The thing that I always loved more than anything about pj was the mystique behind them and their albums. Every album up until self titled was drenched in mystery. Each album in a different way, but each album had these layers that you could dive into at any time and be consumed with, Yield and Binaural being the best examples of this... The last two records lacked this mystique. Way too straight forward to compare to the other albums. I get it though, they're older, happier, more consumed with their families than music so when they get together they just make songs, theres no theme or motivation pushing them to write, they just write to make albums bc they love it. I don't hate but when it comes to st and bs, i don't participate.
Further back and forth a wave will break on me, today...
I can't listen to anything but Backspacer lately. I tried to throw on Self-titled and it just brought my mood down. Same with Binaural or Riot Act.. I'd rather see more uplifting albums like Backspacer and Yield.
I respect Ten, Vs. and Vitalogy, but I'm at a point in my life I just cant get into them anymore. They are too angry. Powerful, amazing music, but just too angry.
No Code, Yield and Backspacer are for everyday. Binaural and Riot Act are for special rainy days.
Back to the original question: I loved it before I heard anything from it live, and loved it more afterwards.
I would never call Crazy Breed's thread weak, by the way.
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
I have not yet seen the Backspacer songs live, and I'm sure I will feel differently after this summer's tour, but to me, Backspacer is the worst album they have made, by a country mile. As others have said, it's still good because it is our boys, but I really think they did a poor job with Backspacer. I'm gonna get killed for this, but it's an undeniable feeling I've had since the moment I first heard it. How many times is Mike's guitar even heard on the album? Twice?
YOU NAILED IT!
I couldn't have said it better myself. I think it's their worst album, too... which is not to say that I've given up on Pearl jam or think they now suck or anything like that. I still love this band. And it's OK if they have finally made an album I did not like. There are about 3 songs I can really get into and the rest... they have a lot of b-sides through the years that I like WAY more than 75% of Backspacer. Brian O'Brien's more recent stuff has really gone downhill from the "legend" he used to be (ahem, "Working on a Dream," anyone?).
And don't worry, when the next album comes out, the band will say "there were things we didn't like about the last one," just like they did when the last one came out, and the one before that, and the one before that... that's just the way it works. Saying these are some of the best things Eddie's ever written in that promo video... REALLY? And you're right about Mike's guitar... there's no killer anything on it, the one semi extended solo in Amongst The Waves, it's like he doesn't really find it till about half way through. The music on Backspacer isn't great. The lyrics aren't great, and the vocals are flat-out BAD on a couple of songs. What else is there to judge it on? What am I missing? It's not a bad thing... it's ok to hit a weak spot after 18 years and 9 albums. I just can't get how anyone would go on and on about how fantastic it is...yet I see a TON of that on this board. Some people are into that... if that's your thing...
ABQ 93, Las Cruces 95, ABQ 98, Bridge School 10/30/99, Lubbock 00, ABQ 00, Denver 03, State College 03, San Diego 03, Vegas 03, PHX 03, D.C. 03, Camden 7/5/03, NYC 7/8/03 + 7/9/03, Vegas 06, San Francisco 7/15/06 + 7/16/06 + 7/18/06, Kansas City 10, EV:ABQ 11/6/12, Chicago 13, PHX 13, Denver 14--PJ24!, Telluride 16, Chicago 8/20/16, Chicago 8/18/18, Denver 20, Phoenix 20
New Mexico Pearl Jam Fans (New Mexico, USA) on Facebook!
I'll admit.. some stuff transferred live alot better (Amongst the Waves, Johnny Guitar) .. but even so.. It didnt make me like the song's i didnt really care of anymore than before i had seen it live. I dunno.. there's a few gems on backspacer but i don't think i will be talking about Backspacer 10 years from now in the way i do with all of pearl jam's other albums. They've set the bar too high for themselves album wise. As a whole.. backspacer sounds way over produced to me.. Pearl jam is an amazing band that needs NO help in the sound department.. i don't understand why anyone would try to improve upon them. It's hard to find five people who are all amazing song writers AND are specifically talented at specific things... its an "if it ain't broke don't fix it" kind of thing ...Sort of how i felt with the ten re- release. Just seems so suspect to me for whatever reason :?
