In Our Gun

Template:Use dmy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |Template:Short description|noreplace}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template other Template:Category handler Template:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline2000Split the Difference2004studioIn Our GunIn Our Gun.jpgA watercolour painting of a busGomez Template:Start dateBatsford Manor, Real World Template:Hlist50:27Hut, Virginx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}} In Our Gun is the third studio album by English rock band Gomez, released on 18 March 2002 by Hut Records.

BackgroundEdit

Gomez released their second studio album Liquid Skin in September 1999.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It peaked at number two in the UK; all three of its singles charted within the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart, with "Rhythm & Blues Alibi" reaching the highest at number 18.<ref name=UKhistory>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In April 2000, the band embarked on a UK tour, which was soon followed by stints in Australia, Japan, and the US.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Around this time, they released the Machismo E.P., which saw the band explore electronica.<ref name=UTRreview/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

They released the compilation album Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline in September 2000, which was preceded by appearances at the Reading and Leeds Festivals.<ref name=NMEoff>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As the band had spent the preceding three years constantly touring, they took six-month break and visited Australia, Cambodia, and Vietnam, before working on their next album.<ref name=NMEoff/><ref name=BPon>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=Spokesmanreview/> By April 2001, the band were in the process of making demos for their next release.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Sessions for the new album were held at Batsford Manor and Real World Studios, where the band and Miti Adhikari handling recording, with assistance from Claire Lewis. The band and Adhikari mixed the recordings at Real World, while Frank Arkwright mastered the album at The Townhouse.<ref name=IOGbooklet/>

Composition and lyricsEdit

Musically, the sound has been described as alternative country, garage rock,<ref name=Spokesmanreview/> and experimental pop,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with influence from electronica,<ref name=AMreview/> which the band had previously touched on with the Machismo E.P..<ref name=UTRreview>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album is split into two parts: one centred around acoustic instrumentation, and the other being dance-based.<ref name=DISreview/> It incorporates the use of drum machines, sequencers, loops, and samples.<ref name=ExclaimGun>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Lewis did extra programming and Dajon Everett provided percussion and celeste throughout the album. Over the course of it, additional musicians appeared on various songs: Tony Robinson with brass on "Shot Shot", trumpet and valve trombone on "Rex Kramer", "Detroit Swing 66" and "Even Song", and organ on "In Our Gun" and "Even Song"; Tony Looby with alto saxophone on "Detroit Swing 66" and "Even Song", and baritone saxophone on "Even Song"; Rob Charles with baritone saxophone on "Detroit Swing 66", and tenor saxophone on "Detroit Swing 66" and "Even Song"; Danny Thompson with double bass on "In Our Gun"; Grace Elison with vocals on "Drench"; and Graham Wakefield with loops on "Rex Kramer", and flange on "In Our Gun".<ref name=IOGbooklet/>

The album opens with "Shot Shot", an up-tempo song that includes saxophone, theremin, and a synthesizer.<ref name=AMreview/><ref name=NRCreview/> The psychedelic and electronic funk track "Rex Kramer" features guitarist Ben Ottewell on lead vocals.<ref>Gagliano 2002, event occurs at 1:27–40</ref><ref name=RSreview/> The folktronica "Detroit Swing 66" includes drum and bass breakbeats.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Knight Ridder 2002, p. 3</ref> "In Our Gun" begins as an alternative country ballad that shifts into techno-rock in the vein of the Prodigy partway through.<ref name=AMreview/><ref name=NMEreview/> Guitarist Ian Ball said the song was influenced by 2000 United States election controversy, and serves as the band's first excursion into protest songs.<ref name=PFreview/><ref>Gagliano 2002, event occurs at 3:06–9</ref> "Even Song" is a slow-paced blues song.<ref name=PMreview/> "Ruff Stuff" sees arcade game sounds mixed with funk; it talks about a relationship that is ruined by the narrator's drug addiction.<ref name=NMEreview/><ref name=OMHreview>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

"Sound of Sounds" is a ballad that evoked Liquid Skin song "We Haven't Turned Around".<ref name=AMreview/><ref name=NMEreview/> Guitarist Tom Gray said the track was "a love song to music itself".<ref name=BPon/> "Army Dub" is an industrial reggae song that recalled the work of the Beta Band.<ref name=AMreview/><ref name=DISreview/><ref name=NMEreview/> Ball said they wrote the song with a Roland TR-505, which they used to get a "massive powerful sound".<ref name=ExclaimGun/> "Miles End" talks about a ladies' man that has lost his ability to attract women, and is followed by the Brit funk song "Ping One Down".<ref name=OMHreview/><ref name=Stylusreview/> "Drench" is a psychedelic track, while "1000 Times" is a lullaby.<ref name=AMreview/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The latter was inspired by a newspaper cover that Gray saw, depicting Posh Spice and David Beckham on the cover, "and on the fourth page, it was like, ‘50 killed in . . . ,’ and I said, what kind of universe am I living in here?"<ref name=BPon/> The album concludes with "Ballad of Nice & Easy", a southern rock song, which was reminiscent of the work of the Allman Brothers Band.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It initially began as an acoustic-guitar-and-percussion piece, the tempo of which was sped up after drummer Olly Peacock heard it.<ref name=Spokesmanreview>Jordan 2004, p. 8</ref>

