Single Review - Gang Of Youths - Tend The Garden
REVIEW BY: HARRY HARTNEY
Photo Credit: Ed Cooke
PRAISE FOR GANG OF YOUTHS
“an example of the eclectic, evolved direction in which their music is heading.”
- Rolling Stone Australia
“A band who always swing for the fences.” - The Guardian
“Le’aupepe has embraced indigenous music native to his family’s Samoan culture, as well as the hip-hop and dance sounds that he grew up on.” - UPROXX
"There's something deeply philosophical and uplifting at the heart of Gang of Youths' songs." - The Current
“I saw Gang Of Youths last night and would describe their energy and stage presence as "extremely not normal ... ." It fucking ruled.” - Ian Cohen (Pitchfork, Spin, Stereogum)
After over four years, Australian supergroup ‘Gang of Youths’ have released their single ‘tend the garden’, a preface to their third studio album, ‘angel in realtime’, arriving early 2022. Their newest single, ‘tend the garden’, is an ode to front man Dave Le’aupepe’s father, his voyages and love for gardening. The song is a beautiful composition of what this man meant to Le’aupepe, and the major role his family’s history has played in who he is today.
Le’aupepe’s vocals are reserved, but his talent and control of voice are only more evident, oozing with the charisma that has stapled him as one of (if not the) best lead singers Australia has to offer. What really stands out, though, is the front man’s song writing and storytelling, as he details his father’s travels from Samoa to New Zealand and finally to Australia. In brutally honest fashion, Le’aupepe adopts his father’s voice to open up on his infidelities, his mistakes and the regret he bore throughout his life until his passing.
Instrumentally, ‘tend the garden’, is superb. Donnie Borzestowski’s drums are constant, driving, unrelenting and clean-cut. There is the perfect juxtaposition of complexity and simpleness in his playing that really compliments on the constrained nature of the track, allowing Le’aupepe’s storytelling to really come to the forefront. Max Dunn’s baselines thump along with Borzestowski’s kit in harmony, providing the perfect bottom layer for the band to build upon in their construction of this single.
New addition to the band, Tom Hobden, works as a perfect pairing to Jung Kim, as the two multi-instrumentalists engage with their respective expertise of the strings, keyboard and guitar. The outro is a perfect example of this, as Hobden’s strings and Kim’s synths tailor off the song in a gracefully melancholic fashion.
Another highlight of ‘tend the garden’ is the band’s production and composition. Despite the many parts involved, no instrument sounds out of place. Instead, the track feels whole and well-rounded, as if all instruments involved were essential in the telling of this story.
The song is striking in its emotion. There is a constant feeling of a love for life, and an acceptance of the challenges it brings with it. A truly stunning release by one of Australia’s greatest modern bands, ‘tend the garden’ makes you question whether to dance or cry along, and is more than promising of what is yet to come for Gang of Youths in the coming year.
Handsome Tours, TEG Live WME and triple j present
GANG OF YOUTHS
angel in realtime. tour
AUSTRALIA
PERTH: SAT 30 JULY 2022 @ RAC ARENA, WA
ADELAIDE: WED 3 AUG 2022 @ ADELAIDE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, SA
SYDNEY: SAT 6 AUG 2022 @ QUDOS BANK ARENA, NSW
MELBOURNE: FRI 12 AUG 2022 @ ROD LAVER ARENA, VIC
Telstra Plus Pre-Sale begins Tue 16 Nov at 3 pm (local time)
at www.telstra.com/music
General Public On Sale begins Fri 19 Nov at 9 am (local time)
at handsometours.com
AOTEAROA
WELLINGTON: TUE 16 AUG 2022 @ HUNTER LOUNGE
AUCKLAND: WED 17 AUG 2022 @ POWERSTATION
Register now at handsometours.com or Pre-Sale
commencing Thu 18 Nov at 3 pm (local time)
General Public On Sale begins Fri 19 Nov, 9 am (local time)
at handsometours.com
coming soon
HOBART: SUN 14 2022 AUG
BRISBANE: SAT 20 2022 AUG
Sign up at amoreperfectunion.com.au for updates
‘tend the garden’ is available across all streaming platforms now.
angel in realtime. will be released on February 25th 2022 via Mosy Recordings/Sony Music Australia.