I made it to four shows on the tour....for the most part, the BS tunes were NOT highlights (but at least they're short!). "the crowd was going nuts on the yeah, yeahs, yeahs".....big.fucking.whoop :roll:
Only Parachutes could have elevated the BS tunes from the bottom (no pun intended).
P.S. I like the record. I really do. Luckily, Pearl Jam's worst is still pretty good.
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
I have not yet seen the Backspacer songs live, and I'm sure I will feel differently after this summer's tour, but to me, Backspacer is the worst album they have made, by a country mile. As others have said, it's still good because it is our boys, but I really think they did a poor job with Backspacer. I'm gonna get killed for this, but it's an undeniable feeling I've had since the moment I first heard it. How many times is Mike's guitar even heard on the album? Twice?
YOU NAILED IT!
I couldn't have said it better myself. I think it's their worst album, too... which is not to say that I've given up on Pearl jam or think they now suck or anything like that. I still love this band. And it's OK if they have finally made an album I did not like. There are about 3 songs I can really get into and the rest... they have a lot of b-sides through the years that I like WAY more than 75% of Backspacer. Brian O'Brien's more recent stuff has really gone downhill from the "legend" he used to be (ahem, "Working on a Dream," anyone?).
And don't worry, when the next album comes out, the band will say "there were things we didn't like about the last one," just like they did when the last one came out, and the one before that, and the one before that... that's just the way it works. Saying these are some of the best things Eddie's ever written in that promo video... REALLY? And you're right about Mike's guitar... there's no killer anything on it, the one semi extended solo in Amongst The Waves, it's like he doesn't really find it till about half way through. The music on Backspacer isn't great. The lyrics aren't great, and the vocals are flat-out BAD on a couple of songs. What else is there to judge it on? What am I missing? It's not a bad thing... it's ok to hit a weak spot after 18 years and 9 albums. I just can't get how anyone would go on and on about how fantastic it is...yet I see a TON of that on this board. Some people are into that... if that's your thing...
That's the long answer. I only had time for the abbreviated version. Well said.
"FF, I've heard the droning about the Sawx being the baby dolls. Yeah, I get it, you guys invented baseball and suffered forever. I get it." -JearlPam0925
I made it to four shows on the tour....for the most part, the BS tunes were NOT highlights (but at least they're short!). "the crowd was going nuts on the yeah, yeahs, yeahs".....big.fucking.whoop :roll:
Only Parachutes could have elevated the BS tunes from the bottom (no pun intended).
P.S. I like the record. I really do. Luckily, Pearl Jam's worst is still pretty good.
really well said!! I felt almost silly doing it to be honest with you (the yeah yeah yeah parts) Which is weird cuz i always act like a complete dork at pearl jam shows and i really could care less (Maybe i felt like i was on the Target commercial? )...I really don't know who can't have a doofy smile on their face and bounce to the moon when hearing "given to fly" or hearing a song like "red mosquito" and not float off somewhere in the biosphere...
PJ had to play the new songs last summer....they were new. I would anticipate hardly any BS tunes making it into the "steady concert rotation" after this next little tour. I don't even think the band (as a whole) enjoys playing them as much as so many others. Maybe Eddie, some; maybe Stone, some....but not the whole band.
It's a dilemma.........they're mostly piss break songs, but they're too damn short unless you can really get out and back in a hurry.
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
PJ had to play the new songs last summer....they were new. I would anticipate hardly any BS tunes making it into the "steady concert rotation" after this next little tour. I don't even think the band (as a whole) enjoys playing them as much as so many others. Maybe Eddie, some; maybe Stone, some....but not the whole band.
It's a dilemma.........they're mostly piss break songs, but they're too damn short unless you can really get out and back in a hurry.
