Territories by Tom Goss | Album Review
Goss’s 7th album goes in a more ambient direction as he discusses the complexities of becoming polyamorous.
Tom Goss’s road to his current career is fascinating. Originally hoping to become a school teacher, Goss left the field after a year of student teaching. Hoping to still make a change, he moved to Washington D.C. to join a seminary in hopes of becoming a Catholic priest. This too would be soured by the various abuses he experienced, which finally brought him to songwriting. Now, Tom is a staple in the gay singer/songwriter community and is well-loved in the bear subcommunity. His 2019 album, Territories, is a conceptual project around the emotional stress and speed bumps that come from opening a relationship up to polyamory. Goss told Hollywood Life the following regarding the subject matter of the album:
“I didn’t set out to write a concept album. I was just going through so much stuff personally. I had fallen in love with another man, and I was trying to process that… I just kept writing, and the more I was writing, the more interesting I was finding the subject, the more interesting I was finding the idea of the social morays in which we exist, and which ones are good for me now or which ones aren’t good for me. How I was kind of picking that apart and throwing stuff to the side and taking some new rules in. I just found it really compelling, and I was deep in it.” — Tom Goss via Hollywood Life (2020)
Goss begins to unravel the complexities of polyamory in “Uneven.” His words reflect the growing concern that his husband feels in this changing dynamic, “There was a time when you believed/ In you and me and we/ Against the world/ Against the hurt/ I promise I still believe/ I promise I still believe/ There′s no rock I'll leave unturned/ There′s no lesson I won't learn/ When it comes to you and me.” Tom’s voice balances off the gentle 3 note melody the piano rocks against. Underneath this comes a soft hum of synth. It’s quite stark. His tone weighs heavy on this promise.
“One Plus Two” displays Tom’s unwavering devotion to his husband despite this new addition to their life. His electronic flirtation bridges the gap between indie-pop and alternative. Goss’s words seek to alleviate his partner’s fears over this changing structure in their relationship, “One plus two is one/ But you my, you my love/ Are the only, only one/ I trust I′ve done enough/ I trust I’ve done enough/ For you my, you my love/ To build you, build you up.” I quite like how the production is reminiscent of alt-pop songs of the late 90s/early 2000s.
We begin to flutter into the beginnings of what sparked dual romance in “Berlin.” The web of attraction has bled into love in this open relationship, “Memories fading/ alone in 6A/ I fly home to my man/ and you to yours the same/ Oh, Berlin… Love you.” I like the sense of theatrics his use of keys and synth underlines the track. Instead of playing to the haloed effect of attraction, he leans into the gravity of how this unfolding dynamic has tangled the threads of his current life.
The gravity of their changing dynamic finally hits in “Quebec.” You can hear the fear of what this decision could bring in his husband’s words, “We are not us/ There is another us to us/ We are not special/ We are no longer special.” Goss experiments with fizzy beats and floaty synth production to cast a hazy over the situation. This plays up the limbo the couple seems to be stuck in. I do wish some of the spacey aspects felt a bit more grounded. It repeats in a way that becomes a bit flat over time. I do appreciate the micro-beat textures that brings to mind Björk’s Vespertine.
Tom taps fellow LGBTQ+ singer/songwriter, activist, and Youtuber Ryan Cassata to provide guest vocals on “One Thing Missing.” The duo’s sound marries together quite nicely. Through the romantic imagery, his mind still wanders to the man who grabbed his heart in Berlin, “There’s only one thing missing/ There′s only one thing missing, it’s you/ Oh, I wish you were here/ Oh oh oh, how I wish you were here with us.” I wish the layer of keys had more dynamics to it. It’s a nice base layer casting a buttercream light across the moment that Goss describes, but without more depth, it begins to stagnate rather quickly.
“Regretting” tackles both the responsibility and growth that their newfound relationship dynamics bring. Goss’s words hold precious the promise he has to his husband as they incorporate a new partner into their lives, “I could never dream of forgetting/ That which we have worth remembering/ But all we′ve got/ All we’ve got/ Is more than I could ever hold in my head/ I would never think of regretting/ Those flaws that could threaten/ All we’ve got/ It′s just that I needed them for self acceptance.” While there is a bit of repetition to the rubber synth melody cutting throughout the track, I like his soft production that cushions you as Tom reassures you of his devotion.
“Irreplaceable” seeks to placify his husband’s fears of being cast aside. Goss’s devotion to his partner is something that goes beyond measurement, “It’s easier to say than it is to believe/ It’s easier to lie than reveal/ You are irreplaceable/ You are undeniably inimitable/ Irreplaceable/ Incomparably exceptional/ You are unequivocally phenomenal/ Irreplaceable.” The opening accordion melody against his keys takes me completely out of the song. It clashes in such a way feels abrasive. It’s a shame because outside of this his electro-pop production is rather nice on the ears. Its recurrence, even in more congruent moments, just doesn’t work for me.
