Recommended Tracks: “Different Kind of Love,” “God as Witness,” “Are You With Me?,” “Evergreen”
Artists You Might Like: Cage The Elephant, Almost Monday, The Happy Fits
Young The Giant has done it again: the indie-rock group released their sixth studio album, Victory Garden, feeling like a breath of fresh air from start to finish. The California band keeps up their reputation for emotional songwriting, danceable beats, and an unmistakable, authentic delivery, soundtracking a warm hug that could also pack a punch.
Produced collaboratively by the band and Brendan O’Brien (Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, AC/DC, Pearl Jam) and collectively written during retreats in Idyllwild and Joshua Tree, Victory Garden explores themes of empathy, perseverance, and the connection of people to one another, the earth around us, and the human experience overall.
Young The Giant shares,
“Victory Garden is an album about radical empathy, the struggle of life over death, love over fear; lessons learned from seeing this increasingly difficult life through the eyes of our children […] Victory gardens were created for local communities to increase food supply while war was raging.
Our album also strives to galvanize the community through thoughtful action. In an age that vacillates between escapism and hopelessness, Victory Garden is an ode to all that is human and beautiful. Radical empathy, in these times, is its own form of resistance.”
The opening track “Evergreen” establishes the project’s emotional character right from the jump, leading the listener into the garden itself. The metaphorical “victory garden” displays an evergreen tree at the center, symbolizing resilience and a universal desire to exercise free will and keep going.
The album’s leading single “Different Kind of Love” remains one of its standout tracks, capturing the energetic and heartfelt nature of Victory Garden. Celebrating the imperfections of relationships, this song recognizes that each comes with unique hardships and its own ways of bouncing back and overcoming obstacles. It highlights the strength that comes with choosing the side of understanding and patience, even when it’s easier to walk away.
“Different Kind of Love” is simply an earworm. I catch myself humming along to it, finding its incredible energy getting me back into the band like it’s the first time I’ve discovered them… maybe this also has something to do with the track’s subtle nod to the band’s hit song “My Body” (Young The Giant, 2010)!
The nostalgic track “Bitter Fruit” stands out on its own: written through the lens of a child, it reflects on the bittersweet innocence of experiencing the world for the first time before understanding adulthood.
It was incredible to hear this emotional track evolve from stripped-back live performances to its finished studio version, especially on the band’s acoustic In The Open Volume One EP, released just last year. Like many other fans, I also had the pleasure of listening to “Bitter Fruit” live in the past, including their performance in support of Cage The Elephant at Madison Square Garden in 2024… This honestly gave me an even deeper appreciation for the track, and I love how Young The Giant let fans into the world of this song in their own fashion.
Songs like “This Too Shall Pass” deliver a strong message, reminding the listener that the bad times will one day be a thing of the past: “Oh, step off that ledge, my friend / You didn’t break the branch / New leaves will grow instead / This, too, shall pass, I promise.”
Additional tracks like “Already There” and “Mona Lisa” enhance the record’s groovy flow, with the tempo rising for a final kick in “The Garden.” Exploring hopefulness even in the dark, the chorus sings “I’ll meet you in the garden / Where it began / ‘Cause now we’re forever, love / We’ll live and die together / I’m not afraid.”
The heart of the project is “God As Witness,” a song that instantly feels like it belongs among the band’s most defining tracks. Capturing everything there is to love about Young The Giant, from its effortless blend of laid-back indie rock to its commanding vocal delivery and delightful synths, it showcases how the band has mastered the art of creating something both charmingly high-energy and completely relaxed.
Reminding me of “Dollar $tore” from American Bollywood (2022), “God As Witness” delivers the full Young The Giant vibe. It leaves me with one question: why wasn’t this pushed as a major single in the first place?
“Are You With Me?” is among the gentler songs on the album, settling into a quieter atmosphere as we approach the closing stretch. While the melody is calm, perfect for opening windows on a warm, sunny morning, it also conveys a weight being lifted from one’s chest, the uneasiness of making impactful decisions, and existential questions of finding meaning in life. This is just the sort of juxtaposition I appreciate most in music.
The record closes on a short but sweet note in “Life Is a Long Goodbye,” reminding us that all good things must come to an end, and that’s one of the most human experiences we can endure. It’s only fitting that the song begins by quoting Robert Frost’s iconic “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” recognizing how time is fleeting yet wondering: is this truly the end, or only the beginning of something new?
