I DONT GET IT

phillyjam

I just don't get it!! For all of the people that don't like this album, what exactly don't you like. The awesome drumming, the great lyrics, the way the songs make you feel alive, the fact that other people besides pearl jam dorks like ourselves are liking the album. WHAT WHAT WHAT?? What kind of songs do you like from Pearl Jam so that I know what you're looking for. Again I've been a one man promotion machine, letting coworkers, friends, parents listen who normally wouldn't and they love it. The exact quote from my teaching partner a 45 year old woman with three daughters, "I can't stop playing this album especially 2,3 5-7, and 10-11. My brother said he gives it rave reviews, someone whose skeptical and said usually on a Pearl Jam album I like 2 or 3 songs but this one everyone is either solid or awesome. Another friend a huge Phish follower hands me their new C.D. to listen to and says, " I'll warn you it's not quite as good as an album as Backspacer. " She's seen Phish like 30 times. I don't get what you don't like about the album. Please enlighten me. What do you want more albums with Help Help or Ghost. C'mon

vic in T.O.

Nobody will ever be satisfied on this board.......i absolutely love it and think its their best work since binaural or maybe even yield!

vic in T.O.

Oh and i have also had friends who dont really have a great liking to the band say it is a very good album.

Ledbetterman10

phillyjam wrote:

I just don't get it!! For all of the people that don't like this album, what exactly don't you like. The awesome drumming, the great lyrics, the way the songs make you feel alive, the fact that other people besides pearl jam dorks like ourselves are liking the album. WHAT WHAT WHAT?? What kind of songs do you like from Pearl Jam so that I know what you're looking for. Again I've been a one man promotion machine, letting coworkers, friends, parents listen who normally wouldn't and they love it. The exact quote from my teaching partner a 45 year old woman with three daughters, "I can't stop playing this album especially 2,3 5-7, and 10-11. My brother said he gives it rave reviews, someone whose skeptical and said usually on a Pearl Jam album I like 2 or 3 songs but this one everyone is either solid or awesome. Another friend a huge Phish follower hands me their new C.D. to listen to and says, " I'll warn you it's not quite as good as an album as Backspacer. " She's seen Phish like 30 times. I don't get what you don't like about the album. Please enlighten me. What do you want more albums with Help Help or Ghost. C'mon

I find myself totally zoning out when I try to listen to it.

But I really like that picture in the artwork where the band members are hooked up to the brain.

phillyjam

I see your from Toronto. I want to say to you Torontians, we travelled from Philly to see Pearl Jam a month ago up there and you rock. The nicest people. Boom

Backspacer_Backer

i love backspacer, but you have to admit it's very different than what you normally get from PJ.

some people don't necessarily like that. don't get upset, maybe this is the PJ album that we'll look back on in 20 years and say it was the record that helped them re-expand their fan base, kind of a non-fanatic's album. i'm sure some of the naysayers will eventually come around. some won't. i personally can't stop listening to it. i've purchased three copies - one for car, one for home (garage/yardwork music), and one to lend to friends and coworkers. so far, i'm hearing many positive reviews too from non-diehards. i've also got it on my ipod, so i literally listen most of the day.

phillyjam

Zoning out? Like just feeling blah? If that's the case then I find it amazing that two pearl jam fans can listen to this album. Myself it makes me want to just go out and enjoy myself, drive way too fast, swim in an ocean with mermaids and Blue Moons, or any other awesome thing. But I guess zone out? I DONT GET IT

musicismylife78

i like the album, but I think those who dislike it, have alot going for them. The album is different. Its short obviously. Short songs. Mike is on there, but he has a very understated role.

The album is the most commercial album and most accessible album possible in their entire catalogue except for Ten.

The songs are predomnantly hopeful and talk about love and domestic life. The anger of old records, or basically ever single other album they have created is not on this one.

The lyrics of the album make no mention of politics, and if they do, its in passing. Got Some reference war and pulling troops out, but its included in a song that is about how the answer to the world's problems and crises is rock music.

And two songs, Just Breathe and The End feature strings and are about as mellow a song as they have ever recorded.

As I said, I like the album. Its not immediate like Avocado was. It hasnt completely grabbed me yet.

But again, its a major step for the band. And its unlike anything they have ever done. I could see why some would be turned off

phillyjam

It's wierd. With some other pearl jam albums a.k.a. Riot Act I had to get myself to really love the album by listening to it over and over again even if I didn't want to. With Backspacer I keep telling my hand every morning to stop putting backspacer on in my car and put something else in so that I can avoid overplaying it and getting sick of it. However, every morning my hand reaches out, puts it in and I'm energized. I also find it great that I'm always in the mood to start at a different song. Sometimes Got Some, others, Unthought Known, Others Just Breathe, others, Force of Nature.

