As Good As A Holiday

Time flies, they say, when you're having fun. Six months have quickly slipped by and lots of fun has been had since Oh Mercy dropped album number three, a brave evolution in pop music entitled Deep Heat. The album followed 2009's debut Priviledged Woes, 2011's Great Barrier Grief and a string of brilliant radio singles in the classiest of fashions, propping them up as an outfit to be reckoned with and one not to be crammed into any pre-conceived notion of sonic expectation. The album was propelled not only by frontman and sole founder Alexander Gow's bulletproof reputation for top shelf record-making, but also with a string of flawless radio tunes like Drums, My Man and most recently Rebel Beats that assist the album's aesthetic being understood more and more.

“I listened to it again the other day and I think it's a really terrific and cohesive album and I'm glad I didn't dilute my pre-conceived concept,” Gow explains carefully. “It sounds exactly like I wanted it to and it's held to me and hopefully it holds up for decades, but we'll wait and see. I wish I didn't need recognition though; naturally I do and I did receive recognition from the people I admire – music journalists and friends, people's opinions I value highly – and that means the most to me, above airplay, audience attendance and all the kinds of bits and pieces. I just wanted the respect of people who I respect and I'm really glad to have that.”

Respect from peers aside, Gow has achieved the remarkable with Deep Heat – he's managed to punch his way out of the box that had been bestowed upon his sound – one of a singer-songwriter flavour – and successfully shifted it to a more band-driven, deep grooved and sexier aesthetic.

“I'm really glad that people's perception of us has shifted, that the music I make and that I'm expected to make opens the door a lot wider,” he says. “I can move a lot more freely within my style of writing which is what I wanted. I wanted to liberate myself and I think I have... actually, I know I have. I know that people will now expect the unexpected: it's an awful cliché I know but the whole shock value thing is out of the way now. An unexpected sound won't get in the way of people reaching out to my music anymore, that's done now. I suppose I can do what I will now and hopefully people will dive straight into the quality of the songwriting as opposed to being confused about the change in direction or perception of what they were expecting.”

Needless to say that the promo schedule for Deep Heat was a busy one with relentless touring, appearances and interviews quickly filling Gow's schedule. However, it appears he has remained as prolific as ever during this time and has actually begun penning some new material.

“I've been doing some writing for other people who don't necessarily do all their own writing, which is different for me,” he offers. “I do have a wide and varied taste in music and it is fun, every now and again, to take it out of my world. It's been fun, it's not my favourite thing to do but I've enjoyed that and I have, in the last few weeks, started writing some songs for the next Oh Mercy thing so I think lyrically, so far, they're really strong. I look forward to it because I have no idea what I'm going to do with them musically. I enjoy putting pressure on myself for my stuff more; it's better writing my own music.”

Oh Mercy's live shows have been a staple part of Australian music for at least half a decade now and one that has changed a lot. Recently on the latest bout of shows, the performance has shifted as much as the sound did on Deep Heat. It has found the ever-charismatic Gow putting down his guitar and hitting the stage nightly, donning a gold jacket and fronting the band – not something you see every day in Australian indie rock.

“The type of record it was dictated that the live show had to change. So yeah, I put on a gold suit every night like an idiot and have a lot of fun. I also had a couple of daggy moves that I could really rely on,” he laughs. “I have many crappy dance moves up my sleeve and it was nice, but I think perhaps I'm a better singer now because I was not playing a guitar and concentrating on my voice, how it was projecting and all that stuff I've never thought about before – I think I've learnt to sing a bit better.

“Actually, now that the album cycle is kind of over, I've picked up the guitar again just to change the show up again – I don't really want people coming to the show and hearing the same thing they've already heard time and time again on the Deep Heat tour. It adds a different element as well as keeping it fresh for myself as well. It's tough to keep that fresh – people want a part of you and a different part of you every single time, I can understand that. Apart from very obvious things, like picking up or putting down a guitar, it's a bit of a mystery to me. I think without a doubt the shows have morphed again recently following on from the Deep Heat ones.”

And up next, in the immediate future at least, Oh Mercy have a bunch of shows slotted into their busy schedule – they will be playing shows with Father John Misty firstly before heading up to sunny Queensland for the Bleach* Festival and a solo show at the Southside Tea Room, a little cafe-cum-bar in Morningside owned by newlyweds Patience and John of The Grates, giving southern Queenslanders the best of both Gow's worlds.

“I know zero about Bleach* Festival,” Gow confesses, “but it has a great line-up. Simon [Oakley], our guitar player, is playing with me at Southside Tea Room under the name Slow Dancer, that's his new thing, and he's going to put his debut record out this year. We're really looking forward to getting up there, I have good friends there and always seem to make more.”

Oh Mercy will be playing the following dates:

Sunday 17 February - The Hi-Fi, Melbourne VIC
Tuesday 19 February - Metro Theatre, Sydney NSW
Wednesday 20 February - The Zoo, Fortitude Valley QLD
Friday 22 February - Bleach Festival, Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast QLD