Music Review: Fraser A. Gorman, Slow Gum

By Melissa Bratcher

Fraser A. Gorman’s Slow Gum is a curious album. The Australian’s folk-flavored debut flirts with country music, boasts some clever lyrics, and features Gorman’s likable voice. There’s good stuff here, but there’s also a weirdly loose, “I recorded this in my bedroom” vibe.

The opener, “Big Old World,” has a Robyn Hitchcock feel, an odd picture painted with Gorman’s words. It’s quirky, but not twee, and bIrds chirp on the fadeout. “My Old Man” dips a toe into country with fiddle, a gospel chorus of backup singers, and wry but thoughtful lyrics (“My old son’s got a heartache / sweeter than Goliath’s beard and a rocket to the sky / Break you into pieces ‘cause you never last forever / my god, don’t you wonder why?”). The charming “Shiny Gun” follows the same format (fiddle /chorus/curious lyrics) but adds in a ‘70s AM radio guitar solo. The drum texture of the laid back “Book Of Love” is interesting, as is the positioning of Gorman’s double tracked vocals in the mix.

The psychedelic “Mystic Mile” has a middle period Kinks mysticism aura, but the retro “Never Gonna Hold You (Like I Do)” is better. It’s cinematic in that indie film, Instagram-filtered sort of way, lyrically idiosyncratic, and has a shaggy-dog charm.

Things lag in the back half of the album. “We’re All Alright” contains spacey lyrics—rockets and starlight are both referenced—a chorus of lady singers, and a dash of horns, but the tempo is just a bit too slow. It’s draggy, but not as much as the following track, “Dark Eyes,” which lacks punch and meanders.

The closer, though, is brilliant. Gorman’s plain-spoken words on “Blossom & Snow” are breathtaking and heartbreaking. With just acoustic guitar and harmonica and painful, honest lyrics about visiting his father’s grave, Gorman has created a tune that is both devastating and moving.

Slow Gum shows great promise. Gorman’s writing is often fascinating and witty, and his voice is nicely suited for his lyrics. There are moments of self-indulgence that could be reined in and tightened up; out of ten tracks, eight are quite good. He’s on his way.

Slow Gum was released through Anxiety/Marathon Artists on June 29.