“Zedel” recalls the moments of falling under the spell of this man whom Goss had previously only had a physical relationship with. He takes us to the space where these emotions begin to flood in, “The drinks/ Are from the gentleman/ You wink/ I know, I got it bad/ And his keys are singing to me/ I’m lost in the rhythm/ And his feet are knocking the beat,/ I′m lost in transition/ You spoke/ Of your husband/ I spoke of mine/ And I was woke/ You know you blow my mind.” Tom seeks to keep this lounge environment through the sonic treatment of the piece.
“Amsterdam” brings in blues singer and The Voice alum Nakia to add depth to the piece. Goss evokes his sensual side as he recounts the electrifying passion he and his partner share, “In the grasp/ Of yours/ I′m a casualty/ A casualty of war/ Body starts to shiver/ Underneath your vigor/ In the grasp/ Of yours/ If water is life/ Take me out/ Along the canal side/ If water is life (Water is life)/ Let it rain down/ Rain down.” Sonically, this is one of my favorites from the album. Both Tom and Nakia sound lovely together over his sparse production. There is a sense of mystery that comes pouring through this haze that adds to the sensuality.
“La Bufadora” has a bit more gravity to its production. Goss slightly twists the traditional pop chord progression with an ending minor note playing to the pain of domestic abuse that hangs in the air of his words. Tom’s lyrics carry the tension of a relationship on the verge of snapping from a partner’s cold and possibly aggressive treatment of the other, “La Bufadora rise/ La Bufadora explodes/ La Bufodora takes, It takes its toll/ Because everything rusts and fades/ The choice is ours to make/ Whether it strips away/ Our face is always changing/ Everything rusts/ Everything fades.” I enjoyed how his words meshed nicely within the sullen tones he provides throughout the track.
Goss grapples with wanting to open himself up fully to someone new in “Quayside.” Tom teams up with singer/songwriter Gregory Douglass to bolster the hovering nature of his vocals. He struggles with the decisions put before him, “Fading light/ How I long to do this right/ Where′s my line?/ Tell me which parts of me, should I hide?/ On the Quayside.” What I don’t like is the sudden shift into this dance-pop sound in the chorus. It’s a bit jarring to switch from the original placid synth production to this energy.
“Eve” uses the allusion to both biblical sin and sanctuary to impart the feeling of bliss he is in. Although Goss can feel himself fall for this man, his core remains tethered to his husband: “As forbidden as it seems/ We still lie here you and me/ Fruit′s been tasted from the tree/ But I am not your eve/ Still we fall in love/ Both as happy as can be/ With our proper lovers we/ Know that freedom isn’t free/ I′ve pledged fidelity.” Tom gives the song its structure through the gentle hum of his keys. I find this production, although simple in its delivery, nicely lays out the vulnerability of Goss’s emotional state.
“Not Regretting” is the only instrumental song on the album. It’s a unique blend of fuzzy, elastic synths and almost jungle-like beats. Within this web of electronics comes the warm melody of a trumpet to add some organics to the mix. While it doesn’t take away anything from the album, it doesn’t provide enough shape to add much to the overall story Goss is trying to tell.
“Siem Reap” continues some of the geographic themes using the natural landscape of the region to describe his vulnerable state. I appreciate the addition of the acoustic guitar on this track. His use of rather thick synth pads overpowers its softness in a way that counteracts the natural vibe he’s going for. I think a simple synth string wash would have balanced out the guitar and baritone sax.
Tom closes the album ready to jump at this new opportunity in “Be Somebody.” Since overcoming the hurdles of trust and confusion polyamory can bring into a relationship, Goss appears open to the journey this second partner brings him, “I wanna know the answer/ I wanna hold the truth/ Face the new horizon and forgive my youth/ I wanna wake up smiling/ Never have a doubt/ Never think about all the things I′ve lost/ Instead you/ I lie here falling for you/ And all my dreams of me are getting lost in the we.” I love the strings that halo his words. Their rise and fall bring out the power of his promise to remain devoted to his husband while exploring this new addition into their lives.
Goss weaves the story of confronting the issues of polyamory rather well from state to finish in this project. I find this to be a refreshing take on non-traditional relationship dynamics. Tom’s voice maintains a softness that listeners will find engaging as they take in his journey. I do wish he had more sonic complexity across the record. Many of the songs ride along rather smooth waves of sound that, while pleasant, don’t provide much motion for the stories to glide along. Some of the production choices on tracks like “Irreplaceable”, “Quayside”, and “Siem Reap” feel at odds with the general sentiment Goss is going for lyrically. Though some of the stylistic aspects may not have suited my tastes, I appreciate Tom’s openness throughout the record.
My overall thoughts on Territories:
Loved it: “Berlin”, “Regretting”, “Amsterdam” (feat. Nakia), “Eve”, “Be Somebody”
Like it: “Uneven”, “One Plus Two”, “Regretting”, “Zedel”, “La Bufadora”,
Disliked it: “Quebec”, “One Thing Missing” (feat. Ryan Cassata), “Irreplaceable”, “Quayside” (feat. Gregory Douglass), “Not Regretting”, “Siem Reap”
My overall rating: 5.0 out of 10.
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