Gomez has one thing working for them: they don’t seem to know what they are doing, but they know where they want to go and how to get there. They produce their own albums and just go with what feels right. And what feels right to them feels right to me.
“Hangover” quickly takes off the rock garments and exchanges them for some comfortable jams. Ben Ottewell’s sound is comparable to Eddie Vedder fronting The Grateful Dead. “Revolutionary Kind” brings quirky acoustic dancing into the seamless two word chorus, “revolutionary kind.” Gomez never leaves a stone unturned. They don’t trade in the old for the new; they just throw it all into the same pot and smoke it. The chorus in “Bring It On” is bizarrely layered in a way that is both intriguing and beautifully confounding. “Blue Moon Rising” is a mellow trip about sneakers that just never felt right. Then one day, bang, snug as a bug. “Rhythm & Blues Alibi” is just fabulous. This track proves that radio and Mtv always miss the boat.
What I enjoy about Gomez is that every listen brings on a new surprise. Their lack of a formula is their best asset. They’re not reinventing music, but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t seem like it. And on and on this little album, Liquid Skin, goes, building on, getting stronger, until the final tracks blow your mind. “Rosalita” is damn good, but is eclipsed by the even better “California”. “Devil Will Rise” is Gomez at climax. Ian Ball’s vocals are so satiny smooth that I eventually had to leave the room to avoid hitting repeat again. This track is a dream come true. Before the last two tracks, I would have given this album a six out of ten rating, but “Devil Will Ride” makes this album a must have. Pure bliss.
+ rae gun
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