Final Countdown to Europe's New Album

I'm listening to an advance of the new Europe CD, Secret Society, and have to say it might be my favorite album of 2006. This is a truly modern effort -- this ain't your father's Europe -- but it has a really strong emphasis on good hooks. The subject matter is mature and the songwriting memorable and emotional throughout. A full track-by-track review will be posted in the coming days. The disc hits stores Nov. 7 via Sanctuary.