Bring It On is the debut album by English indie rock band Gomez, released on 13 April 1998 by Hut Records. Recording sessions for the album began in late 1997, during which time Gomez also toured the United Kingdom with Embrace. The first single, "78 Stone Wobble", was released in March 1998, while "Get Myself Arrested" and "Whippin' Piccadilly" were later released as singles.
Bring It On was released to critical acclaim.[12] Contemporary critics praised Gomez's ability to "play the blues as though they were from the Deep South" despite the band members' young ages and English origins, according to The Independent's John O'Reilly,[12] with the band being compared to numerous American artists.[3]NME critic Steve Sutherland described it as "one of the most assured, poised, hilarious, out-there, plain don't-give-a-fuck enjoyable debut albums in living memory".[6]Bring It On was awarded the 1998 Mercury Music Prize, beating out bookmakers' favourites The Verve.[12]
The album likewise drew praise from American publications.[3]AllMusic's Greg Prato was impressed by the band's ability to "cover a lot of ground convincingly" on a debut album, concluding that "the praise [it] received is definitely not hype".[2] David Stubbs of Spin wrote that it transcends pastiche to become a successful "product of '90s simultaneism—these days, musics from different eras and places are all equally accessible and therefore all equally contemporary... a damn beautiful record".[11] Critic Robert Christgau gave the album a three-star honourable mention rating, naming "Whippin' Piccadilly" and "Love Is Better Than a Warm Trombone" as highlights and quipping, "Really the roots-rock—they mean it, man".[13] Neva Chonin of Rolling Stone was more critical, finding that the band "excels in sonic mimicry" but lacks a distinct musical identity.[9]
In 2000 it was voted number 372 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.[14] He stated "For once, clever inventive music got out of the cult box and into the heart and soul of the record buying public".
Track listing
All tracks written by Ball/Blackburn/Gray/Ottewell/Peacock.
^"Gomez: Bring It On". Mojo: 119. Adding '90s electronica swirls and echoes, they ended up in a rackety groove combining good times and primal terror, sweetness and severe damage.
