Long before their iconic cover of Alphaville’s ‘Forever Young’ became a number #1 Aussie hit, propelling them to national notoriety and earning them an ARIA award, Youth Group were already a much-loved indie rock band on Australia’s underground touring circuit. With two albums under their belt, their debut Urban & Eastern and 2004’s follow-up Skeleton Jar, the band had built a solid reputation for sharply observed lyrics and a wistful, chiming and effervescent sound.
Formed at the end of the last century in Sydney’s inner-west, it was Skeleton Jar that really started to spread the word about Youth Group and the skill and depth of the extraordinary songwriting on show turned listeners into true believers. Scoring four and five star reviews, it also made fans out of Death Cab For Cutie’s Chris Walla (who invited Youth Group on tour with them in the US), the music director of then hit drama ‘The O.C.’ (who featured the band’s song ‘Shadowland’ and their version of ‘Forever Young’ in the TV show) and world-renowned LA label Epitaph (who signed the band to their roster for the US/Europe without ever having seen them play live).
The band went on to release two more acclaimed albums, 2006’s Casino Twilight Dogs which spawned crowd favourites ‘Start Today Tomorrow’ and ‘Daisychains’,and 2008’s The Night Is Ours, tour the country supporting Coldplay, as well multiple tours of their own to the UK and the US, including playing at Coachella and Reading and Leeds Festival.
After a decade long absence, Youth Group returned in 2019 with Australian Halloween arguably their most fully formed collection of songs yet. Propelled by singles ‘Cusp’ and ‘Erskineville Nights’, the album looked back at Australia from abroad, exploring themes of home, growing up, parenthood and the changing world, all set against the classic sound of Youth Group’s dynamic indie rock. The album received glowing reviews (The Australian called it “power-pop heaven, with subtle lyrics a cut above most”) and was named Album of the Week and one of the Top 50 Albums of 2019 by Double J, all proof that the band had lost none of their charm while they’d been gone.
With a second wind in their sails – albeit temporarily becalmed by Covid – the band recorded a new set of songs for an album to be released in 2025. Tentatively titled ‘Big Whoop’, this record sees the band fire up the synth and drum machines, inspired by late 80s early 90s UK dance pop, combined with the jangly pop they are better known for. The lyrics pick up where Australian Halloween left off – with thoughtful and playful riffs on parenthood, music and suburbia. Youth Group you might say are dancing – Madchester style – their way into middle age.