Fram
This Is How We Live Now (East Grand Rapids)
Fram, hailing from Glasgow, aren’t like most other bands. They don’t concern themselves with musical scenes, looking good, chasing the rock n’ roll dream or insecurely slagging off other bands for the sake of it. Fram aren’t even that bothered about getting a record deal.
No, Fram are happy just making music in their spare time, doing day jobs and spending time with friends and family. This refreshing, almost humble, outlook is one of the things that make this record a quality body of work. This Is How We Live Now is an album put together by the band out of their own pocket and it has a relaxed, contented feel to it; born perhaps out of a confidence of where they are musically.
Most of the tracks are softer, piano-driven with delicate electric guitar and display a comfortable grasp of musicianship and songwriting which many of today’s more successful bands just wouldn’t be able to match.
For me, the stand-out track is ‘Action Painting’, which has a stunning musical shift in it mid-way through, where the instrumentalists take over and unleash a spectacular finish to the song. Songs like this suggest Fram are capable of big things - hugeness - but you probably couldn’t tell them that…
Chris Walker
