Gomez

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About Gomez

Official Site: http://gomeztheband.com/ | @gomeztheband
When it came time to record their seventh studio album, the eclectic, beautiful Whatever's On Your Mind, the members of Gomez found themselves in a bit of a “long distance writing relationship.” Spread out on opposite corners of the world, the band – who had once shared a house – were forced to think outside the box and revamp their writing strategy. Not the types to shy away from a challenge, they took up an unusual, near-futuristic tactic.

Instead of getting together to write and record, the Transatlantic five-piece set up an online hub for their homemade demos. They tasked each other with delivering a set number of songs per week – each of which the other band members could modify at will. “I think we all knew the intensity of how good we wanted to make the record.” says drummer Olly Peacock. Many months were committed to focusing these musical chain letters. Over 50 compositions whittled down and blended.

The resulting tight, 10-song long-player was perfected in two ten-day sessions in Charlottesville, VA with longtime friend Sam Farrar (Phantom Planet) whose role was strongly editorial “Unlike other producers we've worked with, in Sam we had somebody who was familiar with our entire back catalog, and knew what it was that we were going after,” says Tom Gray. “He could help us achieve our aims even better than we could ourselves.” This return to a form of self-production seems to have allowed Gomez to incorporate the lush pop of recent records like How We Operate with the free-form feel of early, beloved Gomez albums like Bring it On.

This is a record in glorious Technicolor; the sound of a band enjoying themselves…not alone though. The other musicians on the record include Luke Steele (Empire of the Sun, Sleepy Jackson) and Stuart Bogie (Antibalas, TV on the Radio, Iron and Wine). Whatever's On Your Mind shares a lineage with In Our Gun, thanks to both a preponderance of strings and horns (check out the brass on the opening track, “Options”, the punctuation-abetted, groovy “I Will Take You There,” and the seasonal swells of the pre-chorus to “X-Rays”) and an electronic dance-aspect that always carries along with it some sort of guitar chunkiness. (“Song In My Heart” begins almost Gaga-esque before its keyboard lick is replicated by a strummed acoustic). At 38 minutes it's Gomez's shortest album to date, there is no fat on the disc.

Still, it maintains Gomez's trademarks: Ben Ottewell's gritty vocals tear through the carefully arranged background harmonies of “The Place and The People,” while bassist Paul “Blackie” Blackburn's overdriven bass gives a near-African beat to “Equalize,” and “Just as Lost As You” finds Ball yearning and introspective, while somehow still sounding hopefully positive, as the band explodes behind him in a memorable, throttling thrust. The title track alone should convince you that this is a band reaching further than they have before to achieve a balance in their work between musical exploration and lyrical content. The songwriting is adult, but the spirit is freewheeling.

The change of pace and influx of creativity has helped the band find themselves again. "Sometimes we might have been a little trapped by our own muso-ness" says Gray, "but this album is liberating. It doesn't feel at all stuffy. It's a real joy." Whatever’s On Your Mind finds Gomez driving forward on a beautifully lush and dynamic album. There is a fresh feeling of rebirth and awakening. One to raise a smile even from the naysayers. A broad grin from the rest of us.
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Music

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  • Options
    gomez-2
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    Options
  • How We Operate
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    How We Operate
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    • How We Operate
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/2/5/5/6/0/993806552.mp3
    • See the World
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/2/6/0/4/7/993674062.mp3
    • Nothing Is Wrong
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/5/8/1/5/9/105495185.mp3
    • Get Myself Arrested
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/7/6/1/5/2/105425167.mp3
    • Notice
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/4/7/6/6/0/993806674.mp3
    • Hamoa Beach
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/5/9/6/6/0/993806695.mp3

Photos

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  • Ben Ottewell of the group Gomez performs on stage in concert at The Tivoli on April 11, 2007 in Brisbane, Australia.
    Gomez
    Ben Ottewell of the group Gomez performs on stage in concert at The Tivoli on April 11, 2007 in Brisbane, Australia.
    Jonathan Wood/Getty Images
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News