Ledbetterman10

phillyjam wrote:

Zoning out? Like just feeling blah? If that's the case then I find it amazing that two pearl jam fans can listen to this album. Myself it makes me want to just go out and enjoy myself, drive way too fast, swim in an ocean with mermaids and Blue Moons, or any other awesome thing. But I guess zone out? I DONT GET IT

Dude, I don't know what to tell ya. I just can't get into Backspacer. I listen to it because that's what I do with new Pearl Jam and I'm really trying to get into it...but I usually turn it off because there's just so many other things I'd rather be listening to. And if I do listen to the whole thing, it's because it just sort of played in the background while I was driving or at my computer. That's great that it makes you want to get out and swim with mermaids. But it just doesn't do anything for me. I'm sure there's hundreds of albums by hundreds of bands that you like that I don't like...and vice versa.

phillyjam

I hear ya with it being different then anything they've done, but isn't that why it's great. They write about how they're feeling. They're happy, Mikes dropped LBS and is feeling healthy and happy, Eddies got a little one who probably makes him smile every day, Matts got those sweet Umbros he wears on stage, Jeff can ride his U.S.A skateboard with more pride now, Stone grew his hair out. Boom is thee only one who might be sad because he had to retire that sweet Curtis MArtin jersey. So why would they keep writing depressing songs?

phillyjam

By Depressing I mean awesome though.

phillyjam

I know there's no swaying peoples minds and I'm not trying to. I just feel bad for the people who waited these two-three years and don't like what came out. So that's another three more years before you get another chance. I just feel bad

blondieblue227

i like it.
i don't really see people saying they HATE it.
PJ won't ever sound like grunge again. maybe that's what people are having a hard time with.
i for one find it amazing how much energy this new music has. ....they guys are ageing but the music's not getting any slower.

37pheet

i really don'y care if peps like or hate it i like it and that is all that matters, i bought it so, i should have the final say. i liked the band from the start, and if peps come up to me and say how is BS i tellem it is great but take a listen u might think otherwise, and if they dont like it i could give 2 shits, i gave my friend the cd to listen to, he really didnt like pj but kinda liked the fixer, he listened and told me he really liked the album, but he needed more time to understand the lyrics, i said the more u listen the more you will understand eddies words.

Ledbetterman10

phillyjam wrote:

I know there's no swaying peoples minds and I'm not trying to. I just feel bad for the people who waited these two-three years and don't like what came out. So that's another three more years before you get another chance. I just feel bad

Well I understand the feeling of being really into something and someone else "not getting it". But please, don't feel bad for me. I'll be fine. Three years isn't that long.

LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun

geez, some people just don;t like it. get over it.

phillyjam

I do feel bad, I really do. I mean what else is there to do in West Chester. Crank up Backspacer and drive around the fields

Jeff Murray

I like the new album alot, but I must confess I am getting a little tired of The Fixer already. I've heard it too much and I catch myself skipping that track every so often. Don't get me wrong I love this song live, but I'm just more interested in the rest of the album now. I'm usually this way with all the first singles.

TH127229

The one thing I have always liked about Pearl Jam as they are a constantly evolving band. If look at the first three albums there was an evolution that resulted in No Code and Yield. Then after that you have another three album growth spurt resulting in what we have now in Backspacer. I have to say that personally I love the new album and part of it is that it is so different than what they have done in the past. I didn't have a computer when No Code came out but I can only imagine what was said about that. My point is like it or not the band will continue to evolve and we as fans have the choice to like it or not, but they will do as they have always done and push their music in whatever direction they feel like they want it to go. I think that this is their happy period so brace yourself because there is probably more to come.

mp181028

for those of you who "don't get it" you've never been so right. your not supposed to "get it". just listen to it,take it in and it will "get you", just like TEN and all the others did. other albums have jumped out at me faster than this one i will admit, but after only 2 or 3 times through it i craved more. don't be to quick to judge this album, better yet don't judge it at all. like it or don't like it, but to tell other people it's no good is wrong. can't wait to see my 6th pj show in philly oct 30th and here some of this new stuff LIVE because "it's got me".

vic in T.O.

phillyjam wrote:

I see your from Toronto. I want to say to you Torontians, we travelled from Philly to see Pearl Jam a month ago up there and you rock. The nicest people. Boom

Im glad you liked the city and the people (the friendly neighbours to the north).I travel to philly every year to watch thge flyers and eagles....i will be back halloween weekend with Pearl Jam as a very nice bonus to the weekend.

The Juggler

phillyjam wrote:

It's wierd. With some other pearl jam albums a.k.a. Riot Act I had to get myself to really love the album by listening to it over and over again even if I didn't want to. With Backspacer I keep telling my hand every morning to stop putting backspacer on in my car and put something else in so that I can avoid overplaying it and getting sick of it. However, every morning my hand reaches out, puts it in and I'm energized. I also find it great that I'm always in the mood to start at a different song. Sometimes Got Some, others, Unthought Known, Others Just Breathe, others, Force of Nature.

SPOT ON

smalltownfate

I love that the band evolves. I love that they are willing to take risks and try new things. Many bands won't do that. Having said that, I'm not loving the album. For me it is too soft and too 80s sounding. I wish Eddie's ITW stuff would have been saved for his next solo album. I feel like I only got 8 PJ songs. They are good songs but not PJ songs to me. The album is growing on me and I can't wait for ACL fest to hear some of this stuff live.

Thoughts_Arrive

Because a lot of people want another Ten....

Spags

Brendan O'Brien becoming a member of Pearl Jam threw me at first, he has such a large presence on the record and it felt like Mike and Stone had stepped back to allow for his piano pieces which I would have prefered to have been guitar pieces. That left a few of the songs feeling a little empty until I tuned into and embraced Brendan's parts...though I'm still not sold on his orchestral arrangements being a Nick Drake fan, its not that they are bad just not amazing.