I’ve pretty much decided Noise Floor is my favorite thing they’ve done since Neal left (though I’m still partial to Feel Euphoria). It’s got one of their strongest collection of songs and probably the best production on an SB album. Nick is in top form, and shows why he is (in my humble opinion) the best drummer in prog right now. They also seem to have a more solidified style and sound with Ted that sets this apart from what came before (ironically, I heard an interview with Ted where he said he’s the only one in the band who likes this album though). Ted’s voice is pretty much ageless. He sounds as good as ever on this. There are also some really nice guitar parts from Al.
The only thing that holds me back is several of the best tracks got relegated to the bonus CD. I would have dropped What Becomes of Me, Have We All Gone Crazy Yet, and Box of Spiders in favor of all 4 extra tracks (though I think everything fits on one disc). I just listened to the following playlist and I think it’s tremendous:
1. To Breath Another Day
2. Somebody’s Home
3. So This Is Life
4. One So Wise
5. Bulletproof
6. Vault
7. Armageddon Nervous
8. Days We’ll Remember
9. Beginnings
So This Is Life, Bulletproof, and Beginnings are some of my favorites, but I really like everything on that playlist.