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  • Gomez
    Last Lap: Which Star Dined With Jaden Smith In London? Hint: It Wasn't His Dad
    VH1 Celebrity
    May 24, 2013
    Kendall Jenner and Frances Bean Cobain exchange words over Twitter, Liv Tyler chats about changing beauty standards on red carpets, and Kim Kard...
    Read More
  • Gomez
    Star Spotting: Selena Gomez Looks Cute Even When She's Jet-lagged! (PHOTO)
    MTV Buzzworthy
    May 24, 2013
    Selena Gomez is sleepy from jet lag, but she still manages to look cute! First of all, yes, we know this is a photo of Selena Gomez  where you can...
    Read More
  • Gomez
    Jennifer Hudson Returning To 'American Idol' As Judge?
    MTV News
    May 24, 2013
    Grammy-winning 'Idol' alum is reportedly being courted for season 13.
    Read More
  • Gomez
    Buzz Bites (5/23/13): Demi Lovato Is Releasing An E-Book!
    MTV Buzzworthy
    May 23, 2013
    Demi Lovato will release an e-book on June 11. + Demi Lovato is releasing an e-book on June 11, which will be available on Apple's iBooks. She as...
    Read More
  • Gomez
    Teen Choice Awards 2013 Nominations: 'Twilight' And Taylor Swift Dominate
    MTV News
    May 23, 2013
    Other nominees at August show include Justin Bieber, 'Pretty Little Liars' and Miley Cyrus.
    Read More
  • Gomez
    Selena Gomez Makes The Most Hilarious Face Ever On A Fan's Phone (PHOTO)
    MTV Buzzworthy
    May 22, 2013
    Selena Gomez makes a goofy face for a fan! We can only begin to imagine the pressure Selena Gomez is under to take flawless photos all the time (...
    Read More
  • Gomez
    Selena Gomez Says 'Come & Get It' Red Lipstick Was 'A Big Decision'
    MTV Style
    May 22, 2013
    A still from Selena Gomez's "Come & Get It" music video. Photo: Hollywood Records If you're anything like me, every time you hear Selena Gomez 's...
    Read More
  • Gomez
    Vampire Weekend Score Second #1 Debut With Modern Vampires
    MTV News
    May 22, 2013
    Demi Lovato's Demi is singer's best chart bow at #3.
    Read More
  • Gomez
    Vampire Weekend Score Second #1 Debut With Modern Vampires
    MTV News
    May 22, 2013
    Demi Lovato's Demi is singer's best chart bow at #3.
    Read More
  • Gomez
    Loreen, Daft Punk, Selena Gomez + More: 5 Must-Hear Pop Songs Of The Week
    MTV Buzzworthy
    May 21, 2013
    It's Tuesday! Time for another round of "5 Must-Hear Pop Songs of the Week"! This week's roundup features the return of a Eurovision Queen, a Disn...
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  • Gomez
    Decemberists, Gomez Give SXSW An Early Start
    www.billboard.com
    with new songs such as ''Airstream Driver,'' ''Win Park Slope'' and ''If I Ask You Nicely.'' The Decemberists' 85-minute set, meanwhile, was a fan's d...
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  • Gomez
    Stuart Bogie and Luke Steele Join Gomez for
    www.jambands.com
    's On Your Mind track listing 1. Options 2. I Will Take You There 3. Whatever's On Your Mind 4. Just As Lost As You 5. The Place And The People 6. Our...
    Read More
  • Gomez
    Gomez Ask Fans for Setlist Help on 2012 Tour
    www.jambands.com
    Options from Gomez on Vimeo. Gomez cancelled a series of shows last fall after their lead singer Ben Ottewell lost his voice but the group will swing ...
    Read More
  • Gomez
    Gomez Celebrates 15th Anniversary With 'Lost' Songs Compilation | Billboard.com
    www.billboard.com
    Gomez plans to celebrate its 15th anniversary as a band this year by digging into its vaults for a collection of "abandoned songs and lost children." ...
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  • Gomez
    Members of Gomez and Tea Leaf Green Sit in with Marco Benevento
    www.jambands.com
    Tea Leaf Green bassist Reed Mathis sat in with Marco Benevento on Saturday night. Mathis--who was a staple member of Benevento's trio for several year...
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  • Gomez
    Taylor Swift Disgusted By Bieber And Gomez's Kiss
    www.vibe.com
    Damn, show them how you really feel, Taylor! Video has surfaced of exes Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez sharing a smooch backstage at the 2013 Billboar...
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Discography

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  • Whatever's On Your Mind (2011)
    Gomez
    Whatever's On Your Mind (2011)
    ATO
  • A New Tide (2009)
    Gomez
    A New Tide (2009)
    Shock
  • How We Operate (2006)
    Gomez
    How We Operate (2006)
    Independiente
  • Out West (2005)
    Gomez
    Out West (2005)
    Independiente
  • Split the Difference (2004)
    Gomez
    Split the Difference (2004)
    Virgin
  • In Our Gun (2002)
    Gomez
    In Our Gun (2002)
    Virgin
  • Liquid Skin (1999)
    Gomez
    Liquid Skin (1999)
    Virgin
  • Bring It On (1998)
    Gomez
    Bring It On (1998)
    Virgin
  • Sound of Sounds
    Gomez
    Sound of Sounds
    Hut Records
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