The chorus sings like a perfect reflection of a project focused on growth and human connection. It’s a simple, poetic way to end the project, on a beautifully fitting note that wraps Victory Garden up in a bow.
“What does it mean / The end is just beginning? / Staring at a desert sky / Play it out a thousand times / Never know the reason why / Life is a long goodbye.”
Overall, Victory Garden is an album about choosing hope even when it’s convenient to turn the other way. It spotlights the idea that choosing optimism doesn’t come without struggle, and there are rewards that come with seeing the light rather than succumbing to the darkness.
Young The Giant sounds more confident, heartfelt, and stronger than ever, reminding listeners that there is beauty in perseverance, choosing empathy, and deciding simply to march forward.
Lead singer Sameer Gadhia shared on social media,
“For almost four years, making Victory Garden has been our own beacon of hope amidst the ever changing world we live in. We only wish that it can be the same for you, and that you can pass it on.
We did not chase inspiration, but let it find us. And when it did, we dug deep in the desert and the mountains to let it guide us. Most of that meant doing deep internal work as a group, not even thinking about music. Instead, we talked about love, family, eternal truths and illusions; fears, trauma, and loss. We reconnected as brothers.
And then the music flowed like water, because ‘the wound is the place where the light enters you.’ That is Victory Garden.”
Young The Giant will hit the road on their headlining Victory Garden World Tour in just a few days, playing arenas and amphitheaters across 40 dates. The tour begins on May 24 in Las Vegas, NV, at the Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort, and concludes on August 9 at Everwise Amphitheatre at White River State Park in Indianapolis, IN.
The California band recently announced that additional performances will take place throughout Europe in the fall of 2026, including dates in London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Glasgow, and Copenhagen.
Remaining tickets for the Victory Garden World Tour are available here.
Victory Garden World Tour Dates:
North America (tickets here):
May 24 – Las Vegas, NV – Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort ^
May 27 – Cleveland, OH – Jacobs Pavilion *^
May 29 – Richmond, VA – Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront *^
May 30 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater *^
May 31 – Charlotte, NC – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre *^
Jun 06 – Atlanta, GA – Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park *^
Jun 11 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage *^
Jun 12 – Vienna, VA – The Filene Center at Wolf Trap *^
Jun 13 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater *^
Jun 14 – Philadelphia, PA – Skyline Stage at Highmark Mann *^
Jun 16 – Buffalo, NY – Outer Harbor Live at Terminal B *^
Jun 18 – New York, NY – Pier 17 *^
Jun 19 – New York, NY – Pier 17 *^
Jun 20 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion *^
Jun 22 – Toronto, ON – Coca-Cola Coliseum *^
Jun 23 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE *^
Jun 25 – Detroit, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill *^
Jun 26 – Columbus, OH – Kemba Live! *^
Jun 27 – Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater *^
Jul 09 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall *+
Jul 10 – Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater *+
Jul 11 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory *+
Jul 14 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre *+
Jul 15 – San Diego, CA – Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre *+
Jul 17 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum *+~
Jul 18 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl *+
Jul 19 – San Francisco, CA – The Greek Theatre *+
Jul 23 – Jacksonville, OR – Britt Pavilion *+
Jul 24 – Vancouver, BC – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre *+
Jul 25 – Seattle, WA – Marymoor Live *+
Jul 26 – Troutdale, OR – Edgefield Amphitheater *
Jul 29 – Missoula, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater *+
Jul 30 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Lot at The Complex *+
Jul 31 – Dillon, CO – Dillon Amphitheater *+
Aug 02 – Kansas City, MO – Starlight Theatre *+
Aug 03 – La Vista, NE – The Astro Amphitheater *+
Aug 06 – Minneapolis, MN – Surly Brewing Company *+
Aug 07 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island *+
Aug 08 – St. Louis, MO – Saint Louis Music Park *+
Aug 09 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park *+
Europe (tickets here):
Oct 08 – London, UK – KOKO
Oct 09 – Manchester, UK – Amber’s
Oct 10 – Glasgow, UK – Queen Margaret Union
Oct 13 – Groningen, NL – De Oosterpoort
Oct 14 – Eindhoven, NL – De Effenaar
Oct 15 – Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso
Oct 17 – Copenhagen, DK – The Grey Hall
Oct 19 – Berlin, DE – Kesselhaus
Oct 20 – Vienna, AT – Flex
Oct 21 – Prague, CZ – ROXY
* Support from Cold War Kids
^ Support from almost monday
+ Support from KennyHoopla
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