Album Stream: Gomez - Whatever's On Your Mind

Over the course of their 15-year career, the guys from Gomez have continued to span genres from pop-rock to country to blues, earning them a strong fan-base and critical acclaim with their unique, versatile sound. Now, the English rockers are ready to release their seventh studio album, Whatever’s On Your Mind.

With band members spread over two continents, they took a rather unusual approach to writing new songs. Rather than working together in person, the group spent several months sharing ideas through technology, modifying each other’s uploaded demos to create the best sound. “We decided not to spend any time together at all,” Ian Ball (vocals, guitar) described. “We’d work at home, aiming for two to three ideas every month.”

This long-distance writing relationship resulted in approximately 80 songs and a new preferred way to record. “I enjoyed the way that it went down, it was really interesting and cool, and definitely my favorite way to record so far,” said Ball. “I think everyone enjoyed the way it worked out.” The online collaboration allowed each band member more creative freedom than previous recording methods. Rather than sit through hours in the studio figuring out chord progressions, this innovative process proved to be the most efficient for the band. “It gave you a lot of time to really formulate what you wanted to do,” he said. “When you’re on your own, you can explore things on your own time.”

After narrowing the song collection down to 10, the group headed to a studio in Virginia to begin a two-day recording process. Taking on a co-producing role was the band’s long-time friend Sam Farrar of Phantom Planet. “When you make a record, it’s always good to have one extra set of ears, one extra set of brains,” said Ball. “[Sam] was the obvious choice.” Farrar’s involvement as co-producer allowed him to take an editorial approach in helping the band create one of their best albums to date. Whatever’s On Your Mind maintains Gomez’s eclectic genre influences, while achieving a new level of spirit and introspection. Each song brings gritty vocals, beautiful harmonies, and intricate arrangements.

Whatever’s On Your Mind, which is out June 21 via ATO Records, can be streamed in entirety via the playlist below.