The Positions

This article is about the 2015 album. For other uses, see Position.

2015 studio album by Gang of Youths

The Positions

Studio album by

Gang of Youths

Released| 17 April 2015
Studio| Marcata Recording, Hudson Valley
Genre|

* Pop rock
* modern rock

Length| 60:25
Label| Mosy
Producer|

* Gang of Youths
* Kevin McMahon[a]
* Chris Collins[b]

Gang of Youths chronology
|  | The Positions
(2015)  | Let Me Be Clear
(2016)

|
|

Singles from  The Positions

1. "Poison Drum"
Released: 1 May 2014
2. "Radioface"
Released: 19 March 2015
3. "Magnolia"
Released: 13 August 2015

The Positions is the debut studio album by Australian alternative rock band Gang of Youths, released on 17 April 2015 through Mosy Recordings. Written by frontman David Le'aupepe over three years, his lyricism reflects on personal struggles including the breakdown of his marriage following his then-wife's cancer diagnosis and his suicide attempt. Produced mostly by the band and Kevin McMahon, it lingered in production for years, with constant re-recordings owing to Le'aupepe's perfectionism.

Supported by three singles including the band's breakout hit "Magnolia", The Positions debuted at number five on the ARIA Albums Chart. It earned the band three nominations at the 2015 ARIA Awards, for Breakthrough Artist, Best Rock Album and Best Cover Art, as well as Australian Album of the Year at the J Awards of 2015. In 2021, Rolling Stone Australia ranked The Positions at number 89 in their list of the 200 greatest Australian albums of all time.

## Background

[edit]

In 2011, David Le'aupepe was 18 years old when he met his ex-wife who, at the time, was going through chemotherapy for metastasised melanoma. The couple wed when he was 21. When her cancer intensified, Le'aupepe began writing songs as a coping mechanism. He contacted several childhood friends to form Gang of Youths in 2012.[1] His marriage broke down over the ensuing years.[2]

On the night of 3 June 2014, after a week-long bender, Le'aupepe attempted suicide while heavily drunk, stumbling towards a train station.[1] He said it was the third or fourth time he tried to end his life.[3] His concerned friends called the police who intercepted, and sat him underneath a magnolia tree, inspiring their song "Magnolia".[4]

## Composition

[edit]

### Songwriting

[edit]

Le'aupepe is the sole lyricist on The Positions. He wrote for two or three years, ending up with about 40 songs.[5] While living and writing in Nashville, Tennessee, Le'aupepe took imaginal inspiration from the sweeping, grandiose landscapes around him.[6] The album's narrative is centred around the health of his ex-wife and their collapsing relationship—he has retrospectively labelled it "the cancer album".[7] The album's storytelling is nonlinear: Le'aupepe shuffled the track listing to have "The Overpass" as the closing track, ending with a sense of hope and "against-the-odds valiance",[3] while its lyrical "endpoint is in the middle."[1] He also aimed to write in a conversational, fluid style, inspired by Paul Kelly and Mark Knopfler.[6] The Positions is named in reference to Leonard Cohen's 1984 album Various Positions.[3] Le'aupepe liked how the title represented "‘the positions’ of [his] grief and yearning and fear and desire."[8]

The sound of The Positions was heavily inspired by U2's The Joshua Tree, an album which Le'aupepe described as his "beacon light". Lyrically, Mark Mordue found its lyricism owing to Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run.[3] Writing for Happy, music journalist Nick Stillman likened "The Diving Bell" and "Magnolia" to power anthems from the 1980s,[9] while other comparisons were made to the work of 2007 indie bands including Arcade Fire and Kings of Leon.[10] Music critics have described The Positions as a pop album, but one that "exist[s] on the very outer limits of pop," according to Joseph Earp of Renowned for Sound.[11] Stillman agrees that it contains catchy hooks and melodies and a meticulous production, but its lyrical depth pushes the album beyond pop sensibilities.[9] Other genre descriptors have included pop rock[3] and modern rock.[12]

### Production

[edit]

Frontman David Le'aupepe blamed The Positions' lengthy production on his perfectionism.

