Backspacer Review...for fans by a fan
U R A Crazy Breed
Posts: 8,370
I have always thought that reviews were irrelevant…..I mean it’s just one persons opinion, no matter how much they know about music it is always clouded by their personal tastes. But posting a review here is different in the sense that we get to have other fans give us feedback…sharing their thoughts & feelings…so i thought “screw it” I’m going to do a review..for fans by a fan!
Let me start by first saying when I first heard The Fixer I wasn’t too thrilled with it (many of you may remember my “so…you like bubblegum pop?” thread that started a mini shit storm around here when The Fixer single first dropped.
) So I started to think negative thoughts “If this is the first single…wtf is the rest of this thing going to sound like?” and I had to quickly stop myself…I said self….when have these guys put out a shit album? NEVER!! There are songs on other albums I skip..not many..but they do exist…so I decided I wasn’t going to have any preconceived notions about what I thought this album was going to sound like..or what I thought it should sound like (I prefer dark/deep/thought provoking music, the kind they have made in the past..it’s my cup of tea you could say)
Anyone who is a political minded person knows that you need to step away from the bullshit in this world and have some care-free fun to regain your sanity…I feel that this is what this album is….at least to me…..so with an open mind I threw in the CD and began my musical journey…
1 Gonna see my friend
A good old fashioned rocker with a catchy chorus…nothing extra special about it…just a decent, solid rock song (and the one I will sing when I’m on my way to my weed man’s house)
2 Got Some
We all stayed up late to watch Conan’s Tonight Show debut and were treated to this song….a punky fast paced rocker that kind of reminds me of Save You, the way it flows. From semi-slow to Fast & Furious! Love it!
3 The Fixer
What can I say….didn’t like it when I first heard it…..not my favorite now either…but it has grown on me and I don’t skip it when it comes on….once I see it live in Philly I’m sure I’ll like it even more. (It’s def been fun parodying the lyrics with you all!
) We all know this song well so I won’t go into it further.
4 Johnny Guitar
Had I not prepared myself to be open minded I might not have liked this one….but I do like it! It’s not the lyrics or even the music..i just really like the way Ed spits it! It’s just a good solid rocker and I am looking forward to this one live as well…..I think most of you have read that Ed got the idea for the song from an Album cover that was hung near a urinal in the studio bathroom…inspiration can come from the funniest places!!
5 Just Breath
WOW!! This one is just amazing! It’s my favorite song on the album and I don’t mind telling you I tear up almost every time I listen to it! An ITW left over that I’m glad didn’t get tucked away and forgot about…with a guitar picking pattern similar to Guaranteed and some of the best lyrics on the album IMO…this one just blew me away! Being a HUGE fan of the ITW soundtrack I took to this song like I had been listening to it all my life! BRAVO Ed!!! This song is now in my top 10 Pearl Jam songs of all time…it’s just that beautiful.
6 Amongst The Waves
This is one of those songs you listen to when you’re in a shitty mood and it just lifts your spirits!!Probably my second favorite song on the album…I call this one Alive Part II…..I don’t care what Ed said….this song is about him….we have watched him go from the introverted, reluctant, on the edge rocker from back in the day….to what appears to be a happy and very content family man…He put away his early grave and feels like a soul that has been saved! We have all grown with you Ed, over the years, and I know I speak for all of us when I say it does my heart good to see you enjoying life now!….and…great fucking song!!
7 Unthought known
Someone said this song is like a wave…..building and building before it crashes….they were right! This one starts slow and gains momentum till Ed declares “Feel the sky blanket you, with gems and rhinestones!!”(Damn I love that part) This is the closest you’ll ever get to a Rock ‘n Roll lullaby! (I guess I just pictured him singing it to his daughter) Just another great song that I can’t wait to see live!! Another uplifting song that inspires you to celebrate life! (at least it does for me)
8 Supersonic
This is a simple Rock tune that reminds my of The Clash…a kind of Punk slash Rock mix…..I have a wide range of musical taste so even though this isn’t my favorite kind of song, I’ll be damned if this bitch isn’t catchy as hell…it grew on me real quick and I likes it!!
