Whatever's On Your Mind

iTunes Review

Gomez has kept things fresh over their 15-year career by incorporating various musical influences and by maintaining their unusually democratic approach — four of the five members write songs and lead vocals are split among three members, Tom Gray, Ben Ottewell, and Ian Ball. In terms of their discography Whatever’s On Your Mind isn’t the most experimental or overtly adventurous; rather, texture is the focus here. The carefully assembled songs and absorbing arrangements are injected with spacey electronica and warm keyboards that support the solid hooks and vocal harmonies in subtle ways. The melodic, mid-tempo “Options” and “I’ve Will Take You There” are memorable pop numbers with sharp saxophone breaks, and the title track and “Our Goodbye,” both sung by Ottewell, feature strings, and the contrast between his gruff voice and the sweet violins is sublime. “Equalize,” “The Place and the People,” and “X-Rays” are the most eccentric, strengthened by unexpected tempo shifts and bursts of noise. Whatever’s On Your Mind is a cohesive album that touches on a range of styles while ultimately sounding distinctly like Gomez.