Six of the album's 10 tracks were self-produced.[13] Kevin McMahon, whom the band approached due to his work with Titus Andronicus and Swans, is credited for production on three tracks.[14] The band worked in McMahon's studio, Marcata Recording, in Hudson Valley, New York.[9] Chris Collins also produced alongside the band on "The Diving Bell". Peter Katis was responsible for most of the mixing.[13] With a "sprawling and expansive" soundscape, the average song length is six minutes, and no track is less than four.[15][10]

Recording and production took an exceptionally long time, spanning three years and facing persistent delays. Le'aupepe, a perfectionist, said that: "Every single fucking time we’re putting the final touches on the record we just veer away from it."[16] He called almost every song on the album a "holy pain in the ass to finish."[17] "Radioface" and "The Overpass" were constantly re-recorded. "The Diving Bell" made the final track listing after being scrapped in 2013,[17] and it was re-written just one week before recording wrapped up.[7] "Magnolia" was similarly composed at the last minute.[7]

## Release and promotion

[edit]

Because of its lengthy production process, the album's release was delayed, initially slated for September 2014.[18] Songs were still being engineered by Adrian Breakspear in June 2014. Le'aupepe was hopeful this would be finished by the end of July, with mastering done by August, looking to an early 2015 release.[18] He blamed himself entirely for the pushbacks, as he was "obsessed with making something [he] wouldn’t hate".[8]

Gang of Youths issued the lead single "Poison Drum" on 1 May 2014, supported by a music video and two headline shows.[19] On 19 March 2015, "Radioface" was released and the band officially announced the album's details.[20] Issued as the third single, "Magnolia" received a music video on 13 August 2015.[21] Upon release, The Positions was feature album on national youth radio broadcaster Triple J and Sydney community station FBi Radio.[3] It debuted at number five on the ARIA Albums Chart.

The band toured extensively in support of the album with a sold-out run of Australian capital cities in May 2015,[22] followed by a 24-date regional leg from August to September 2015.[23] In April 2016, they toured nationally again to larger venues, with all shows selling out.[3][24]

At the 2015 ARIA Awards, The Positions earned Gang of Youths three nominations: Breakthrough Artist, Best Rock Album and Best Cover Art.[25] Adrian Breakspear and Peter Holz were also nominated for Engineer of the Year for "Radioface".[26] At the 2015 J Awards, The Positions was nominated for Australian Album of the Year.[27]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
The AU Review| 9/10[12]
The Music| [28]
Rolling Stone Australia| [29]
The Sydney Morning Herald| [10]

The Positions received widespread critical acclaim. Colin Delaney of The Sydney Morning Herald called it an "accomplished record with an international sound",[10] while Renowned for Sound's Joseph Earp described it a "triumph" from a band "destined for some very good things."[11]

Its concept and difficult subject matter was highly regarded. Reviewing for The Music, Roshan Clerke commended Le'aupepe's lyricism as holding "some of the most empowering sentiments to be found in modern rock music."[28] Rod Yates of Rolling Stone Australia said the album is "so emotionally bruised and honest that it at times feels like you're listening in on a conversation between frontman Dave Le'aupepe and the girl in question."[29]

## Legacy

[edit]

In 2021, Rolling Stone Australia ranked the album at number 89 in their list of the 200 greatest Australian albums of all time. Sosefina Fuamoli wrote The Positions "set the bar high" for Gang of Youths, and that it propelled the band "onto radars everywhere in what felt like rapid time."[30]

Le'aupepe has spoken about how recording and touring The Positions brought "enormous calamity" onto his life, leading to the breakdown of his marriage and continued mental health decline.[2] However, the album also provided emotional relief, reflecting on his state before its fruition: "I was never able to compartmentalise and express the feelings I had about that relationship with people properly. I used to be very non-verbal about stuff."[2]

## Track listing

[edit]

All lyrics are written by David Le'aupepe.

