Another song I really like, especially after hearing it live, is Supersonic. I don't understand the hate for this. I wouldn't compare it to Big Wave - it's way better.
On the whole, I'd have to say that Backspacer is Pearl Jam's best album since... umm Avocado. Of course, I love Avocado (except for Big Wave), and many people on here seem to not care for it.
I think Backspacer is a very solid album, not in the upper echelon of PJ albums, but a really good effort. I'd like it to have been a little longer, but I think that was the point. Hopefully we get a nice little EP soon.
Spectrum 10/27/09; New Orleans JazzFest 5/1/10; Made in America 9/2/12; WF Center 10/21/13; WF Center 10/22/13; Baltimore 10/27/13; WF Center 4/28/16; WF Center 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22; Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; WF Center 9/7/24; WF Center 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24
Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
SUPER strong album. At first it seemed, I don't know, too short maybe? And then some of the more atmospheric stuff ("Just Breathe", "The End") seemed to end too quickly...but after a few listens, and now about 30 more, I think it might be their best. I can't name a better Pearl Jam album right now. No filler at all, although "Got Some" doesn't always hit me hard...everything else has memorability, momentum and emotional content that floors me every time. Perfectly sequenced too. Even wondering if maybe it's not their best?
"Force of Nature" is the greatest!!!
"I know I was born and I know that I'll die...the in between is mine"
It's a good album but as I said in a previous thread (and got lambasted for):
There is not one single song on it which will ever get a crowd reaction/euphoria like RVM, Porch, Present Tennse, etc, etc, etc when played LIVE. :shh:
Is that because of the songs or the time at which it's being released, in your mind?
Personally I think it's because it's so new, coming after such a long history. For fans that have been to many shows, it's never going to kindle the feeling of past experiences and for fans that don't go mad and go on every tour, well PJ to them is probably Ten - Yield at the most anyway.
For me Backspacer has some outstanding songs. My brother was saying to me just the other day after listening to it again how it seems to 'fit' right in with the rest of the catalogue, like it's been around a long time. I think I'd agree too.
6 months in. time flies. glass way more that 1/2 full. tho, i could use some more wine. the albums, for me, are the background to what this band is all about, and that to me, is seeing/hearing them play LIVE. that is where the songs take real form, for me. hearing all of the new songs played live for the first time is what i'm always looking forward to the most. i can't get enough of the new stuff, EVER and i'm still here cause i am a big fan of all of the new stuff, backspacer includedx10
It's a good album but as I said in a previous thread (and got lambasted for):
There is not one single song on it which will ever get a crowd reaction/euphoria like RVM, Porch, Present Tennse, etc, etc, etc when played LIVE. :shh:
Is that because of the songs or the time at which it's being released, in your mind?
Personally I think it's because it's so new, coming after such a long history. For fans that have been to many shows, it's never going to kindle the feeling of past experiences
PART of it is what you're saying about the newness................but mostly it's the songs. They just don't hold up against 90% of Pearl Jam's previous catalog (IMO).
Did I mention I do like Backspacer?
If I had known then what I know now...
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
My opnion on the new album has been the same since the 1st time I listened to it the day it came out, overall its a great album, but I wouldn't say that it would be in my top 5 pj albums, BUT it has to be either 3 or 4 as far as putting in a cd and not skipping any songs, my favorite album is no code but I can't stand hail hail or who you are and dont care for in my tree, vitology is good but same with other songs on there, overall these 2 are better than Backspacer but don't play as well if your listening from front to back. IMO
I love it more now than I did when it was first released.
Songs like Johnny Guitar and Gonna See My Friend reallly have grown on me and I think it's a great complete album. I saw Supersonic, The Fixer and Got Some performed in August and loved every minute of each song... really looking forward to seeing more from the album in June :thumbup:
Been to this many PJ shows: Reading 2006 London 2007 Manchester & London 2009 Dublin, Belfast, London, Nijmegen & Berlin 2010 Manchester 1 & Manchester 2 2012...
... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
Still digging it. All killer, no filler. Still hasn't left my car since Sept. 20. I'm pretty sure that's a record.
Same here. Still really enjoying it.
