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May 1, 2006

Gomez Be@rbrick Giveaway

If you stopped paying attention to Gomez after they won the Mercury Music Prize, you're missing out. Fortunately, now's a good time to jump back onboard. How We Operate, out tomorrow, is a perfectly crafted synthesis of the band's influences: Britfolk balladry, harp-heavy blues, and lilting alt-country. We were hooked from opening "Notice," which rides a sweet acoustic riff and swiftly switches gears from lush to cold with "Creep"y mechanical stops in the verses. "Chasing Ghosts With Alcohol" is half harrowing confessional, half raging rocker. "Charley Patton Songs" is a slow-burning singalong that recoils with a tense syncopated break after each chorus. And funky "Hamoa Beach" may just be our favorite track. On the whole, Operate is quieter, dreamier Gomez than we expected. But vocalist Tom Gray can pull off a weepy ballad as deftly as bandmate Ben maneuvers his patented growl. We can't wait to see this stuff live.

AND not only do we love Gomez, we love limited edition Be@rbricks 'cause they're like Beanie Babies for twenty and thirty-something eBayers with too much money...

So we're thriled to announce our second band Be@rbrick contest. Freshness and Stereogum are each giving away a 400% (four times more awesome than usual) Be@rbrick Toy designed and autographed by Gomez. Randomly selected grand prize winner also receives a limited-edition 7" of "How We Operate." (Contest is open to US residents only; sorry Canada.)

 

Grrr.

ENTER HERE by 6/1/06. Contest is over

Preview to the whole new Gomez album at AOL Music and download at iTunes starting tomorrow.

Posted at 6:30 PM in ,




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8 Comments

I've had a leaked copy of this album for a while....and while (in my opinion) they're yet to top their debut...this is probably their best work since liquid skin...

www.myspace.com/owensound

Posted by: RP at 05/01/06 7:35 PM | Reply
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FYI, it's Charley Patton Songs, not Charlie.

And I agree, great album. I'd almost given up on them, but they pulled me back in. (Sorry, lame Godfather reference.)

Posted by: Sasha65 at 05/01/06 8:15 PM | Reply
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> FYI, it's Charley Patton Songs, not
> Charlie.

> And I agree, great album. I'd almost
> given up on them, but they pulled me
> back in. (Sorry, lame Godfather
> reference.)

Thanks my fact-checkin' cuz.

Posted by: scott at 05/01/06 9:16 PM | Reply
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The problem with their last album was that the growly guy never sang. If he sings on this one, I might have to check it out.

Posted by: Matt at 05/01/06 10:13 PM | Reply
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i agree, def their best record since Liquid Skin

might end up being my fave Gomez record yet, time will tell... but this is the most i've been excited about Gomez post '00

Posted by: solace at 05/02/06 2:20 AM | Reply
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the growly voiced guy is Ben, not Tom. Tom is the one who looks like a chubby 13 year old.

Posted by: ryan at 05/02/06 11:51 AM | Reply
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I haven't been a big fan of the last 2 Gomez albums, but this one just about made me fall over. After just a few listens it's already one of my favorites of the year.

Posted by: steve at 05/02/06 2:51 PM | Reply
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I met Tom Gary at the after party of a KCRW show in LA.

He is a very nice man.

Posted by: Eliza Mary at 05/03/06 12:19 AM | Reply
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