why do so many people dislike this album or not like it that much..just curious what is it about it
For me, personally, it just doesn't have the depth the other albums have. When Ed was pissed off, he wrote some deep, heavy, lyrics that really made you stop and think. I don't feel challenged by the Backspacer lyrics at all (I remember reading somewhere before Backspacer came out that Ed admitted he didn't spend as long on the lyrics this time around due to hanging out with his family. Can't blame him for that at all - if I was in his position I'd do the same thing. But at the end of the day, the end result is still lyrics that I don't love). Also, musically, I'm not a fan of the cleaner, poppier sound - I like my PJ pissed off with a little dirt under the fingernails. I really don't like the country vibe on the slower songs - I love Into The Wild, but for some reason, when it's the full band playing the folksy songs, it takes something away (see: Speed of Sound demo vs the album version of the same song). I'd rather listen to Aye Davanita than Just Breathe. I love me a healthy dose of Mike McCready and his kick-ass solos. I like the longer songs that they can Jam out on over a bunch of shorter songs that are over in under three minutes. I don't know - to me, personally (and that's all this is, simply my opinion), it just doesn't have any real depth to it. I like the cheeseburger vs the steak analogy... that sums it up nicely for me. I tried to like the album - I listened to it a freaking ton when I bought it. But it just never clicked for me.
That being said, there are plenty of people who love the album, and that's cool. Don't hate me for enjoying Jeremy more than Supersonic and I won't hate you for liking The End more than Come Back. At the end of the day we still love the same band
Lyrically, I think this is the best album since Yield, beginning to end. Some of the other albums definitely had their moments. But they also had Mike McCready regurgitating AA pamphlets and calling them lyrics (sorry, Mike ).
If you don't think some of the Backspacer lyrics have depth, you aren't digging deep enough.
everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do
I really like the album, and even tho the cool kids say otherwise, I think Just Breathe is a great song. Lyrically, I relate to a lot of what's said on Backspacer... especially songs such as Unthought Known and Amongst the Waves. I really enjoy the positive energy that they exude.
One of the things that I love about Pearl Jam is that they are constantly changing. I don't want 10 albums that all sound the same. I like variety in my music.
On each album there are songs that I LOVE, songs I enjoy, and occasionaly songs I could do without. But I'm not going to say the songs I haven't fallen in love with are bad, because those songs for sure speak to plenty of other people. We all have different tastes. Fortunately, a band such as Pearl Jam consistantly makes music that satisfies a variety of cravings. I wouldn't have it any other way :angel:
When the stars exploded billions of years ago, they formed everything that is this world. Everything we know is stardust...
why do so many people dislike this album or not like it that much..just curious what is it about it
I like the album, but its near the bottom of my favorites overall becasue I just feel the second half is weak. I LOVE the first 6-7 tunes. But Supersonic, SoS, FoN, the End, just fall flat with me.
I have forced myself to listen to FoN, and I CANT STAND IT! I dont know what it is either.. I keep hoping that something will change, but I know it won't.
Iget so excited to think about the tunes that didnt make it to the record though (the rumored EP...), and the one song Tom Tomoorow mentioned in DEEP mag...I bet they just didnt fit the flow of backspacer and I'm hoping they are sometimg different. MAybe we'll hear 'em soon!?
For me, Backspacer has faded. I hardly listen to it. I think its a good CD. But for me, I like every other album except Riot Act more.
Pearl Jam Shows: 1998 - 9/11 New York, NY (MSG night 2); 9/13 Hartford, CT || 2000 - 8/24 Wantagh, NY (Jones Beach 2); 8/27 Saratoga Springs; 8/29 Mansfield, MA (night 1); 8/30 Mansfield, MA (night 2) || 2003 - 4/29 Albany, NY; 5/3 State College, PA; 7/2 Mansfield (night 1); 7/6 Camden, NJ (night 2); 7/8 New York, NY (MSG night 1) || 2004 - 9/28 Boston, MA (night 1); 9/29 Boston, MA (night 2) || 2005 - 10/3 Philadelphia, PA || 2006 - 5/12 Albany, NY; 5/13 Hartford, CT; 5/24 Boston, MA (night 1); 5/25 Boston, MA (night 2); 5/27 Camden, NJ (night 1); 5/28 Camden, NJ (night 2)|| 2008 - 6/19 Camden, NJ (night 1); 6/24 New York, NY (MSG night 1); 6/25 New York, NY (MSG night 2); 6/27 Hartford, CT; 6/28 Mansfield, MA (night 1); 6/30 Mansfield, MA (night 2); 7/1 New York, NY (Beacon Theater)|| 2009 - 9/21 Seattle, WA (night 1); 9/22 Seattle, WA (night 2); 10/27 Philadelphia, PA (Spectrum night 1); 10/28 Philadelphia, PA (Spectrum night 2); 10/30 Philadelphia, PA (Spectrum night 3); 10/31 Philadelphia, PA (Spectrum night 4)|| 2010 - 5/15 Hartford, CT; 5/17 Boston, MA; 5/20 New York, NY (MSG night 1); 5/21 New York, NY (MSG night 2)|| 2011 - 9/3 East Troy, WI (PJ20); 9/4 East Troy, WI (PJ20) || 2012 - 9/2 Philadelphia, PA, 9/30 Missoula, MT || 2013 - 7/19 Chicago, IL (Wrigley Field), 10/12 Buffalo, NY, 10/15 Worcester, MA (night 1), 10/16 Worcester, MA (night 2), 10/18 Brooklyn, NY (night 1), 10/19 Brooklyn, NY (night 2), 10/25 Hartford, CT || 2014 - 10/22 Denver, CO || 2015 - 9/26 New York, NY (Global Citizen Festival) || 2016 - 5/1 New York, NY (night 1), 5/2 New York, NY (night 2), 8/5 Boston, MA (Fenway Park night 1), 8/7 Boston, MA (Fenway Park night 2) || 2018 - 9/2 Boston, MA (Fenway Park night 1) || 2020 - 3/30 New York, NY Eddie Vedder solo: 2008 - Boston night 1 & 2 || 2009 - Albany, NY night 1 & 2 || 2011 - Hartford, CT, Boston, MA
why do so many people dislike this album or not like it that much..just curious what is it about it
I like the album, but its near the bottom of my favorites overall becasue I just feel the second half is weak. I LOVE the first 6-7 tunes. But Supersonic, SoS, FoN, the End, just fall flat with me.
