With Bring It On, Gomez, the latest export from Liverpool, is proving to be a worthy addition to their celebrated predecessors (The Beatles, Oasis). Even more impressive is that their approach is a significant departure from the "Mersey beat" sound that the Liverpudlians have turned into such a recognizable musical commodity.

Lead vocalists Tom Gray and Ben Ottewell share the singing duties; but it's really Ottewell's vocals that make this album. He sounds like an infusion of Tom Waits, John Fogerty and Eddie Vedder. The amazing thing is this band recorded the entire album before they ever played a live show! Usually, this is a detriment to new bands, but Gomez pulls it off magnificently. Most of the songs are acoustically flavored and have a folkish sound to them, yet they aren't annoying like regular folk music.

This isn't the best album to come from the seaside village in England, but since the Fab Four broke up and Oasis is on vacation, Gomez definitely keeps favorable tradewinds flowing across the Atlantic.