Album Review: Slowly Slowly ‘Chamomile’
Despite their name, Melbourne rockers Slowly Slowly have managed to emerge quite oppositely. Breaking out with their single Empty Lungs last year, the duo of Ben Stewart and Alex Quale went on to release their huge single PMTWGR in March, inevitably receiving much praise and even triple j airplay. Setting out to top their past milestones, the pair have now released their debut album ‘Chamomile’, a gloomy retrospective release that has us shivering in all the right ways.
We’re introduced to Stewart’s desolate tone in the opening acoustic riddle Elbows, spurred on by his unique, fractured enunciation which makes every word completely believable. Following and darkening the mood is Hey You. Accompanied by it’s driving guitar riffs and brilliantly raw, head banging chorus, this is the first taste of the raw rock the lads have up their sleeves, and it’s so damn good!
“The melancholic yet upbeat tune features an truly emotive chord progression, demonstrating itself as an aggressive twist on the classic love song.”
Building on these gloomy feelings, Death Proof brings a crushingly melancholic flavour with equally gritty guitar work. Effectively balancing both calmer sequences with much rougher sections, the track ends up have an added layer of intensity, one that forces you to stay and listen longer.
Returning to the acoustic feel of the opener, the album’s title track Chamomile is a similarly moving and emotional, blending their pop-rock twang with fresh acoustic flavours. It’s an interesting combination which works in the best of ways, with the broken hearted ballad touching us right in the feels.
While Good Friends aims to keep up the good work, it ends up feeling like a bridge between Chamomile, the acoustic tune, and the heavier single which follows. Something about it lacks the character and sincerity of the previous tracks, or maybe they saved it for the next song.
Accompanied by vocalist from Melbourne band Ceres Tom Lanyon, PMTWGR (Pussy Makes The World Go Round) is certainly one of the most refreshing tracks of the album. The melancholic yet upbeat tune features an truly emotive chord progression, demonstrating itself as an aggressive twist on the classic love song.
Stewart’s lyricism shines even brighter on PMTWGR than before with phrases like “I’ve got a backbone built like driftwood/well-travelled but you know I’m brittle”. There’s definitely no doubting his literary skills, and the potential he possesses is a extremely promising.
“Despite the short duration, the truly moving narratives and guitar lines filled with raw bravado certainly make up for the short sonic visit.”
To follow, Black Confetti opens with another classic upbeat guitar picking, but proves to somewhat be a bit of the same in relation to the rest of the album. Not to say the lyrics aren’t as moving as the rest but much alike Good Friends the raw aggression or heartfelt emotion didn’t seem to come through as much on this one.
Redeeming itself with the closing track, New York, Paris opens with classically folk acoustic picking, a fresh change which gave me shivers in an instant. Once the electric elements kick in, the banging drums, the whining guitar twangs, alongside an even rawer riff, all this energy makes for one hell of a finale. This is definitely amongst PMTWGR as one of the most interesting and compelling tracks on the record.
Overall, ‘Chamomile’ a great debut album despite not venturing too far from the expected. A little shorter than you’d expect for a full length album, as at just 26 minutes you could easily label this an EP and get away with it. Despite the short duration, the truly moving narratives and guitar lines filled with raw bravado certainly make up for the short sonic visit.
Read our recent “foodie” themed Q & A with Slowly Slowly HERE
