So far it seems pretty good to me. (Supersonic, The Fixer)
It is a very clear and pronounced production. Every band member seems to have a good footprint in the mix.
Something about the 2 new tracks makes No Code come to mind. I have no idea why at this point.
Im enjoying how tight the drums and bass sound in the mix.

2 concerns:
1. too polished? Not enough mud?
2. Vocal layering. Used to sound good pre-S/T days. what happened?

in response to 1. no, it's not "too polished". there is actual energy in the mixes which hasnt been there in several albums. 2. the vocal layering sounds great on both the fixer and supersonic, so i'm not sure what you mean there.

I like what I've heard so far.

As for vocal layering, the first time I heard The Fixer I remember those intro/bridge 'aah ah ah aah's sticking out and sounding a little artificial. I'm not sure if it was the layering, but it just sounded unnatural - like an obvious cut and paste job rather than a continuous live take. I'm so used to it now that I don't notice that, so it doesn't bother me.

The vocal layering on the other songs sounds great so far though - the extended clip of Got Some sounds really good.

i remember when Yield came out that i thought it sounded a bit too polished. my perspective has obviously changed; i now find its production intricate, with rewards popping up with each listen. i think Backspacer will bring even more of this.

From what I remember it's really lush and really immediate or present or something..
the multi layering vocals is a bit weird but repeated listens to supersonic makes me feel a lot better about it.

So far, it just sounds so clean, and everyone sounds super tight. I'm dying to hear THE END, SPEED OF SOUND and UNTHOUGHT KNOWN.

Unthought Known has the best potential for a full band arrangement imho. i really hope it's much more than Eddie solo.

I like what I've heard so far. Supersonic may be a little too slick, but that style of song demands slick production

The layering sounding artificial is a good way to put how i feel about it.
Seems like a missing warmth now when ed layers his own vocals.

In the extended Just Breathe (i know its low quality) the section where Ed sings without the layers sounds soo much better to me than with the layers.

Or in the speed of sound demo. The vocals in the verse seem much better to me than the chorus due to the layering.

Its almost as if he didn't know whether he wants to sing it high or low.

I like the backing in the Got Some clip because the other vocals aren't mimicking the lead vocals.

That being said i've liked all the songs ive heard so far.

Where is this extended Got Some clip please?

Verizon Wireless store.

Argh, I've heard the original short clip because it was uploaded here. But I'm not a Verizon customer, so until it's uploaded here I guess I won't hear it. Thanks anyway.

As far as production goes, so far I'd have said that this one shares the production values of Vs. more than any other album.

Check a few pages back in the Verizon thread, I think someone posted a link to it (and the extended version of Amongst The Waves).

Thanks. I listened and promptly realised I had already heard it. Doh!

I think they have to layer his voice so much now because it's not as strong and powerful as it once was. But the production sounds pretty good to me, BoB knows how to work with the band better then anyone else, IMHO.

too polished. but ive only heard the two songs (which i suspect are the two worst songs on the album), so i wait to hear the whole thing.

i don't like the fake sound of the "Ah"s on The Fixer. I don't have any major issues with the rest of The Fixer, but it doesn't strike me as anything special, but I'm not a huge fan of the song either. That's my only comment for now; I'll have to hear a few more songs to make a full judgment on it.

i dont' like the ah ha ha parts in the fixer either, but that's not a production issue as much as it is just a bad choice.

I think the vocals sound great in Fixer. I'm not a huge fan of the sound of supersonic, vocal wise, but I also don't like eddie that much in that range. I don't really care for how he sounds on unemployable either, and they strike me as simiar

it is slick, and like stip said, a song like supersonic demands that production. i like it so far, and i think it will lend itself well to the slower songs too. however i'm a fan of muddy production (not bad production, but something with a bit of a consitent ambience throughout ala riot act). so as much as i appreciate what BoB is doing here, i'd like to see the next album something different.