Rooted in the Canberra indie rock scene, the group was formed in 1996 by Narrabundah College school friends Paul Murphy, Toby Martin and Andy Cassell. The fourth founding member, Danny Lee Allen, never lived in Canberra, instead growing up in Maroubra and then Coogee in Sydney, meeting Paul through attending Marcellin College in Randwick. Andy Cassell was one of three partners in the Ivy League / Winterman & Goldstein group of companies. Of the original members, only Martin and Allen remained. The band's first show was in November 1997 at the Warren View Hotel in the inner Sydney suburb of Enmore. At this stage, Allen had played drums for approximately two months. Their first album, Urban and Eastern, was released in 2000.
In 2003, the band played at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas and performed on 4 dates with The Vines and The Music on a US West Coast tour.After various configurations, including the temporary membership of John Lattin of La Huva, the lineup was finalised in 2004 through the addition of Cameron Emerson-Elliott on guitar (previously a member of The John Reed Club) and Patrick Matthews on bass (formerly of The Vines). A series of chance happenings lead Epitaph Records boss Brett Gurewitz to hear their second album, Skeleton Jar, in 2004 and release it in the U.S. in 2005. The band supported Death Cab for Cutie in 2005 on a coast to coast US tour.
Their single "Forever Young", a cover of the 1984 song by Alphaville, was used in the television show The O.C. and heavily featured in promos for Australian TV station Channel Ten at the beginning of 2006. The song debuted on the Australian charts at No. 2 in March 2006, and eventually peaked at No. 1. It was also No. 1 in the first ever digital download chart. During 2006, they supported Coldplay in their sold-out tour of Australia. They also won an ARIA for Breakthrough Single.
In July 2006, the band released their third album, Casino Twilight Dogs, which featured "Forever Young", along with the album's second single, "Catching & Killing". On 24 July 2006, Casino Twilight Dogs debuted at #10 in the ARIA Album Charts. The album was produced by Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla.
They supported Kings Of Leon and Interpol on their 2008 tours of Australia.
They released their fourth album, The Night Is Ours, in July 2008 through Ivy League in Australia and in April 2009 on Worlds Fair Records in the US. The song "What is A Life" from The Night Is Ours was featured on The CW show Gossip Girl episode "The Bonfire of the Vanity".
Youth Group toured the US twice in 2009, as well as once again opening for Death Cab for Cutie in Australia, before moving into a hiatus. Though the band are still on good terms, they are focusing on other projects. Martin released a solo album, Love's Shadow, in July 2012 on Ivy League Records. Allen currently lives in New York and tours with We Are Scientists and plays with Brooklyn band, The Drums. Elliott and Matthews are both currently members of Sydney-based indie rock band Community Radio. Matthews also spent time in The Jewel and the Falcon.
The band reunited to play shows in 2015.
Negative Hearing
Youth Group Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because the colour supplement said that he oughta'.
You'll see him ordering a pakora,
But he thinks they should leave their opinions at the border.
Spent a night at the opera,
It didn't suit me.
I'll make a sound law to stop ya'.
His life fits him like it was made to measure,
Like his shoes of Italian leather.
His vehicle is all-terrain
But he has never, ever taken it outside of mobile range.
The lyrics of Youth Group's song "Negative Hearing" are a commentary on modern society's obsession with material possessions and the constant need to conform to societal norms. The first verse talks about a man who is blindly following the instructions given in a magazine supplement, buying property by the water because it is recommended. He then orders pakoras, an Indian snack, but is unwilling to hear or acknowledge the opinions of those from other cultures. The second verse describes the singer's experience at an opera, which did not appeal to him but he nevertheless wants to enforce a law to prevent others from enjoying it. The third verse talks about a man whose life seems perfect, with everything fitting him perfectly like his Italian leather shoes, but he is unable to venture outside network coverage with his all-terrain vehicle.
These lyrics are a commentary on how we often prioritize material possessions and societal expectations over true experiences and individuality. The man in the first verse blindly follows the advice given in a magazine supplement without thinking about whether it actually suits him. He is also unwilling to listen to opinions of those from other cultures, displaying a lack of empathy and an unwillingness to engage with diversity. In the second verse, the singer wants to force his own preferences onto others, rather than allowing them to form their own opinions. Finally, the man in the third verse may look good on the outside, but he is limited by technology, unable to fully explore the world around him.
Line by Line Meaning
He's buying property by the water
He is purchasing expensive property close to the water as advised by a magazine.
Because the colour supplement said that he oughta'.
He is purchasing the property because a magazine article recommends it.
You'll see him ordering a pakora,
He enjoys foreign cuisine and will often order Indian food.
But he thinks they should leave their opinions at the border.
He has a closed mindset and does not appreciate the diversity of opinions.
Spent a night at the opera,
He went to an opera but didn't enjoy it.
It didn't suit me.
He did not like the opera he attended.
I'll make a sound law to stop ya'.
He believes he has authority and will impose his opinions on others.
His life fits him like it was made to measure,
He believes that his current lifestyle suits him perfectly.
Like his shoes of Italian leather.
He appreciates expensive, high-quality items such as his Italian leather shoes.
His vehicle is all-terrain
He owns a car capable of driving in rugged terrain.
But he has never, ever taken it outside of mobile range.
Despite owning a car with excellent capabilities, he has never actually used it outside of places with mobile reception.
Contributed by Logan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.