Gang of Youths
Australia's Gang of Youths are known for their poetic and intense brand of indie rock. They broke with their 2015 debut, The Positions, which hit number five on the ARIA Albums chart. Buoyed by the Top 50 single "Let Me Down Easy," their sophomore album, 2017's Go Farther in Lightness, reached number one on the albums chart and led to the group winning four ARIA Music Awards, including Album of the Year. In 2022, they released their third full-length, angel in realtime.
Led by singer and songwriter Dave Le'aupepe, indie rock quintet Gang of Youths formed in Sydney, Australia in 2012. Just out of high school and citing Sonic Youth, the Replacements, early U2, and Leonard Cohen among his influences, Le'aupepe and friends from school and church -- lead guitarist Joji Malani, guitarist/keyboardist Jung Kim, bass player Max Dunn, and drummer Donnie Borzestowski -- released their first single, "Evangelists," in 2013. It was picked up by radio, and buzz surrounding the band spread quickly. Gang of Youths started their own label, Mosy Recordings, and Le'aupepe began writing a set of songs motivated by a lung cancer diagnosis for his then-fiancée and his own subsequent battles with substance abuse and depression. In late 2013, the band headed to New York to record with producer Kevin McMahon (Real Estate, Titus Andronicus) before finishing tracking in Sydney. They soon played festivals including South by Southwest and accepted invitations to open for acts such as Vampire Weekend, Foster the People, and Manchester Orchestra. The resulting album, The Positions, was released in the spring of 2015 on Mosy in partnership with Sony Music. It became a Top Five album in Australia and led to five ARIA nominations.
While Le'aupepe's marriage didn't last, his wife recovered her health, and the band played on, issuing the follow-up Let Me Be Clear in 2016. A collection of songs that were conceived during sessions for their debut but didn't seem right for it at the time, it also included a cover of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now." The EP climbed to number two on Australia's album chart.
The group returned in early 2017 with singles including "What Can I Do If the Fire Goes Out?" and "Let Me Down Easy," the latter of which cracked the Australian Top 50. Both songs were included on their second full-length, Go Farther in Lightness, which arrived that August and hit number one on the ARIA Albums chart. Described by Le'aupepe as "my healing record," the album garnered eight ARIA Music Awards nominations and ultimately took home four: Album of the Year, Best Group, Best Rock Album, and Producer of the Year (which the band shared with Adrian Breakspear).
Gang of Youths' third studio album, angel in realtime., arrived in February 2022 and found the band drawing inspiration from the life of Le'aupepe's Samoan-born father who died in 2018 from cancer. Featured on the album were the singles "The Angel of 8th Ave." and "The Man Himself."
© Matt Collar & Marcy Donelson /TiVo
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Go Farther In Lightness
Alternative & Indie - Released by Sony Music Entertainment on Aug 18, 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Heroes
Alternative & Indie - Released by Sony Music Entertainment on Oct 9, 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Let Me Be Clear
Alternative & Indie - Released by Mosy Recordings on Jul 29, 2016
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Gang of Youths - triple j Like A Version Sessions
Alternative & Indie - Released by triple j on Aug 12, 2022
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
MTV Unplugged (Live In Melbourne)
Alternative & Indie - Released by Mosy Recordings on Oct 26, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Positions
Alternative & Indie - Released by Sony Music Entertainment on Apr 17, 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Christmas Music - Released by Sony Music Entertainment on Dec 8, 2023
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
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The Heart Is a Muscle (Radio Edit)
Alternative & Indie - Released by Sony Music Entertainment on Mar 16, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Fear And Trembling (MTV Unplugged Live In Melbourne)
Alternative & Indie - Released by Mosy Recordings on Oct 19, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Still Unbeaten Life
Alternative & Indie - Released by Mosy Recordings on Sep 14, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Riverlands
Alternative & Indie - Released by Sony Music Entertainment on Mar 21, 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
the angel of 8th ave. (Piano Version)
Rock - Released by Warner Records on Jun 15, 2021
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo