GOMEZ
In Our Gun
Virgin
· Enough with the horns, boys!
In Our Gun, the third release from Gomez, sits awkwardly between an attempt at an electro-pop concept record and an annoyingly reoccurring cabaret. Because of the vastly different styles of songwriters Ben Ottewell and Ian Ball, the songs spread apart in ill-conceived structures that separate the album’s best moments.
While Ottewell continues his utterly unnecessary role as England’s Eddie Vedder, his gravelly voice and clichéd comments more suited for a Joe Cocker tribute, Ball’s contributions occasionally lighten things up. The title track especially balances the oft-teetering mood with a clever anti-violence ballad that disintegrates into a spiralling guitar-led dance track.
By the time In Our Gun closes with "Ballad of Nice & Easy," a level-headed waste of time that’ll surely appear in a beer commercial some day, the frustrated listener is left with an album that diluted all of its promising ideas.
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