There's always been something a little mysterious about Gomez. Yet no one would mistake them for a dream-pop or shoegazer act. The UK quintet relies too much on acoustic instrumentation (violin, mandolin, harmonica, etc.) and rocks too hard to qualify. In fact, they've never been part of any "scene," British or otherwise. Their debut for Dave Matthews's ATO label, after live set Out West, isn't an about-face and it's unlikely fans will feel betrayed by the shift, but it does represent the most direct expression of their artistry yet. It's as if they peeled away a layer or two in order to reveal more of the pop band beneath the off-kilter country-rock trappings. No doubt producer Gil Norton (Pixies, Foo Fighters) was an invaluable aid in that process: vocals are cleaner, arrangements tighter, mood more upbeat. How We Operate, their fifth studio recording, is Gomez on "Girlshapedlovedrug," (to name one of the more arresting tracks). Overall, it's a more cohesive effort than 2004's underrated Split the Difference. On the downside, there's more filler, like "Woman! Man!" with its "Sha-la-la-la woman!/Sha-la-la-la man!" chorus. Catchy? Definitely. Deep? Not so much... but Gomez has earned the right to let their inner Monkees come out to play. Plus, on the sprightly "Cry on Demand," they make fun of their "serious" image ("Boo-hoo/boo-hoo"), proving that this is one band that knows exactly how they operate. --Kathleen C. Fennessy