Youth Group

For those who can't get enough neat and tidy indie rock, these Australian masters of sonic delicacy offer one dozen gentle, yearning beauties. Youth Group's music sounds the way a hand-carved piece of porcelain feels in your hand -- smooth, but with a pleasing weight. Somehow these guys produce faint echoes of '80s Aussie arena rock; think the Church and the Clean. Does that even make sense? Are people allowed to mix those things together? When the results work, as they do here, they certainly are.

Australian rockers Youth Group first reached American audiences on The O.C., doing a
cover of a decrepit Eighties oldie, Alphaville's "Forever Young." Dude -- that wasn't even
Alphaville's best song! "Big in Japan," my man! But even if The O.C. is history, Youth Group
are destined for hugeness. On their third album, they wield massive choruses,
stadium-ready production and the keening vocals of Toby Martin. He may sing li... More >