Riot Act is the most half assed attempt at an album the boys have made.
I may have my criticisms of Riot Act (despite my extreme love for the album), but none of those would pertain to it being a half-assed attempt at an album. If anything, Riot Act's fault is that it tries too hard...
The vocals are dull and the instrumentation is the least thought out of their career.
I gotta say, I'm a little worried that I'm going to be bored by some of these slow songs. I liked ITW but I don't need those songs on a Pearl Jam album. Who knows though, maybe I'll end up loving them, I've only heard small snipets of the actual songs so far.
I gotta say, I'm a little worried that I'm going to be bored by some of these slow songs. I liked ITW but I don't need those songs on a Pearl Jam album. Who knows though, maybe I'll end up loving them, I've only heard small snipets of the actual songs so far.
Always go with your first instinct, unfortunately in this case, you are correct sir.......
But maybe the boys will grow some balls and pull out some gems like Nothing As It Seems/No Way/Parting Ways....etc, etc, etc
I gotta say, I'm a little worried that I'm going to be bored by some of these slow songs. I liked ITW but I don't need those songs on a Pearl Jam album. Who knows though, maybe I'll end up loving them, I've only heard small snipets of the actual songs so far.
I can't figure out if I agree with you or not... but I think I do. I loved ITW and couldn't get enough of it. But that was as an Ed solo album. It's just hard for me to get into that style as Pearl Jam. As much as I love ITW, it didn't sound like a Pearl Jam album. And that was the point. But some of these songs I'm hearing (and granted, they are just snippets, possibly not even the final versions) sound like the band is now trying to pass off that ITW sound as Pearl Jam. It's not that I won't like it, as I'm sure I will get into it. But at some level I wonder how much creative input the rest of the band had compared to past albums. I know that they all brought songs to the table, but it just seems (from the limited bit I have heard) that they may have given into Ed's influence even more on this album. That's not a terrible thing, but I just wonder if they may have taken a backseat and let this album come together too easily. I think the back and forth between band members is what produced a great album like Yield. I just hope they didn't decide to take too much of a backseat to Ed in terms of the back and forth on each song. I'm hoping some of these songs were a bit more of a struggle than we've been hearing. I personally think they've done some of their best work when they have the competing inputs and find a balance.
For the record, I'm still just as excited for Backspacer as the next guy. Just thinking (typing?) out loud.
5/28/06 - Camden, NJ 5/30/06 - Washington, DC 6/22/08 - Washington, DC 10/31/09 - Philadelphia, PA 8/5/16 - Fenway Park Temple of the Dog - 11/5/2016 - Philadelphia, PA 7/1/2018 - Prague 7/3/2018 - Kraków 7/5/2018 - Berlin
I guess I wrongly assumed that since the album was apparently so short that it might be a rockin' punk record. Got Some on Conan somewhat confirmed that for me, but then Fixer was released, and I wasn't all that impressed. Then I heard The End, and while it's a beautiful song, I was more looking for a rock record this time around, I think I pumped myself up with my own assumptions that are probably now wrong. I am hoping that The End is a minority.
I like Ed's solo stuff as Ed's solo stuff. Maybe The End sounds totally different with the band as opposed to solo acoustic live. Who knows.
And who says that No Code is no good? It's one of my faves! I love Habit, particularly!
But you know what, I love PJ, and I look forward to all their releases and I'm sure I'll love this one for what it is.
Gimli 1993
Fargo 2003
Winnipeg 2005
Winnipeg 2011
St. Paul 2014
The writing credits indicate a collaboration. I don't have them in front of me, but I think Ed only wrote 2 songs by himself out of the 11.
The End
Speed of Sound
Just Breathe
I think that's 3 right there that he wrote on his own.
Shows: Montreal 98, Barrie 98, Montreal 00, Montreal 03, Montreal 05, Ottawa 05, Toronto 06, Vancouver Night 1 08 (EV), Vancouver Night 2 08 (EV), MSG1 08, MSG2 08, Montreal Night 2 08 (EV), Toronto Night 1 08 (EV), Toronto 09, Hartford 11 (EV), Ottawa 11, Ottawa 16, Ottawa 22.
Won't say how but I heard the album and it is way better than S/T. Mach is nimrod.
Ok don't tell us how you heard it, but give us some info we dont already know...
Shows: Montreal 98, Barrie 98, Montreal 00, Montreal 03, Montreal 05, Ottawa 05, Toronto 06, Vancouver Night 1 08 (EV), Vancouver Night 2 08 (EV), MSG1 08, MSG2 08, Montreal Night 2 08 (EV), Toronto Night 1 08 (EV), Toronto 09, Hartford 11 (EV), Ottawa 11, Ottawa 16, Ottawa 22.
