Customer Reviews

Split The Difference

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I'm not certain why Gomez conjure calumny in their native U.K., where they are often dismissed as second-division dad rockers. Yes, these five scousers - Ian Ball (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Tom Gray (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Ben Ottewell (vocals, guitar), Paul Blackburn (bass, guitar) and Olly Peacock (drums) - freely pillage their fathers' record collections for whatever turns them on, but like Beck, they take it all in and turn out something else - something that kicks with tension and fury. Whereas their last album, 2002's "In Our Gun," was willfully experimental and cockeyed, their latest, "Split the Difference," is decidedly more straightforward. "This time we were interested in coming up with something more visceral," says Gray, and he's spot on. Holing themselves up in a remote locale on the Sussex coast, the band had nothing else to do but focus on forging clattering rock noise irradiated with West Coast sunshine. With their thrashy guitars and gallumphing drums, songs like "Do One," "These 3 Sins," and "Silence" - the hot-rocking trilogy that begins the album, show a band brimming with bile and channeling it into spit-tunes that don't forego melody. Most of the rest of the record is brutally crunchy but also honeyed, like an overstuffed mouthful of trail mix. Even the burnished country waltz of "Sweet Virginia" is not without splinters. Spotlighting Ottewell's affecting burr of a voice, closer "There It Was" breaks down the blitzkrieg, sending "Split the Difference" off into a haunting mist. This is a starkers and often quite brilliant record.

For those of you that have heard Gomez before:

Back with their fourth album, Gomez has created another masterpiece of texture and sound. Unlike previous efforts, however, Split the Difference has a much higher quantity of upbeat songs. That's not to say that the old Gomez is not there anymore.

It's present in songs like Me, You and Everybody and Meet Me in the City. Songs like Catch Me Up, Where Ya Going and Chicken Out might surprise you with how much they don't sound like their previous work, but there's no denying they're from Gomez. Two tracks don't work all that well. Extra Special Guy is in the vein of Rough Stuff, with the lyrics destroying an otherwise ok song, and There It Was is a snoozer much like Sound of Sounds was. All in all, however, this album has Gomez branching out without them loosing their sound. Split the Difference is definitely a triumph of an album.

For those of you that haven't heard Gomez before:

Gomez is probably the best band that most people have heard but never heard of before. They've been in commercials (performing Getting Better for the Phillips Magnavox), movies (in the background in American Beauty, Gone in 60 Seconds and in the previews of Walking Tall) and on TV (MTV uses them for background on many of their shows). They don't get much play on the radio, though, and so they largely spread by word of mouth. The biggest criticism of Gomez has been about how inaccessible they are. Many of their best tracks reach into the 5-7 minute range and don't have as much hook or drive as many of today's more popular rock. While long meandering tracks had their heyday in the 70's, today most of the songs being played now tend to be short and simple. Songs incorporating many ideas have given way to songs playing one idea to death.

Some of the problem is that Gomez is hard to categorize. They aren't Punk (of any era), but they also aren't hard Rock (as many of the distortion driven post-grunge bands are). They aren't neo-folk (as in Jack Johnson and Ben Harper) or garage rock (as in the Strokes and the Hives). The best description might be British Traditional Rock, but even that doesn't apply all that well to Gomez. The only way to truly categorize them is to say they're good.

Gomez has finally responded to this new landscape by shortening their songs and picking the tempo up a bit (they still incorporate many ideas into each track). The result is their most accusable album to date. While there are no tracks that will explode onto the scene and saturate the airwaves, most of the tracks are instantly likeable and all of the tracks get better on each subsequent listen. Many of the songs, like Catch Me Up and Silence, will hook you on the first listen. They have Others, like Meet Me In the City and Sweet Virginia, hearken back to the old Gomez and will take a few listens before you really get into them. In the end, however, Gomez should win many people over with this gem of an album.

For everybody:

Whether you're just now discovering Gomez or you've been a fan for a while, Split the Difference will not disappoint. It is one of the best rock albums this year.

Went to see this band live recently on a whim, having heard a couple of their older songs on the radio. I came away impressed and humming some of the songs from this album. I'm a fan of offbeat, melodic rock, e.g. Squeeze, Elvis Costello, Crowded House, Robyn Hitchcock. Like these artists, Gomez has found a way to integrate influences -- there are echoes of psychedelic 60s, folksy 70s and electronic music -- in a way that eludes easy pigeonholing and sounds like something their own. And while they often take the songs in unexpected directions with unusual chord or tempo changes, they keep it coherent. There's a strong sense of melody and a lyricism in some places, raucous rocking energy in others. They come across in concert as both focused and joyous, and this CD is a joy, too.

