Album Review: Yort’s “We Make It Here”

TROY-Five-piece rock band Yort has released its debut album, “We Make It Here!”

The Troy-based quintet joined forces in 2020 and got their name by reversing the name of their hometown. After beginning to release singles prolifically in August of this year, they have already amassed enough material for an enthralling 10-track album.

The opening track, “L.I.B.,” sets the album’s tone early, pairing brightly picked guitar lines with a tasteful organ accompaniment that can be best described as surf rock meets The Doors.

As the album progresses, Yort expands its sound in numerous creative ways without losing sight of its core sound. Singles “The Wolf” and “Mind Tracks” exhibit heavy funk influences, and the song Fade takes this irresistible grooviness to a new level. They expand the record’s soundscapes to include ear-grabbing keyboard sounds and danceable rhythms.

“Snug Harbor” and “Codex” dive deeper into the realm of psychedelia. Guitars caked in reverb and delay create an immersive world of sound for the listener. The drums and bass lock together to generate trance-inducing beats that support the face-melting psychedelic guitar solos that mark each of these songs.

Other tracks take Yort’s sound to heavier places. The thumping rhythm section on “Ozymandias Cast Down” pushes classic rock and metal influences to the forefront while maintaining the psychedelic atmosphere. “Disintegration,” the album’s penultimate track, carries with it a dark and spooky energy. The result is one of the most invigorating points on the release: an angry psychedelic surf punk complete with brooding lyrics and aggressive vocal performances. 

“The Descent” brings the record back down to a mellower pace and provides a return to the album’s core sound, resulting in a perfect send-off for the release.

Overall, Yort’s first full-length album provides a captivating listen thanks to a tasteful combination of musical influences. The album is available on streaming platforms.