You may remember Amber Gomez for her band, Venus in Bluejeans, and their excellent reworking of The Beatles’ classic, “Across The Universe,” or perhaps for her collaborations with California and Les Fradkin, among others. But with all of that now in the rear view mirror, she is claiming a piece of the pop pie in her own right, and “I’m Not Black and Blue” is proof that she is a sonic force to be reckoned with.
Lyrically, the song is a response to those people who demand too much of us, those one-sided relationships where you feel like you are the only one making an effort, so much so that you have to walk away, cut your losses, and make space for yourself.
And as she heads into a future she finally has total control over, the music turns what might, in less skillful hands, be a downbeat, daunting sentiment into something more philosophical and optimistic. Its upbeat jaunt and easy groove lace the song with a sense of wistful reflection. “Okay”, it says, “We tried to make it work, but it wasn’t to be. You have to do your thing, and I’ll do mine… see you around!”
And with her ability to write songs as immediate and infectious as this, you should certainly get used to seeing Amber Gomez around, too.
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