Will Backspacer really be a "return to form"?
musicismylife78
Posts: 6,116
People on here have pointed out that every single album since No Code has been billed a "return to form" and return to the PJ of old.
I also think return to form has other connotations espcially for a band like PJ, because they were at one time the biggest band in the world.
What I seem to be picking up from the tidbits released about the album, from the press, is that the album is the most radio friendly album since Ten. The Fixer certainly is poppy. And I have no problem with pop music, as I have stated elsewhere.
How do you think this albums press compares with Avocado. Granted we are still a little less than 2 months from the album being released, but it seems like they have been doing less press for this album, compared with 2006, when they were doing the most interviews that I have seen them do since the early 90's.
I am psyched for the record. The descriptions of the songs are pretty interesting. The End sounds like a very Come Back esque type song. Powerful, and sad. Or Just Breathe.
I also think return to form has other connotations espcially for a band like PJ, because they were at one time the biggest band in the world.
What I seem to be picking up from the tidbits released about the album, from the press, is that the album is the most radio friendly album since Ten. The Fixer certainly is poppy. And I have no problem with pop music, as I have stated elsewhere.
How do you think this albums press compares with Avocado. Granted we are still a little less than 2 months from the album being released, but it seems like they have been doing less press for this album, compared with 2006, when they were doing the most interviews that I have seen them do since the early 90's.
I am psyched for the record. The descriptions of the songs are pretty interesting. The End sounds like a very Come Back esque type song. Powerful, and sad. Or Just Breathe.
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Backspacer will be more their most radio friendly I think.
Mike made it clear that back in 06 the band was hoping to really become big again, to be on the radio and all that. Which of course was quite different from the past 12 years or whatever, when the band had made it a point to purposely limit its fanbase.
I never heard any mention by the band post Avocado, about if they felt happy with the success or lack there of, of Avocado.
One also wonders, it made a certain amount of sense to heavily promote an album of timely political and socially aware songs, as they did in 2006. Exposing people to that message was important. But this album seems to be non political from what i can tell, except Got Some.
I think people tend to forget that for its time, Yield was VERY pop rockish. There are 4-5 songs on there that I could hear doing amazingly well on radio...if not more. I don't think this will be a return to sound. I think it will be very straight forward and a easier listen. I hope it ages better than the Pearl Jam album did. That album hasn't done well on the test of time.
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yeah The Fixer definitely sounds like a reject
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It won't sell anymore copies than Avocado and probably won't make any more of a dent. PJ are never going to be as popular like in 1994 again we all have to accept that.
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I dont know. To call any album as a whole pop rockish is to negate the bands strong aversion to commercial success and commercial appeal. Sure their have been poppy songs, "Betterman" "Elderly Woman", "Alive", Last Kiss etc... but I dont think of any of the albums post Ten as being pop. Their opinions on fame and success have changed, and are different now, but in 1997/1998, I dont buy the idea that they put out a pop rock album. Pop rock is fine. I have nothing against it, but to me the term suggests a band who puts out songs that will be played on the radio, and will be huge hits. I dont think Pearl Jam has ever fit that profile. Especially not in the 90's.
And you said you felt there were 4 or 5 songs on Yield worthy of radio play. You are correct of course, but the point is also, those 4 or 5 songs werent played on the radio, and with the exception of Evolution, I dont think their videos were played much at all.
Thats why avocado was such a big deal, because of songs like Come Back or UnEmployable, songs which if they would have been chosen as singles, would have been HUGE hits. And with The Fixer, again, you get a very pop approach to the Pearl Jam rock song.
Your probably right, the band doesnt seem poised to create a American Idiot type album, however, stranger things have happened.
And additionally, as I said, the band these last 2 records seems more into commercial success than any time I can remember. For Avocado it was the J Records deal, SNL, the Verizon thing, contests, Rolling Stone, and interviews galore. And for this album we have the Target deal, and the Rock Band thing, the cell phone thing etc...
So they definitely seem to be pushing to have a American Idiot type reaction to the album.
It appears the band is more focused on appealing to, and winning the approval of, wider audiences and becoming more commercial. Something they used to be adamantly against years ago. They're conforming now that they're a bit older. Some people like it, some don't. We all evolve, and so does the band....sadly.
Maybe it's just me, but it seems that the more they try to be commercial, the less they succeed at it, whereas they were bigger when they didn't want all the attention.
I was in the car with my girlfriend last night and it came on the radio. She is a casual fan. Likes them but doesn't listen to the cd's religiously or anything. She said she really dislikes it. Way too poppy and doesn't sound like Pearl Jam at all. She actually seemed pissed off they went that direction and she said "Come on Eddie, you can do better than Yeahhh, yeahhh, yeahhh lyrics". It really does have a Good Charoltte/All American Rejects feel which is quite sad. I don't hate the song, it has grown on me a bit but it's disappointing that when people hear the song, it reminds them of the generic power pop garbage out there today.
