Well since everyone knows I am bad person now from the previous thread, I guess I have nothing left to loose.
Here is my preview on this album.
Not as disapointing as the Tool album IMO. Infact I am quite happy with this one. There are a few things that kinda sound like previous riffs, but not like Vicarious did were it was 80% of one of the riffs was reused. Anyways, enough Tool bashing.
Considering there are shitload of songs on this, it ranges everywhere from simple acoustic diddies to punk to all out funk and even a few Pink Floyd spots. (I hate Pink Floyd btw...but as said, they are spots more-so than songs).
The stereo seperation is awsome. Put on head phones and check out "Storm in a Teacup". That into is why stereo was invented imo. Simple but effective.
The bass work is good on many songs. "Tell me Baby"....damn fine funk.
On "hump de Bump" I was about to expect a rendition of "Wooly Bully".
I would bash something about this album if I could but there are no obvious areas as I wasn't holding my hopes for this one like I was another album we all know I was a little disapointed over.

So I guess it makes it a pleasant surprise for me.
It has that 'feel' the last two albums had, so if you prefer the older stuff, there will be some, but about equal or more of the more recent. A very healthy dose of funk, but the more slow melodic breezy sound is very much dominating the areas that are not funk or rock, and sometimes in the same song.
FWIW I will buy this one so calm down.