Ok, I just spun Riot Act, I'm not a hater but...

Veddernarian

I spun Riot Act for the 1st time in a very long time.

Riot Act really could have benefitted from Brendan O'Brian. I'm really starting to believe that the difference a producer makes versus another on the same band is bigger than I thought. I guess like a team with great players will go so far, but with a great coach, they achieve things none of them thought they could do.

Take Cropduster vs. Force of Nature. Two similar songs. There is a certain absence of something in Cropduster that is hard to describe whereas with Force of Nature, there is sparseness yet punchniness and still a wall of sound. It is amazing what Brendan can do. Listen to the subtlties in Unthought Known. After the Nothing there/Nothing Left part where it builds up again. Imagine a similar treatment to LBC. And in Riot Act, I think Ed is mixed too low and too muddy. If there was ever a "redux" version I'd be clammering for, I think it would be Riot Act. I really like where they were headed. I wish Brendan was in the studio with them. I think it would have been a whole other album with the same songs.

pdalowsky

Veddernarian wrote:

I spun Riot Act for the 1st time in a very long time.

Riot Act really could have benefitted from Brendan O'Brian. I'm really starting to believe that the difference a producer makes versus another on the same band is bigger than I thought. I guess like a team with great players will go so far, but with a great coach, they achieve things none of them thought they could do.

Take Cropduster vs. Force of Nature. Two similar songs. There is a certain absence of something in Cropduster that is hard to describe whereas with Force of Nature, there is sparseness yet punchniness and still a wall of sound. It is amazing what Brendan can do. Listen to the subtlties in Unthought Known. After the Nothing there/Nothing Left part where it builds up again. Imagine a similar treatment to LBC. And in Riot Act, I think Ed is mixed too low and too muddy. If there was ever a "redux" version I'd be clammering for, I think it would be Riot Act. I really like where they were headed. I wish Brendan was in the studio with them. I think it would have been a whole other album with the same songs.

interesting slant on this

Its definitely my least favourite album and its hard to put a finger on why

stranger34

I actually believe Riot Act is produced impeccably which is why I am so perplexed as to why Avocado seems shoddy.

BOB is awesome but he also had a few missteps on BS (Speed of Sound and I think Ed could have been pushed for better vocal takes on some tracks like FoN) I feel like some producers would have binsisted on things like johnny guitar being a b-side and not including both GSMF and Supersonic - but then I think PJ is at a point where they prob just do what they want to do regarding issues like that.

U R A Crazy Breed

Riot Act is fucking awesome.....i need not say more.

ajgolf23

Its tough to compare Riot Act vs Backspacer they are two completely different albums.

I like both of them for what each of them is.

iJam

stranger34 wrote:

I actually believe Riot Act is produced impeccably which is why I am so perplexed as to why Avocado seems shoddy.

I agree. I've always felt Riot Act's production was one of its redeeming qualities.

For me riot act suffers from bad vocal takes, being too long, and even boring in parts.

Its too bad that when riot act was recorded, they didn't have the attitude they have now of trimming the fat and keeping things short and sweet.

U R A Crazy Breed

i don't get it....Cropduster was the only suck song on the album...the rest of that shit is great!!

dimitrispearljam

U R A Crazy Breed wrote:

Riot Act is fucking awesome.....i need not say more.

EXACTLY..

EBowie

iJam wrote:

stranger34 wrote:

I actually believe Riot Act is produced impeccably which is why I am so perplexed as to why Avocado seems shoddy.

I agree. I've always felt Riot Act's production was one of its redeeming qualities.

For me riot act suffers from bad vocal takes, being too long, and even boring in parts.

Its too bad that when riot act was recorded, they didn't have the attitude they have now of trimming the fat and keeping things short and sweet.

I could not agree more---great post!

Veddernarian

Don't get me wrong. I like the album a lot, like the songs. I like the Backspacer production and believe Riot Act is the best candidate for Redux. Totally agree with the Ed's vocals post. I remember being all excited when I am mine came out and I played it for my wife. Her first comment was about the vocals sounding overly slurred and sounding wrong. And mixed low. That's a really good song, I love it. Would love to hear a redux version of it.

Brisk.

U R A Crazy Breed wrote:

Riot Act is fucking awesome.....i need not say more.

Yeah it sounds fine :? :? :?

