Robert Gomez isn’t trying to get your heart racing, but he is trying to make you feel better.
Robert Gomez – Pine Sticks and Phosphorous
http://www.robertgomezmusic.com/
If you’re looking for something to pick you up from a bad day at work or get you ready for a night on the town, then please go away now and come back when your hangover is in full flow because Pine Sticks and Phosphorus is not what you’re looking for. If you are hungover however, then step right this way because this album is perfect for those moments when you’ve woken up with a bastard behind the eyes and need to lounge around in a cool, darkened room until lunchtime.
Robert Gomez isn’t trying to get your heart racing, but he is trying to make you feel better. Pine Sticks and Phosphorus is about as energetic as a sloth with the flu but it’s much better company. Every song trundles along like a steamroller going up a hill, but if you’re not in a hurry you can just sit back and enjoy the ride. And what a beautiful journey it is.
Robert Gomez has created an album that’s sure to soundtrack many of this summer’s mornings. Cobbled together with some help from various members of The Polyphonic Spree, the wonderful Midlake and Sarah Jeffe, this was never going to be a three chord thrash fest but it’s still a delight to hear an album that’s so impeccably played and put together. You can just wallow in these intricate and haunting arrangements. Truthfully, it’s kind of hard to discern one song from another as they all run to a similar tempo, but that doesn’t really matter because if you’re in the right mood for it, then this is a real winner. This isn’t an album that’s crying out for attention, it’s one that needs you to come to it but if you can find the time and space needed to give it justice, it’s more than worth the effort. As gentle as a canal ride on a gondola, Pine Sticks and Phosphorus isn’t exactly going to get under your skin. It’s more likely to stroke it gently and offer you a cup of tea. It’s that charming. So just take a deep breath and relax into summer.
Words: Damian Leslie