With the release of Big Whoop, their first album in six years, Sydney indie-rock veterans Youth Group return reinvigorated yet relaxed, a band comfortable in its own skin. Speaking with Australian Musician, frontman Toby Martin reflected on the record’s playful title, its grounded Australian perspective, and the evolving dynamic of a band now entering its
third decade together.
MORE ABOUT YOUTH GROUP’S BIG WHOOP ALBUM
The title Big Whoop may sound flippant, but Martin says it’s a “funny Australianism,” continuing the band’s tradition of tongue-in-cheek album names. He emphasises that humour and self-awareness have always been part of Youth Group’s identity, though this new collection is anything but trivial. Recorded intermittently in Sydney with long-time producer Wayne Connolly during drummer Danny Lee Allen’s visits from Miami, the album carries the band’s familiar melodic and lyrical grace while pushing into fresh territory.
Musically, Big Whoop spans shimmering guitar pop and rhythm driven experimentation, from the tender, story-rich “Saturday Dad” to the dance-tinged “Don’t Turn Your Back on the Moon” and “When I Was.” Martin cites the influence of Manchester’s 1980s and ’90s scene – The Stone Roses, New Order, Happy Mondays, as well as modern acts like Working Men’s Club and Yard Act. The blend of old and new ideas gives the album, as Martin describes, “a bit of a mixtape feel.”
Lyrically, Martin remains fascinated by character and place, songs like “The Joke” and “Romeo” anchor deeply personal moments in recognisably Australian settings. Parenthood, too, weaves through the album’s emotional fabric, a reflection of the band’s collective life stage. “Ever since I had kids myself, it’s never been far from my songwriting,” Martin notes.
Each member has stayed active since 2019’s Australian Halloween: Martin with solo and collaborative projects including I Felt the Valley Lifting (2021), Cameron Emerson-Elliot and Patrick Matthews with the “supergroup” Victoria, and Allen’s solo work under The S-ft F-cus. Martin says these separate ventures have strengthened Youth Group rather than diluted it: “It used to be all-encompassing in my life, and now it’s just one aspect of it. That doesn’t devalue it, in fact, it means I understand the value of it as its own special thing.”
One of the stand out tracks on the album is “Kim Deal,” a tribute to The Breeders’ and Pixies’ bassist that encapsulates the record’s balance of reverence and irreverence. As Martin sings, “It’s a big deal, in the end you have something to show.” After nearly 30 years, Youth Group certainly do.
ALBUM BIG WHOOP – RELEASED OCTOBER 31. HERE
LIMITED EDITION VINYL RELEASE OUT NOW
YOUTH GROUP – 2025 TOUR DATES
Tickets on sale now
Ticket Price: $35 NET + BF pre / $40 NET door (+ BF if applicable)
Ticket + Digital Download Bundle: $36 NET + BF ($35 NET Ticket + $1 Digital Download + BF)
Ticket + Vinyl bundle: $99.99 NET + BF ($35 ticket + $64.99 vinyl + BF)
FRI 31 OCT – LANSDOWNE HOTEL, SYDNEY
Special Guests: The S-ft F-cus, 78 Saab, Lisa Caruso
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SAT 01 NOV – VALLEY LOFT, BRISBANE
Special Guests: The S-ft F-cus, Greg Brady and The Anchors
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FRI 07 NOV – MILK BAR, PERTH
Special Guests: The S-ft F-cus, Jae Laffer (The Panics)
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SAT 08 NOV – NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB
Special Guests: The S-ft F-cus, Hannah Cameron
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