Recorded in the north of England in a cold garage by a batch of 20-year-olds before they'd ever played a lick live, Bring It On displays a remarkable maturity, quoting from a musical source that only folks twice their age are privy to. The insularity of the remote garage removes these lads from the territory of their bombastic Brit-rock peers, freeing them to seek inspiration beyond the shores of their isle. Strains of American groove rock (think Little Feat or Dr. John) run throughout: the opening track, "Get Miles," lopes along on a bourbon-infused jam and Ben Ottewell's deep, gravelly voice, and "78 Stone Wobble" sounds like a long-lost Doobie Brothers hit. But Gomez aren't mere revivalists. Their take on American boogie provides a stale genre with youthful verve. --Tod Nelson