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Gomez
How We Operate
ATO Records
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Article
written by Bob M
Mar 30, 2006.
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For their fifth studio album and first on Dave Matthews ATO Record label, How We Operate, Gomez—Tom Gray (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Ben Ottewell (vocals, guitar), Ian Ball (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Paul Blackburn (bass, guitar) and Olly Peacock (drums)—are making a fresh start in many ways. This follow-up to 2004’s acclaimed “Split The Difference” uses the bands first outside producer, Gil Norton (Pixies, Foo Fighters) apparently gave up producing control completely for the first time—given the results, maybe they should have done this years ago.
From the opening verse of "Notice," the band lays out what could be the philosophy for the entire record: “I stopped tryin' to write the things I don't like/And I started goin' back to where I'd been before.” They’re not trying to reinvent sliced bread, only rediscover why they toasted it in the first place (analogy: stretched).
With its alt/country infectious chorus and undertones of foot-stomping Appalachia, the buoyant "See the World" is welcome mead in a world saturated with dark, brooding, pseudo-serious “rock.” Replete with “sha-la-la-la-la-la” and gorgeous female backing vocals, this song proves that the words "pop" and "authenticity" are not mutually exclusive. The track “Hamoa Beach” proves to be another unabashedly affirmative pop song in a similar vein.
The album’s title track features a slightly Middle Eastern banjo intro, a soaring chorus and the continued theme thread of new beginnings, fresh starts and genuine attempts at improvement: “Turn me inside out and upside down/And try to see things my way/Turn a new page, tear the old one out/ And I'll try to see things your way.”
The jangly, rockin’ "Girlshapedlovedrug" finds the narrator hopelessly falling for "a wicked girl, worst in the world," despite clear evidence to that he really should be elsewhere because “she spends her days in a violent rage/try as I might.” It’s a finely crafted tune, both lyrics and song, one of the irritatingly catchy toe-tappers with a truly Beatles-like vocal harmony slammed right into the chorus, making it all the more infectious.
Off tempo, almost ska, and alternating into an XTC-ish rock chorus (with lovely vocal harmonies and organs), “Tear Your Love Apart” is a standout amongst good rock songs on the album, including “All Too Much” and “Woman! Man!”, the most Beatles-like song on the album (aside from the intro guitar sound reminiscent of Bruce Cockburn), and one that could have easily been a b-side track from the “White Album” era with it’s Harrison guitar licks, additional “sha-la-la” chorus, hand clapping and slightly psychedelic guitar solo.
The only low points of the album feel like failed experiments or unfinished business. The bluesy "Chasing Ghosts with Alcohol" goes from lovely alt/country tune with potential to be a real classic to a distorted/noisy, plodding Wilcoesque mess. "Charley Patton Songs" would likely be a fantastic live song, but as a studio track, it’s dull, predictable and uninspired.
With its slightly spacy strings (reminiscent of XTC again) and its alt/country guitar strumming, the closing track, the twangy and low-key “Don’t Make Me Laugh,” brings the album full circle, both musically and thematically: “I’m hittin’ the road/I’m sayin’ goodbye/I’ll never look backwards/Let the sun get in my eyes.”
Fair advice—let’s hope they continue to follow it, since it seems to have worked quite well in this instance.
Untitled Document
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