Riot Act > Backspacer

pearljammer

What I am loving so much about Backspacer is that is has elements of all of PJ's good music in it. Into the Wild's contemplation and awesome tones, Self-Titled's energy, and Yield's balls to the wall rock. I even hear Eddie from the Vs. era in Johnny Guitar. That's an Eddie we haven't heard from in a while.

Like I said before, turn the volume WAY UP. you'll get it

LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun

Riot Act is good live, but Ed flat out sucks on the album, and the music isn't much better. They really fucked up the recording of that album. i made a live disk and since then, the studio album is dead to me.

Ed on Backspacer is 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000x better than Ed on RA.

i dont like ATW either. wannabe GTF.

i went from hating Sleight of Hand, to thinking it was incredible, to thinking its just pretty good because the first half is boredom set to music. the second half is bliss though.

thats all i got.

Sleep.With.Innocence

StickmanJam wrote:

You're right, GTF can't be replicated, but for me personally, I've tried to avoid drawing parallels between ATW and GTF and just enjoy it for the very good song it is.

And the Fixer does sound ten times better live (and I love the studio version) And I also love Got Some, I think it would've fit great on Binaural alongside a song like Grievance.

And no mention of Unthought known? Not digging it yet?

At first I liked it, I found myself nodding my head with it, really feeling it. But after a second and third listen I was kind of over it. It didn't really stick with me. The song seems kind of forced (almost like they are trying to do all the can to make a song epic) I don't know, I guess it's the piano.

I know you're going to think I'm crazy for not loving it, but it just didn't move me. :roll:

RD171825

I would have to disagree on the issue of Riot Act being better than Backspacer, and I do feel that Backspacer is the bands best effort since Yield.... however Amongst the Waves doesn't hold a candle to Given to Fly. There is no way that it is a better song. Given to Fly is FAR superior to Amongst the Waves.

StickmanJam

Opening Band For The Sun wrote:

Riot Act is good live, but Ed flat out sucks on the album, and the music isn't much better. They really fucked up the recording of that album. i made a live disk and since then, the studio album is dead to me.

Ed on Backspacer is 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000x better than Ed on RA.

I agree. For some reason it sounds like Ed totally phoned it on Riot Act.

I think he was going for a more, raw, unproduced sound, because I remember an old interview when RA came out where Stone said they'd play through the song to record it, and after one take, Eddie would say, "alright, that's it. that one's done." And Stone was kinda like, oh, ok.

Sleep.With.Innocence

Opening Band For The Sun wrote:

Riot Act is good live, but Ed flat out sucks on the album, and the music isn't much better. They really fucked up the recording of that album. i made a live disk and since then, the studio album is dead to me.

Ed on Backspacer is 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000x better than Ed on RA.

I think he sounds damn good on Thumbing My Way. Musically LBC and I Am Mine are beautiful.

Sleep.With.Innocence

RD171825 wrote:

I would have to disagree on the issue of Riot Act being better than Backspacer, and I do feel that Backspacer is the bands best effort since Yield.... however Amongst the Waves doesn't hold a candle to Given to Fly. There is no way that it is a better song. Given to Fly is FAR superior to Amongst the Waves.

Sorry man I just think that lyrically Backspacer can't hold a handle to Riot Act.

"And the young they can lose hope cause they don't see beyond today, the wisdom that the old can't give away."

That's wisdom that Target can't buy you.

LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun

Sleep.With.Innocence wrote:

At first I liked it, I found myself nodding my head with it, really feeling it. But after a second and third listen I was kind of over it. It didn't really stick with me. The song seems kind of forced (almost like they are trying to do all the can to make a song epic) I don't know, I guess it's the piano.

I know you're going to think I'm crazy for not loving it, but it just didn't move me. :roll:

it doesn't feel forced to me, but the lyrics, especially in the beginning, are too happy touchy feely pep talk for my cold, black heart. But i find the lyrics to Present Tense unbearably trite, too (i like the song overall though).

Once the bass kicks in UK takes off and i can enjoy it.

StickmanJam

Sleep.With.Innocence wrote:

StickmanJam wrote:

You're right, GTF can't be replicated, but for me personally, I've tried to avoid drawing parallels between ATW and GTF and just enjoy it for the very good song it is.

And the Fixer does sound ten times better live (and I love the studio version) And I also love Got Some, I think it would've fit great on Binaural alongside a song like Grievance.

And no mention of Unthought known? Not digging it yet?

At first I liked it, I found myself nodding my head with it, really feeling it. But after a second and third listen I was kind of over it. It didn't really stick with me. The song seems kind of forced (almost like they are trying to do all the can to make a song epic) I don't know, I guess it's the piano.