ReleaseEdit

On 3 January 2002, In Our Gun was announced for release in two months' time.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> "Shot Shot" was released as a single on 4 March 2002.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Two versions were released on CD: the first with "Silhouettes" and "Coltrane", while the second featured "Air-Hostess Song" and "Pop Juice".<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref><ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> The music video for "Shot Shot" was posted on Dotmusic on 11 March 2002.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In Our Gun was released on 18 March 2002 through Hut Records; Australia received a tour edition bonus disc.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> It was promoted with club nights and listening parties leading up to the release.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album was released in United States on 23 April 2002; 40,000 copies were sent to stores through distributor EMD.<ref>CMJ New Music Monthly 2002, p. 64</ref><ref>Hart 2002, p. 36</ref> That same month, the band embarked on a four-week tour of the UK.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

"Sound of Sounds" and "Ping One Down" were released as a Double A-Sided single on 20 May 2002.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Two versions were released on CD: the first with "Where Are Your Friends", a live version of "Ping One Down", and the music video for "Sound of Sounds", while the second included "Click Click", an instrumental version of "Sound of Sounds", and the music video for "Ping One Down".<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref><ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> The Detroit Swing 66 / Ping One Down EP was released exclusively in Australia on 16 July 2002, consisting of "Detroit Swing 66", "Ping One Down", "Silhouettes", "Coltrane", "Air-Hostess Song", "Pop Juice", and "Click Click".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In September and October 2002, the band embarked on a tour of the US.<ref>Miller 2002, p. 5</ref> Following this, they went on a UK tour in November and December 2002.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In April and May 2003, the band toured the US again, which included an appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

ReceptionEdit

Template:Album ratings In Our Gun was met with generally favourable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 69, based on 18 reviews.<ref name=Metacritic/>

In his review for PopMatters, contributor Matt Cibula wrote that "everyone who doesn’t like this record is insane in a bad way. Screw Wilco; In Our Gun is sounding very much like the Album of the Year."<ref name=PMreview>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> AllMusic reviewer Sean Westergaard said the album had "all the elements that made their debut so great, and then some." He explained that the band "cover a lot of musical territory, [...] with all the effortlessness displayed on Bring It On".<ref name=AMreview/> Drowned in Sound writer Tom Carlin wrote that it was a "very good" release that sees the band dropping the "noodling, and have developed a much tighter, rigid sound".<ref name=DISreview/> The staff at E! Online found the album to easily switch from different styles, with it be "creative, inspired and, most important, individual".<ref name=Eonlinereview/> Stephen Dalton of NME wrote that the album had "[t]ighter song structures, more varied sounds, richly layered production and subtle nods to deeper desires" that make it the "most accessible Gomez album yet for casual fans".<ref name=NMEreview/> No Ripcord's David Coleman found that some of the tracks were "tricky to listen to, but Gomez's credit a lot of it hits the spot as well". In spite of this, he called it a "brave" album for the band to make, as it "would have been a lot easier for them to peddle another album of the same" material as their earlier work.<ref name=NRCreview/>

Nude as the News's Western Homes wrote that the album was an improvement on "its languid predecessor [...] both in terms of economy and hooks, and the songs here largely don't outstay their welcomes".<ref name=NATNreview/> Rolling Stone reviewer Ernesto Lechner considered the songwriting to be "focused", with "plenty of soul beneath the multilayered structures and aesthetic braggadocio".<ref name=RSreview/> Stylus writer Steve Lichtenstein said that "what ultimately drowns" the album was the "misguided attempts at moody electronica," which they had done more successfully in the past.<ref name=Stylusreview/> Pitchfork contributor Eric Carr said the band "has seen fit to unleash a third Template:Notatypo in their war against discerning audiophiles everywhere, and they call it In Our Gun". He referred to it as "Frankenstein's monster of an album-- overwrought and disjointed, executed with some technical precision, but completely devoid of any flow, feeling, or spontaneity."<ref name=PFreview/>

"Shot Shot" reached number 28 in the UK. "Sound of Sounds"/"Ping One Down" reached number 48 in the UK.<ref name=UKhistory/> No Ripchord ranked In Our Gun at number 35 on their list of The Top Fifty Albums of 2002.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Track listingEdit

All songs written by Gomez.<ref name=IOGbooklet/>

Template:Track listing

PersonnelEdit

Personnel per booklet.<ref name=IOGbooklet>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2 Gomez

Ian Ball – guitar, vocals
Paul Blackburn – bass
Tom Gray – guitar, keyboards, vocals
Ben Ottewell – guitar, vocals
Olly Peacock – drums

Additional musicians

Claire Lewis – extra programming
Dajon Everett – percussion, celeste
Tony Robinson – brass (track 1), trumpet (tracks 2, 3 and 5), valve trombone (tracks 2, 3 and 5), organ (tracks 4 and 5)
Tony Looby – alto saxophone (tracks 3 and 5), baritone saxophone (track 5)
Rob Charles – tenor saxophone (tracks 3 and 5), baritone saxophone (track 3)
Danny Thompson – double bass (track 4)
Grace Ellson – vocals (track 12)
Graham Wakefield – loop (track 2), flange (track 4)

Template:Col-2 Production and design

Gomez – recording, mixing
Miti Adhikari – recording, mixing
Claire Lewis – assistance
Frank Arkwright – mastering
Jonathan Purday – art
Scarlet Page – original band photography
Love – art direction

Template:Col-end

ReferencesEdit

Citations Template:Reflist

Sources Template:Refbegin

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External linksEdit

In Our Gun at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)
Template:MusicBrainz release group

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