For those uninitiated Fraser A Gorman is a Melbourne based 23-year-old full time carpenter, and teenage Bob Dylan lookalike obsessed with the history of American rock n’ roll who expresses himself through wry poetry, bent tropicalia, country-soul and rock.
Following on from releasing a flurry of singles and an EP since 2012, he’s now gearing up to release his debut album titled Slow Gum, out via Courtney Barnett and Jen Cloher’s Milk! Records label and Caroline this July 3rd.
The 10 thoughtfully crafted tracks on Slow Gum were formed after a significant ‘gestation’ period Gorman explains as “a bit of a time capsule, and a journey: from being a little boy picking up a guitar and trying to write songs, to emerging a far more fully-formed and together young man”.
Featuring the talents of local legends Davey Lane (You Am I) on guitar, Stu Mackenzie (King Gizzard’s vocalist) on drums, and James Fleming and Jarrad Brown, both from Eagle & The Worm, on keyboards and bass respectively. Fraser, the self-professed ‘serial collaborator’ has produced a wholly developed and stunning LP.
To celebrate the release of Slow Gum, Fraser has given us a track by track run down of the album which you can check out and stream below.
Big Old World
I wrote this song after finishing work one day. The sun was setting down over Melbourne and I was covered in dust from demolishing an old “Rub n’ Tug” in order to turn it into a new apartment and a shop.
I was just reflecting on the fact that although music takes up a lot of my time and effort, at the end of the day i’m just a speck of dust in the world and I should not worry about the small insignificant things in life and focus more on the bigger picture. Yer know, Perspective. It’s a ‘Big Old World’ on a sunny afternoon and that day it sure felt like it…
My Old Man
Contrary to what most people immediately think. This song is not actually written about my father and it’s not autobiographical in any sense. I don’t know why the title or line ‘My Old Man’ came out. It just did.
This song is sort of just about families living in rural areas of Australia. And the boredom that comes with it. And in turn, the trouble that comes with the boredom. For me growing up in Torquay, it wasn’t rural nor was bad in anyway, It’s just a comment on mental health in isolation. Things can sometimes go a little ‘pear shaped’.
Book Of Love
This song changed a bit from when we were first rehearsing it to when we recorded it. At first it had a real kinda stones, faces swing to it. Loud chugging guitars, loud drums. I was singing it loud too and my voice kinda peaks out when I sing loud and sounds shit. I’m a quiet singing guy.
So Jarrad (Brown, Bass player) suggested we bring the music right down, brushes on the drums, acoustic guitar etc. And when we recorded it I was struggling with the singing a bit, not really hitting the vibe. So Stu (Mackenzie, Drums) suggested I sing it real quiet, nearly at a whisper.
It worked well I really got into it. We did a couple quiet takes and got it down. As far as the tune goes, it’s a pretty sarcastic and sleazy groove. Lyrically it’s pretty tongue in cheek. The girls really brought the song to life. Amanda, Erica and Quinn (Harmony) and Sara (Jimmy Tait) were on the vocals. They nailed it.
Shiny Gun
In all honesty this song is just my little ode to the Felice Brothers song ‘Frankies Gun’. I just wanted to write a funky country-rock song that was good to drive your car to. Hopefully down a dirt road on a weekend.
It’s a pretty daggy song but I’m a pretty daggy guy. Davey Lane (guitar) played an absolute blinder of a solo on it too, I had an old jap strat kicking around at my house and we were recording album over dubs. We decided that the solo was pretty long so there should be a change up in it. So the first half is played through the ‘out of phase’ pickup or with the switch set between the bridge and middle pickup (thanks Big Star) and the second half Davey quickly switched it over to the neck pickup which gives it a more muddy and dirty sound. He’s a bloody gun Davey. Jimmy Fleming (keys) layed down some nice piano and organ on this tune too.
Fun Fact: There are three versions of this song. A radio edit on the CD. The original version is on the vinyl (with a lovely violin solo courtesy of the very talented Sophia Lubczenko). And a super radio edit in the film clip. There ya go aye…
Broken Hands
This is the oldest song on the record. I wrote it ages ago. I don’t even remember when. It’s transformed a lot since then. It’s a bit of an aussie alt country jam or at least that’s what it sounds like to me. Davey played some really great licks on it. That guy is one of the greatest guitar players in the country and also one of the greatest blokes ever.
