latest record. As Yard navigates across musical genres, a lyrical voyage is also offered, with the album presented as a storybook.
Opener “Gone 2” brings back memories of their debut record, with Massey’s delicately comforting vocals providing a warm welcome as she searches for love in other people. Lyrically, Massey pleads, “Could you come back tomorrow” and “Could you love me tomorrow”.
Never afraid to change course, the album throws up a couple of pop-punk numbers. Firstly, with “Doubt”, in which Massey is again found looking for validation from others, and later on “MUD”, which features a singalong chorus of, “I don’t want this to end”.
Away from the pop-punk tones, there are moments of contemplative subtlety throughout the album. The piano ballad title track, “Yard”, offers brutal introspection with the lines, “I’m selfish, I’ve been selfish”. While “Carina Phone 1000” sees an acoustic guitar teamed with the strings of a violin, Massey seems to be coming to terms with things, “That’s life, I guess.”
As the record draws to a close, so does the journey of self-discovery Massey and the band have been on. Having started by searching for love from others and wanting validation, the closing track, “Fishes”, ends the record with the triumph of self-acceptance. Written while Massey was alone at a cabin in rural Wisconsin, the stripped-back closer sees her come to the realisation “that I’m the prize” and “Maybe I like myself.” Having struggled through various emotions, including self-doubt and acceptance, the closer provides the joyously fulfilling finale listeners will have longed for.
Yard once again bares the soul of Slow Pulp intimately as they craft their signature style. Full of brooding emotion and haunting soundscapes, the band captivate and hold attention. Having successfully navigated the tricky second album, the question that lingers is – where will the band go next? Having ended positively, finding out which emotions will be explored on their third album is intriguing.
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