music.wikisort.org - Composition

The Positions is the debut studio album by Australian alternative rock band Gang of Youths, released on 17 April 2015. The album debuted at number five on the ARIA Albums Chart and was preceded by three singles including "Magnolia", which has been described as the band's "breakthrough hit".[1]

The Positions
Studio album by Gang of Youths
Released	17 April 2015
Studio	Sterling Sound (New York City, United States)
Length	60:25
Label	Mosy Recordings Sony Music Australia
Producer	Kevin McMahon Gang of Youths
Gang of Youths chronology
The Positions (2015) Let Me Be Clear (2016)
Singles from The Positions
"Poison Drum" Released: 1 May 2014 "Radioface" Released: 13 March 2015 "Magnolia" Released: 17 April 2015

The album debuted was nominated for multiple ARIA Awards including Breakthrough Artist, Best Rock Album and Best Cover Art.[2] At the J Awards of 2015, the album was nominated for Australian Album of the Year.[3]

Upon release of the album, frontman Dave Le'aupepe said "I was in a four-year relationship with a girl who had a terminal illness and then I made a concept album about it with my friends."[4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Rolling Stone Australia	[5]
The Music	[4]

Rod Yates of Rolling Stone Australia said the "record so emotionally bruised and honest that it at times feels like you're listening in on a conversation between frontman Dave Leaupepe and the girl in question" adding "the album oscillates between Kings of Leon style grandeur, Bruce Springsteen-esque storytelling and sounding like it could fall apart at any second – which, emotionally, is fitting."[5] Roshan Clerke of The Music AU praised the album's "concrete vision" and said "...Leaupepe writes some of the most empowering sentiments to be found in modern rock music."[4]

Track listing

All tracks are written by David Le'aupepe.

Standard edition

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

Adapted from the album's liner notes.[6]

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 – producing (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 – producing, engineering (3), mixing (3–4)
• Gang of Youths – producing (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

Chart performance for The Positions

Chart (2015)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[7]	5

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[8]	Gold	35,000
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for The Positions

Region	Date	Format	Label	Catalogue
Australia	17 April 2015[9][10][11]	CD digital download Vinyl	Mosy Recordings / Sony Music Australia	88875071512
	4 August 2017[12]	Limited Edition Gold Vinyl	Sony Music Australia	88985460821
	8 March 2019[13]	Limited Edition Orange Vinyl	Sony Music Australia

References

---