Search - Gomez :: In Our Gun

"Be in awe"

P. Shamdasani | Hong Kong | 04/29/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Before Gomez came along in 1998, there were really only three types of Britpop music: 1) the Beatles "homage", used by bands like Oasis and Pulp, 2) the trippy space-rock, like Radiohead or the Verve, and 3) the overused techno method, that the Charlatans have recently implemented. But five guys from Liverpool changed all that, proving that you could be an indie rock band, and use styles like blues, soul and reggae in your music. Their third real album after the entertaining, but slightly flat B-sides collection Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline, In Our Gun sees Gomez using their three years off well, implementing numerous innovative tunes that will surely make countless bands jealous. Instead of putting out the first tunes that came to their fingers, like they did in the mediocre Liquid Skin, they've experimented with 30s-esque country, modern-day dub, 80s electronica and various other now-underused techniques. The album starts off well with "Shot Shot", a tune obviously aimed at fans of their previous releases, but with a superb jazz saxophone that somehow works well with the vocal stylings of Ben Ottewell Tom Gray and Ian Ball. It straight away changes direction in "Rex Kramer", a superb O Brother, Where Art Thou?-esque tune that surely, along with the aforementioned album, signals a comeback for bluegrass music. As the album goes on, noticeable influences turn up, with Beck and Pavement feeling prominent on "Even Song", "Ruff Stuff", "Drench" and titular track "In Our Gun", while both "Ping One Down" and "Army Dub" seem straight out of a Lee "Scratch" Perry record. Despite the fact that there is definitely a noticeable change in Gomez' latest tunes, die-hard fans will enjoy it if they're open-minded enough, while casual listeners will surely be in awe at what a modern day band can achieve."

Exceptional, Totally Out-There Work of Art

Alexander | Elbridge, NY USA | 03/28/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First I must admit that I was very, very excited to hear what the new gomez album would sound like after the gradual progression of the first two, and the wonderful b-sides collection. As I figured Abandon Shopping Trolley Hotline was definitely a hint with what was to come. Songs like emrgency surgery, buena vista, steven m., would have easily fit in well on this disc. Gomez's energy on this album is just flat-out awesome. I was scared that this disc would dissappoint, because the first two LP's were so well done, but there was no fall off on this one. It is different though, from the first two, just like Liquid Skin was different from Bring It On, Gomez is not a band to settle on any one sound. In Our Gun has a lot more of an electronica flavor to it, but the new sound does not distract but rather adds to the great song writing. The album is very layered which makes one want to come back for multiple, multiple listens.
Bottomline: If you like previous Gomez,then this album is up to the quality, if you are new to Gomez,buy any of their albums they are all of superior music"

Where do bands like this come from?

tokyo111 | Los Angeles, CA United States | 05/11/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm consistently staggered by the way Gomez refuse to get stuck in any one genre, and still manage always to sound like themselves. Yes, there's a slightly heavier dose of electronica on this record, but Gomez have beeing threatening to go that route since the very beginning -- remember the wheezy synthetic drum bit on "Whippin' Piccadilly," off the band's first record? And in any case, "electronica," in Gomez's able young hands, doesn't mean "soulless." "Rex Kramer" may start off sounding like DISCO, but once Ben Ottewell's chesty roar kicks in, it's blood-n-guts time. "In Our Gun" collapses the last twenty years of pop music into one record. Listen with headphones. Several times. Then watch the papers for word of a U.S. tour -- they are, if you can believe this, even better live."