9 Speed of Sound
This song was first released as the “EV demo version”. If you collected all the Backspacer images all over the net you were rewarded with this song….and I fell in love with it! I assume this is another ITW leftover and of course that means I was drawn in from the second I pressed play…..that is until I heard the “full band version”!! WTF happened?!!! Sorry Brendon but you seriously dropped the ball on this one dude!! I don’t know if it was because you already had 2 slow acoustic type songs that you felt inclined or obligated to “spice this one up”…but you destroyed one of the best songs on the album with a very generic drum trac (that sounds like it came from a Casio keyboard) and turned it into a fucking shitty lounge act type song!! This is my only bitch concerning this album, but it’s a big one!! I have deleted the Album version from my iPod and replaced it with the solo version….i never want to hear the album version ever again!….this will be MY pee break song.(unless Ed busts it out solo….maybe as a preset?)
10 Force of Nature
I know a lot of people love this song but I’m not overly taken by it…..not that it’s a bad song…I’m just not feeling it right now…..my wife loves it, and she has good taste (hey she married me! ) so I have been trying to give it another chance…..i think it will grow on me in time like so many other PJ songs have…..but right now it’s just a “so-so” song IMO. This is my least favorite on the album next to the speed of sound debacle.
11 The End
Where do I start? This is another beautiful, tear inducing ballad that will tug the shit out of your heartstrings!! Just the emotion in which Ed sings this song is enough to move you but then you add the great lyrics and man…….another fucking GEM!!! You want to write a love song for your wife/girl but not come off sappy? Ed is running a fucking clinic on this album!! I love this song! And much like the album itself, it’s short but oh-so sweet.
Scream up from the bottom of the well Ed…I hear you…I hear you!!
These songs in the hands of lesser musicians might make for a forgettable album…but PJ has taken us to another level yet again…..they make it so easy to be a fan! I Love this band!!!
And there you have it folks….BACKSPACER…the album we have all waited 3 years for and I must say……it was defiantly worth the wait!
• I heard some fool say that the band was getting old and running out of creative juice and that this album sucked…….buddy…you couldn’t be more wrong. There is plenty of fuel left in their tank and I will be hitching a ride for many years to come.
Mr. Vedder……you have amazed me once again and I stand here basking in your brilliance….thank you for all the years you have enriched my life with your music.
Much love to you & the whole band!
Thank you all for reading my ramblings.
PEACE~
Erik “U R A Crazy Breed”
Let me start by first saying when I first heard The Fixer I wasn’t too thrilled with it (many of you may remember my “so…you like bubblegum pop?” thread that started a mini shit storm around here when The Fixer single first dropped.
) So I started to think negative thoughts “If this is the first single…wtf is the rest of this thing going to sound like?” and I had to quickly stop myself…I said self….when have these guys put out a shit album? NEVER!! There are songs on other albums I skip..not many..but they do exist…so I decided I wasn’t going to have any preconceived notions about what I thought this album was going to sound like..or what I thought it should sound like (I prefer dark/deep/thought provoking music, the kind they have made in the past..it’s my cup of tea you could say)Anyone who is a political minded person knows that you need to step away from the bullshit in this world and have some care-free fun to regain your sanity…I feel that this is what this album is….at least to me…..so with an open mind I threw in the CD and began my musical journey…
1 Gonna see my friend
A good old fashioned rocker with a catchy chorus…nothing extra special about it…just a decent, solid rock song (and the one I will sing when I’m on my way to my weed man’s house)
2 Got Some
We all stayed up late to watch Conan’s Tonight Show debut and were treated to this song….a punky fast paced rocker that kind of reminds me of Save You, the way it flows. From semi-slow to Fast & Furious! Love it!
3 The Fixer
What can I say….didn’t like it when I first heard it…..not my favorite now either…but it has grown on me and I don’t skip it when it comes on….once I see it live in Philly I’m sure I’ll like it even more. (It’s def been fun parodying the lyrics with you all!
) We all know this song well so I won’t go into it further.4 Johnny Guitar
Had I not prepared myself to be open minded I might not have liked this one….but I do like it! It’s not the lyrics or even the music..i just really like the way Ed spits it! It’s just a good solid rocker and I am looking forward to this one live as well…..I think most of you have read that Ed got the idea for the song from an Album cover that was hung near a urinal in the studio bathroom…inspiration can come from the funniest places!!