Won't say how but I heard the album and it is way better than S/T. Mach is nimrod.
Ok don't tell us how you heard it, but give us some info we dont already know...
Why should I do that? I'm just gonna keep repeating that I have heard it and compare it to other albums and not give you any more info. I am just going to be a balance to this Jackass.
Backspacer is the single most important piece of art ever produced by a man or group of men who are alive or dead. It's better than anything Shakespeare ever produced. It's so good it's idiot proof - no idiots will be able to enjoy its genius.
Every non-douchy, non bro-ham, non cock-rock fan of pj will bow to the power of Backspacer.
Shows: Montreal 98, Barrie 98, Montreal 00, Montreal 03, Montreal 05, Ottawa 05, Toronto 06, Vancouver Night 1 08 (EV), Vancouver Night 2 08 (EV), MSG1 08, MSG2 08, Montreal Night 2 08 (EV), Toronto Night 1 08 (EV), Toronto 09, Hartford 11 (EV), Ottawa 11, Ottawa 16, Ottawa 22.
It's almost hard for me to compare the two being that there's so much more material on S/T that it has more of a "chance" to be better than Backspacer. If that makes any sense. Obviously I haven't heard it yet, but the runtime sortof gives avocado an advantage just because there's more PJ on it.
It's almost hard for me to compare the two being that there's so much more material on S/T that it has more of a "chance" to be better than Backspacer. If that makes any sense. Obviously I haven't heard it yet, but the runtime sortof gives avocado an advantage just because there's more PJ on it.
Yeah, those 2 songs will really make a difference.
I think the run time works against S/T. Comatose blows and Big Wave should have never made an album, anywhere.
The self titled album really didn't do much for me after six months or so. I think Life Wasted, Marker in the Sand, Parachutes, Army Reserve, and Come Back are all great. The others just...I don't know. I never really got the love for Severed Hand or Unemployable though.
The writing credits indicate a collaboration. I don't have them in front of me, but I think Ed only wrote 2 songs by himself out of the 11.
The End
Speed of Sound
Just Breathe
I think that's 3 right there that he wrote on his own.
Correction...i forgot about Unthought Known, and as it turns out Ed also wrote Gonna See My Friend.
So 5 of 11 songs on Backspacer are Ed songs.
Shows: Montreal 98, Barrie 98, Montreal 00, Montreal 03, Montreal 05, Ottawa 05, Toronto 06, Vancouver Night 1 08 (EV), Vancouver Night 2 08 (EV), MSG1 08, MSG2 08, Montreal Night 2 08 (EV), Toronto Night 1 08 (EV), Toronto 09, Hartford 11 (EV), Ottawa 11, Ottawa 16, Ottawa 22.
It's almost hard for me to compare the two being that there's so much more material on S/T that it has more of a "chance" to be better than Backspacer. If that makes any sense. Obviously I haven't heard it yet, but the runtime sortof gives avocado an advantage just because there's more PJ on it.
i respectfully disagree with your logic.
it's about quality, not quantity.
what does it matter if one album is longer than another if you flat out dont like it?
the heavyhanded, obvious lyrics from S/T in songs like WWS, Unemployable, and Army Reserve are gone in Backspacer, so its already better than S/T. those songs already make Avocado sound dated. They are pretty much just Ed singing words out of a newspaper.
i get that some people like that 'style' of songwriting, but i am certainly not one of them.
Well I guess it depends how you look at it. See this is how I see it:
Backspacer is like condensed PJ. Its a shorter album, it has a more minimalist feel, and even Ed has said that there were a number of times where they trimmed the excess off of the tracks as they were working on them. So this is a PJ album for the 21st century- short, fast, and to the point. The jam in Supersonic is reflective of that. That's my two cents, but I haven't heard the whole album
Call me a sceptic, but how do we know this guy has actually heard Backspacer? I've seen so much crap on the various message boards the past few weeks that i really don't buy that he's heard it.
And for the record i loved Avocado...a nice improvement over Binaural and Riot Act.
Have you heard the new album, b/c I've heard nothing from it that says its gonna be as great as Binaural.
Nope haven't heard it...and i never said it was "as great as Binaural". I said i prefered Avocado to Binaural.