And if The Fixer is so "pop rockish" how come I've yet to hear it on the radio where I live?
for the least they could possibly do
Great point. When they were the biggest band in the world, they wanted nothing to do with that title. After they lost it, it feels as though some of them want it back. I think I remember reading that Ed was the one who pushed for them to more or less "sabotage" things (No Code) but the rest of the band wasn't of that mindset. I think they have pretty much established who they will be for the rest of their career...they don't sell albums and their post-1998 songs don't get very much radio play but they sell out shows.
I'm just passing on her comments on the song.
That's fine. It doesn't really matter to me who made the comments. Mine still stand.
for the least they could possibly do
EV
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Every now and then, it's nice to hear a song with a hook, ya know?
for the least they could possibly do
why is an artist wanting as many people as possible to see/hear/experience their art sad?
yes early in their carreer they shunned the spotlight and generally tried to kill the mega-fame they had...well they've done that and now they can handle the fame and would like to expose their music to more, new people
many a time on here you'll see a kid post how they just got into the band and before there were listening to whatever was the trending music at the time then they heard (insert pearl jam song here) and became a huge fan
i don't think that's sad
I dont think it was "more of less sabotage" it was sabotage. They intentially created an experiemental and non commercial album because they wanted to lose fans. There isnt a question or doubt reguarding that.
You are indeed right, ed was the one who pulled back. It wasnt the bands idea really. Ed being the focal point of the band, I think, during the grunge madness and the tragedy of Kurt Cobain, I think Ed really kind of went through the ringer. And to be someone who respects indie culture and people who have uncompromising vision and ideals like Pete or Neil or Bruce or Michael Stipe, and then to be on the cover of all those magazines was really tough for him I think.
I dont think the band agreed with his decision to pull back. But from what I gather it sounds like the band wouldnt be around today if they did pull back, and more importantly, the fading from the spotlight and fame, was also essential to Ed and the band remaining alive and breathing
I think some people didn't get the memo that the anti-commercialism war is over. It's kind of like my grandpa ... he's still pissed at the Japanese for Pearl Harbor.
Some people have trouble letting go and moving on.
for the least they could possibly do
Whats with everyone tip toeing around the whole 90's issue of pearl jam and fame. People are saying they "more or less sabotaged" their career, and "they generally tried to kill the megafame".
There is no in between with the 90's pearl jam. They killed their megafame and they sabotaged their career, there isnt middle ground here people.
They didnt put out no code and then go and lisence their songs for tv, or appear in a huge amount of interviews.
The new era pearl jam is harder to pin down in terms of their goals and wants in terms of success for the band, but I dont think their is a shadow of a doubt that they intentially created No Code to lose fans. There wasnt a debate about it. "Gee guys maybe Who You Are will be a huge hit, lets put that out". They had that as the single for the complete opposite reason
I tend to agree with you in general.
But I also don't think they said, "Man, 'Who You Are' really sucks. Let's put that out and drive away all our fans." I think they were happy with Who You Are, and No Code ... but at that point in their careers, they only wanted fans who were willing to go in that direction, too.
If that makes any sense.
You're kind of implying that Pearl Jam put out a *bad* album to drive away fans, and I don't think that's the case at all.
for the least they could possibly do
They've been trying to become popular since riot act came out and have failed big time. Young kids these days aren't into old dudes in jean jackets with grey hair and grey beards. Young kids are into bands like green day that were guyliner and tight jeans. If pj is going for that age group they will fail big time and the new cd won't even sell a million copies. I support this band in everything they do but they need realize there ship of being popular has sailed long ago for them.
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Whether they are mad-grungy, happy-poppy, confused-experimental, whatever, they are always current to themselves and their ideals, placed within the moment.
If you would have told me 15 years ago that they would be selling their album exclusively through Target and creating viral campaigns for the same album, working with mainstream rock-n-roll magazines and offering ringtones, I would have thought you crazy. But as smart artists, they do what they have to in order to allow their art (commodity or not) to have availability to their fans in whatever fashion fits the moment. They are still cranking out good music and playing big shows, but shit, they're in their 40's and have lived 2 decades of rock-n-roll... watched their mentors go through the ranks.. learned from their mistakes, and are settling into this phase of their careers.
Love 'em or hate 'em, I'm buying this ticket and taking this ride.
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Honest to God, I don't think Ed is staying up at night worried about record sales.
They've done some press. They've played some TV shows. Last I checked, they were doing OK for themselves. I don't think anybody expects them to outsell Ten again.
for the least they could possibly do
A-fuckin-men.
also, you are free to bash me on this, but the reason you arent hearing the fixer even though it is really poppy is that pearl jam is yesterdays news whereas bands like all american rejects, linkin park, rise against, etc. get all the play since they are big right now.