Fraser A. Gorman: Slow Gum
On the opening track of his new album, Slow Gum, Fraser A. Gorman sings about a “Big old world on a sunny afternoon” in his endearing, sightly-sad-sack voice. It’s a nice introduction to his style, Gorman somehow taking everything out there and shrinking it down to those everyday details. The Melbourne native (and Courtney Barnett pal) provides plenty of shaggy songwriting delivered with his Bob- Dylan-meets-Lou-Reed vibe. Flashes of Americana instrumentation meet electric guitars help the sound bounce around between genres with the same sort of haphazard energy, but Gorman makes it all work.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com /album/6D26v3QVrCwC0Pfdd3tCiR
Rhapsody: http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/fraser-a-gorman/album/slow-gum
Rdio: http://www.rdio.co m/artist/Fraser_A._Gorman/album/Slow_Gum/
Bandcamp: https://fraseragorman.bandcamp.com/album/slow-gum
Keath Mead: Sunday Dinner
On the singer-songwriter front, one of my favorite discoveries of 2015 has been Keath Mead whose debut release, Sunday Dinner continues to surprise in the details. The South Carolina native’s album was produced by Chaz Budnick (aka Toro y Moi) and released on his label and inherits just enough of that chill-out, sunny- day groove that complements the songwriting perfectly. The results have the comfort of Sunday dinner and perhaps signal even better things to come.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com /album/33cxKic61mubY9Rp85KUUp
Rhapsody: http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/keath- mead/album/sunday-dinner-company-records
Rdio: http://www.rdio.com /artist/Keath_Mead/album/Sunday_Dinner/
Sam Lewis: Waiting On You
Some things you can’t teach, and the sweet honey of a voice like Sam Lewis’s is one of them. Thankfully he has a great crop of songs to go along with it. His new LP Waiting On You opens with a perfect specimen of grooving country, “3/4 Time” – the type of song you can’t imagine anyone not digging on – so good, you’re pretty much on the hook for the rest. Lewis’s voice – in a country contemporary class with Sturgill Simpson and Robert Ellis – is joined by some gospel backing vocals as well as a cast of Nashville cats in the band.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com /album/5wsWF7gX2hP9vPVezrKYOb
Rhapsody: http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/sam-lewis/album/waiting- on-you
Rdio: http://www.rdio.com/artist/Sam_Lewis/album/Waiting_On_You/
Andrew Combs: All These Dreams
Sticking in Nashville for one more we finish up with another excellent alt-country album in All These Dreams from Andrew Combs. I saw Combs play an impressive set last week and had to revisit this sophomore effort LP. Its charms are a bit more subtle, but worth digging in to find. Small low-key joys and excellent songwriting, country with a pop edge – this is a rare album that seems to get better as it goes on. Well worth your time.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com /album/2GZyBo8c4yu7EmWb6zNaUa
Rhapsody: http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/andrew- combs/album/all-these-dreams-coin-records
Rdio: http://www.rdi o.com/artist/Andrew_Combs/album/All_These_Dreams/
Bandcamp: http://andrewcombs.bandcamp.com/album/all-these-dreams