Seeing as the reviews of this album have been mixed, I think that fans must recognize the fact that each Gomez album has been somewhat of a departure from the prior. Whilst the intitial awe-inspiring briliance of Bring It On floored me, it took a while to realize there was no practical reason for which Liquid Skin should sound the same. Furthermore, In Our Gun was an enormous departure from the first two, in that it incorporated more of a darker side with a beasties-inflected rhythym.
Now we have Split the Difference which, not so suprisingly, is another chapter. The songs may be tuneful and you can sing along to them, but so are Whippin' Piccadilly, Get Myself Arrested, Tiajuana Lady, We Haven't Turned Around, and Ping One Down (I could go on further).
Maybe Ben is your favorite singer. Or Ian. Or Tom. It doesn't really matter. The fact that they make beautiful music that is more enjoyable and danceable than most everyone does. The new songs sounded great live in February (before the album was even available) and still do. Sweet Virginia has to be one of the greatest, most belated answer songs in a long time. Extra Special Guy is funny yet earnest. And Catch Me Up is one of the best singles of the year.
Buy it, burn it, give it to your friends.

I am a big Gomez fan. Their first three studio albums have revived my respect for modern rock and roll. That said, I think "Split the Difference" is not in the same category for quality and inspiration. If you are looking for your first foray into Gomez, try "Bring It On", "Liquid Skin", or "In My Gun". They are much better in my opinion.
There are some good tracks on the new album but they are mixed into a bunch that seem to be the band searching for a new sound or trying to sound more commercially acceptable.
Again, Gomez is one of the best new bands I have heard in many years; just don't start here if you're new to them.

I think this might be their best yet.

As with all Gomez albums, the first listen is slightly dissappointing. Then they grow and grow on you. I can't stop listening to this album every morning. The band sound like an updated young version of all my favourite artists in one: Hendrix, Beatles, the Who, Radiohead, Van Morrison, Tom Waits, Led Zeppelin...all mixed up with a cheeky grin.

The musicianship and arrangements are spot on. The drumming is especially imaginative and energetic this time.

It's more 60s pop/rock than the others before. Fewer blissed out moments than the previous albums, but perfect for listening to loud as a cheery wake up call in the morning.

My favourite album ever.

As a person new to Gomez, having only recently bought "In Our Gun" and "Abandoned Shopping Trolley Helpline" I didn't come to this CD with any major expectations. And, once I got into it, I was impressed. It's less like "In Our Gun", and more of a throwback to the more basic music stlye of the earlier albums, with less electronic mixing, but which also contains a more rocky streak than the others.
I think this is a great CD for those new to Gomez to buy, as it's very accsessible, more so than "In Our Gun". It also shows off what these guys can do, showing very well how they can range from a gentle ballad ("Sweet Virginia") to bright, bouncy tunes like "These 3 Sins", to good, strong rock songs, such as the opening track, "Do One".

All in all, an excelent CD, which could do very well commercially, and lead people into Gomez's fantasic back catalog.

British rockers Gomez have had to live with the hype of their acclaimed 1998 debut album "Bring It On" (which won multiple awards). Since then, they have searched and tried to live up to that acclaim, with mixed results, and now here comes their 4th album, and it's great to see that Gomez is finally, truly back in the saddle!

"Split the Difference" (13 tracks, 50 min.) is a return to the all out rock'n'roll that brought the acclaim. The album starts off with a blasting "Do One" and doesn't let up from there. "Where Ya Going" reminds me of early-Pearl Jam, just great. "Silence" (a UK single) is almost a pop song (and I mean that as acompliment). "Catch Me Up" (another UK single) just rocks great. "Sweet Virginia" (not to be confused with the Rolling Stones tune of the same name) is a gorgeous ballad. There is really no bad song on the album. If there is a weak track, it's the closer "There It Was".

For those of you who fell in love with Gomez' debut, this is the true and worthy follow-up. For those of you new to Gomez, this is one of the better 2004 albums so far, please check it out!

This album kicks major A-- in my opinion. The only dissapointment to me is the last three songs are just OK. First ten are dynamite, just light it and go.
I read reviews and I usually puke. Music cannot truly be described by words, so how do you write a review then?? Simple..This album Rocks, from song 1 though 10 this album livened up my day, everyday since I bought it. Walking around manhattan , going to work, at work, on the way home...Its so nice to find bands that the more you listen, the more you like them. We can always complain about the fact that one of there singers is much better then the other two, but honestly how many groups have three singers that are all good musicians???..not just bland frontman trying to be the "hip cool" leader. This is a band in all sense of the word.
If you liked Gomez before, this album is a little different, a little more tight and not meandering. I think they decided to make a banging rock album with songs a larger audience would like, but they are still very much GOMEZ. There needs to be so many more bands out there like this....and this album is awesome,. Do yourself a favor, buy it and throw it right on your headphones and take a walk. You will find yourself boppin, singing and doing the white boy dance rather quickly...and at the same time being rocked and funked up with three seperate guitars, three different singers a kick ass drummer and bass player..What more do you need??? Gomez rocks..See ya on the 8th here in NYC!!!

Dont give up on it. Much like In Our Gun, it took me a few listens to really appreciate it. To be honest, the first couple listens I really didn't like it and was rather disappointed. Now I am a believer. Gomez is one of the best bands around and gets better with age.