People have spoken in hushed terms about the supposed 'Curse of the Mercury Music Prize', but it wasn't the fact that Gomez nabbed said Prize in 1998 that jinxed their career; in fact, the Southport quintet have maintained a steady level of success over the past decade. Attaining the dizzy heights that their debut 'Bring It On' begat, however, is a different story (although 1999's 'Liquid Skin' did come close).

But let's face it - Gomez are on their sixth studio album, and most casual music fans would fail to name a song of theirs other than 'Whipping Piccadilly' or 'Get Myself Arrested'. 'A New Tide' is unlikely to alter the public's perception of them, either: if you're a fan, these eleven songs are enough to sate your love of inoffensive jangle-pop. If you're not a fan, they're more likely to pass you by, rather than irritate you.

Admittedly, though, there are two or three tracks that surpass their pedestrian counterparts: 'If I Ask You Nicely' is the sort of nifty guitar-pop that other bands are labelled 'Gomez-esque' upon attempting, 'Airstream Driver' is a supremely catchy pop-rock track with a chorus that'll superglue itself to your brain, and the uber-twee 'Other Plans' exercises a delightful little key change amidst a flurry of melodic acoustic riffs.

Apart from that interesting trinity, however, 'A New Tide' is a bog-standard album by a band who seem to be slipping further and further into the depths of obscurity with every release.