[sullivand]

Went and saw two shows on the last tour and they were great.

Did you happen to catch the Aspen show? I'm still waiting for a first-person report from that intimate gig. I spent some years skiing at Copper and was thinking how great it would have been to have the Hip stop by the neighborhood.
And you're not alone on the new album; there are plenty who lament the missed potential this album had that's buried under the strings, etc. (even after many, many listens). It's fine, and some songs are great, but can't help thinking the whole thing could have been better. I also think it's more appealing if you're at a troubling time in your life. Many are these days, of course, so I think it's the right album at the right time for those folks.