Oh Mercy: When We Talk About Love
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Oh Mercy: When We Talk About Love

Given the premise of the album, singer Alex Gow recently split from a long-term relationship, you may expect it to be a soppy album of love dedications and angry outbursts – you couldn’t be more wrong. Let’s not forgot the love Gow mentions is about much more than just the romantic kind.
Opening track ‘Without You’ sings of losing his lover, but it couldn’t appear more upbeat. There’s an underpinning of coming to better things now that his significant other is gone. It’s the kind of track you tap your foot to uncontrollably, broken only by a head bob here or there.
Alex Gow is easily one of Australia’s best – and most acclaimed – singer/songwriters. With this album being his most personal to date, it’s also quite possibly his best. With such a heavy topic – or at least what usually is – you come away from the album feeling uplifted. When the content may be too much alone, Gow has cleverly paired it with energetic and fast paced music, making it almost possible to come away feeling upset.
The lyrics themselves are poetic in a sense, and tell a story of longing, of truly missing someone, but also realising at times you don’t need them. It’s a look into Gow’s life and a side of things where it didn’t work out. That makes it an impressive release in itself. Make sure you listen to this album, as it echoes the sentiment that life isn’t simply black and white.
Reviewed by Amanda Sherring