I've listened to about half the songs (the first half, don't want to spoil it) and it has a very much "pop" feel to it. It sounds horrible at first, but it grows. Some would argue that Before These Crowded Streets was overproduced, but it's the same here.
If there is one thing that I hate though, is a bunch of Abercrombies showing up at the concerts with no idea of whose on stage other than the "guy who sings Crash" and is with their girlfriend who actually likes him. How I long for the days of Dancing Nancies, Tripping Billies, and Proudest Monkey...songs that only YOU could get, and everyone else said "What the fsck?"
Unfortunately, I think the songs from this album (The Space Between, Angel) are going to be played heavily on MTV's TRL (believe me, Ballard will push it) and then only a second wave of Crash-heads will come in.