The Yearlings

LISTENING THROUGH THE LENS

OUR TOP 6 ALBUMS MAY 2024

by Rob Dickens

The Yearlings

Luck

Little Secret Records

Released 22 June 2023

I missed this release that goes back to the middle of last year. Having seen the South Australian pair The Yearlings (Robyn Chalklen and Chris Parkinson) live this month, I have immersed myself in Luck for way over my usual listening time for an album, such is its compelling groove and deft touch.

Luck was recorded live-to-tape in just two days in the Australian winter of 2022, with the pair engaging long-time collaborator and friend Lucie Thorne (producer), Hamish Stuart (drums) and James Haselwood (bass). The pair have been performing for years (I first saw them live in 2010), with the album marking their sixth studio album and it confirms a synergy and duality that underpins their songs of sensual groove and compellingly moody guitar riffs.

Luck has nothing to do with Luck. The Yearlings play with a composure and authority that make them irresistible and their profile should be way larger than it currently is.