Riot Act > Backspacer

Hammerdonkey

The band seems to have a lot of peace in their lives now and the songs reflect that.

Plus, these guys are in their 40's. Hell, Jeff is 70. It would be ridiculous for them to attempt another Vs. or Vitalogy. They don't seem to force it like maybe a band like Tool does. They make music that's relevant to where they are in their stage of life. One day, someone will be listening to MJK and go "holy shit....does this guy realize he has grandchildren?"

Be true to thy self or go fuck thy self.

JordyWordy

Hammerdonkey wrote:

Hell, Jeff is 70.

I_GOT_no_IDea

Hammerdonkey wrote:

Hell, Jeff is 70.

Be true to thy self or go fuck thy self.

Some funny shit right there

I_GOT_no_IDea

JordyWordy wrote:

I_GOT_no_IDea wrote:

I've had a similar experience with Backspacer to you dude - i'd say exactly the same thing about not having clicked with a PJ album immediately since Yield! it's so refreshing to have a straight-up collection of great songs, with no filler, and no songs that would be great except for having been deliberately sabotaged by added weirdness. an example of one of those songs for me would be help help - a fantastic song that's just hard for me to listen to because of the weird high-pitched added vocal track. the rest of that song i love, but i can't enjoy the whole thing. with backspacer, there's nothing distracting about the songs - a lot of people will say and have said that this is showing a lack of creativity, but for me (and many others i'm sure) it shows that PJ are over trying to be challenging to the ear for the sake of it - content instead to rock the fuck out old school.

Yeah thats pretty much it exactly. I like the weirdness, but having something i can digest quickly but still is very strong material is a welcome change in a PJ album. like has been said earlier, at least each album gets a surprised/mixed reaction from fans. If it was the "same old PJ" then it would lose it's appeal i guess.

Brendan O'Brien was given much more input on this album, i think that's probably the main reason there's not as much weirdness in it. All the old stories about how the band wanted to keep the edginess / inaccesibility in the older BO'B albums starts to make sense now. like how BO'B wanted to make Better Man more poppy, or the lead single. Thats pretty much whats happened here with The Fixer, except the band didnt fight him on it this time.

If O'Brien had his way, Vitalogy could've sounded more similar to this! thats a weird thought...

true that - i think it's a great thing at this stage of the game to have B O'B back on board and having more input into the final production. for those that don't love it, who knows - maybe (/most likely) they'll change it up again on the next one and throw a few left turns in there to create an album that'll please those that go in for that sort of thing. that's the beauty of PJ - the albums all have their own identity and character. listening to this album i remember what got me into the band in the first place, especially when i listen to amongst the waves. i know it's not everyone's favourite track and that's of little consequence but it just really strikes a beautiful and stirring and nostalgic chord with me. i'm loving the singability of backspacer - gonna be so good live methinks.

EP1973

Art is art....and every album PJ has released is just expression, and I don't think they give a rat's ass whether anyone as an individual likes the music or not...and they shouldn't cuz they are the artists here. How great would any artist be if they painted the same picture, carved the same sculpture, or made the same album OVER AND OVER AND OVER? I think the thing that has enabled PJ to endure is the fact that with each album released, we as fans get a new sound to go with all their earlier material. I can respect that.

Sleep.With.Innocence

So now that I feel the new album buzz has wore off I'd like to restate the fact that I like riot act a lot better than backspacer.

Got some kicks ass, and unthought known is a pretty solid song too, but everything else just seems to forced. Riot act seemed pure, they were trying to make a record that was true to themselves, and they succeeded. Backspacer sounds like I forced pop record. It'd make a great train record, I just don't like my soundgarden to sound like train.

And no, I'm not less of a fan for not liking backspacer, I just don't think everything they write is gold. (but just for the record I'm rocking fatal right now and it's pure gold!)

Hatfield78

Sleep.With.Innocence wrote:

So now that I feel the new album buzz has wore off I'd like to restate the fact that I like riot act a lot better than backspacer.

Got some kicks ass, and unthought known is a pretty solid song too, but everything else just seems to forced. Riot act seemed pure, they were trying to make a record that was true to themselves, and they succeeded. Backspacer sounds like I forced pop record. It'd make a great train record, I just don't like my soundgarden to sound like train.

And no, I'm not less of a fan for not liking backspacer, I just don't think everything they write is gold. (but just for the record I'm rocking fatal right now and it's pure gold!)

Just for curiosity, which songs on Riot Act do you love? I enjoy the record too, eventhough I think it could have been better. ( a couple tracks too many and Ed's vocal delivery/lyrics) "Love is a tower and you're the key"..."Love Boat Captain take the reigns and steer us towards the clear"..."I never knew soap made you taller"... on the other hand it has some of my favorite lyrics and songs: Green Disease, 1/2 Full...

I don't know why this has to be a fight. It is all Pearl Jam.

