Gang of Youths return with stripped-back single ‘Things Take Time’ after four-year hiatus
Following sold-out Sydney Opera House shows, the Australian rock group releases their first new music since 2022, marking a deliberate move away from emotional turmoil towards a ‘zen’ approach to songwriting.
Australian rock band Gang of Youths has released their first new music in four years, a three-minute single titled ‘Things Take Time’. The track marks a distinct departure from the grandiose, maximalist arrangements of their 2022 album, ‘angel in realtime’, favouring a simpler, pop-oriented sound that frontman Dave Le’aupepe describes as a reflection of his improved personal well-being.
Le’aupepe, now 34, says the song represents a conscious effort to move away from the emotional turmoil and pressures of fame that previously impacted his songwriting. After a period where he felt his voice and creative output were compromised by the intensity of their success, he describes his current state as “overwhelmingly OK”. The single was inspired by an offhand joke from guitarist Jung Kim to write about plants, which Le’aupepe interpreted as a metaphor for the band settling down, starting families, and putting down roots.
The recording process, conducted in violinist Tom Hobden’s backyard studio in London, was an exercise in restraint. Le’aupepe completed 389 takes for the track, aiming to condense complex lyrical concepts into a concise pop structure. He created a 300-track playlist for the band featuring influences ranging from Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits to Perry Como and Glen Campbell, seeking a “zen” approach to the sessions.
This shift in sound follows sold-out performances of new material in Australia, including a one-off show in Thirroul and two shows at the Sydney Opera House. During the Opera House performance, the band played three new songs, with Le’aupepe teasing future performances for the following year. The reaction from audiences, who reported emotional responses to the return of the band to home soil, underscores the significance of this creative reset.
Le’aupepe acknowledges the risk of the new direction, asking if the track sounded like a “cynical gesture towards pop radio stardom”. However, the result is a silky, three-minute pop song that prioritises melody and vocal clarity over the heavy, metaphorical density of their previous work. The band has shed the baggage of what they were expected to sound like, embracing a liberating simplicity that Le’aupepe calls his “Everest” in songwriting.