1. "Vital Signs" – 7:23
2. "Poison Drum" – 6:26
3. "The Diving Bell" – 4:53
4. "Restraint & Release" – 4:41
5. "Magnolia" – 5:11
6. "Kansas" – 4:08
7. "Knuckles White Dry" – 6:10
8. "Radioface" – 6:52
9. "Sjamboksa" – 7:12
10. "The Overpass" – 7:29

Bonus disc: Juices... B-sides & Demos

1. "Strange Diseases" (Early Demo) – 7:23
2. "Evangelists" – 6:26
3. "A Sudden Light" (Early Demo) – 4:53
4. "Benevolence Riots" – 4:41
5. "Lover In My Lungs" – 5:11

## Personnel

[edit]

Adapted from the album's liner notes.[13]

Musicians

Gang of Youths

* David Le'aupepe – writing, vocals (all tracks); guitar (1–5, 8–10), percussion (3), keyboard (3–6), piano (5, 7), strings (5–6)
* Sam O'Donnell – drums (2, 8, 9), percussion (3), vocals (3)
* Jung Kim – guitar (1–4, 8–10), keyboard (1, 3–5, 8), percussion (3), vocals (3), strings (4)
* Max Dunn – bass guitar (1–5, 8–10), percussion (3), vocals (3), strings (4)
* Donnie Borzestowski – drums (4, 10)
* Joji Malani – guitar (1–5, 8–10), keyboard (4, 5), percussion (3), vocals (3), strings (4–5)

Other musicians

* Jane Scarpantoni – strings, cello (1, 7)
* James Felice – piano (1)
* Kevin McMahon – guitar (1, 7), percussion (2, 7), keyboard (7)
* Stella McMahon – percussion (2)
* Chris Collins – percussion (3)
* Joel van Gastel – drums (3, 5)
* Jamal Ruhe – guitar (7)
* Edward M. Mackenzie – spoken vocals (8)
* Benjamin Reisemann-Jeffrey – horns (8)

Technical

* Greg Calbi – mastering (1–10)
* Kevin McMahon – production (1–2, 7), engineering (1–2, 8, 10), mixing (7)
* Peter Holz – engineering (1, 4–5, 8–10)
* Adrian Breakspear – engineering (1, 8–10)
* Christina Thiers – engineering (1, 4, 8–10)
* Peter Katis – mixing (1–2, 6, 8–9)
* Chris Collins – production (3), engineering (3), mixing (3–4)
* Gang of Youths – production (3–6, 8–10)
* Donnie Borzestowski – engineering (4, 10)
* Jung Kim – engineering (4–5, 10)
* David Le'aupepe – engineering (5–6)
* Joji Malani – engineering (5)
* Nora Wever – engineering (5)
* Karl Cashwell – engineering (5), mixing (5, 10)
* David J. Andrew – engineering (6)

Artwork

* Rachela Nardella – photography
* Callum van de Mortel – photography
* Nathan Johnson – artwork design

## Charts

[edit]

Chart performance for The Positions Chart (2015)  | Peak
position

|

Australian Albums (ARIA)[31] | 5

## Certifications

[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Australia (ARIA)[32] | Gold  | 35,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Tracks 1, 2 and 7 only
2. ^ Track 3 only

