If I may chime in the conversation here, I reluctlantly went to a Starbucks
place the other day to see if the cd was there, and indeed it was there...
but it really felt so weird to see the cd piled there in the counter close
to the sugar and the white plastic coffee spoons. Sheesh... The package was
a bit unsual, kind of half way dvd-cd, and I dared to ask the guys at the
counter if that was the deluxe edition (no label on the cd identifying that)
and what was the prize (no price tag). The guys were so clueless about
anything related to the disc, they just asked me what my name was -I find
that so ridiculous!- and then they went behind the counter to find someone
who may know. Three minutes later, a guy comes to me and tells me "it's *17
euros*, and it's quite a good record."

I passed, and the guy at the counter couldn't care less. He just kept asking
me if I wanted a coffee or something. No, thank you. Damn.

I kept walking to a real record shop and I saw they won't sell it there
until the 11th, but I can wait. I have downloaded the album, and frankly,
after a couple of listens, I'm unimpressed. I loved and still love Chaos
and, today, I think Almost is a much weaker effort. Most of the songs take
me nowhere (except for the poignant lyrics of The End of the End), and I
really feel uneasy with his voice when he sounds too much like an old man. I
agree with what I read here that he should really try to sing like he's
younger. He can do that!
Right now I can only feel Almost will have the same fate as Driving Rain...
buried in my shelves. Hopefully I'm wrong.
Btw, I had the opportunity to sample the extra tracks of the deluxe edition
and I agree with Michael. I know I'll end up paying more for them but hey're
just filler. :/

It seems he's doing secret gigs, one in London last night (now, that is
cool): This is the set list (thanks Dirk):

'Drive My Car'
'Only Mama Knows'
'Dance Tonight'
'C Moon'  ---!!!!
'The Long And Winding Road'
'I'll Follow The Sun'
'Calico Skies'
'That Was Me'
'Blackbird'
'Here Today'
'Back In The USSR'
'Nod Your Head'
'House Of Wax'
'I've Got A Feeling'
'Matchbox'
'Get Back'
'Hey Jude'
'Let It Be'
'Lady Madonna'
'I Saw Her Standing There'

--he's too predictable, specially at the end... but I love you, Paul!

francesc