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Having seen the Rolling Stones one night earlier, I was surprised to find that I had more anticipation for Gomez than for the Stones. I knew what to expect from the Stones, but I figured that Gomez might be able to surprise me. It didn’t help things, though, when I read a local, opinionated events guide (‘Time Out New York’), diss-ing the band for consisting of “lazy songwriters and lazy vocalists.” Were Gomez something new, or were they just tiresome? Tonight, I found out.
Gomez were incredible. Make no mistake about it, there is absolutely nothing lazy about this band. The songs were arranged so well that they were practically engineered. While their song structures are impeccable, they somehow manage to still sound loose enough to enjoy themselves and have fun with their parts. They can jam. As for the dig about lazy vocals, these guys could compete with the frikkin’ Beach Boys, utilizing three and four part harmonies that were near perfect in execution.
The best thing about this band, though, was the musical interaction. With three prominent songwriters and a rhythm section that is among the best I have ever heard from a contemporary English rock and roll band, they managed to sound like a unit. Their songs are wild concoctions that move around unpredictably (until you familiarize yourself, anyway), and they perform them with an elegant blend of acoustic and electric instrumentation. Each member of the band seems to be almost anally attentive to the tones that he can create with his instrument, and there were times during the show where I stood slackjawed in amazement at their ability to concoct such incredible soundscapes.
Gomez is a band that requires a bit of patience and a lot of attention from the listener. They don’t try to blow you over with repetitive choruses and predictable changes. They are unique, and demand the attention that such uniqueness deserves. If you gloss them by, you might find them ‘lazy’, but if you pay attention, you might recognize that they are one of the most creative bands we have at the moment.
-- Thomas Ryan
 
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