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Feb 14, 2019 Web Exclusive By Matthew Slaughter

This is the kind of ponderous, riffy, woozy indie rock that delights millions and alienates the rest of us fairly comprehensively. Despite the great intention behind songs like “White Male Carnivore” (“With a low pain threshold/You are the glass house throwing stones/You think that you’ve got a finger on the pulse”) we’re largely exposed to stoned, ‘70s-copped faux-psychedelia as on tracks like “Layin’ It on the Line.” It’s here we’re treated to sentiments like “Keep on keeping on” and the like. We’re only a few small steps away from the likes of Greta Van Fleet here folks…

They offer the occasional tune, as on shaggy opener “Bellyache,” a danceable but obnoxiously obvious stomper, and on the ‘50s-flecked treat “Encore” (“You’ve got to leave when the audience wants more” sagely observes singer/songwriter Oli Burslem), or fierce rocker “Blinded By the Lights,” but Burslem’s generic, bargain-basement lyrics (“Were you looking for some fame/Like a moth to the flame?” feels torn from a “How to Do Rock From the Past” handbook, as do many, many other lines across the album) are unforgivable.

Sometimes it feels like we’ve stumbled upon a more socially conscious Kula Shaker, or, generously, a take on Arctic Monkeys that leans farther toward The Last Shadow Puppets than you’d like. It’s disappointing that bands like Yak are currently lauded among other wild, creative bands such as Fat White Family or Yowl when in fact they don’t really qualify for the company.

There may be some good ideas here, and political awareness and a lack of fear to share those ideas should always be applauded, but as a record in 2019, Pursuit of Momentary Happiness doesn’t even offer the moment for which it searches. (www.facebook.com/yakyakyak/)

Author rating: 3.5/10