I have forced myself to listen to FoN, and I CANT STAND IT! I dont know what it is either.. I keep hoping that something will change, but I know it won't.
Iget so excited to think about the tunes that didnt make it to the record though (the rumored EP...), and the one song Tom Tomoorow mentioned in DEEP mag...I bet they just didnt fit the flow of backspacer and I'm hoping they are sometimg different. MAybe we'll hear 'em soon!?
Try fast forwarding through the first 13 seconds. Those 13 seconds give me the worst vibe to start a song...but the rest is beautiful.
See the path cut by the moon,... For you to walk on,...
See the waves on distant shores,... Awaiting your arrival,...
Dream the dreams of other men,... You’ll be no ones rival,...
Dream the dreams of others then,... You will be no ones rival,...
You will be no ones rival,...
A distant time,... A distant space,... That’s where we’re living —..
A distant time,... A distant place,... So what you giving?,...
What you giving?"
Tell, which of these lyrics do you relate to? Are you a path cut by the moon? Are you blanketed by gems and rhinestones?
This is drivel, it's non-sensical imagery. Dr. Suess was deeper (seriously, reread some Suess, it can get deep)
I love most of Eddie's lyrics, but I can't spin these any way to say that they're good, or deep or even relate-able.
Sorry, I'm done ranting now.
2006- Boston I
2008- Boston I+II
2009- Toronto, Philly III+IV
2010- Bristow, Hartford, Boston, Newark
I think Backspacer is the best CD PJ ever released followed closely by Yield and Ten. What I like about it is simple:
-it's ridiculously eclectic (punk song here, pop song here, folk song here, ten-style song here... ect)
-despite the different styles in each song, they flow well
-the lyrics are uplifting, rather than depressing
-Ed's voice sounds good
-there are NO throw-aways
-it's not political; instead the lyrics are largely introspective
-I think this is the first album Matt actually added too, rather than subtracted from
-the production is excellent
I completely agree with this assesment, and I have a testing facility: a basement with 12 speakers, 4 amplifiers, ping pong table. I crank up Backspacer and get my ping pong on and 36 minutes goes by in a flash and my opponents are toast. What a rush!
"Backspacer" might be the best Pearl Jam record. It is easily the best of the 2000–2009 decade. I think it's an amazing record. It is so focused and direct — easily the most in those respects, too. Brendan O'Brien is a great producer, and I hope the band enlists him again and again and again ... .
it worries me. i hope they arent moving into wannabe U2 softrock territory. a lot of the songs on Backspacer already are. i'll have to wait for the next album to decide. i guess one poppy album is nice for a change of pace, but if this is some new direction then fuck that!
I like Backspacer a lot. The great thing about PJ is every record has a different feel and mood to it.
I hope we get to hear some of the songs that were cut from it. I'm still utterly amazed many years later that Down, Undone, and Otherside were cut from Riot Act, yet they songs like Ghost and Cropduster on there. What could have replaced Johnny Guitar and Gonna See My Friend that we haven't heard yet? Never a dull moment.
"All I Ever Knew" available now in print and digital formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks.
I too loved Backspacer from the very start but it seems to me that all their music is like that, kind of grows on you. That something within a song is rediscovered years later. Or a song that you never paid much attention to all of a sudden is a real favorite but its been there for 10 years or whatever and you think hmmm where have I been?
I'm surprised by the hatred for FoN. Its easily one of my fav's on the album and probably the best lyrically.