Yeah that im looking foward to. Even if they could only squeeze two out of Backspacer to put into heavy rotation, the setlist are just gonna get better and better. Especially now with all these older tunes that could be brought back to life (brother, and pretty much all of lost dogs)
I'll admit.. some stuff transferred live alot better (Amongst the Waves, Johnny Guitar) .. but even so.. It didnt make me like the song's i didnt really care of anymore than before i had seen it live. I dunno.. there's a few gems on backspacer but i don't think i will be talking about Backspacer 10 years from now in the way i do with all of pearl jam's other albums. They've set the bar too high for themselves album wise. As a whole.. backspacer sounds way over produced to me.. Pearl jam is an amazing band that needs NO help in the sound department.. i don't understand why anyone would try to improve upon them. It's hard to find five people who are all amazing song writers AND are specifically talented at specific things... its an "if it ain't broke don't fix it" kind of thing ...Sort of how i felt with the ten re- release. Just seems so suspect to me for whatever reason :?
exactly! Brendan Obrien is amazing- but i think backspacer was, more than anything- a brendan obrien record. for a while i worried that they must have needed obien to have the motivation to make an album... but i get backspacer now. they need to work with b.o.b again, but in a yield state of mind. or maybe a forced binaural state of mind...
Further back and forth a wave will break on me, today...
Comments
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Backspacer...but least favorite does not = bad in my book.
pfffffffffff...please!! there is all kinds of good stuff to argue about around here!!
no, I know, we Jerry's kids can understand some stuff.
no there is not :evil:
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oh yes there is!!...you wanna make something of it pal?!?!
see!! i told ya there is!!
I respect Ten, Vs. and Vitalogy, but I'm at a point in my life I just cant get into them anymore. They are too angry. Powerful, amazing music, but just too angry.
No Code, Yield and Backspacer are for everyday. Binaural and Riot Act are for special rainy days.
I would never call Crazy Breed's thread weak, by the way.
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
YOU NAILED IT!
I couldn't have said it better myself. I think it's their worst album, too... which is not to say that I've given up on Pearl jam or think they now suck or anything like that. I still love this band. And it's OK if they have finally made an album I did not like. There are about 3 songs I can really get into and the rest... they have a lot of b-sides through the years that I like WAY more than 75% of Backspacer. Brian O'Brien's more recent stuff has really gone downhill from the "legend" he used to be (ahem, "Working on a Dream," anyone?).
And don't worry, when the next album comes out, the band will say "there were things we didn't like about the last one," just like they did when the last one came out, and the one before that, and the one before that... that's just the way it works. Saying these are some of the best things Eddie's ever written in that promo video... REALLY? And you're right about Mike's guitar... there's no killer anything on it, the one semi extended solo in Amongst The Waves, it's like he doesn't really find it till about half way through. The music on Backspacer isn't great. The lyrics aren't great, and the vocals are flat-out BAD on a couple of songs. What else is there to judge it on? What am I missing? It's not a bad thing... it's ok to hit a weak spot after 18 years and 9 albums. I just can't get how anyone would go on and on about how fantastic it is...yet I see a TON of that on this board. Some people are into that... if that's your thing...
New Mexico Pearl Jam Fans (New Mexico, USA) on Facebook!
Only Parachutes could have elevated the BS tunes from the bottom (no pun intended).
P.S. I like the record. I really do. Luckily, Pearl Jam's worst is still pretty good.
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
really well said!! I felt almost silly doing it to be honest with you (the yeah yeah yeah parts) Which is weird cuz i always act like a complete dork at pearl jam shows and i really could care less (Maybe i felt like i was on the Target commercial?
It's a dilemma.........they're mostly piss break songs, but they're too damn short unless you can really get out and back in a hurry.
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
Yeah that im looking foward to. Even if they could only squeeze two out of Backspacer to put into heavy rotation, the setlist are just gonna get better and better. Especially now with all these older tunes that could be brought back to life (brother, and pretty much all of lost dogs)
exactly! Brendan Obrien is amazing- but i think backspacer was, more than anything- a brendan obrien record. for a while i worried that they must have needed obien to have the motivation to make an album... but i get backspacer now. they need to work with b.o.b again, but in a yield state of mind. or maybe a forced binaural state of mind...