(4 / 5)
At 26-years-old, Yellow Days, aka Manchester-born George van den Broek, has already crafted a catalogue that many artists twice his age would envy. With “Rock And A Hard Place”, his sixth studio album, he refines that prolific output into something deeply assured: a record that looks backward to classic American soul and jazz while sounding vividly alive in the present.
He got bitten by the music big at the age of 11 when he was gifted a guitar for Christmas and released a slew of singles as a teen in late 2015, and debut EP, “Harmless Melodies” in 2016. with further tracks in 2017.
After some impact with his debut long player, 2017’s “Is Everything Okay in Your World?”, working from his parents’ back garden shed in Haslemere, Surrey at 16-years-old, George then relocated to L.A. and in 2018 his track “Gap in the Clouds,” was picked up for the trailer for the second season of Donald Glover’s hit TV show “Atlanta. The single “The Way Things Change” in April 2018 and a clutch of sold out club gigs in the U.S. preceded a successful European tour.
He dropped the follow-up LP, “A Day in a Yellow Beat” in 2020. The pandemic-inspired EP trilogy “Slow Dance & Romance”, “Apple Pie”, and “Inner Peace” saw light of day in 2022. Then came the conceptual escapism of 2024’s sc-fi vibed “Hotel Heaven” and collaborative adventures alongside Mac DeMarco and Gorillaz.
His latest long player release feels grounded, intimate and purposefully crafted. Lyrically, the album leans into self-reflection and romantic uncertainty, delivered through van den Broek’s distinctively raspy vocals. His voice remains the focal point — elastic, slightly rough-edged, but full of character. His not-to-be underestimated self-production is warm and textured, favouring live-sounding drums, elastic basslines and dreamy synths that give tracks an organic looseness. He is truly a gifted multi-instrumentalist.
Standouts emerge through sophisticated groove and melody rather than obvious hooks, with layered instrumentation rewarding repeat listens. The sequencing maintains a late-night, introspective flow, rarely breaking its mood.
The album opens with “Roadkill,” a piece inspired by a fleeting real-life moment — the quiet death of a bird glimpsed just seconds before impact. It’s a subdued introduction, gradually giving way to the record’s richly arranged soul-funk fusion.
Throughout the 14 tracks, van den Broek leans heavily into the lineage of Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder and Gil Scott-Heron, absorbing their emotional directness and musical sophistication without slipping into imitation.
“Special Kind of Woman” captures that balance perfectly. It’s a slow-burning, horn-laced number that conjures the atmosphere of a smoky mid-century jazz club — glasses clinking, conversations murmuring in the background — while his voice soars with gritty conviction. The influence of Sly and the Family Stone lingers in the rhythmic looseness, yet van den Broek’s delivery is unmistakably his own: expressive, slightly ragged, but always controlled.
“Let Me Down Easy” offers a gentler turn, built on warm organ tones and a tender Motown pulse. It feels tailor-made for a quiet Sunday morning, unhurried and affectionate.
In sharp contrast, “Glitter and Gold” tears through that calm with muscular basslines and distorted guitar, evoking the stripped-back emotional intensity associated with John Lennon’s early solo work. The track bristles with frustration and urgency, showcasing van den Broek’s vocal skill that blends deep emotional expression with precise muscular control without losing focus.
Lead single “Sharon” is pure jazz-funk sophistication and stands out as one of the album’s most immediate highlights. Driven by punchy brass and tightly arranged grooves, it blends jazzy finesse with late-night introspection. Lyrically, it reflects on friendship as a lifeline during periods of uncertainty — confessions shared in bars’ smoking areas, reassurance offered amid self-doubt. His voice here is smoother and more assured than ever, gliding confidently across the arrangement.
Elsewhere, “Shoot Me With Your Love Gun” stretches beyond seven minutes, unfolding in a psychedelic haze that recalls the patient, groove-driven builds of Tame Impala. It’s playful, but beneath the swagger lies meticulous musicianship. Meanwhile, “I Cannot Believe in Tomorrow” channels a fiery urgency reminiscent of Scott-Heron’s politically charged funk, building tension before releasing it in controlled bursts of power.
Knats, the Newcastle-based jazz ensemble backing much of the record, deserve special mention. Their contributions — supple bass, crisp drumming and velvety trumpet — lend the album its refined sheen. Each horn accent and organ swell feels thoughtfully placed, as if every track were carefully constructed piece by piece like a finely detailed puzzle.
Thematically, “Rock And A Hard Place” wrestles with the pressure to please others and the difficulty of maintaining authenticity. George has described the years following 2020 as transformative, and that introspection seeps into the song writing.
Lyrically, the artist trades universal platitudes for neo-realist shadows — the internal, often exhausting pressure to conform and be liked, lost years, friendships that are deeply human, imperfect, and built on shared struggle rather than idealised romance. Yet the darkness never overwhelms the warmth, and the album glides between noir swing and disco shimmer.
Yellow Days’ “Rock And A Hard Place” is more than a nostalgic exercise; it is a carefully honed statement of maturity, lush, emotionally-charged and steeped in reverence for soul’s golden era.
I can’t quite decide which track is my favourite, but for the moment I will settle for the deep and soulful “California”. The perfect soundtrack to get you rolling toward the horizon with no intention of turning back.
- Yellow Days kicked off a 45-date world tour on 20th Feb 2026 in Mexico ,and will be in the UK for six shows in May: Cardiff, London [Scala], Nottingham, Leeds, Manchester and Glasgow.
By Manja Williams
(1 / 5) ‘Dull Zone’
(2 / 5) ‘OK Zone’
(3 / 5) ‘Decent Zone’ (4 / 5) ‘Super Zone’
(5 / 5) ‘Awesome Zone’
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