FRESH MUSIC FRIDAY: GANG OF YOUTHS, LIZZY MCALPINE, AND MOM JEANS

Fresh Music Friday is BACK, baby, and this week Harry Gay, Victoria Gillespie, and Niamh Elliott-Brennan deconstruct a bit of self-deprecating Gang of Youths grandeur, a tragic love ballad from Lizzy McAlpine, and a throwback pop-punk track from Mom Jeans.

RETURNER – GANG OF YOUTHS

Niamh: THEY’RE BACK! It’s no secret I’m in love with Dave Le’aupepe, and returner aimed for my heart with its cynicism and disillusionment with fame and the music industry. The song has a folksy feel that swells into that patented string-backed GoY climax we know and love. But the central focus is the lyrics: returner reads like a poem, entwining deep self-reflection and political commentary with a layer of ephemerality I’ve only ever heard on a Gang of Youths record. 

Harry: I’m a bit of a Gang of Youths fan so I was quite excited for this one. Their instrumentals are great as always and I loved the football-esque chant during the chorus. The song also has some political undercurrents referencing Armistice Day. Much like ‘Achilles Come Down’, the string backing track elevates their music to grandiose importance, making you feel as though you’re listening to something larger than yourself. 

Victoria: Unfortunately, this track merges into the rest of the Gang of Youth’s sound, but I guess as a mid-album track it serves its purpose. However, the track seems to be missing a bit of a crescendo at the beginning, so the latter build-up feels unsatisfying. Not a bad track by any means, but not one I’m eager to listen to again.

RECKLESS DRIVING (FT. BEN KESSLER) – LIZZY MCALPINE

Harry: This song has a very radio-friendly sound, and while I’m not usually one for these pop love ballads, the song has some interesting things going for it that make it stand out from the crowd. The call and response lyrics of Ben and Lizzy were great, showcasing their different philosophies of love, with Ben willing to risk their lives for love with his reckless driving, while Lizzy would rather protect their lives at all costs. I very much enjoyed this one.

Victoria: I REALLY liked this. It captures those moments of unease, naivety and excitement that typify teenager-hood. I feel fraudulent talking about the technical strength of the song, but the conversation between the singers added depth to their recounted experiences of young love. The track makes me nostalgic for year 11; drives to the beach after school with friends, first relationships and all the tumult that comes with becoming an adult. 

Niamh: reckless driving tells the story of two kinds of love – one hesitant, accidental, and waning, the other self-destructive, blind, and dangerous. The more you listen to this track, the darker and more urgent it becomes, as you realise the lovers are (literally and figuratively) speeding towards a tragic ending. The way the story is indistinguishably intertwined with the music, the crescendo echoing Lizzy’s panic and Ben’s determination to crash and burn, makes this song well worth many replays.

LUV L8R – MOM JEANS

Victoria: We’re looking back on a relationship breakup, replete with emotional turmoil, endless questioning and romanticisation. The crying pleads of ‘do you miss me’ perfectly encapsulate this distress, as well as the move to agitated speech at the 2min mark. While the sound was a bit generic, I can see myself listening to this in the future after a breakup lol.

Niamh: If you’re looking for a massive hit of nostalgia-tinged-pop-punk-angst, Luv L8r is the song for you: it’s fast, fun, and furiously self-aware. My FAVOURITE part is when Eric Butler launches into a heart-on-sleeve soliloquy rife with frustration about how even unforgivable hurt doesn’t stop you from loving or desiring someone’s affection. It’s this unapologetic honesty that elevates this track from a copycat of 2000s pop-punk to something unique. 

Harry: The 2000s are back in a big way and this song made me feel as though I was plucked out of 2022 and dropped right in some American high school movie from 2006. I could feel the checkered vans, frosted tips and ripped jeans manifest on my body the more I sat down with this. The song has many quirky flourishes and musical moments that made it a very fun listen. While I’m not the biggest listener of this style, I can still find something to enjoy with this.