Gum - Seven Feeble Alibis

  by Benjamin Howarth

published: 14 / 4 / 2006

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Review

This seven track disc is Gum’s second release, and shows the Glaswegian band to have some obvious gifts. Gum are built around songwriter Raymond Weir and talented singer Leigh Myles. Myles has not only got a good voice, but a clear musical personality, singing in the same style as Aimee Mann on a lot of these tracks. It's hard to grasp quite what it is, then, that makes Gum seem so ordinary. Like the Cardigans, the band have strong songs, a good vocalist and add occasional electronic flourishes to their songs. But there is nothing here that really makes me think "well". Perhaps, for all their talent, Gum lack the adventurous spirit to take risks. They seem to rely on their more obvious gifts, which - sadly for them - aren’t quite rare enough to justify repeat listens.

Track Listing:-

1 Time Going By
2 Beyond the Horizon
3 Cross Your Heart, Hope to Die
4 Asleep at the Wheel
5 Falling Through Cracks
6 [Untitled]
7 Low-Flying Kites