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ATO RECORDS TO RELEASE NEW GOMEZ ALBUM
HOW WE OPERATE OUT IN MAY
GOMEZ TO PERFORM AT SXSW

New York, NY - January 31, 2006 - ATO Records will release the
forthcoming full-length album How We Operate from prodigious British
rock band Gomez this May. How We Operate marks the quintet's seventh
album and is the first studio release for ATO records, following last
summer's two-disc live set Out West.

How We Operate finds the band not only working with the support of a new
label but also with producer Gil Norton (Pixies, Foo Fighters). For the
five members in Gomez - Ben Ottewell (vocals, guitar), Tom Gray (vocals,
guitar, keyboards), Ian Ball (vocals, guitar, harmonica) Paul Blackburn
(bass, guitar), Olly Peacock (drums) - the recording process tends to
unfold in the studio and incorporates each of its members equally in
writing, producing and playing their music. On How We Operate, the band
approached this process in an entirely different way.

"I stopped trying to write the things I don't like," Ball sings in the
new album's "Notice," "And I started going back to where I'd been
before." The lyric is one window into the band's world during this
album's creation. It's also a statement of intent for How We Operate:
Gomez are making a new start by stripping back coats of paint to find
their original finish, and letting their unique musical vision shine
through within the framework of concisely crafted tunes.

"What was interesting to me about making this album," said Norton, "is
that Gomez had never done pre-production on any of their previous albums
so we got together in a room to really work out each song before we
recorded them in the studio."

Recorded at RAK Studios in London, this focused approach resulted in a
cohesive and accessible collection of songs that feature deft
musicianship, lush melodies and the band's poetic yet narrative lyrical
style including the powerhouse title track "How We Operate," the
uplifting gem "See The World," and the playfully longing
"girlshapedlovedrug."

"We think this is the best Gomez record yet and we're proud to be
involved," said ATO Records' Michael McDonald. "A lot of hard work went
into making it and Gil and the guys delivered a masterpiece."

Known for their transcendent live performances, Gomez is set to debut
songs from the new album at this year's SXSW. In addition, the band's
three principal songwriters (Ben, Tom and Ian) will also perform for the
first time as an acoustic trio on a brief promotional tour to unveil How
We Operate to intimate groups of fans in Austin, Denver, Seattle, San
Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York.

Gomez burst onto the music scene in 1998, winning the Mercury Prize for
their debut album Bring It On, which Spin called "a damn beautiful
album." Following, They released Liquid Skin
<http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:pst67ui010jg> in 1999,
and the rarities and B-sides compilation Abandoned Shopping Trolley
Hotline <http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3e8o1vj3zzxa> a
year later. In 2002, the band released In Our Gun
<http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=2:IN%7COUR%7CGUN>. The BBC
hailed the band's 2004 album Split the Difference
<http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=2:SPLIT%7CTHE%7CDIFFERE NCE>
"one of the finest releases of the year." Soon after, Gomez parted ways
with their longtime label Virgin. In 2005, they signed with ATO Records
who released Out West
<http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=2:OUT%7CWEST>, Gomez
<http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:tpen97ujkrht>'s first
live album.

hope it's better than the last one, few of the tracks grew on me, but overall, meh.

those first 3 are just fantastic

I think Split The Difference is great, I'm listening to it now in celebration! I think lack of promotion and a general inability to pick singles (all Tom songs, Nothing Is Wrong should have been a single and should've been huge) sank the last album in terms of sales. They got a good thing going with ATO records now, maybe we'll see some more about them this time around. This band, and their recorded canon, cannot be touched. Amazing live too, I'm wondering how I can afford going to visit my friend in Denver for that upcoming acoustic tour.

I don't know why they bother anymore.

they actually are doing quite well here in the US now after the last record surprisingly, i'd venture to guess much better than they do in the UK now anyway.

Why? They're an extremely talented band who don't have to rely on a particular style or jump on any bandwagons to make good music. They're probably one of the truer "bands" that I can think of, not one person dictates the direction. They have three great songwriters/singers and one of the better drummers I've heard/seen. If you mean why they bother residing in the UK anymore, I'd tend to agree with you, though Ian has since moved to LA. The lack of any press or push is mystifying to me, they are basically ignored. I don't expect NME to suck their dicks anymore, I suppose they put their time in when Bring It On was on its way to winning the Mercury, but when you have a band that puts out consistent quality, you'd think you'd want to promote that, rather than just jump to the next young band. Nobody's interested in careers or artist progression anymore, I can literally see Gomez putting albums out 20 years from now. Whether they'll have label support from a fickle industry is another matter, however.

I agree, they'd prpbably be better off if they looked at doing something seperate instead of just churning out another by the numbers album.

The debut is obviously a classic, Liquid Skin a let down and In Our Gun was only slightly better. They made the best out of a bad situation with Split The Difference but a new Gomez album isn't going to get me rushing down the shops. They should have done some soundtrack work or solo projects after the problems with Hut and really taken their time with this album. I can't see it being very good.

I'm with Saves. One of the most consistently solid bands around. Especially live. Viva la Gomez.

neat artwork at least

Saw Gomez at SXSW in 2000 and I thought they were fan-effin'-tastic. Saw 'em again about a year ago in the 'burbs of Chicago, on a bill with the Thrills, and they were tepid.




















k

Yeah that free-show budwesier party at Durty Nellies wouldn't seem like their scene. I think it was the next following night they were at the Vic and they killed.

I saw this band somewhere, they were really good.

Great news! Gomez is such a solid band. Go see them if you ever get a chance.

The artwork for the new album doesn't look like anything by Reggie Pedro. He's always done the artwork for their covers and stuff, but this seems uncharacteristic of his work.

check him out:

http://www.reggiepedro.com/

I believe he only designed the covers for Bring It On and Liquid Skin, maybe Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline too, and the accompanying singles. I don't think he's been used since, which is unfortunate.

yeah, i suppose Split the Difference wasn't his art either, now that I think about it. I forgot about that one. (I suppose that reveals I'm not as crazy about that album as their others.)

Re-elect Pedro!

Bout time to revive this thread, even though no new album is on the horizon quite yet. They've been recording in Chicago, has anyone seen them around? Playing a free gig at the Taste on July 4 too, so I'll be up there for that. Here's a new interview from Ben Ottewell, he gives a little insight into the new album. One question I have is if anyone has any info on I guess their new producer, Brian Deck. Seems he did some Iron & Wine, and unfortunately the new Counting Crows as well. Ben Ottewell interview here. Also, when re-reading this thread, I see there was some love given to Reggie Pedro, who did all their art for the first couple albums and singles. Unfortunately, he killed himself last year! Sad.