GANG OF YOUTHS - ANGEL IN REALTIME
Gang of Youths might have caught your attention with their show stopping performances as a special act for Sam Fender during 2021, or you may have caught them as a headlining act. Somehow during all that traveling and performing, the Australian indie rock band made time to make their latest album, angel in realtime.
Following the emotional journey of vocalist Dave Le’aupepe’s life after losing his father, you can feel the grief experienced throughout the album, showcasing that Le’aupepe needed this as much as we did.
With songs like ‘the angle of 8th ave’ being up for Record Of The Year with RadioX, Gang of Youths prove that they’re ones to watch with their following growing across the United States and United Kingdom.
‘Brother’s stands out instantly on the album, and is one of the songs that focuses on Le’aupepe’s father’s death. With lyrics like “Pretending he was half white to give his kids a better chance” catching your eye instantly, it stops you in your tracks and can be felt by anyone who is a person of color. When they go on tour this will be a show stopping moment.
‘The Returner’ starts off with a strong lead vocal until the band jumps into the song. The production on this song is different then what you hear previously on the record. “The innocence died in quiet waves” is a very relatable line that can be felt across all genres.
One of the leading singles ‘in the wake of your leaving’ is another song that Le’aupepe talks about the experience of losing his dad. It is a very drum and bass heavy song that rattles your heart and adds more emotional power into the lyrics like “I was a loser at your funeral” and “I was available for a statement but I just hung my head in shame,” taking you along the emotional journey that the vocalist is on.
Gang of Youths wanted to tap further into Britpop and Le'aupepe’s Polynesian heritage with this record, which further proves that this group will do anything to change up their sound and keep growing as a band.
Kassidy Quillin
★★★★☆