Why doesnt anyone like Speed of Sound?

13

Comments

  • The drums are what kill this song for me. I don't mind the other instrumentation (not including the synthesizers), but the drums just sound awkward. I've written before that I just really do not like the way they bring the drums in. It just sounds chintzy to me. For some reason the drums seem to make Ed's vocal rhythm sound choppy. I don't know what it is, but the demo version seemed so much smoother in its vocal delivery. As someone else said, there doesn't seem to be the same emotion in this one as there is with the demo version.

    All that said, I do think some of the additional instrumentation adds to the song. I just really think they should have left the drums out or at least found a better/smoother beat. Overall I like the song. The demo showed a lot of room for a great song, and they came close in certain areas. However along with the Fixer, it is the song I skip the most on the album.
    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
  • davidtriosdavidtrios Posts: 9,732
    The entire album is solid and SOS maybe the weakest but it's at least as good as anything on Riot Act and a top 3 song on Self Titled.
  • I love Speed Of Sound.
    Got to hear it in Baltimore and Honolulu.
    Very happy it made the LP.
    I'm alive

    Phila. 03. Camden nights 1&2 03. Hershey 03. Boston 04. Reading 04. St Louis 04. Montreal 05. Ottawa 05. AC 05. Phila. 05. NY Letterman Show 06. E Rutherford nights 1&2 06. Camden nights 1&2 06. Denver nights 1&2 06. Hawaii 06. Grant Park, Chicago 07. Van Couver 08.(EV Solo) Camden nights 1&2 08. NY nights 1&2 08. Hartford 08. Mansfield 08. Newark 08.(EV Solo) Phila. nights 1&2 09.(EV Solo) Baltimore nights 1&2 09.(EV Solo) Honolulu night 2 09.(EV Solo) Salt Lake City 09. Phila Spectrum 10/27 10/28 & 10/31/09. Newark, NJ 05.18.10
  • the album version is growing on me too, but i'm a firm believer that for SOS, less was more.

    the demo put the band in a completely different territory soundwise...it was almost john frusciante-ish...someone mentioned earlier in this thread how the demo was typical pj like thumbing my way and some other songs and i have to disagree...the SOS demo was otherwordly, where songs like thumbing my way are very classic-sounding pj ballads...not that i don't like thumbing my way, cuz that song is awesome and i'd love to hear it live.

    ah well, can't please everybody.
    "If you love someone, set them free. If someone loves you, don't fuck up." -ev

    6/29/03 - Montreal, QC 10/1/04 - Reading, PA
    10/3/05 - Philadelphia, PA 5/12/06 - Albany, NY
    6/27/08 - Hartford, CT (FRONT ROW CENTER!)
    8/2/08 - (ev) Boston, MA 6/9/09 - (ev) Albany, NY
    8/21/09 - Toronto, ON 5/10/10 - Buffalo, NY
  • DH62179DH62179 Posts: 312
    edited October 2009
    I hadn't listened to BS in full for several days now but have been listening to the SOS demo a lot. To my surprise when I put on the album version right after listening to the demo about 5x the BS vesion sounded a lot better to me. By the way, my brother and nephew who have never heard the demo version point to SOS as one of their favorites on the album.
    Post edited by DH62179 on
  • mfc2006mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,484
    i really like them both....
    I LOVE MUSIC.
    www.cluthelee.com
    www.cluthe.com
  • the wolfthe wolf Posts: 7,027
    i like the hell out of both versions, and i am glad we have both versions available to us.

    i like the EV solo version , but had they put that on the record, there would have been too many EV ballad type songs. glad they did the full band version on the record.

    i like the fact that it almost sounds like two different songs in ways.
    Peace, Love.


    "To question your government is not unpatriotic --
    to not question your government is unpatriotic."
    -- Sen. Chuck Hagel
  • serpent boyserpent boy Virginia Beach Posts: 372
    I don't hate the song, but it just doesn't appeal to me. It's a slow and somewhat boring track reminiscent of "Gone," which I've also tried to like but just can't. The odd minor chords strike me the wrong way.
    00: Va Beach, 03: Bristow, 04: Reading, 05: Atlantic City 2x
    06: Camden, Washington DC, 08: Va Beach, Washington DC
    09: Philly 2+3, 10: Bristow, 11: East Troy PJ20 1+2, 13: Baltimore, Charlottesville
  • InMyTree4InMyTree4 Posts: 1,239
    i love it!
    PJ:7/2/03.9/28/04.5/25/06.8/5/07.6/14/08.6/27/08.6/28/08.6/30/08.
    10/30/09.10/31/09.5/17/10.9/7/11
    EV:boston 1+2.albnay 1.boston 2010
  • MayDay10MayDay10 Posts: 11,787
    This one took awhile, but it has finally grown on me.

