Gold & Youth - Dream Baby
Vancouver-based indie-rock band, ‘Gold & Youth’, are back after a near 10-year break, blessing us with their second LP, ‘Dream Baby’ (out November 5th). Encapsulated in its title, this album is dreamy, laced with ethereality, and yet eclectic. Its sound flits between alt-pop, Bowie-esc synth rock and indie-folk, showcasing the band’s non-conformity to one genre.
Gold & Youth find the perfect balance between dazed optimism and crushing realism, the album coupling electric, upbeat instrumentals with penetrating lyrics, speaking of the corrupt systems upon which we have based our society.
‘What kind of revolution takes all the money? // And gives you 50,000 self-help books about how if you just kept your room clean, you could live out your dreams’ (‘Dancing with Chains’)
Here, the band begin to push the boundaries of lyricism often found within the indie-rock genre. ‘Empire State of Mind’ is reminiscent of the sound scape of New York in the 70s (think Lou Reed & Patti Smith), featuring psychedelic synth guitars and poetic lyrics that question the often greed-driven nature of our beliefs. Against the capitalist notion of constantly driving forwards, Gold & Youth argue that ‘there’s beauty in starting again’, carving out a vision of a new world foundation based on ‘joy.
‘
‘Blush’ and Ruins’ are another two standouts for me. With alt-pop/shoegaze influences, their sound parallels the likes of Angel Olsen or Sharon Van Etten. Whilst ‘Blush’ covers the somewhat safe theme of past relationships (and their tendency to never leave you)…
‘Suddenly you’ve got the nerve to wander up and crash right through this head again // But you were already there’
…Gold & Youth bury this universal concept of love inside the album’s more maximalist motif: ‘What if in a cruel world // maybe we’ve got something?’
Similarly, Ruins speaks of finding beauty in the chaos, beautifully conveyed through hazy female-led vocals and hopeful refrains. This theme is echoed in closing track, ‘Dancing With Chains’, which tells us that despite societal constraints, we can find true freedom in human connection, dreams, and love.
10/10