I honestly dont get all the love for Binaural. Granted the "sessions" were amazing, but the band left off most of the great songs (Sad, Fatal, Education, Puzzles & Games), and the production on Grievance does not do it justice.
agree, the songs you mention above should've been in the album instead of 3 o 4 they chose, like sleight of hand, rival or parting ways
Comments
The vocals are dull and the instrumentation is the least thought out of their career.
Its almost IDENTICAL to the way he sung on TEN...........
JUST SAYING
Always go with your first instinct, unfortunately in this case, you are correct sir.......
But maybe the boys will grow some balls and pull out some gems like Nothing As It Seems/No Way/Parting Ways....etc, etc, etc
"Just Breathe" is amazing, and I've only heard like 30 seconds of it. Can't wait!
Bull fuckin shit.
I can't figure out if I agree with you or not... but I think I do. I loved ITW and couldn't get enough of it. But that was as an Ed solo album. It's just hard for me to get into that style as Pearl Jam. As much as I love ITW, it didn't sound like a Pearl Jam album. And that was the point. But some of these songs I'm hearing (and granted, they are just snippets, possibly not even the final versions) sound like the band is now trying to pass off that ITW sound as Pearl Jam. It's not that I won't like it, as I'm sure I will get into it. But at some level I wonder how much creative input the rest of the band had compared to past albums. I know that they all brought songs to the table, but it just seems (from the limited bit I have heard) that they may have given into Ed's influence even more on this album. That's not a terrible thing, but I just wonder if they may have taken a backseat and let this album come together too easily. I think the back and forth between band members is what produced a great album like Yield. I just hope they didn't decide to take too much of a backseat to Ed in terms of the back and forth on each song. I'm hoping some of these songs were a bit more of a struggle than we've been hearing. I personally think they've done some of their best work when they have the competing inputs and find a balance.
For the record, I'm still just as excited for Backspacer as the next guy. Just thinking (typing?) out loud.
5/30/06 - Washington, DC
6/22/08 - Washington, DC
10/31/09 - Philadelphia, PA
8/5/16 - Fenway Park
Temple of the Dog - 11/5/2016 - Philadelphia, PA
7/1/2018 - Prague
7/3/2018 - Kraków
7/5/2018 - Berlin
I like Ed's solo stuff as Ed's solo stuff. Maybe The End sounds totally different with the band as opposed to solo acoustic live. Who knows.
And who says that No Code is no good? It's one of my faves! I love Habit, particularly!
But you know what, I love PJ, and I look forward to all their releases and I'm sure I'll love this one for what it is.
Fargo 2003
Winnipeg 2005
Winnipeg 2011
St. Paul 2014
The End
Speed of Sound
Just Breathe
I think that's 3 right there that he wrote on his own.
Ok don't tell us how you heard it, but give us some info we dont already know...
Why should I do that? I'm just gonna keep repeating that I have heard it and compare it to other albums and not give you any more info. I am just going to be a balance to this Jackass.
Backspacer is the single most important piece of art ever produced by a man or group of men who are alive or dead. It's better than anything Shakespeare ever produced. It's so good it's idiot proof - no idiots will be able to enjoy its genius.
Every non-douchy, non bro-ham, non cock-rock fan of pj will bow to the power of Backspacer.
Yeah, those 2 songs will really make a difference.
I think the run time works against S/T. Comatose blows and Big Wave should have never made an album, anywhere.
God damn I'm dying to hear Backspacer though.
http://www.reverbnation.com/brianzilm
Correction...i forgot about Unthought Known, and as it turns out Ed also wrote Gonna See My Friend.
So 5 of 11 songs on Backspacer are Ed songs.
And I'm guessing all the lyrics are by Ed since he has a credit on every song.
Pearl Jam bootlegs:
http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
i respectfully disagree with your logic.
it's about quality, not quantity.
what does it matter if one album is longer than another if you flat out dont like it?
i get that some people like that 'style' of songwriting, but i am certainly not one of them.
I just heard Supersonic.....clearly there is a jam in the middle of this song. :?
A jam is basically most of 10
Present tense, NAIS, immortality.....etc etc....THOSE ARE JAMS!
NOT NO 20 SECOND BRIDGE RYTHMATIC SOLO!
Backspacer is like condensed PJ. Its a shorter album, it has a more minimalist feel, and even Ed has said that there were a number of times where they trimmed the excess off of the tracks as they were working on them. So this is a PJ album for the 21st century- short, fast, and to the point. The jam in Supersonic is reflective of that. That's my two cents, but I haven't heard the whole album
agree, the songs you mention above should've been in the album instead of 3 o 4 they chose, like sleight of hand, rival or parting ways
http://www.reverbnation.com/brianzilm