Well, They Still Got Their Youth

Youth Group

The Night Is Ours

Fair Records

Action Rating: 4.5/10

Youth Group is an Australian based quartet that originally formed in the late nineties. The Night is Ours is their fourth full length album. Their second album Skeleton Jar was their last highly acclaimed work; it got them signed to the American label, Epitaph. This album’s overall sound is very close to that of Deathcab for Cutie, but that could be because it was produced by Deathcab’s own, Chris Walla.

Unfortunately, the album hits its peak in the first four songs. But those first four songs are as infectious as ever.

The opening track “Good Time” sounds like an anthem for a Monday morning after a fun weekend. Martin sings “I had myself a good time/ and now I don’t feel like myself.” It’s a great track to open the album with. The way the music is used only as a background for singer Toby Martin’s lyrical monologue has emotinal impact and it makes you want to keep listening to what they do next.

“One For Another” starts great. The chorus however sounds almost amateur lyrically. “One for another/ Each for each other/ I'm so glad that you found one another.“ Then comes the bridge followed by a really cheesy horn solo and, just like that, the song ends. Abrupt endings seem to be a trend that carries across the album. It makes the tracks sound rushed.

Any song that uses the lyrics “To dance to die to die to die” had better be a song you can dance to. Luckily for Youth Group, they met the standard. “Two Sides” is carried by a steady bass line accented by a synthesizer. The melody in the music as catchy as heck, however, if you stop dancing and actually listen to what he is singing, it’s less than impressive. “There’s always two sides/You can’t serve two masters/ You can’t take two sides”

On the contrary, “Dying at Your Own Party” actually tells a really interesting story. It is a relatively solid song all around.

“All This Will Pass” really starts the heavy Deathcab influence on the album, blended with vocals reminiscent of the 80’s underground scene. Right in the opening guitar riff, you would expect to then hear Ben Gibbard but then think you’re hearing Morrisey. But then “Friedrichstrasse" takes that in reverse. When it begins, you would swear you somehow picked to listen to a Paul McCartney song, but in the last minute or so, it transitions right back to Deathcab.

Tracks seven through twelve seem to blend into one single track. None of these songs stand out especially in comparison to the rest of the album. They are each pretty forgettable.

Youth Group has everything they need to be great. Toby Martin’s voice is crisp yet smooth. Drummer Danny Lee Allen holds the beat and is able to keep the song interesting without over-doing it. Guitarist Cameron Emerson-Elliot and bassist Patrick Matthews (formally of The Vines) bring real simple riffs that pull you in and tap your foot. Yet somehow, this album falls below par. It’s one that you would be better off just downloading the first four or five songs.

Standout tracks: Good Time, One For Another, Two Sides, Dying At Your Own Party