|
Well, what have we here? A b-sides
and rarities collection, meant to hold over the public until
the next "real" album is to be released… How novel.
But wait! This is no ordinary compilation… The term "b-sides
and rarities" was not meant for an album of this scope…
Only 5 b-sides are actually represented here, and 3 of those
are live versions, never before released, and one is a remix.
Hold the phone, my good man… let’s take a listen.
"Shitbag 9" is a funny
little short, lifted from the idea of the Beatles revolution
#9, of course. Is Gomez bigger than the Beatles? Maybe so,
in time. "Bring Your Lovin’ Back Here" is classic
Gomez, with the crunchiest possible Gomez guitar line, and
some excellent drumming. A sure fire winner! "Emergency
Surgery" was originally on the We Haven’t Turned Around
single, but this remix takes the song to a new level of flangey
bliss. The pure blues sound of "Hit On The Head"
is nicely indicative of the depth of Gomez as versatile artists,
paying homage to their roots. "Flavors" is a semi-jazz
piece, full of extraneous keyboards and interesting rhythm
parts. "Flavors" is also full of some of the nicest
Gomez vocals of all time. Next, Gomez has once again proven
their ability as musicians by taking one of their classic
singles, and turning it to a swing piece. "78 Stone Shuffle"
is a beautiful interpretation of one of their finest, with
a much more understandable vocal presence than on the original
"78 Stone Wobble". The powerful tremelo guitar is
absent, but is certainly not missed in the sound. "We
Haven’t Turned Around (x-ray version)" is from part 2
of the UK single of the same name. It is a nicely reworked
version of this single, and definitely worth having. "Buena
Vista" takes the joy of the delay pedal to new heights,
with a huge wallop of said effect ruling over the entirety
of the song. Guitars intertwine, creating a timing masterpiece
with a slightly jazzy-drag feel. Slightly longer than it’s
counterpart, "Shitbag" is a quick jaunt into the
world of bad cars and country girls. It almost seems an outtake
from Primal Screams "Screamadelica". A BBC version
of "Steve McCroski", originally on the 78 Stone
Wobble e.p., builds itself on droning lo-fi loops and tingly
mandolin notes. "Wharf Me" is a dreamily beautiful
song, full of haunting keyboards and guitars. It floats along
like a best friend on a warm summer’s day. Another short outtake,
"High On Liquid Skin" has a certain minimalist quality
to it, relying on strings and a pretty acoustic guitar line
to carry it along. "Rosemary", originally on the
We Haven’t Turned Around singles, is presented here in an
even darker, slower form. It’s a beautiful song, and an even
more beautiful version of that song. Haunting and ephemeral,
with some fantastic dynamics, this version showcases the depth
of Gomez live. "The Cowboy Song", from the Get Myself
Arrested single, is represented here, complete with super-cheesy
oompah keys, and is a nice look at some of the early work
of this fantastic band. Rounding out the album is the version
of "Getting Better" that was recently featured on
some sort of television commercial – I can’t remember for
what. It’s a wonderful song, done in a wonderful way, by a
bunch of wonderfully talented young man.
In short, this collection is
essential for all fans of Gomez, even those who have collected
all the UK singles, as well as those formerly uninitiated
to the band. Encompassing a bit of work from each phase of
this band’s four year career, "Abandoned Shopping Trolley
Hotline" presents a relative timeline along a journey
of musical discovery. It is hard to deny the musical prowess
of this band, and the possible effects that they may have
on the music scene over the next few years. This album will
surely be on many Best of 2000 lists, and I would certainly
not rule them out as contenders for the Beatles’ crown.
–David DeVoe
Track Listing
- Shitbag 9
- Bring Your Lovin’ Back Here
- Emergency Surgery (remix)
- Hit On The Head
- Flavors
- 78 Stone Shuffle (BBC Live
Session)
- We Haven’t Turned Around (X-Ray
version)
- Buena Vista
- Shitbag
- Steve McCroski (BBC Live session)
- Wharf Me
- High On Liquid Skin
- Rosemary (BBC Live session)
- The Cowboy Song
- Getting Better
|
Gomez
