Overblown Criticism of The Fixer

The Juggler

soulsinging wrote:

U R A Crazy Breed wrote:

so my wife took my daughter to see Green Day last night at the Garden in Boston and she said that they were amazing..she said....*Shudder* they blew away Pearl Jam*Shudder*!!!..now my wife is a huge PJ fan and has been to at least 7 shows with me......i was considering a divorce! ....but Green Day is a very solid band and they are making some very political statements on this tour, far beyond anything Ed has done..which i'm all for....but after hearing the fixer it's hard for me to be a holier than thou PJ fan! (even though there is no fucking way Green Day blows them away....sorry honey...you may have to stay at your mothers for a while )

Or maybe the Fixer will finally give the band a chance to compete with Green Day and get the recognition and respect they deserve via a single with broad appeal for once that will also sound great in concert.

maybe it will trim the fat off of these fucking wallow in the dark fans who only prefer singles such as nais. can't be a bad thing.

Bugs29

I went rollerblading for 50 minutes and the entire i had this stuck in my head: yeah yeah yeah yeah....fight to get it back again...yeah yeah yeah.....that's all the proof i need...

crowbarstomyhead

I am surprised with the amount of negative opinions on the Fixer. Here are the main arguments I have heard so far.

1. Sounds "Poppy" - There area ton of PJ songs that are just as poppy as this (Glorified G, Satan's Bed, etc. etc....there are many albums with the exception of maybe No Code that have equally as much of a "pop sound"). Also - i think it is refreshing that we get a PJ song that has a direct uplifting vibe to it sonically throughout the entire song. That is not present in most of the catalog. The song structure does have more of a pop formula than we have become accustomed to (repetitive melodic verses...chorus hook,, etc) but I would not classify this as pop relatively speaking.
2. Over produced: I think we have come to accept average production on the last 3 albums, and BOB will result in a cleaner sound. IMO, this is better production, not over production.
3. Lyrics: I agree that the lyrics in the Fixer verses are not strong (did Ed write this?). Anyway, again, I think we have been spoiled with the depth of many of Ed's songs and this song is more direct and out of character for PJ. However, would we rather have strong lyrics with a below average song (i.e. Cropduster)? I see this song lyrically more in the category of a "U" or "Save You" or "Wishlist" in terms of the simplicity of the lyrics.

NOyieldingCODE

should i make a thread entitled "overblown defensiveness of the fixer"?

facepollution

I get why some people aren't bowled over by The Fixer, but not every song has to be a masterpiece. It's a fun, catchy song - maybe a little bit throw-away, but good all the same. I love a good pop song, and to me, it's great that Pearl Jam are adding another string to their bow.

JonnyPistachio

crowbarstomyhead wrote:

I am surprised with the amount of negative opinions on the Fixer. Here are the main arguments I have heard so far.

1. Sounds "Poppy" - There area ton of PJ songs that are just as poppy as this (Glorified G, Satan's Bed, etc. etc....there are many albums with the exception of maybe No Code that have equally as much of a "pop sound"). Also - i think it is refreshing that we get a PJ song that has a direct uplifting vibe to it sonically throughout the entire song. That is not present in most of the catalog. The song structure does have more of a pop formula than we have become accustomed to (repetitive melodic verses...chorus hook,, etc) but I would not classify this as pop relatively speaking.
2. Over produced: I think we have come to accept average production on the last 3 albums, and BOB will result in a cleaner sound. IMO, this is better production, not over production.
3. Lyrics: I agree that the lyrics in the Fixer verses are not strong (did Ed write this?). Anyway, again, I think we have been spoiled with the depth of many of Ed's songs and this song is more direct and out of character for PJ. However, would we rather have strong lyrics with a below average song (i.e. Cropduster)? I see this song lyrically more in the category of a "U" or "Save You" or "Wishlist" in terms of the simplicity of the lyrics.

