Californian Indie rock band Young The Giant return with their fifth studio album, Victory Garden, and it feels like they’re deliberately revisiting their roots. Following their ambitious 2022 concept album, American Bollywood, this record trades conceptual scope for a more familiar sound. Across the 11 tracks, they lean fully into the breezy indie rock sound that defined their earlier work in the mid-2000s and early 2010s. It’s light on its feet and an easy listen, though that same comfort sometimes makes it feel a little too safe and even dated.
The opening stretch sets the tone clearly, and right from the start, we have numerous garden analogies. “Evergreen” arrives with a distinctly mid-2010s sound, warm and optimistic. I didn’t immediately love it, but it did grow on me. The a cappella moment toward the end is a lovely highlight. “Different Kind Of Love,” one of the lead singles, is an obvious standout. It balances the line between rock ballad and polished pop, with a catchy melody and heartfelt lyrics. “Bitter Fruit” rounds out this section and shifts the sound ever so slightly, introducing a little bit of a groovy, off-kilter rhythm. It’s got a bit of stomp-clap-hey energy, which isn’t for everyone.
The middle of the record brings a little more emotional weight. “Already There” has an urgent, desperate vocal delivery that feels restless and yearning, like the tail end of a long night. “Ships Passing” follows with a softer, more nostalgic tone that’s reminiscent of an 80s ballad. It’s pleasant, though the lyrical approach feels a little on the nose, taking some of the impact away. “This Too Shall Pass” is a memorable deeper cut, with a gentle build and really strong harmonies. It has elements of Mumford and Sons, again leaning into that early 2010s indie-folk crossover wave.
Things become a little weird in the latter half. “Mona Lisa” is trying to go for something playful and offbeat, with bright piano and a theatrical feel with plenty of ‘La la la’s, but it falls flat. I can definitely appreciate them doing something a little unexpected, but it just feels so dated and not in a nostalgic way. “God As A Witness” delivers a jangly, echoey sound that nods again to 80s influences. It’s perfectly listenable, but not particularly memorable. “Are You With Me?” Picks things up again slightly, channelling some sharper indie rock energy, especially in the chorus, which pays off. This one was a standout as far as non-singles go.
“The Garden” fully embraces the garden theme again and delivers a sincere, folk-tinged ballad that feels like their earlier work. It’s effective and arguably would have made a stronger closer. Instead, the album ends on a brief, piano-led track that feels like an epilogue as opposed to an epic finale. It wraps things up enough, but lacks the sense of emotional release or scale I typically look for in a closing track.
Victory Garden is a mixed but approachable listen. There is definitely a charm in the mid 2000s sound, but at the same time, that reliance on nostalgia makes the album feel out of step with where the genre has moved. There are highlights, particularly the singles but a few deeper cuts like “This Too Shall Pass”, “Already There” and “The Garden”. The musicianship and vocal delivery are solid throughout, but overall, it just doesn’t quite come together in a way that invites repeated returns. Fans of this era and sound will likely find a lot to love about this record, even if it doesn’t fully land for everyone.
TWO AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Victory Garden from Young The Giant is out now- listen to it HERE
