HOW WE OPERATE - GOMEZ
It pays to get another opinion. After self-producing all five of its studio albums, Gomez enlisted outsider Gil Norton to energize its new tunes. Norton’s adroit knack for fully realizing the potential of the raw material has made all the difference on “How We Operate,” the finest and most listener-friendly album of Gomez’s 10-year career. The disc buoys with clipping rhythms, infectious lyricism, country infusions and distinctive vocal harmonies by its trio of songwriting, acoustic/electric guitar-wielding frontmen. The fact that the three share the lead spotlight is remarkable in and of itself. But what makes “How We Operate” so exceptional is the simple brilliance of the songs, ranging from the two catchy leadoff tracks, “Notice” and “See the World,” to the reflective “Charley Patton Songs,” with its pleasing arc of pop arrangement.–Billboard