Yellow Bedwetter

NO.
pLaIn & sImPlE

yosi

Sleep.With.Innocence wrote:

So now that I feel the new album buzz has wore off I'd like to restate the fact that I like riot act a lot better than backspacer.

Got some kicks ass, and unthought known is a pretty solid song too, but everything else just seems to forced. Riot act seemed pure, they were trying to make a record that was true to themselves, and they succeeded. Backspacer sounds like I forced pop record. It'd make a great train record, I just don't like my soundgarden to sound like train.

And no, I'm not less of a fan for not liking backspacer, I just don't think everything they write is gold. (but just for the record I'm rocking fatal right now and it's pure gold!)

I still totally agree. Riot Act is just pure brilliance.

High Fidelity 2000

Sleep.With.Innocence wrote:

There, I said it.

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 completely agree with you. Maybe not on the Riot Act part... although overall I do LIKE Riot Act (don't LOVE it). I like Ghost & Green Disease more than just about every "rocker" on Backspacer (maybe not Got Some... that one has totally grown on me since the album came out).

Unthought Known is a poor man's Love Boat Captain. The riff at the beginning is very similar, and the only difference is that UK doesn't have any changes on the chorus, it's the same progression through pretty much the entire song. I just don't get why everyone is gaga over that song. I'm not saying everyone is wrong, *I* just don't get it.

The piano on everything is SO overkill. And the orchestra is so cheesy. The 70s sounding organ on Force of Nature reminds me of Chef's Chocolate Salty Balls on South Park everytime it comes in on the 2nd verse. Cheese, man. Riot Act was mumbly and kinda muddy, but it wasn't drowned out by piano on every song and overproduced.

Ledbetterman10

High Fidelity 2000 wrote:

Sleep.With.Innocence wrote:

There, I said it.

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 completely agree with you. Maybe not on the Riot Act part... although overall I do LIKE Riot Act (don't LOVE it). I like Ghost & Green Disease more than just about every "rocker" on Backspacer (maybe not Got Some... that one has totally grown on me since the album came out).

Unthought Known is a poor man's Love Boat Captain. The riff at the beginning is very similar, and the only difference is that UK doesn't have any changes on the chorus, it's the same progression through pretty much the entire song. I just don't get why everyone is gaga over that song. I'm not saying everyone is wrong, *I* just don't get it.

The piano on everything is SO overkill. And the orchestra is so cheesy. The 70s sounding organ on Force of Nature reminds me of Chef's Chocolate Salty Balls on South Park everytime it comes in on the 2nd verse. Cheese, man. Riot Act was mumbly and kinda muddy, but it wasn't drowned out by piano on every song and overproduced.

I agree with all of this with the exception of the string quartets on Just Breathe and The End. I'm not saying that this was great....but imagine how boring those songs would be if it was just Eddie and his guitar. Or even worse, they could have overdone them with crappy overdubs like they did with Speed of Sound.

yield2me

I'm glad that people are showing RA some love, good for you. You're absolutely and totally WRONG that RA > B/S but I respect your opinion anyway. For me, RA took a very very long time to like and I do like it. However, I think RA has some of the worst songs that PJ has ever written along some really great songs as well so RA ends up being just a so so album in my opinion due to the terrible songs like help help, ghost etc. On the flipside of that you have B/S that I completely loved the first time I heard it.

The progression of the bands sound through the years and their life experiences have brought them to the point where they can make an album like B/S and it shows in the record. Every song on B/S is really well done and it's the album they needed to make at this point in their career. If you've seen them live lately, they're happier than they've ever been and seem to really be just enjoying life. I think it's great, and I'm loving the vibe that the band is putting out there now with the more upbeat stuff. The sad, dark, politically motivated music was getting old and I think if they had done another album like RA this time, it might have been their last. Instead, they've recharged themselves and I think we'll be seeing more great music from PJ for a long time.

PlayDeep

StickmanJam wrote:

You know what, people are allowed to have those opinions, just like you're allowed to say Riot Act is better than Backspacer.

If someone is saying Amongst the Waves is comparable to Given to Fly for them, why should you act shocked? It's their opinion, and to them, its is comparable.

Just like for you, you say its getting crazy with people saying its PJ's best since Yield, it's also getting annoying seeing the people who don't dig Backspacer trying to shit in the cheerios of those that do.

To each their own.

I happen to love Backspacer. That is my opinion. And I also think it's their best since Yield/Binaural. Again, my opinion.

Hear hear!!

I_GOT_no_IDea

PlayDeep wrote:

StickmanJam wrote:

You know what, people are allowed to have those opinions, just like you're allowed to say Riot Act is better than Backspacer.

If someone is saying Amongst the Waves is comparable to Given to Fly for them, why should you act shocked? It's their opinion, and to them, its is comparable.

Just like for you, you say its getting crazy with people saying its PJ's best since Yield, it's also getting annoying seeing the people who don't dig Backspacer trying to shit in the cheerios of those that do.

To each their own.

I happen to love Backspacer. That is my opinion. And I also think it's their best since Yield/Binaural. Again, my opinion.