    Least favorite on the album... but it doesnt help that the album contains 11 'favorites'
  • JonnyPistachioJonnyPistachio Florida Posts: 10,219
    I really didnt like tha album version, so I just heard the demo...and I like the demo a lot better.
    I've said from the first second I heard that song that it sounds like cheap background music in a old Miami Vice episode. Especially the piano/synthesizer part. I just picture Crockett speeding off in his boat with his damn 80's hair going off into the sunset.

    Piano=Fail.
    Drums=too monotonous.
    Pick up my debut novel here on amazon: Jonny Bails Floatin (in paperback) (also available on Kindle for $2.99)
  • couse the version of ev solo in hawaii was better..
    "...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
    "..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
    “..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
  • in eds treein eds tree Denver Posts: 539
    LOVE speed of sound, could do without supersonic
    keep on rockin' in the free world.
  • joebotjoebot Posts: 372
    Personally, I love the flow of the second half of Backspacer. Seamless blend for me. The only track on the record i can do without is Johnny Guitar.
  • TEEJAM11TEEJAM11 Posts: 335
    Put me down for +1 for the drums FXXXXX up this song.
    Really sounds like Mat is playing some other song.

    But with that said I love all of the other songs on this album.

    Supersonic is pretty cool jam...

    I smile big with a toothless grin LOL....
  • joebotjoebot Posts: 372
    I agree, Supersonic rocks like a muthafu$%er
  • vaggar99vaggar99 San Diego USA Posts: 3,431
    "bump" as you americans call it
  • brucebruce Posts: 384
    It's growing on me... i think the end of the song really picks up. I love Matt, but the drums blow on this song. The Demo is fucking amazing... all the difference in the world.
    Writing checks that others pay.....

  • sounds like Meatloaf.
  • sounds like Meatloaf.

    why do you know what meatloaf sounds like :lol:
    "If you love someone, set them free. If someone loves you, don't fuck up." -ev

    6/29/03 - Montreal, QC 10/1/04 - Reading, PA
    10/3/05 - Philadelphia, PA 5/12/06 - Albany, NY
    6/27/08 - Hartford, CT (FRONT ROW CENTER!)
    8/2/08 - (ev) Boston, MA 6/9/09 - (ev) Albany, NY
    8/21/09 - Toronto, ON 5/10/10 - Buffalo, NY
  • halszka123 wrote:
    Why?
    Because it's shitty. The album version is cheapy. Too many instruments without requirement. Overdone.
    I like it much better than the demo. It's really grown on me. You can actually dance to the album version. Its got some backbone.

    Becoming one of my favorites which is tough because I absolutely enjoy so much of this album.
  • VarisVaris Posts: 39
    This song is easily the most crap on this album.

    It is the only song I actively skip. Demo was better but still crap.

    No sweat, every albums gotta have a piece of shit, this is the piece of shit that fits in our Backspacer.
  • This is the only song I don't really care for on the whole record. Kind of kills the overall momentum for me. That said, I can always find something to like in a PJ song, including SOS. But I'm not crazy about it.
    Give way to nature ...
  • Beav7Beav7 Posts: 15
    For me it's mainly the feel of the drums that kills it. Why Matt chose to play that cheesy swing beat is beyond me. I think it has a better vibe without drums. If they were played with a different feel, maybe I wouldn't feel this way.. oh well
  • VarisVaris Posts: 39
    BV82529 wrote:
    For me it's mainly the feel of the drums that kills it. Why Matt chose to play that cheesy swing beat is beyond me. I think it has a better vibe without drums. If they were played with a different feel, maybe I wouldn't feel this way.. oh well

    Dude. You have posted twice, you suck your thumb and you have a favourite blankie.

    A mod application is on it's way to you as we speak.
  • Don't give a crap what anyone else thinks. Speed of Sound is definitely one of the best on the new album. Sounds like it would have fit in nicely on Binaural. Just my humble opinion.
  • marklmarkl Posts: 58
    I love the song. I actually love the drums on this song.

    surprised they haven't been playing it live.

    just love the entire album.
  • sounds like Meatloaf.

    why do you know what meatloaf sounds like :lol:
    he was hard to escape for awhile. But even Meatloaf thinks SoS is cheesy and too melodramatic. :)
  • JR8805JR8805 Posts: 169
    And some people just have different tastes. I don't hate SOS, but I don't find it incredibly anything.
Sign In or Register to comment.