"I'd rather be with an animal." "Those that can be trusted can change their mind." "The in between is mine." "If I don't lose control, explore and not explode, a preternatural other plane with the power to maintain." "Yeh this is living." "Life is what you make it."
I still listen to it more than any other album. Get sick of listening to the radio, what do I wanna hear but something off Backspacer so I stick it in the cd player and off I go. 15 mins to get to work, that means I get to hear several of my favourite songs of Backspacer. Amongst the Waves, Unthought Known, Force of Nature and Johnny Guitar are my favourites, but the others are cool too. I love the album!
I pulled it off the shelf after a few weeks and now that the dust has settled, it is second to only Yield for me.
An amazing album that will be looked back on as one of their best. JB, FoN, Amongst the Waves, Unthought Known, Supersonic, The Fixer (even though I might be in the minority here), and Speed of Sound (again, in the minority) are all great songs...FoN, Amongst the Waves, JB and Unthought Known being right up there with some of the best stuff they've ever done. Like someone said earlier, all killer, no filler. Also, this is the album that pushed my wife into becoming a fan. She loves the album and wasn't too fond of Pearl Jam before Backspacer came out.
At first I was a bit meh! about it, but when I heard them played in Brissie, the wow factor kicked in. I think we were pretty lucky, we got 7/11 songs off backspacer played...would have loved to hear supersonic played live though.... needless to say brissie boots are still the most played for me, and is good as a pick me up when feeling a tad low.
Amongst The Waves - I expect a rock band to wear its heart on its sleeve occasionally, and to give voice to feelings that I am unable or unwilling to express myself.
I pulled it off the shelf after a few weeks and now that the dust has settled, it is second to only Yield for me.
An amazing album that will be looked back on as one of their best. JB, FoN, Amongst the Waves, Unthought Known, Supersonic, The Fixer (even though I might be in the minority here), and Speed of Sound (again, in the minority) are all great songs...FoN, Amongst the Waves, JB and Unthought Known being right up there with some of the best stuff they've ever done. Like someone said earlier, all killer, no filler. Also, this is the album that pushed my wife into becoming a fan. She loves the album and wasn't too fond of Pearl Jam before Backspacer came out.
It's a good album but as I said in a previous thread (and got lambasted for):
There is not one single song on it which will ever get a crowd reaction/euphoria like RVM, Porch, Present Tennse, etc, etc, etc when played LIVE. :shh:
Unthought Known did that and more in Philly.
Sorry, fellow Cowboy fan ...... I saw Unthought Known four times on the last tour and none of them were Porch moments (for me, at least).
Maybe so. I personally didn't think anything could top the crowd reaction to In Hiding, but I thought Unthought Known got pretty damn close.
But then, we have a limited sample since they haven't really toured for Backspacer.
I do not like the production of the album. To me, whenever I listen to most of the songs it sounds like there is a new member of the band who does not fit in, or that somebody came along and added a layer on top of the existing music artificially. Basically, it seems like somebody (*cough* Brendan) wanked on some perfectly good music. This is their first album where I've also felt like they've slipped into some easy listening radio station territory. It has nothing to do with whether a song is fast or slow, but is about some intangible cheese factor.
Having said that, I am pleasantly surprised when I see the songs performed live and the band (especially Stone) seems to have some welcome vitality back. In the end, I'm left wishing that Brendan would have stepped back and let Mike step forward to fill the spaces that Brendan felt he had to. I know that Brendan has an almost cultish following around here, but I'm one who is hoping the band chooses a different producer next time who doesn't want to be an extra band member on the album.
To me, it's my favorite album. And no, I'm not a typical newest is best type.
I think Backspacer is #1, followed closely by Yield and Ten. Down at the bottom of my list I have Riot Act and Binaural.
I love the optimism on Backspacer. To me it just strikes me as a mature record. Something you can turn on and listen to all the way through, just like Yield.... but, slightly better.
Like this album less and less every time I hear it. Hear Just Breathe on the muzak station at work (retail box store). Only song I still enjoy from the album is Amongst the Waves, the rest I couldn't even really get into live (the 3 they played at Chicago night 2). Hoping the EP or even the Xmas single will restore my faith. Riding the bottom of the album rankings along with Avocado and Riot Act (I'm a No Code/Yield/Binaural kind of guy).
he still gives his love, he just gives it away, the love he receives is the love that he'll save...
