Split the Difference

On their fourth album, Split the Difference, U.K. alt-rockers Gomez aim for accessibility. ”Silence” is an exuberant slice of amped-up Beatlemania, and ”Sweet Virginia” borrows its pastoral elegance from the Stones classic of the same name. This winning CD marks the first time Gomez have brought in an outside producer — Tchad Blake (Sheryl Crow) — and while the hooks could be sharper, his hand clearly makes the ”Difference.”