We were in Middlesborough a couple months ago playing on a Monday night which is basically in the middle of nowhere in northern England playing in a tiny pub.
A few people crammed in and this young girl sitting up the front said out loud in between songs in her cute northern English accent “Fraserrrrrrrrrr can yarh pleghh Brooooken harhndsssss??” We couldn’t stop saying that for the next few days in the van.
Mystic Mile
I guess this is the psychedelic tangent on the record. The chorus line just came into my head, ‘Float Along Silver Jew’, my little ode to one of my favourite bands ever – Silver Jews, and my long haired garage rock buddies King Gizzard and their album ‘Float Along, Fill Your Lungs’. It’s a strange line to put in a song. But I guess i’m a bit of a strange fellow.
Jimmy’s Melotron and Davey’s guitar in this tune are wicked. Also Stu suggested that his drumming in this song basically only consists of drum fills. I was into the idea. I love listening back to it and hearing his drumming and revisiting that moment. So loose but so good. Much like the great man himself.
Never Gonna Hold You (Like I Do)
My favourite song on the record. Again, it’s a bit tongue in cheek lyrically but I’m a cheeky guy.
It’s basically a story about me wandering home from Old Bar on Johnson street in Fitzroy (after a few sherberts) to Lambs on Brunswick street. In the shop, before I order a famous “tub” of lamb, I run into an ex of mine who has decided to move away from the geeky musician type and go for a more conventional “buff” young fellow.
I stand in the doorway making eye contact with the young lady whilst he finishes off the rest of her Kebab completely unaware of what is happening around him, strangling this little lamb and garlic sauce delicious treat. He’s wearing a pastel V-neck and she knows she’s cooked it. But that’s life (He probably runs a concreting business so maybe it’s me that has cooked it). A tub with garlic sauce later and I’m in a taxi home and winter rain splatters on the windscreen.
We’re All Alright
I originally wanted this song to have a sort of hip hop break beat in it. Kinda Primal Scream ‘Loaded’ vibe. But I thought that wasn’t really gonna fly and might be a bit odd on the record so we turned it down a bit.
This song is sort of just about getting absolutely crimpled at Meredith. I know that’s a bit immature and I should grow up and write songs about serious stuff. But I’m clinging on to my youth with everything I’ve got.
I’m gonna look 60 by the time I’m 35 I reckon. It’s a song about having fun. Go out and have a bit of fun before you get old because work is boring and shit…
Dark Eyes
A reviewer for Beat Magazine once wrote this song off saying that it was too lumbering and sounds like something from the ’70s that her parents listen to… I found that funny because most of the music I love is usually what peoples parents listen to (Dylan, Lou Reed, Neil Young etc) so she basically pointed out exactly what I was trying to do in the first place.
I guess you can’t make everyone happy. Sam Cooper rips out a classic guitar solo in this track. He’s a gun too. Eagle & The Worm Horns come in at the end and Sophie Di Tempora, Sophia Lubczenko and Thomas Veitich provided some strings. I’d like to make a whole album with majestic instrumentation like that one day.
Blossom & Snow
When I was about 11 my father died. It was pretty sad for me and this song is about that.
I always knew that I would write something about that experience but it took me a while to get around to doing it. I think I was a bit scared to put something to paper for while because I didn’t know exactly how to express my feelings.
It gave me a sense of closure writing that song and it it closes the album. I recorded it live in one take with my dear friend Nick Huggins. It was a nice experience and something that I needed to do.
Slow Gum is out July 3rd via Milk! and Caroline Records.
Upcoming Shows
Friday July 3rd – Music On The Hill, Red Hill, VIC
Tickets available here
Saturday July 4th – Republic Bar, Hobart, TAS
Tickets available here
Friday July 10th – Newtown Social Club, Sydney, NSW
Tickets available here
Saturday July 11th – (solo) Junk Bar, Brisbane, QLD
Tickets available here
Thursday July 16th Grace Emily, Adelaide, SA
Tickets available here
Friday July 17th – Gasometer, Melbourne, VIC
Tickets available here
Friday July 24th – Barwon Club, Geelong, VIC
Tickets available here
Friday August 14th – Darwin Festival, NT