Columbus 00 / Buffalo 03 / Toledo 04 / Kitchener 05 / London 05 / Hamilton 05 / Toronto 05 / Toronto I 06 / Toronto II 06 / Pittsburgh 06 / Cincinnati 06 / DC 08 / NYC I 08 / NYC II 08 / Hartford 08 / Toronto 09 / Chicago I 09 / Chicago II 09 / Philly III 09 / Philly IV 09 / Cleveland 10 / Buffalo 10 / Hartford 10 / Toronto I 11 / Toronto II 11 / Hamilton 11 / London 13 / Pittsburgh 13 / Buffalo 13 / Toronto I 16 / Toronto II 16 / Boston II 16 http://www.Sports-Casters.com
It's definitely a little light or thin to me, but it has three or four songs that I want to hear at every Pearl Jam show from now on. Which is my measure of a good album at this stage of the band's career.
"They said ... timing was everything
made him ... want to be everywhere
there's a ... lot to be said for nowhere."
Comments
Lyrically, I think this is the best album since Yield, beginning to end. Some of the other albums definitely had their moments. But they also had Mike McCready regurgitating AA pamphlets and calling them lyrics (sorry, Mike
If you don't think some of the Backspacer lyrics have depth, you aren't digging deep enough.
for the least they could possibly do
One of the things that I love about Pearl Jam is that they are constantly changing. I don't want 10 albums that all sound the same. I like variety in my music.
On each album there are songs that I LOVE, songs I enjoy, and occasionaly songs I could do without. But I'm not going to say the songs I haven't fallen in love with are bad, because those songs for sure speak to plenty of other people. We all have different tastes. Fortunately, a band such as Pearl Jam consistantly makes music that satisfies a variety of cravings. I wouldn't have it any other way :angel:
I like the album, but its near the bottom of my favorites overall becasue I just feel the second half is weak. I LOVE the first 6-7 tunes. But Supersonic, SoS, FoN, the End, just fall flat with me.
I have forced myself to listen to FoN, and I CANT STAND IT! I dont know what it is either.. I keep hoping that something will change, but I know it won't.
Iget so excited to think about the tunes that didnt make it to the record though (the rumored EP...), and the one song Tom Tomoorow mentioned in DEEP mag...I bet they just didnt fit the flow of backspacer and I'm hoping they are sometimg different. MAybe we'll hear 'em soon!?
Eddie Vedder solo: 2008 - Boston night 1 & 2 || 2009 - Albany, NY night 1 & 2 || 2011 - Hartford, CT, Boston, MA
IT GROWS AND GROWS.....
Try fast forwarding through the first 13 seconds. Those 13 seconds give me the worst vibe to start a song...but the rest is beautiful.
"All the thoughts,... You never see,... You’re always thinking,...
Brain is wired,... Brain is deep,... Oh are you sinking?,...
Feel the path of every day,... Which road you taking?,...
Breathing hard,... & Making hay,... Yeh this is living,...
Look for love & evidence,... That you’re worth keeping,...
Swallowed whole in negatives,... It's so sad & sickening,...
Feel the air up above,... A pool of blue sky,...
Fill the air up with love,... Black w/starlight,...
Feel the sky blanket you,... w/gems & rhinestones,...
See the path cut by the moon,... For you to walk on,...
For you to walk on,...
Nothing left,... Nothing left,...
Nothing there,... Nothing left,...
See the path cut by the moon,... For you to walk on,...
See the waves on distant shores,... Awaiting your arrival,...
Dream the dreams of other men,... You’ll be no ones rival,...
Dream the dreams of others then,... You will be no ones rival,...
You will be no ones rival,...
A distant time,... A distant space,... That’s where we’re living —..
A distant time,... A distant place,... So what you giving?,...
What you giving?"
Tell, which of these lyrics do you relate to? Are you a path cut by the moon? Are you blanketed by gems and rhinestones?
This is drivel, it's non-sensical imagery. Dr. Suess was deeper (seriously, reread some Suess, it can get deep)
I love most of Eddie's lyrics, but I can't spin these any way to say that they're good, or deep or even relate-able.
Sorry, I'm done ranting now.
2008- Boston I+II
2009- Toronto, Philly III+IV
2010- Bristow, Hartford, Boston, Newark
No Code, Binuaral and Riot Act are meant to grow on you.. Backspacer is meant to punch you in the face right off the start!
Looking forward to hearing these songs live.
I completely agree with this assesment, and I have a testing facility: a basement with 12 speakers, 4 amplifiers, ping pong table. I crank up Backspacer and get my ping pong on and 36 minutes goes by in a flash and my opponents are toast. What a rush!
"Vinyl or not, you will need to pay someone to take RA of your hands" - Smile05
424, xxx
Less analysing & more listening I advise....
I hope we get to hear some of the songs that were cut from it. I'm still utterly amazed many years later that Down, Undone, and Otherside were cut from Riot Act, yet they songs like Ghost and Cropduster on there. What could have replaced Johnny Guitar and Gonna See My Friend that we haven't heard yet? Never a dull moment.
http://www.Sports-Casters.com
made him ... want to be everywhere
there's a ... lot to be said for nowhere."