I know you're going to think I'm crazy for not loving it, but it just didn't move me. :roll:

Perhaps its too soon? I know I couldn't stand Binaural for a while. Now i put it up there with all their 90's albums.

and how about 1/2 on riot act? Love that tune, very bluesy and just raw sounding. Love the guitars.

LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun

Sleep.With.Innocence wrote:

RD171825 wrote:

I would have to disagree on the issue of Riot Act being better than Backspacer, and I do feel that Backspacer is the bands best effort since Yield.... however Amongst the Waves doesn't hold a candle to Given to Fly. There is no way that it is a better song. Given to Fly is FAR superior to Amongst the Waves.

Sorry man I just think that lyrically Backspacer can't hold a handle to Riot Act.

"And the young they can lose hope cause they don't see beyond today, the wisdom that the old can't give away."

That's wisdom that Target can't buy you.

dude, its called Love Boat Captain. that alone cancels out any great lyrics

but thats a good line.

pearljammer

As a diehard PJ fan, I have to ask, not just the original poster, but everyone in general... (just don't want to create too many redundant threads)... Why does every new PJ album have to be "better" or even compared with other albums?

To me, every album has engaged me differently, made me think about different things, about different parts of my life. Every album means a LOT to me, and thats 9 for 9 with countless bootlegs, miscellaneous songs and Lost Dogs as well.

Whatever it is that PJ does, I'm vibing with it.

Sleep.With.Innocence

Opening Band For The Sun wrote:

Sleep.With.Innocence wrote:

At first I liked it, I found myself nodding my head with it, really feeling it. But after a second and third listen I was kind of over it. It didn't really stick with me. The song seems kind of forced (almost like they are trying to do all the can to make a song epic) I don't know, I guess it's the piano.

I know you're going to think I'm crazy for not loving it, but it just didn't move me. :roll:

it doesn't feel forced to me, but the lyrics, especially in the beginning, are too happy touchy feely pep talk for my cold, black heart. But i find the lyrics to Present Tense unbearably trite, too (i like the song overall though).

Once the bass kicks in UK takes off and i can enjoy it.

Hmm I've always loved Present Tense. No Code is amazing in general actually.

Do you see the way that tree bends? Does it inspire? Leanin' out to catch the sun's ray, A lesson to be applied" Always thought that had a deep meaning, you know? It's Ed doing what he does best and painting a beautiful picture with words.

Sleep.With.Innocence

pearljammer wrote:

As a diehard PJ fan, I have to ask, not just the original poster, but everyone in general... (just don't want to create too many redundant threads)... Why does every new PJ album have to be "better" or even compared with other albums?

To me, every album has engaged me differently, made me think about different things, about different parts of my life. Every album means a LOT to me, and thats 9 for 9 with countless bootlegs, miscellaneous songs and Lost Dogs as well.

Whatever it is that PJ does, I'm vibing with it.

Well you have to understand that I'm probably younger than you are. I wasn't into Pearl Jam when Ten came out (I was 2 months old) I didn't get into Pearl Jam until I was 13, and by then Binaural had already came out. So I kind of had to take it all in at once, you know? That makes not comparing albums impossible.

Everyone compares albums, it's almost impossible not to. It doesn't make you any less of a fan to hold your favorite band to a standard. I like Pearl Jam because their music breaks musical barriers to me. Eddie's lyrics have depth and emotion that again can't be replicated. The only band to compare them to is themselves, because to me they are in a league of their own.

pearljammer

Backspacer has some incredible lyrics. Force of Nature is an instant classic. And Mike McCready wrote it (music-wise), which makes it FLOWTASTIC!!

One man stands alone awaiting for her to come home
Eyes above the horizon
in the dark before the
darkness leaves the dawn

Makes me ache
Makes me shake
Is it so wrong to think that
Love can keep us safe?

Not only the words, but the way they are fit around the guitar make this song fucking ROCK..

StickmanJam

Lyrically Backspacer is fantastic.

"Once outside the undertow,
just you and me and nothing more.
If not for love I would be drowning,
I've seen it work both ways.

But I am up, Riding high amongst the waves"

The power of love, at least that's how I take it.

SweetAndLow

I'm in agreement that this album is not as good as Yield, which I personally consider the best overall rock album (lyrics, musical composition and rock-out-ability) from start to finish in the last 20 years.

For me, the best Pearl Jam stretch that I compare everything else to is "Vitalogy", "No Code" and "Yield", and none of the last few albums come close to those ones. But that's just me. Someone else out there is gonna think nothing will ever top "Ten" and another will think "Backspacer", the avocado/self-titled album and Riot Act album are the best things since sliced bread.

