So, yeah, the new album leaked yesterday morning, and the quality was much higher than the crappy version that was available before, so I downloaded it. I feel zero guilt about this, as I’ve already shelled out fifteen bucks for the regular CD (preordered at the listening party so I could get my limited edition 7″) and plenty more bucks for the dualdisc/10″/tshirt preorder bundle at nin.com. Let’s not even talk about what I’ll be spending to get both versions of the single. Essentially, Interscope is still getting piles of my cash, and I am getting to hear the new album right now. Everyone wins.

As for the album itself, I’ve listened to it twice so far and I stand by my first impression from the listening party. It’s good. Parts of it are excellent, but none of it is bad.