The Cd is my least favorite, played it for about a month or so but its been collecting dust ever since. speed of sound,johnny guitar and force of nature are good but everything else i could live without. Every pearl jam album except BSpacer is damn near F'n God like .
Comments
On the whole, I'd have to say that Backspacer is Pearl Jam's best album since... umm Avocado. Of course, I love Avocado (except for Big Wave), and many people on here seem to not care for it.
I think Backspacer is a very solid album, not in the upper echelon of PJ albums, but a really good effort. I'd like it to have been a little longer, but I think that was the point. Hopefully we get a nice little EP soon.
WF Center 4/28/16; WF Center 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22;
Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; WF Center 9/7/24; WF Center 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24
Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
"Force of Nature" is the greatest!!!
Pearl Jam bootlegs:
http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
Personally I think it's because it's so new, coming after such a long history. For fans that have been to many shows, it's never going to kindle the feeling of past experiences and for fans that don't go mad and go on every tour, well PJ to them is probably Ten - Yield at the most anyway.
For me Backspacer has some outstanding songs. My brother was saying to me just the other day after listening to it again how it seems to 'fit' right in with the rest of the catalogue, like it's been around a long time. I think I'd agree too.
PART of it is what you're saying about the newness................but mostly it's the songs. They just don't hold up against 90% of Pearl Jam's previous catalog (IMO).
Did I mention I do like Backspacer?
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
Have you listened to Pearl jam's earlier stuff?
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
Songs like Johnny Guitar and Gonna See My Friend reallly have grown on me and I think it's a great complete album. I saw Supersonic, The Fixer and Got Some performed in August and loved every minute of each song... really looking forward to seeing more from the album in June :thumbup:
... and I still think Drive-By Truckers are better.
Still the song I skip every time. Still hasn't grown on me. Unthought Known and Force Of Nature are my favorites.
An amazing album that will be looked back on as one of their best. JB, FoN, Amongst the Waves, Unthought Known, Supersonic, The Fixer (even though I might be in the minority here), and Speed of Sound (again, in the minority) are all great songs...FoN, Amongst the Waves, JB and Unthought Known being right up there with some of the best stuff they've ever done. Like someone said earlier, all killer, no filler. Also, this is the album that pushed my wife into becoming a fan. She loves the album and wasn't too fond of Pearl Jam before Backspacer came out.
mmmm love Speed of Sound
Maybe so. I personally didn't think anything could top the crowd reaction to In Hiding, but I thought Unthought Known got pretty damn close.
But then, we have a limited sample since they haven't really toured for Backspacer.
BOS-9/28/04,9/29/04,6/28/08,6/30/08, 9/5/16, 9/7/16, 9/2/18
MTL-9/15/05, OTT-9/16/05
PHL-5/27/06,5/28/06,10/30/09,10/31/09
CHI-8/2/07,8/5/07,8/23/09,8/24/09
HTFD-6/27/08
ATX-10/4/09, 10/12/14
KC-5/3/2010,STL-5/4/2010
Bridge School-10/23/2010,10/24/2010
PJ20-9/3/2011,9/4/2011
OKC-11/16/13
SEA-12/6/13
TUL-10/8/14
Having said that, I am pleasantly surprised when I see the songs performed live and the band (especially Stone) seems to have some welcome vitality back. In the end, I'm left wishing that Brendan would have stepped back and let Mike step forward to fill the spaces that Brendan felt he had to. I know that Brendan has an almost cultish following around here, but I'm one who is hoping the band chooses a different producer next time who doesn't want to be an extra band member on the album.
I think Backspacer is #1, followed closely by Yield and Ten. Down at the bottom of my list I have Riot Act and Binaural.
I love the optimism on Backspacer. To me it just strikes me as a mature record. Something you can turn on and listen to all the way through, just like Yield.... but, slightly better.
<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/28998869"></param> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param> <embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="https://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/28998869" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <span><a href=" - In the Fire (demo)</a> by <a href="