So I am definitely not into the post Perry stuff. I buy it and listen to it and then it goes on the shelf. I rarely hear anything past TBF. For me, the writing went down a notch, etc. For whatever reason, just doesn't really appeal to me all that much.
That said, I happen to see some of the Live in Manila show on TV last night. And of course I have listened to the new CD a couple times. What I tend to forget, emotionally, is how great a player Neal is. I know it from an intellectual point, but because I am not really connecting with this iteration of the band (and because of some of Neal's lame off-stage crap), I am missing out on connecting with Neal's playing. The guy is really one of the greatest players I've ever heard still to this day.