I've listened to it about 5-6 times, and my only complaint kinda falls in your #2, over produced. As a whole, I dont think its over produced, but the drums sound so repetitively boring and poppy that it makes the whole song sound overproduced to me. I think Matt needs to losen up a bit. Its the same beat all the way from Green Disease to half of the S/T stuff.

mjb

I think your points are all valid - my personal problem is simply, I find myself trying too hard to like it (repeat listens, looking for small nuances to the riffs, etc.) - usually with PJ music, I almost immediately dig it. It stills grows and changes over time, but there is an immediate "like". I didn't find that here. I had a similar problem with Unemployable (which never went away). I am hoping this is the exception with Backspacer, not the rule.

U R A Crazy Breed

The Jeagler wrote:

maybe it will trim the fat off of these fucking wallow in the dark fans who only prefer singles such as nais. can't be a bad thing.

why the fuck do you assume that because someone doesn't like this song they are a wallow in the dark fan?

you know what happens when you assume...you make an ass of you and yourself.

that's like me saying all the people who like the song might as well go listen to some KC and the Sunshine band if they want some light poppy syrup...but i didn't suggest that now did i.

zolstice

The first time I listened to the The Fixer on Myspace, I wasn't blown away by it. It really didn't register with me much at all. But then 10 minutes later I was driving in my car and it came on the radio, and I found myself cranking it up and singing along. This is definitely a summer time car driving song, and I have absolutely no problem with that.

U R A Crazy Breed

RM181658 wrote:

I went rollerblading for 50 minutes and the entire i had this stuck in my head: yeah yeah yeah yeah....fight to get it back again...yeah yeah yeah.....that's all the proof i need...

really??...you mean "yeah yeah yeah" was stuck in your head...so that means it MUST be a great song..fuck..who knew all i needed was some rollerblades to change my mind....i guess that's all the proof that i need! :P

Songburst

Meh. It is what it is. It's a pretty terrible song but there are worse PJ songs out there. If it were a song from any other band other than PJ I wouldn't even give it a second listen. That said, maybe there is something going on with this album that takes a long time to get. I hated Vitalogy, No Code, Binaural and Riot Act when they came out and now these 4 albums probably get the most play out of me. Maybe Backspacer will bring out the hidden Sugar Ray fan in me and I can proudly blare the Fixer and I Just Wanna Fly out of my truck on a loop and be liberated from the confinements that being a fan of decent meaningful music brings with it.

Songburst

zolstice wrote:

The first time I listened to the The Fixer on Myspace, I wasn't blown away by it. It really didn't register with me much at all. But then 10 minutes later I was driving in my car and it came on the radio, and I found myself cranking it up and singing along. This is definitely a summer time car driving song, and I have absolutely no problem with that.

MFC is THE summertime car driving song. None others need apply.

benjs

You know, some would classify the early Beatles material as bubblegum pop music for its time.. and yes, I love that. So I suppose you could say that I do like bubblegum pop music. In any case, I do like the Fixer. People are mislabeling the song as 'simple' when it's really minimalist in my opinion.

U R A Crazy Breed

NOyieldingCODE wrote:

should i make a thread entitled "overblown defensiveness of the fixer"?

..yes...yes you should!

LineOneMightyFine

U R A Crazy Breed wrote:

RM181658 wrote:

I went rollerblading for 50 minutes and the entire i had this stuck in my head: yeah yeah yeah yeah....fight to get it back again...yeah yeah yeah.....that's all the proof i need...

really??...you mean "yeah yeah yeah" was stuck in your head...so that means it MUST be a great song..fuck..who knew all i needed was some rollerblades to change my mind....i guess that's all the proof that i need! :P

good one.

and, so when I get that damn Beyonce chorus "if you like it, you shoulda put a ring on it" in my head it must mean that its a great song?

matty456

slip on a set of headphones....close your eyes...and appreciate the fact that in this day and age we are fortunate enough to have the music to help us forget about the world of shit we have been in for the past....however long. I'm happy with it.

