Remember Gomez? Five young geezers from Britain? One of them was a growly guy who sang like an old Mississippi bluesman? They had a hit back in '98 with Get Miles. Won the Mercury Prize. Were the Next Big Thing for a minute there. But like a lot of Next Big Things from the U.K., that fame was fleeting.

Since then, they've been quietly putting out superb little albums that nobody notices. The Wilco-ish How We Operate is No. 5 in the chain. Like its predecessors, it's a remarkably impressive collection of strong songcraft, sharp performances and deft arrangements that seamlessly merge rootsy, gritty Britpop with sweeping orchestral touches and rustic instruments.

And oh yeah, that growly guy still sounds great.

Thing is, swell as songs like Girlshapedlovedrug, All Too Much, Cry on Demand and the title cut are, we doubt you're gonna see them on eMpTyV anytime soon.

So if you want to hear this, you're gonna have to find it yourself. You're on notice.

Track Listing:

1. Notice
2. See the World
3. How We Operate
4. Hamoa Beach
5. Girlshapedlovedrug
6. Chasing Ghosts With Alcohol
7. Tear Your Love Apart
8. Charley Patton Songs
9. Woman! Man!
10. All Too Much
11. Cry On Demand
12. Don't Make Me Laugh