Young the Giant: 2026

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It was in the concept of the victory garden where Young the Giant found both inspiration and the title for their new record, a project they’ve described as an “ode to radical empathy.” 

The term "victory garden" refers to the private plots planted and tended by American civilians, which were designed to supplement rations and boost morale during World Wars I and II. In times of hardship, these gardens didn’t just offer much-needed sustenance, but an essential sense of hope. It was on-the-ground action by and for the public, nurtured by the community, and fertilized with a deep belief in a better future. 

Released decades after those global wars, Young the Giant's new release is a response to the struggling and suffering that defines today. Victory Garden is the sixth album from Young the Giant, and much like an actual garden, it’s a product of collective effort and a particular set of conditions. 

A work of total and simultaneous collaboration that harks back to the California rock band’s early days, Victory Garden was written by the entire group over retreats at Idyllwild and Joshua Tree. The members then recorded the songs together at Hollywood’s Henson Studios with Brendan O’Brien, a producer known for his work with Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Bruce Springsteen. 

Beyond a return to their roots on the process front, the tracks themselves are reminiscent of Young the Giant’s early songs, with anthemic elements and refrains (“I'ma be okay, I go all of the way down”) that are easy to imagine joyful fans belting out from sweaty summer crowds at festivals for years to come. 

The lead single even contains a direct callback to the band’s 2010 self-titled debut album, with the line “My body tells me no” echoing the chorus of “My Body,” the single that — alongside “Cough Syrup” —dominated radio airwaves a decade and a half ago. 

A few days before the new record’s release, Young the Giant's Sameer Gadhia, Jacob Tilley, Eric Cannata, Payam Doostzadeh, and Francois Comtois paid a visit to the Bronx to make their FUV Studio A debut. 

The group performed two songs from Victory Garden —“Different Kind of Love” and “Ships Passing” —as well as “Mind Over Matter,” the title track from their 2014 album. 

The five friends also sat down with me to discuss empathy, the magic of stepping out on stage, and the fertile new season that this album represents.

[Recorded: 4/29/26. Engineered by Jim O'Hara, Erin Merriman, and James Higgins. Produced by Meghan Suma. Videographers: Olivia Iannaccone, Bella Lipayon, Nikki Phillips, Danny Cifelli, and Erin Malley.]