Backspacer - freedom or burden?

Zoso

I would prefer another binaural, vitalogy or riot act very arty albums. this is when I think they are at their best.. someone said vitalogy was safe? how is satan's bed, hey foxy mop or spin the black circle counted as safe?

broloco

Zoso wrote:

I would prefer another binaural, vitalogy or riot act very arty albums. this is when I think they are at their best.. someone said vitalogy was safe? how is satan's bed, hey foxy mop or spin the black circle counted as safe?

don't forget Bugs.

climb_high_nz

burtschips wrote:

'we've tried to subvert the business, but now that we're putting out a record on our own, we're taking on the responsibility of sinking or swimming ourselves. If that means writing a song that sounds like a mainstream radio hit, we're going to do that. And if it means going on TV to promote ourselves, we're going to to do that, too.'

this quote from Mike and some of the other quotes on the writing process of the album, i.e. quick and sharp makes me think that it is what it is mostly due to necessity.

The freedom of being label free is countered by the constraints (maybe some fear) and reality of needing an easy album with a broad appeal and free flowing light bite of a collection of soongs. They are kind of testing the water again in a new environment but need to pay the bills.

I think that once they get over this the music will challenge again, and it will become art again.

Don't get me wrong, I like the album, it is free and easy but it does not have the beautiful deep quality of Binaural or the urgency of Vitalogy. Does anyone else think this?

Yes..I concur

LikeAnOcean

Zoso wrote:

I would prefer another binaural, vitalogy or riot act very arty albums. this is when I think they are at their best.. someone said vitalogy was safe? how is satan's bed, hey foxy mop or spin the black circle counted as safe?

It was safe because it had Betterman, Corduroy, Immortality, Nothingman.. and some more straight forward rock songs, Spin the Black Circle, Satan's Bed.. While, yes, it did have some of their most experimental stuff, the rest of the album was very radio friendly. Half the songs still get radio play. Betterman still gets played on pop stations here along side Lady Gaga and so forth..

MoonTurtle

I haven't listened to the radio in abpout 10yrs

but, what does it matter that betterman is played along lady gaga? Isn't that what we want more pj out there? maybe others will learn what great music is.

umm what station would play gaga and pj? lol crazy mix

LikeAnOcean wrote:

Zoso wrote:

I would prefer another binaural, vitalogy or riot act very arty albums. this is when I think they are at their best.. someone said vitalogy was safe? how is satan's bed, hey foxy mop or spin the black circle counted as safe?

It was safe because it had Betterman, Corduroy, Immortality, Nothingman.. and some more straight forward rock songs, Spin the Black Circle, Satan's Bed.. While, yes, it did have some of their most experimental stuff, the rest of the album was very radio friendly. Half the songs still get radio play. Betterman still gets played on pop stations here along side Lady Gaga and so forth..

DangDang

Backspacer IS "different" than their other albums probably on many different levels.

It lacks the rawness.

But the reasons for it being different may be in exact opposite to the reason the OP and others expressed.

Maybe it was on Backspacer where they did whatever they wanted without regard to what "whoever" thought about it or how it was received. Perhaps it was the other albums where they had the "Pearl Jam" image to live up to or keep alive.

In any event, "different" doesn't mean "bad" as all their albums are just..well.. YOU all know.

Backspacer just sparkles with "unthought known" and kills with "The End".

My first impression of the four opener songs was "How Bubblegumish", but listen after listen brings out that Pearl Jam grind. (As if :x and were combined.)

My vote is "freedom"

fox_mulderX

LikeAnOcean wrote:

Their first three albums were "safe".. Yield was pretty poppy. Backspacer is just back to the norm for them.

you can't call vitalogy a "safe" album. it sounds completely different than ten and vs... they sound like a completely different band. pearl jam had a lot of guts because they must have known it was going to alienate a large portion of their fan base when it was released.
as a stand alone album, yes it is "safe" to a certain extent because it has songs with HUGE hooks (ie better man). as a pearl jam album, it was ballsy.

whygohome

LikeAnOcean wrote:

Their first three albums were "safe".. Yield was pretty poppy. Backspacer is just back to the norm for them.

I simply have to disagree 100%. What the hell does "safe" mean anyway/ That some of the songs they wrote were amazing and therefore received airplay? Do you want a full album of "Revolution 9"?

Their is a tremendous vibe to these albums, and a tone that is unmatched in much of the music of the 90s and today.
And, Yield is not pretty poppy. Some songs are, but the album is not.