First off, I'm a huge fan of the band, like everyone else here. But I have to admit that my interest has been waning since Schmilco, whose soft and low-energy tones I at first assumed would just be a phase. After three more easygoing albums (OTJ, CC, and Cousins), I guess I should accept that this is just what the band is now?

I'd really like to hear more instrumental color and energy from Cline and Kotche. Having Nels Cline in your band and letting him play the guitar as little as he does is like having Michael Jordan on your team and barely passing him the ball. I'm not saying the last 4 albums have been terrible--each one has its gems--but I can't help longing for a high-energy, instrumentally vibrant album from this group of extremely talented musicians. I salivate at the thought of something truly wild and adventurous from them again. Listening to the latest Sufjan Stevens album, I couldn't help thinking, "Here's an artist who found a way to keep things interesting and colorful after decades of writing songs." Anyway...just wondering if others feel this way about the last few albums or if I'm in the minority.