Get_Right

I dont get the hate for cropduster
its one of my favs on that record
I love the vocals at the end
the moon is rolling round.........

riot act, backspacer, and self-titled are on equal grounds for me
Each has a bunch of songs I really like as much as any other PJ songs, and a bunch I do not really care for

And I may be in the minority, but I do not care for the production on backspacer

OlDiamondback

Veddernarian wrote:

And in Riot Act, I think Ed is mixed too low and too muddy. If there was ever a "redux" version I'd be clammering for, I think it would be Riot Act. I really like where they were headed. I wish Brendan was in the studio with them. I think it would have been a whole other album with the same songs.

Brendan O'Brien mixed Riot Act.

Get_Right

OlDiamondback wrote:

Veddernarian wrote:

And in Riot Act, I think Ed is mixed too low and too muddy. If there was ever a "redux" version I'd be clammering for, I think it would be Riot Act. I really like where they were headed. I wish Brendan was in the studio with them. I think it would have been a whole other album with the same songs.

Brendan O'Brien mixed Riot Act.

D'OH

Veddernarian

I don't hate Cropduster at all. Actually one of my favorites. i think production is like tastes for foods. I hate onions, avocados and tomatos, love cilantro and hot chili peppers. I actually like the smell of skunks, hate Disneyland. Someone is going to come along and vehemently say that their likes are polar opposite of mine. And it's all good. I hate the sound quality of the 2000 boots and love the sound quality of the 2003 boots, someone is going to come along and say I'm nutts. So I'm expressing my feelings on RA based on what I like and dislike. For me, great songs, I wished Brendan could have produced it like Backspacer.

Veddernarian

OlDiamondback wrote:

Veddernarian wrote:

And in Riot Act, I think Ed is mixed too low and too muddy. If there was ever a "redux" version I'd be clammering for, I think it would be Riot Act. I really like where they were headed. I wish Brendan was in the studio with them. I think it would have been a whole other album with the same songs.

Brendan O'Brien mixed Riot Act.

I'm talking about Brendan O'Brian havine the role Adam Kaspar(sp?) had plus the mixing. I think people know what I was trying to get at.

OlDiamondback

Veddernarian wrote:

OlDiamondback wrote:

Veddernarian wrote:

And in Riot Act, I think Ed is mixed too low and too muddy. If there was ever a "redux" version I'd be clammering for, I think it would be Riot Act. I really like where they were headed. I wish Brendan was in the studio with them. I think it would have been a whole other album with the same songs.

Brendan O'Brien mixed Riot Act.

I'm talking about Brendan O'Brian havine the role Adam Kaspar(sp?) had plus the mixing. I think people know what I was trying to get at.

When you complained about Ed being low in the mix, and wishing for a "redux" I thought you didn't know the difference between mixing and producing.
You realize the only thing they did on the Ten "redux" was remix it?

davidtrios

Riot Act was a huge meh/dissapointed for many Pearl Jam fans. Riot Act (worst album) vs No Code (Greatest Album of all time) were recording wthin 7 years of each other but its baffling to the quality diminished within that time....what was the change? there are theories...but I am glad their last two albums are putting them on the map again.

soulsinging

Veddernarian wrote:

I spun Riot Act for the 1st time in a very long time.

Riot Act really could have benefitted from Brendan O'Brian. I'm really starting to believe that the difference a producer makes versus another on the same band is bigger than I thought. I guess like a team with great players will go so far, but with a great coach, they achieve things none of them thought they could do.

Take Cropduster vs. Force of Nature. Two similar songs. There is a certain absence of something in Cropduster that is hard to describe whereas with Force of Nature, there is sparseness yet punchniness and still a wall of sound. It is amazing what Brendan can do. Listen to the subtlties in Unthought Known. After the Nothing there/Nothing Left part where it builds up again. Imagine a similar treatment to LBC. And in Riot Act, I think Ed is mixed too low and too muddy. If there was ever a "redux" version I'd be clammering for, I think it would be Riot Act. I really like where they were headed. I wish Brendan was in the studio with them. I think it would have been a whole other album with the same songs.

i'm 95% sure the tracklist would've been very diff if BoB was on board... no way would he have let them shelve down, undone, and other side.

i've had the same thought about unthought known... it is everything lbc tried and failed to be.

soulsinging

iJam wrote:

I agree. I've always felt Riot Act's production was one of its redeeming qualities.

For me riot act suffers from bad vocal takes, being too long, and even boring in parts.

Its too bad that when riot act was recorded, they didn't have the attitude they have now of trimming the fat and keeping things short and sweet.

interesting to read this, given that so many people at first were up in arms about how short BS was. but i completely agree. there is far too much filler on RA.

Spiritual_Chaos

Riot Acts sad/thoughtful/muffled over Avocados bad, out of breath and squeeky singing anyday (also apperent on BS).

I love Riot Act. It's prety much a perfect album but you have to buy Eddies voice etc. I allways liked the production on it, has a unique sound.

