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Gomez | In Our Gun

A summer-proof third offering from Southampton's finest.
CD, Hut/Virgin

Tekst: Bas Ickenroth

Publicatiedatum: 11 april 2002

Perfect timing? The boys from Gomez have that supernatural ability to release their album when the spring begins with some exceptionally sunny and bright weather. As their first two albums 'Bring It On' and 'Liquid Skin' already proved, Gomez make the perfect music for sunny and warm weather conditions. 'In Our Gun' isn't different. Not in atmosphere and not in music.

So nothing has changed? Well, not in the big picture, but if you look more closely, you see many more details, more finesse, improved skills. On the first two albums, Gomez used every single opportunity to fill in the blanks in a lo-fi way, while on their second, 'Liquid Skin', they used a big professional studio for the first time, using every possible track. Due to their obvious enthusiasm and love for the things they did, they could get away with it, even though sometimes it sounded a bit too much like "How many tracks do we have left? Two? Alright, we can fill those as well with some extra percussion and another layer of guitar." And that has changed on the new album. For the first time, Gomez discovered the art of less is more, and they instantly mastered it to the point of perfection. Not that they are as minimalist as, let's say, Shellac, but in comparison to their own efforts 'In Our Gun' is quite compact and sober.

Musically, it still is a splendid mixture of rootsy pop, rock, dub, rhythm & blues, and some modern electronica. There isn't any specific band or act Gomez can be compared with, and although the used styles are not original, Gomez combine them in a completely new way. Starting off with new single 'Shot Shot', one might think that they replaced their laidback sound with something faster and spicier, but that song is just a decoy: The rest of the album is in the same relaxed mood we've come to know from the Southampton band. Note that the above sentence isn't saying anything about the quality of 'Shot Shot': The song is at least as great as all of the other gems on 'In Our Gun'. Every song is worth mentioning, but the best moments come when they decide to take it slow and quiet, as on the title song and 'Even Song': The dreamy reflections of everyday life are tremendously beautiful, and the songs are filled with great brass and double-bass arrangements. Add to the superb songwriting skills and ditto instrumentations, the incredible fact that Gomez have three good singers, of which one ('Howlin'' Ben Ottewell) has an exceptional and very characteristic voice.

Although Gomez matured over the last couple of years, they still didn't lose their invigorating enthusiasm. Their love for music shows through in all aspects of the album, and that's the biggest quality of 'In Our Gun' and Gomez: They do exactly what they want to. 'In Our Gun' is, just like its predecessors, the perfect album for warm summer evenings on your front porch, together with some friends, enjoying the company, some beers, and especially the great music of Gomez.