5 Just Breath
WOW!! This one is just amazing! It’s my favorite song on the album and I don’t mind telling you I tear up almost every time I listen to it! An ITW left over that I’m glad didn’t get tucked away and forgot about…with a guitar picking pattern similar to Guaranteed and some of the best lyrics on the album IMO…this one just blew me away! Being a HUGE fan of the ITW soundtrack I took to this song like I had been listening to it all my life! BRAVO Ed!!! This song is now in my top 10 Pearl Jam songs of all time…it’s just that beautiful.
6 Amongst The Waves
This is one of those songs you listen to when you’re in a shitty mood and it just lifts your spirits!!Probably my second favorite song on the album…I call this one Alive Part II…..I don’t care what Ed said….this song is about him….we have watched him go from the introverted, reluctant, on the edge rocker from back in the day….to what appears to be a happy and very content family man…He put away his early grave and feels like a soul that has been saved! We have all grown with you Ed, over the years, and I know I speak for all of us when I say it does my heart good to see you enjoying life now!….and…great fucking song!!
7 Unthought known
Someone said this song is like a wave…..building and building before it crashes….they were right! This one starts slow and gains momentum till Ed declares “Feel the sky blanket you, with gems and rhinestones!!”(Damn I love that part) This is the closest you’ll ever get to a Rock ‘n Roll lullaby! (I guess I just pictured him singing it to his daughter) Just another great song that I can’t wait to see live!! Another uplifting song that inspires you to celebrate life! (at least it does for me)
8 Supersonic
This is a simple Rock tune that reminds my of The Clash…a kind of Punk slash Rock mix…..I have a wide range of musical taste so even though this isn’t my favorite kind of song, I’ll be damned if this bitch isn’t catchy as hell…it grew on me real quick and I likes it!!
9 Speed of Sound
This song was first released as the “EV demo version”. If you collected all the Backspacer images all over the net you were rewarded with this song….and I fell in love with it! I assume this is another ITW leftover and of course that means I was drawn in from the second I pressed play…..that is until I heard the “full band version”!! WTF happened?!!! Sorry Brendon but you seriously dropped the ball on this one dude!! I don’t know if it was because you already had 2 slow acoustic type songs that you felt inclined or obligated to “spice this one up”…but you destroyed one of the best songs on the album with a very generic drum trac (that sounds like it came from a Casio keyboard) and turned it into a fucking shitty lounge act type song!! This is my only bitch concerning this album, but it’s a big one!! I have deleted the Album version from my iPod and replaced it with the solo version….i never want to hear the album version ever again!….this will be MY pee break song.(unless Ed busts it out solo….maybe as a preset?)
10 Force of Nature
I know a lot of people love this song but I’m not overly taken by it…..not that it’s a bad song…I’m just not feeling it right now…..my wife loves it, and she has good taste (hey she married me!
) so I have been trying to give it another chance…..i think it will grow on me in time like so many other PJ songs have…..but right now it’s just a “so-so” song IMO. This is my least favorite on the album next to the speed of sound debacle.11 The End
Where do I start? This is another beautiful, tear inducing ballad that will tug the shit out of your heartstrings!! Just the emotion in which Ed sings this song is enough to move you but then you add the great lyrics and man…….another fucking GEM!!! You want to write a love song for your wife/girl but not come off sappy? Ed is running a fucking clinic on this album!! I love this song! And much like the album itself, it’s short but oh-so sweet.
Scream up from the bottom of the well Ed…I hear you…I hear you!!
These songs in the hands of lesser musicians might make for a forgettable album…but PJ has taken us to another level yet again…..they make it so easy to be a fan! I Love this band!!!
And there you have it folks….BACKSPACER…the album we have all waited 3 years for and I must say……it was defiantly worth the wait!
• I heard some fool say that the band was getting old and running out of creative juice and that this album sucked…….buddy…you couldn’t be more wrong. There is plenty of fuel left in their tank and I will be hitching a ride for many years to come.
Mr. Vedder……you have amazed me once again and I stand here basking in your brilliance….thank you for all the years you have enriched my life with your music.
Much love to you & the whole band!
Thank you all for reading my ramblings.
PEACE~
Erik “U R A Crazy Breed”
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
I'm not a fan of Force of Nature either, it just seems so-so like you said. Not a bad song just I get the feeling it could have been more.