Backspacer is generic sounding, not in abad way but it doesn't have its own sound. Seems that all BoB's album sounds good and clear but they lack atmosphere.

Riot Act and Binaural all the way

inlet13

U R A Crazy Breed wrote:

i don't get it....Cropduster was the only suck song on the album...the rest of that shit is great!!

Exact opposite.

Brisk.

Cropduster is an ace song :S

Love it last year at MSG when Eddie sang 'dig a hole in the SOUNDgarden'

dimitrispearljam

Brisk. wrote:

Cropduster is an ace song :S

Love it last year at MSG when Eddie sang 'dig a hole in the SOUNDgarden'

i believe the same..i really dont get in this forum people likes..they stuck with no code and yield and they dont want to see what AMAZING MASTERPIECES ARE BINAURAL AND RIOT ACT ARE..!!!another exable???
1/2 full..an amazing rock and roll song that live is amazing the band loves to play ,Ed give one of the best voices out there and mike needs a new guitar after play it..if this song was in led zeppelin album people will ask it to dance in the weedings too..

Veddernarian

dimitrispearljam wrote:

Brisk. wrote:

Cropduster is an ace song :S

Love it last year at MSG when Eddie sang 'dig a hole in the SOUNDgarden'

i believe the same..i really dont get in this forum people likes..they stuck with no code and yield and they dont want to see what AMAZING MASTERPIECES ARE BINAURAL AND RIOT ACT ARE..!!!another exable???
1/2 full..an amazing rock and roll song that live is amazing the band loves to play ,Ed give one of the best voices out there and mike needs a new guitar after play it..if this song was in led zeppelin album people will ask it to dance in the weedings too..

1000% Agree about 1/2 full. I love this song from day-1 through now. I like Riot Act a lot. I can only imagine if it had the "umph" in production that Backspacer or VS. has.

With regard to Binaural, the harder songs sound sterile (production). But songs like Of the Girl are listening masterpieces. I consider Sad (Letter to the Dead) a Binaural song. That one excels in every regard and is one of Rock & Roll's best songs, not just PJ's best. It doesn't sound sterile like Grievance/Insignificance. Those two sound much better live. The Binaural session songs are classic.

CJMST3K

Riot Act has some great songs on it. But I don't put it on and listen to it as an album.

pjfan021

for starters i love riot act and it's my favorite fall record along with Harvest. I think the song selection on riot act is pretty good except for help help. Seems like a b side imo. Cropduster lacks a little if you ask me but is worth being on the album. I don't think that the record would've sounded too different if B.O.B produced it sonically or song wise. I think ed sings the way he wants to on an album and on riot act wanted a lower approach with i really like. I do think they could've done a couple different vocal takes but nothing drastic would've changed it. Personally...Pearl Jam has the worst production on any of their albums. I like the songs but the mixing on it sounds extremely "digital" The audio just has a very odd sound on songs like MITS and especially Comatose.

anotherclone

I love Riot Act. I don't love Get Right but that's the only song I don't love. To me, the Green Disease, Help Help, Bushleager trilogy is a gooder. I kind of ignored this album for a long time because I listened to a lot of people who said is wasn't good. Boy was I stupid. Recently I've re-discovered it and honestly, I think it's probably in my top 3 PJ albums of all time. Who in their right mind doesn't love Love Boat Captain? It's even my ring tone. I think once you have more than 3 good songs on an album I call it a "classic". But that's just me.

so-much-clearer

I love most of Riot Act. You Are is one of my favorites.

Mad Mohab

Cropduster is one of my favourites of thiers. The one two punch of CD / Ghost is tight. The solos in both are awesome too, and they were great songs live. Riot Act isn't a bad album, but by Pearl jams standards its not as great as others. Still, it was great to have and had some good moments. All or None is a truly great Pearl Jam song. Can't Keep is awesome and sounds well recorded.

Binaural is amazing, and so is Avocado, so is Backspacer. Id like to hear B-sides from the last albums, Riot Act was proper in that regard and the singles had proper unreleased material. It makes a single sacred when they have one, whats up with no new tunes on them these days? Also, please bring back Jeff and the bands album art, those album sleeves from VS to Binaural were amazing. I know the band didnt shoot all of those but the pics inside were always great to get. All in all Id say RA was an 8 from aband that has hand nothing else but 9s and tens. Keep going pearl Jam, eleven records is the magic number!

helplessdancer

U R A Crazy Breed wrote:

i don't get it....Cropduster was the only suck song on the album...the rest of that shit is great!!

cropduster fucking rules man