There’s an awful lot to like about talented Sydney outfit Gang Of Youths. The lads already have a reputation for constructing impressive live shows, and they recently made the news when one member got himself mysteriously trapped between two doors. But hey, any press is good press.
Their debut album, The Positions, confirms the band as one of Australia’s most exciting and talented acts. It’s a powerful mix of drum-heavy rhythms, varied instrumentals and raw vocals from lead singer David Leaupepe. At over seven minutes long, ‘Vital Signs’ is a surprisingly lengthy opening track. It kicks things off with a pounding drum beat and slowly builds toward an uplifting tempo change. One of the first singles from the album, ‘Poison Drum’ is reminiscent of early Kings Of Leon and catchy as hell. ‘The Diving Bell’ is much slower in comparison, adding keys and new amp effects to keep it fresh.
‘Kansas’ opens with a simple string backing behind Leaupepe’s vocals; it’s a nice and fairly unexpected change of pace. The band experiments with a huge range of instruments and configurations, which really has to be commended.
The album finishes strong with ‘Sjamboksa’, a slow-building rock anthem, and ‘The Overpass’, which is more in line with what we heard at the beginning. All in all, it’s a tight package.
Gang Of Youths’ The Positions is out though Sony.