All that said, I think:

the best song on the album is Unthought Known.

For all the talk about The End and Ed's vocals on it nearly breaking and it being a tear-jerker of a song, Thumbing My Way and Nothingman remain the only PJ songs that make me choke up.

I love The Fixer live more than studio version.

I love Got Some more than Conan debut (and will continue to say, knowing full well I'll continue to be flogged for saying it, that it totally rips off Devo's excellent "Gut Feeling")

Really dig the guitar burst at the end of "Force of Nature"

I can't stop singing a few verses from "Just Breathe" with the uh-huh parts.

Ditto for the Supersonic chorus.

Gonna See My Friend is a damn good album opener.

Sleep.With.Innocence

pearljammer wrote:

Backspacer has some incredible lyrics. Force of Nature is an instant classic. And Mike McCready wrote it (music-wise), which makes it FLOWTASTIC!!

One man stands alone awaiting for her to come home
Eyes above the horizon
in the dark before the
darkness leaves the dawn

Makes me ache
Makes me shake
Is it so wrong to think that
Love can keep us safe?

Not only the words, but the way they are fit around the guitar make this song fucking ROCK..

It is flowtastic, and it sure is poppy..

I can't express it really, but the piano just doesn't fit in Pearl Jam songs with me. Again this sounds more like a U2 song then a Pearl Jam song.

Take out the piano and I'm sure I'll love it! I love every bit of Got Some, I hate listening to Force of Nature and having to "tune out" certain parts.

You can call it being close minded, but to me it just doesn't musically mesh well. (I know you probably think I'm smoking crack.)

I_GOT_no_IDea

pearljammer wrote:

As a diehard PJ fan, I have to ask, not just the original poster, but everyone in general... (just don't want to create too many redundant threads)... Why does every new PJ album have to be "better" or even compared with other albums?

To me, every album has engaged me differently, made me think about different things, about different parts of my life. Every album means a LOT to me, and thats 9 for 9 with countless bootlegs, miscellaneous songs and Lost Dogs as well.

Whatever it is that PJ does, I'm vibing with it.

you are so sensible pearljammer - i hear ya buddy.

here's my 2 cents:
comparing the albums and songs to previous ones is a pointless exercise. it's such a personal thing as to what is floating one's boat at that particular point in time. people get so caught up in wanting everyone to agree with their point of view that they forget the simple beauty of different songs doing it for different people. i love that pearl jam songs that i hate are some people's favourites - it always strikes me. no album or song can possibly be everyone's favourite, as if that were so we'd all have to be brainwashed robots who've been subjected to the same teachings and experiences. pearl jam are very clever in that different albums and songs have a completely different character. i happen to adore this album if anyone cares, but i don't expect others to care and i don't care if they care.
... there you go

Sleep.With.Innocence

StickmanJam wrote:

Lyrically Backspacer is fantastic.

"Once outside the undertow,
just you and me and nothing more.
If not for love I would be drowning,
I've seen it work both ways.

But I am up, Riding high amongst the waves"

The power of love, at least that's how I take it.

That's exactly what it's about, and it's a beautiful line.

Lyrically it's a solid record, but what do you expect from Eddie Vedder? That's what he does best.

But musically it doesn't stick with me.

yield2me

Sleep.With.Innocence wrote:

There, I said it. Seems like the more I read these boards the more I see people getting destroyed for not liking Backspacer. NEWSFLASH, it's not the best thing since Yield.

I saw someone early say that Amongst The Waves was the next Given to Fly. :shock:

Just because you don't think Backspacer is the best thing since sliced bread doesn't make you any less of a fan. I see this shit on the board over and over again "They aren't going to remake Ten, so get over it." <-- Calm all that crap down.

I like Backspacer, it's a solid record, but I don't love it. It has it's glaring weaknesses (in my opinion) But hey, just because don't like it as much as you doesn't mean I'm any less of a fan. It just means we have a different musical taste, get over it.

It's a very poppy record, it screams mainstream. It will sell a butt load of records, but that's okay because that's what the band wants (to appeal to the mainstream) if you don't believe me watch ESPN.

I don't like the piano in any of it, I feel as if the orchestra add on kills the end of "The End". Speed of Sound would be much better with if it didn't have so many records. I LOVED the demo, highly dissapointed with all the extra "stuff" in it.

Sorry, I'm a Pearl Jam fan and I was somewhat dissapointed with Backspacer, shoot me.

I think every post you've made over the last few days has been negative towards Backspacer. Did you really need to make a thread about your feelings as well toward the album? I'm pretty sure everyone knows you don't like it, that's fine, now move along...