SPEEDY MCCREADY

soulsinging wrote:

U R A Crazy Breed wrote:

so my wife took my daughter to see Green Day last night at the Garden in Boston and she said that they were amazing..she said....*Shudder* they blew away Pearl Jam*Shudder*!!!..now my wife is a huge PJ fan and has been to at least 7 shows with me......i was considering a divorce! ....but Green Day is a very solid band and they are making some very political statements on this tour, far beyond anything Ed has done..which i'm all for....but after hearing the fixer it's hard for me to be a holier than thou PJ fan! (even though there is no fucking way Green Day blows them away....sorry honey...you may have to stay at your mothers for a while )

Or maybe the Fixer will finally give the band a chance to compete with Green Day and get the recognition and respect they deserve via a single with broad appeal for once that will also sound great in concert.

Do you really believe The Fixer will be a radio hit?

Do you believe The Fixer will give pearl jam the same recognition as green day has had with their last 2 albums........ and singles released from those albums?

Because I just dont see it happening.....not with that song

I hope the rest of backspacer blows me a way....I hope they sell a gazillion copies....I hope they win Album of the year....I hope The Lord Obama invites them to the White House....I hope the Pope has a special mass in their honor.....I hope they are invited to ride on the space shuttle......I hope the new album leads to world peace......

But i just dont see any of this happening because of the release of The Fixer......

benjs

SPEEDY MCCREADY wrote:

soulsinging wrote:

U R A Crazy Breed wrote:

so my wife took my daughter to see Green Day last night at the Garden in Boston and she said that they were amazing..she said....*Shudder* they blew away Pearl Jam*Shudder*!!!..now my wife is a huge PJ fan and has been to at least 7 shows with me......i was considering a divorce! ....but Green Day is a very solid band and they are making some very political statements on this tour, far beyond anything Ed has done..which i'm all for....but after hearing the fixer it's hard for me to be a holier than thou PJ fan! (even though there is no fucking way Green Day blows them away....sorry honey...you may have to stay at your mothers for a while )

Or maybe the Fixer will finally give the band a chance to compete with Green Day and get the recognition and respect they deserve via a single with broad appeal for once that will also sound great in concert.

Do you really believe The Fixer will be a radio hit?

Do you believe The Fixer will give pearl jam the same recognition as green day has had with their last 2 albums........ and singles released from those albums?

Because I just dont see it happening.....not with that song

I hope the rest of backspacer blows me a way....I hope they sell a gazillion copies....I hope they win Album of the year....I hope The Lord Obama invites them to the White House....I hope the Pope has a special mass in their honor.....I hope they are invited to ride on the space shuttle......I hope the new album leads to world peace......

But i just dont see any of this happening because of the release of The Fixer......

Sarcastic and cynical people who try and make jokes like this are so cool. :roll:
I think the Fixer has a lot of potential regarding its power as a radio hit personally.

U R A Crazy Breed

benjs wrote:

You know, some would classify the early Beatles material as bubblegum pop music for its time.. and yes, I love that. So I suppose you could say that I do like bubblegum pop music. In any case, I do like the Fixer. People are mislabeling the song as 'simple' when it's really minimalist in my opinion.

dude...i love the beatles..born and raised around their music...but that was the '50s when they made those songs! and it was "new" at the time...this is 2000 and fucking 9!!!...not the the same at all!

jwillmo

I can't believe I actually read this whole thread. I am now dumber for having done so. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

It was entertaining though. My favorite parts where when someone kept referring to Nickelback as bubblegum. Yeah, I'm sure their "I like your pants around your feet" song would have been HUGE in the early 60s. And whoever said The Cure never wrote any poppy songs, that was funny too. And kept going back and forth - "No I meant they never wrote any poppy LYRICS!" Okay, check this shit out:

The sun is up, I'm so happy I could scream!
And there's nowhere else in the world I'd rather be
Than here with you, it's perfect!
It's all I ever wanted!
I almost can't believe that it's for real.

I really don't think it gets any better than this
Vanilla smile and a gorgeous strawberry kiss!
Birds sing we swing, clouds drift by and everything is like a dream
It's everything I wished

Never guessed it got this good
Wondered if it ever would
Really didn't think it could
Do it again? I know we should!


Doesn't that make you just wanna go and slit your wrists?

For the record, I think The Fixer is an okay song. I like catchy shit, so sue me.