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Yates, Rod (26 May 2015). "Gang of Youths: A Matter of Life and Death". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
2. ^ a b c Yates, Rod (23 August 2017). "Gang of Youths Find Healing in Epic New Album". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
3. ^ a b c d e f g Mordue, Mark (5 September 2011). "Gang of Youths' difficult positions". The Saturday Paper. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
4. ^ Cain, Sian (19 November 2021). "'We want to get treated like normies': Gang of Youths on fame, faith and family secrets". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
5. ^ McMullen, Sally (1 August 2016). "Gang of Youth's Dave Le'aupepe Talks New EP, His Cathartic Writing Process & Becoming More Human". Music Feeds. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
6. ^ a b "Interview: David Le'aupepe from Gang of Youths". AAA Backstage. 2 August 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
7. ^ a b c Clerke, Roshan (28 October 2016). "Gang of Youths On Following Up On 'The Cancer Album'". The Music. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
8. ^ a b Angeles, Jana (14 April 2015). "Dave Le'aupepe of Gang of Youths (Sydney) talks about new LP and future 'brutal' music collabs". The AU Review. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
9. ^ a b c Stillman, Nick (26 March 2015). "Gang of Youths finally bare all on The Positions". Happy. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
10. ^ a b c d Delaney, Colin (18 May 2015). "Gang of Youths' debut album The Positions evokes Springsteen and Lou Reed". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
11. ^ a b Earp, Joseph (12 July 2023). "Album Review: Gang of Youths – The Positions". Renowned for Sound. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
12. ^ a b Angeles, Jana (18 April 2015). "Album Review: Gang of Youths – The Positions (2015 LP)". The AU Review. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
13. ^ a b c The Positions (booklet). Gang of Youths. Sony Music Australia / Mosy Recordings. 2015. 88875071512.`{{cite AV media notes}}`: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
14. ^ "Live Sessions: Gang of Youths". NPR Music. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
15. ^ Shackleford, Tom (18 November 2015). "Interview: Gang of Youths". Pancakes and Whiskey. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
16. ^ Apter, Liam (12 July 2023). "Interview - Gang of Youths". Pilerats. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
17. ^ a b "Interview: Gang Of Youths & Their Debut LP Release". Life Without Andy. 21 April 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
18. ^ a b Fitzsimons, Scott (5 June 2014). "In The Studio With Gang of Youths As They Finish Their Album". The Music. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
19. ^ "Gang Of Youths Drop 'Poison Drum' Clip And Headline Dates". The Music. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
20. ^ Stillman, Nick (19 March 2015). "Gang of Youths give us the first taste of their debut album with Radioface". Happy Mag. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
21. ^ "Gang of Youths Release Video For 'Magnolia'". Universal Music Publishing Group. 13 August 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
22. ^ Ziegler, Lauren (15 April 2015). "Gang of Youths are heading out on tour!". Howl and Echoes. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
23. ^ "Happy presents the Gang of Youths national tour". Happy. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
24. ^ Murphy, Sam (19 November 2015). "Gang of Youths Announce 2016 National Tour". Music Feeds. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
25. ^ Mack, Emmy (26 November 2015). "Courtney Barnett, Tame Impala Dominate The 2015 ARIA Awards". Music Feeds. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
26. ^ "Gang of Youths brings The Positions to Splendour". The Daily Telegraph. 13 April 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
27. ^ "2015 J Award nominees announced". The Music Network. 1 November 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
28. ^ a b Clerke, Roshan (15 April 2015). "Gang Of Youths - The Positions". The Music. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
29. ^ a b Yates, Rod (13 April 2015). "Gang of Youths – The Positions Review". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
30. ^ Brancatisano, Gloria (29 January 2023). "Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Australian Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
31. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Gang of Youth – The Positions". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
32. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2018 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.

* v
* t
* e

Gang of Youths

* David Le'aupepe
* Max Dunn
* Jung Kim
* Donnie Borzestowski
* Tom Hobden

Studio albums|

* The Positions
* Go Farther in Lightness
* Angel in Realtime

Live albums|

* MTV Unplugged (Live in Melbourne)

Extended plays|

* Let Me Be Clear
* Total Serene
* Immolation Tape
* Triple J Like a Version Sessions

Singles|

* "Magnolia"
* "What Can I Do If the Fire Goes Out?"
* "Let Me Down Easy"
* "The Deepest Sighs, the Frankest Shadows"
* "The Heart Is a Muscle"
* "The Angel of 8th Ave."
* "In the Wake of Your Leave"

Related articles|

* Discography
* Say Yes to Life Tour

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