Lots of great songs on this ablum though!
Btw...Force of Nature is awesome
9/24/96 MD. 9/28/96 Randalls. 8/28-29/98 Camden. 9/8/98 NJ. 9/18/98 MD. 9/1-2/00 Camden. 9/4/00 MD. 4/28/03 Philly. 7/5-6/03 Camden. 9/30/05 AC.
10/3/05 Philly. 5/27-28/06 Camden. 6/23/06 Pitt. 6/19-20/08 Camden. 6/24/08 MSG. 8/7/08 EV Newark, NJ. 6/11-12/09 EV Philly, PA. 10/27-28-30-31/09 Philly, PA., 5/15/10 Hartford,5/17/10 Boston, 5/18/10 Newark, 5/20-21/10 MSG
I agree.
2010 - Newark 5/18 MSG 5/21
2011 - PJ20 9/3-9/4
2012 - MIA Festival 9/2
2013 - Wrigley Field 7/19 Brooklyn 10/18-10/19 Philly 10/22
2015 - Colbert show - 9/23 Global Citizens Festival 9/26
2016 - Philly 4/28-4/29 MSG 5/1-5/2
well....you are obviously a man/woman of great taste!
After all, it has lasers and lasers fucking rule.
BOS-9/28/04,9/29/04,6/28/08,6/30/08, 9/5/16, 9/7/16, 9/2/18
MTL-9/15/05, OTT-9/16/05
PHL-5/27/06,5/28/06,10/30/09,10/31/09
CHI-8/2/07,8/5/07,8/23/09,8/24/09
HTFD-6/27/08
ATX-10/4/09, 10/12/14
KC-5/3/2010,STL-5/4/2010
Bridge School-10/23/2010,10/24/2010
PJ20-9/3/2011,9/4/2011
OKC-11/16/13
SEA-12/6/13
TUL-10/8/14
I stopped reading right here because it's so true
Pearl Jam bootlegs:
http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
well you should of kept going and you would of seen the other good point that i made.
i tend to agree with you on a lot of the subjects we "discuss" here on the board, so I'm glad to hear that you like the album that much.
i'll come back to this thread to let you know what i agree with or disagree with after i get mine.
it better fuckin' be in my mailbox tomorrow !!! :twisted:
"To question your government is not unpatriotic --
to not question your government is unpatriotic."
-- Sen. Chuck Hagel
Wolf my man!...i know you're going to dig it!
I look forward to hearing what you think of Backspacer.
Speed of Sound was killed the second the forced drums kicked in. WTF was that all about? It might've stood a chance if I had never heard the demo version. Major fail on that one.
Just Breathe is simply fantastic. Way better than the promo vid hinted at.
Overall, it's a solid effort, but it's going to take a few more listens before I can make any more judgments.
yeah.....i don't know wtf happened to SOS...and who the fuck listened to the "final version" and said "let's go with that!"......it sounds like fucking Lawrence Welk produced it....while on a crack binge!!....and it sticks out even worse because (i feel) all the other songs were produced masterfully!
Tampa 00'
West Palm Beach 03'
House of Blues 03'
Tampa 03'
Kissimmee 04'
West Palm Beach 08'
Tampa 08'
Eddie Vedder Clearwater both nights 2012
the more you listen the more you fall in love
1. I think the Speed of Sound "full band version" kicks ass.
2. I think Force of Nature kicks even more ass.
just curious....do you have the demo version?
"Promise only what you can deliver. Then deliver more than you promise."
--Anonymous
The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them. -Patrick Henry, revolutionary (1736-1799)
they will by tomorrow!
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XF7GGNTV
Pearl Jam bootlegs:
http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
Yeah i do. And I love it, but I really like the full band version as well. The song being more upbeat makes it more enjoyable to listen to in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I love the demo version, but I think they just decided to pick it up a notch on the album since they already have Just Breathe and The End as slower songs.
Have you come around to Force of Nature yet?
Waiting for the album has its benefits.
yes....i love it now too! i still hate full band version of SOS...but i love the demo...so this whole fucking album is just awesome!! which makes me very happy....i don't like being upset at my fav band!
nice job crazy breed
a excellent opportunity to thank the band for another amazing musical journey,
the best band in the the world