In Our Gun by Gomez (Review)

Guaranteed to open up a new fanbase for Gomez while still appealing to the already impressive and varied one they have accumulated over the years.
In Our Gun - Gomez

It’s time to sit back and relax, to let the musical charm of Gomez fill the air once again. It has been almost two and a half years since their last studio album was released, but it has been well worth the wait.

Gomez confirm their title of undisputed masters of minimalist chill music with the spectacular “Ballad of Nice and Easy.” The track is introduced with a lonesome guitar, randomly picking away in a calm Led Zeppelin fashion. Then in true Gomez style, the drums ignite and a modern loose funk riff and a hypnotic chorus to match make this into a perfect tonic for a late summer night.

This style could not be further from the rejuvenated “Shot Shot,” the album’s abrasive opener which witnesses a heavier, more forceful Gomez, but dare it be said, an angry Gomez who have just been given the leash to venture into “rock” territory. “Shot Shot” oozes attitude with a tearaway swagger, yet it is still injected with the unmistakable Gomez touch, filled with acoustic guitars and brass instruments. The band almost plays with the listener, the song lasting just short of two and a half minutes. Just as the listener comes to terms with this new energy that Gomez has unleashed, it comes to a dramatic yet unsuspected halt.

It fires back up again, but only for a matter of seconds before it moves to track 2, “Rex Kramer,” a platform for the more experimental Gomez to shine, introducing a trumpet and a valve trombone to the mix. The band just proves that you can’t get too much of a good thing; this is the type of song which made them stand out as an innovative eye-opening band back in 1998, and they are still doing it now, and just as successfully.

The album never seems to peak, but is constantly riding high just between the “unforgettable” and the “never going to switch this off” point, from the temperamental strut of the title track to the piano outburst fuelled by the spirited bass guitar in “Army Dub.” All songs have a spontaneous feel to them, in particular the meditative “Even Song” and the acoustic spine of the memorable “Drench.”

This album is almost guaranteed to open up a new fanbase for Gomez while still appealing to the already impressive and varied one they have accumulated over the years. In Our Gun is an album where Gomez are seemingly unafraid to try new tactics within their music to keep it on the experimental edge, yet maintain a careful balance so their true roots are never far from arms reach.

Written by Paul Newbold.

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