I'm finally giving BRD some decent spin-time after a week+ of listening to the new Marillion. Every time I get through BRD, I tend to like it more and more. I picked up on repeated themes and motifs and lyrics here and there, hearing more of the classic/early TFK influence in some of the songs. The use of sax in more than one song really helps drive the classic TFK feel across the album (and IIRC, sax only appeared on ONE song on Islands). Hearing Bruniusson return to the band also really gives this album that Retropolis/Stardust We Are feel that has been largely absent over the last couple of albums.
I hope that this line-up can release a live album of the upcoming tour, especially since Roine has publicly stated that they will be playing material from their first four albums, which makes sense considering they'll be touring with Michael Stolt on bass this time around. It's been 11 years since their last live album was released, and even that, that 2011 release was from their 2007 tour in support of The Sum Of No Evil, featuring Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson) on drums. No live show was released from the BOE/DR era of the band, so there's no live record of Felix on drums, or Tomas' last tour(s) with the band. I guess it's sort of like Dream Theater not having a live release of the their shows in support of BC&SL before Mike left.
At any rate, this is definitely an album of growers for me, and I'll be spinning it regularly in the coming weeks and months, balancing it with the new material from Star One and Marillion, as well as Pattern-Seeking Animals next month.
-Marc.