By Chelsea Ness
Transatlantic melancholic indie pop duo, Yard Arms bring a new sound to the local scene that I can guarantee you haven’t heard before. Heavily influenced from 70s alternative rock bands such as The Psychedelic Furs and INXS mixed with their own modern day style, the Bristol based band are back with their refreshing new single, Mantra, the perfect track to put a smile on your face during lockdown.
Described by frontman, Noah Villeneuve as a ‘triumphant love letter to the anxious’, Mantra creates a sense of empowerment, belonging and nostalgia all from the get-go. The fluttering melody enchants listeners instantly with the music continuing to create a meaningful purpose throughout. It’s the type of song you would expect to hear in a movie soundtrack with it’s uplifting aura demonstrated from start to finish.
Take the opening verse for instance, ‘Everyone here is damaged enough to tell you, we’re all running away from value in our cardboard brick built homes, what did it mean when I saw you last week feeling nervous, you said I need to discover purpose, it’s all gone so wrong.‘ the band create the kind of ambiguous lyrics which allows listeners to create their own meanings behind the track. Not only creating a connection with the song itself but also with the band and it’s that personal connection that makes fans want to invest in their music more.
Mantra’s dreamy hypnotic style emphasises the instrumental side of their sound that will inevitably make you lost in the music. It reminds me of certain bands such as Explosions in the Sky, The War on Drugs and The National who create the type of music that help you escape reality for a while. The type of songs that you listen to with the lights off, headphones on and the world blocked out. That inner peace that those songs give you, leaving you in awe is exactly what Yard Arms succeeds on with Mantra.
It’s incredible to discover a band like Yard Arms who can create a song such an inspiring track at such early stages of their career. If this is the type of quality that they are producing now, can you imagine what the band will be like in years to come? Certainly exciting times ahead…
CHECK OUT YARD ARMS BELOW….
Bandcamp: http://yardarmsmusic.bandcamp.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/yardarmsmusic
Instagram: www.instagram.com/yardarmsmusic
Twitter: www.twitter.com/yardarmsmusic
The Music Files 