So, the new Wilco album leaked last week and if you know where to look, you’ll find it.

Did I download it? Yes.

Will I buy it when it comes out? Yes.

Will I send you a copy? No. (go get your own you slacker)

It seems lately that new albums leak all the time, but when one of the most important bands around lets their work filter into the interweb and appear to be unscathed by it, it piques your interest. It’s happened to them before and resulted in over $10,000 being raised for Doctors Without Borders. As soon as they announced a listening party last week my first thought was “Why bother with the listening party? Someone will record it and I’ll get a copy next week.” And viola, here it is.

Unsurprisingly the backlash has begun. From the haters who detest the new stripped-down sound, to the alt.country snobs who want more banjo, there’s no shortage of opinions. Honestly, I’m a little surprised by the direction, but so far I like it. The sound is more mellow, closer to the A.M. & Summerteeth songs, and very far away from he experimentation of “A Ghost is Born.” But here’s the thing about opinions, everybody’s got one and you should go form your own.

Parts of the songwriting remind of of Randy Newman, maybe because at a concert in Washington DC last year that NPR broadcasted they did a great cover of Newmann’s “Political Science,” a tune about xenophobia. Other parts remind me of Bob Dylan, maybe because Jeff Tweedy likes Bob’s beard and Dylan went through many phases that didn’t really reveal their true beauty to most listeners until years later. Overall It’s a great, unexpected left turn in the road that is Wilco.