In Our Gun: Third Time's Not A Charm
Written: Mar 14 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: The occasional decent song...
Cons: Ruff Stuff is the worst song ever recorded by Gomez. Period.
The Bottom Line: Buy this album with care. Do not even listen without first hearing Bring It On and Liquid Skin. Please. Gomez is much more talented than this album seems to suggest.
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| lambchops's Full Review: In Our Gun by Gomez |
Since forming in 1996, British band Gomez has proven beyond a doubt that there’s nothing wrong with good ol’ fashioned rock n’ roll.
Gomez possesses a great deal of talent with a knack for blues-rock and mid-tempo retro rockers. And oddly enough the band almost completely lacks musical ties to Britain…their sound is that of a seasoned American act. And it is for this reason that I was initially sucked into the vortex. Music today is missing the verve, the exhilaration, and the fun of two or three decades ago. Gomez captures all three emotions tidily in their songs and albums…and so very much more.
The five members of Gomez are young. Still teenagers when they formed their band in 1996. Soon thereafter, they recorded and released their amazing debut Bring It On. What Ben Ottewell (vocals, guitar), Tom Gray (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Paul Blackburn (bass, guitar), Olly Peacock (drums), and Ian Ball (vocals, guitar, harmonica) managed to accomplish in the course of two short years is unbelievable. The strength of the band is in part due to primary vocalist Ottewell and his distinctively smoky chords. But the talent isn’t all concentrated in him; the other members possess equal amounts of innate skill. The beauty of Bring It On went on to be appreciated not only by listeners but also critics. Gomez was honored the prestigious Mercury Prize for Best Album of the Year.
Liquid Skin appeared on shelves in 1999. The album was a continuation of the direction of the first, and in many ways surpassed the band’s debut. Songs like Bring It On, We Haven’t Turned Around, and Las Vegas Dealer are just three why Liquid Skin is a must-own disc. Gomez released a disc of rarities and b-sides titled Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline in 2000. The album wasn’t as well received as the previous two by critics (no big shock there), but it did present some different versions to songs already popularized by the first two albums. I personally enjoyed this album greatly and it served nicely as my introduction to Gomez on the whole.
In 2002, the five-man outfit returned with a somewhat altered style on In Our Gun. The album isn’t as satisfying on the whole as the previous outings but it does on occasion provide flashes of brilliance. Gomez is truly a unique band, one that must certainly be heard to be appreciated and one that should be carefully watched in the future. They are the essence of rock n’ roll, be it modern or classic.
In Our Gun is somewhat lengthy at thirteen tracks. Rather than being content to stick to their old ways of blues-rock, it seems that Gomez made a conscious effort to branch out in a few new directions. For better or for worse, Ottewell’s vocals aren’t used as often on the songs. In addition, the band has taken a distinct turn toward incorporating electronica. At times the blend works, but at other times the band’s rock n’ roll self seems lost in the synthetic rhythms and noise. The best songs are without question those that are sung by the talented Ottewell and those that are straight ahead rock. Even if In Our Gun isn’t on par with the first two releases, it is worth owning though only should be purchased after experiencing the two studio albums and the 2000 rarities LP.
In Our Gun couldn’t have a stronger start than with Shot Shot, a thick and groovy rocker. Sounding like they’ve listened to Morphine a bit since their last album, the song pulls in new and different influences without stepping to far away from the intended goal. The saxophones (alto and baritone) blend surprisingly well with band’s thick blues-rock style.
Ottewell’s sparkling voice drives Rex Kramer toward being one of the album’s best offerings. While the band does blend those aforementioned electronica elements (a drum machine, keyboards, and synth programming) at the core this is a blues-rock track. The melody is invigorating, and the pace quickens the heart. But Gomez loses me with Detroit Swing 66. It lacks the fury that usually drives their songs, and sounds more similar to washed out Brit-pop than anything else. The only real redeeming quality is the funky beat and Ottewell’s occasional backing vocals (just behind the lighter and sunnier Gray).
In Our Gun is a pleasing title track. The glimmering acoustic guitars are a refreshing touch on this otherwise slickly produced album. This slick production makes for clean tracks, but also seems to work against the song styling of the usually natural sounding Gomez. In Our Gun is a slowly paced song, and is probably the best one here that utilizes Gray’s voice.
Tender, light, and emotional, Even Song is by far one of the best songs here. The mid-paced rhythm paired with Ottewell’s wonderful voice work brilliantly. The guitars, keyboard, and drums are also worth mentioning. Gomez seems to be very comfortable with this material…they obviously know where their strength lies and it is with this kind of bluesy rocker.
On the completely opposite end of the musical and quality spectrum, Ruff Stuff is sheer crap. It’s not often I find fault with this band, but in the case of this bad ode to 80’s synth-dance-rock I can’t help but to wonder what Gomez was thinking when they even considered recording this clunking atrocity. The synths are incredibly annoying as they wail incessantly alongside slickly strummed guitars and Gray’s droning voice. The single worst song I’ve heard from Gomez ever.
Sound of Sounds is a slow, modest rock track. The vocals are fine as is the music, but it lacks finesse and that spark that makes for a truly great track. A completely different kind of song, Army Dub combines saxophones with droning synth beats and resonant vocals. It is an impressive song, though doesn’t sound a damn thing like one would expect from a rock and roll band. For this reason alone, Army Dub is a disappointment.
Fortunately, Gomez returns to their previously tried, tested, and true formula on Miles End. Ottewell’s flat voice makes the slow ballad something special. From the voice, to the sparkling guitars, to the understated drums the song is a unique success. It really is too bad that it is uncomfortably wedged between two otherwise completely dissimilar songs. Ping One Down once again is a decent synth-laden rock track. Not great by any stretch of the imagination, but fine enough to hold an audience for the entire length of the recording. I am not a fan of the dated keyboards and maracas, but with that said there are worse things on In Our Gun.
1000 Times is a lovely, intense folk-rock track. Ottewell sounds gorgeous as usual, and quietly drummed cymbals nicely compliment the lightly plucked guitars. While not exactly memorable, the track represents some of the better elements of this usually talented band. Drench on the other hand is rather painful. The band lacks a constant tempo, Gray’s voice is unsure, and the melody lacks purpose. Not to mention the fact that the combination of psychedelic elements and synths are strange at best. IT sounds like some bastard child of 1970’s porn soundtracks and 1980’s new wave.
In Our Gun wraps up on a relatively positive note with a return to style on Ballad of Nice & Easy. Ottewell and Gray trade choruses and verses with great success in this stomp-rock free for all. Unfortunately, most people will have already lost interest in the album by the time this track rolls around.
The problem with In Our Gun is that it lacks consistency. Gomez is a great rock band and would be best advised to return to straight rock and roll on their next outing. Songs like Drench and Ruff Stuff prove that synths don’t have a place on most rock albums. It seems that the five were trying to experiment with their sound, and in doing so they came up pitifully short. In Our Gun is the worst of the band’s studio albums (by far) and ranks even below their just previous rarities LP. Buy it for cheap, and at your own risk.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Shot Shot
02. Rex Kramer
03. Detroit Swing 66
04. In Our Gun
05. Even Song
06. Ruff Stuff
07. Sound of Sounds
08. Army Dub
09. Miles End
10. Ping One Down
11. 1000 Times
12. Drench
13. Ballad of Nice & Easy
Recommended:
Yes
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lambchops
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Member: Shelly T.
Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan
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Bye-bye CL hat. Hopefully I'll write some new reviews some time soon!
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