EP Review: Gang of Youths ‘Let Me Be Clear’

If their latest EP ‘Let Me Be Clear’ is any indication, Gang of Youths don’t do things by halves. Each track on the emotive release outlasts the patience of your average radio host, allowing them to delve deeper into lyrical explorations of life and love, and you won’t want to miss a moment.

A beautifully sparse piano intro with a catchy tune gets The Good Fight off to a strong start, highlighting frontman David Le’aupepe’s melancholy drawl. In the second stanza, shimmering strings accentuate the vocal melody and fill in empty spaces, complemented by a subtly dramatic drum beat. The guitar, strings, and drums layer together, peaking and dipping, until they’re met by dramatic violin strokes and heightened energy. The last two minutes burst into a thrashing rock anthem as Le’aupepe yells passionate, practically inaudible words over crashing drums and roaring guitar melodies. The Good Fight is an emotional rollercoaster – safety harnesses optional.

Gang of Youths’ trademark grunge-rock style takes hold in the first verse, combining a gloriously dirty guitar melody with Le’aupepe’s gravelly vocals.

Like The Good Fight, Native Tongue is a complex blend of styles, a rock anthem balancing surf and grunge textures, and interspersed with psychedelic riffs and effects. Le’aupepe’s mellow vocals smooth over the verse’s gravelly guitar and drums, while the chorus takes on a sense of grittiness with heavier drumming and a rough take on that trademark vocal drawl.

Don’t let the intriguingly soft, intricate violin tapestry of its first lines fool you – Strange Diseases quickly develops into a bonafide banger with pulsing notes and offbeat melodies. In a theatrical style reminiscent of The Killers, the track flickers between thin, revealing sections and all-out rock charisma. Hard-hitting drums and anthemic vocals lead the transition into a heavier rock number without transcending the boundaries of accessible modern music, maintaining a certain mainstream appeal.

After a slow start, A Sudden Light kicks off to the tune of passionate vocal cries supported by hazy guitar melodies. Once again, Gang of Youths’ trademark grunge-rock style takes hold in the first verse, combining a gloriously dirty guitar melody with Le’aupepe’s gravelly vocals. Meanwhile, a poppy bass guitar riff maintains a modern energy, subtly peeking out from behind its louder counterparts. Guitar melodies wail over the chorus, but Le’aupepe’s passionate performance still steals the show, outshining even the angelic vocal harmonies. It’s passionate without being overreaching, demonstrating impressive control and consideration.

In a theatrical style reminiscent of The Killers, Strange Diseases flickers between thin, revealing sections and all-out rock charisma.

By contrast, the opening melody to Still Unbeaten Life sounds like a summer’s day, growing out of burgeoning atmospheric synth. Its soft, off-centre heartbeat drum rhythm partners another emphatic vocal performance from Le’aupepe, sounding eerily similar to Leonard Cohen as he balances warmth with vulnerability. The guitar is a staple throughout, brightened by touches of harmony and buoyant trombone filler melodies in the second verse. Everything comes together beautifully in the final minute as all the various instrumental components interweave, plugging the gaps with vibrant filler melodies.

The most emotional track on the album, Both Sides Now strips back the instrumentation to the guitar alone, rendering the track raw and intimate. Its glowing guitar introduction brightens Le’aupepe’s slow, indulgent vocals, allowing him to show off his tender falsetto and vibrato, and leads seamlessly into a melancholy chorus. Accompanied by a skilfully delicate guitar melody, the chorus lyrics make for a heart-wrenching finish as Le’aupepe sings, “I’ve looked at life from both sides now/From up and down, still somehow/It’s life’s illusions I recall/And I really don’t know life at all”. Complete with shivering vibrato, these slow final lines are a perfect finish to an impressively tender, emotional EP.