When Gomez arrived in Boston to start an 18-date American tour at the Paradise a week ago Monday night, it would have been understandable if they had some trepidation. After all, they hadn’t played Boston since 2002, at which point their then-current release, In Our Gun (Virgin), was quickly disappearing in a sea of personnel casualties at their label. So, here they were, back in the States without a new CD to promote and little in the way of label hype. They do plan to release a new single, "Catch Me Up," overseas on March 1, but their new album, their fifth effort, won’t be hitting these shores until at least May. Nevertheless, Gomez had no trouble selling out the room, or eliciting dozens of suggestions from fans when they noted that they’d yet to settle on a title for that new album.

Gomez has always been a creature best experienced live, where the members trade instruments and vocal parts with the enthusiasm of long-lost pals swapping old stories. The band’s three vocalists each bring a distinct element to Gomez’s sound, with Tom Gray providing a Beatle-esque exuberance, Ian Ball a smooth delivery, and Ben Ottewell a bluesy growl. Riding a rhythm section that finds drummer Olly Peacock and bassist Paul Blackburn adroitly moving from swampy thumps to dubby beats, Gomez delivered a set that was both innovative and familiar. Most impressive was the sense of continual evolution showcased in the five new songs the band unveiled.

Two swirling keyboards escalated the tension on "Shot Shot," which, despite its relative obscurity, was greeted by the Paradise crowd with the enthusiasm of a popular single. And Gomez still have elements of a Brit-pop jam band when they play tunes like "Here Comes the Breeze," which mixed three-part harmonies into an epic lysergic jam. Yet for an act that has always embraced sonic exploration, Gomez seem to be headed in a more disciplined direction. Not only did older material sound tighter than on previous tours, but the new cuts were all focused pop tunes. "Catch Me Up," for example, was a concise and rootsy rocker, and "Don’t Know Where We’re Going" was sparse but no less menacing.

The night ended with a raging "Whippin’ Piccadilly" that had the audience jumping. If in the near future those fans find themselves equally excited listening to the tighter metallic riffs that drive the new "Do One," Gomez might finally achieve commercial success to equal their draw as a live act.