Hear hear!!

+1

Sleep.With.Innocence

Hatfield78 wrote:

Sleep.With.Innocence wrote:

So now that I feel the new album buzz has wore off I'd like to restate the fact that I like riot act a lot better than backspacer.

Got some kicks ass, and unthought known is a pretty solid song too, but everything else just seems to forced. Riot act seemed pure, they were trying to make a record that was true to themselves, and they succeeded. Backspacer sounds like I forced pop record. It'd make a great train record, I just don't like my soundgarden to sound like train.

And no, I'm not less of a fan for not liking backspacer, I just don't think everything they write is gold. (but just for the record I'm rocking fatal right now and it's pure gold!)

Just for curiosity, which songs on Riot Act do you love? I enjoy the record too, eventhough I think it could have been better. ( a couple tracks too many and Ed's vocal delivery/lyrics) "Love is a tower and you're the key"..."Love Boat Captain take the reigns and steer us towards the clear"..."I never knew soap made you taller"... on the other hand it has some of my favorite lyrics and songs: Green Disease, 1/2 Full...

I don't know why this has to be a fight. It is all Pearl Jam.

Thumbing My Way, I am Mine, LBC, Save You, You Are, Green Disease.

Thumbing My Way and LBC both have a firm spot in my top ten, and as a Pearl Jam fan you know all so well that your top ten favorite change every week.

Sleep.With.Innocence

yield2me wrote:

I'm glad that people are showing RA some love, good for you. You're absolutely and totally WRONG that RA > B/S but I respect your opinion anyway. For me, RA took a very very long time to like and I do like it. However, I think RA has some of the worst songs that PJ has ever written along some really great songs as well so RA ends up being just a so so album in my opinion due to the terrible songs like help help, ghost etc. On the flipside of that you have B/S that I completely loved the first time I heard it.

The progression of the bands sound through the years and their life experiences have brought them to the point where they can make an album like B/S and it shows in the record. Every song on B/S is really well done and it's the album they needed to make at this point in their career. If you've seen them live lately, they're happier than they've ever been and seem to really be just enjoying life. I think it's great, and I'm loving the vibe that the band is putting out there now with the more upbeat stuff. The sad, dark, politically motivated music was getting old and I think if they had done another album like RA this time, it might have been their last. Instead, they've recharged themselves and I think we'll be seeing more great music from PJ for a long time.

Silly yield2me, and opinion can't be right or wrong.

"There's no wrong or right.." only good and bad.

Kilgore_Trout

been away for awhile but had to come out of hiding for this one

AMEN brotha!

RIOT ACT!!!

especially this time of year... its totally a fall album in my opinion... just had it on the other day

backspacer has grown on me alot since i first got it but it still isnt something ill go out of my way to listen to a decade from now

continue conversation... play nice
ill be back when the backspacer honeymoon is over

i shit and i stink

NEWSFLASH... :roll:

this is such a pointless and inappropriate comparison.

Riot Act is a alomst an hour long and is a crooked, misshapen beast with that hammers away - albeit in slightly different ways - about the Bush administration. It's political rock music with a dark soul and a lot of Roskilde influencing the lyrics, too.

Backspacer is a tight, upbeat pop record which is intended to be enjoyed and nothing more.

It is comparing chalk and cheese.

Personally, I prefer listening to Backspacer right now as it is newer and fresher... and yes, Amongst The Waves is pretty much on a par with Given To Fly.

There, I said it. :roll:

dimitrispearljam

i love them both..but BINAURAL is better than riot act and backspacer together

soulsinging

High Fidelity 2000 wrote:

I completely agree with you. Maybe not on the Riot Act part... although overall I do LIKE Riot Act (don't LOVE it). I like Ghost & Green Disease more than just about every "rocker" on Backspacer (maybe not Got Some... that one has totally grown on me since the album came out).

Unthought Known is a poor man's Love Boat Captain. The riff at the beginning is very similar, and the only difference is that UK doesn't have any changes on the chorus, it's the same progression through pretty much the entire song. I just don't get why everyone is gaga over that song. I'm not saying everyone is wrong, *I* just don't get it.

The piano on everything is SO overkill. And the orchestra is so cheesy. The 70s sounding organ on Force of Nature reminds me of Chef's Chocolate Salty Balls on South Park everytime it comes in on the 2nd verse. Cheese, man. Riot Act was mumbly and kinda muddy, but it wasn't drowned out by piano on every song and overproduced.

interesting, becos i thought unthought known was everything lbc tried to be and failed. you want to talk about cheese? how about the organ and lyrics to lbc? the piano on backspacer is such an improvement. the whole album is livelier and more passionate than anything on riot act.

backspacer is the first album where the band seems relaxed and comfortable since matt cameron joined. if any album sounds forced, it's riot act. and to the guy above that said he doesnt want his soundgarden to sound like train... you do realize backspacer is a pearl jam album not a soundgarden album right?