The (debut) album was recorded where I grew up in a valley in the countryside, says singer/guitarist Oscar Dowling. The closest town is Puhoi which is a 15 minute drive along a dirt road. Its a historic bohemian village, famous for cheese and the Puhoi pub. The first time my dad went to the pub the barkeep told him to ‚get fucked hippie.
New Gum Sarm also features Sophia Lawler-Dormer on drums, Dave Weir on bass, and Durham Fenwick on guitar (who co-founded the band with Dowling). Fenwick and Dowling started writing songs together two years ago, shortly after moving South to the city. After Dave and Sophia fleshed the songs out, the band borrowed two van loads of gear from a variety of friends and recorded the album live over a weekend in Puhoi with Oscars brother Sam Hamilton, a longtime Auckland artist. Hamilton has played with likes of Tall Dwarfs and Dean Roberts and has also released an array of music most notably his last two experimental and experimental pop albums PALA and Integrifolia. Hamilton is also a prolific artist with works ranging over the many mediums of film, dance and sculpture.
Tracklist
1. Anxiety Nap
2. Bad Soy
3. Money Talks
4. Panic In The Treasure
5. New Gold Mountain
6. Blue Flag
7. Small Boys
8. Saigon - Paris
