Gang Of Youths – “The Angel Of 8th Ave.”

Gang Of Youths – “The Angel Of 8th Ave.”

The earnest and anthemic Australian rock band Gang Of Youths are back with their first new song since 2017’s Go Farther In Lightness. Like the best of this band’s work, “The Angel Of 8th Ave.” hits that sweet spot between arena rock and big-tent indie, evoking such touchstones as U2, the War On Drugs, and the National in its pursuit of sweeping grandeur. It’s a Father’s Day miracle!

“I started writing this about four years ago and we’ve done 15 versions of it,” the band’s David Le’aupepe told Zane Lowe. “It’s probably the only song that you’ll hear from us from now that sounds remotely kind of what we sounded like the previous kind of six to eight years.” He continued, “It’s supposed to kind of feel like a swift energetic, like kind of lightning strike, I think. And I think we wanted those things that had kind of inertia and energy and to have that sensibility. But I think there was kind of a part of us that wanted to still tip the cap to what we’d been for so long, but also gestured to the future and gestures to the sounds that we’re obsessed with, gestures to the world that we’re starting to create in this kind of room.”

The band has a new album on the way, their third attempting after twice scrapping their efforts and starting over. While you wait for that, listen to “The Angel Of 8th Ave.” below and revisit our Gang Of Youths interview here.

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