Personal grievances out the way first -

1. Its most certainly not "a big rock record". In fact its not rock at all. Its pop with a country twang for the most part.

2. Feels like a very lazy album, they've taken sounds from Lost Highway, merged them with The Circle and made What About Now, you can't call it evolution its a cop out. Peppered with poorly written lyrics and melodies lifted off the last two albums. E.g I'm With You has some guitar work that sounds exactly like a song off The Circle.

3. Screams of being an excuse to get back on the road and make money as opposed to a record that comes from a genuine place of band creativity. Its corporate pop rock through and through.

Despite this for the most part I like the sound of it, there are 8 songs on the album I know for a fact I will give a decent amount of listening to. No doubt there will be a grower or two also.

All in i'm still looking forward to the release, its always going to be a disappointment when your favourite rock band release a pop/country infused album but it is what it is and with all the brilliant material this band have produced I can roll with the punches and accept this album and enjoy it for what it is i'm sure.