Unreleased Pearl Jam Song "Better Days" Leaks

Spiritual_Chaos

Is it just me who finds it kind of bland?

The music is nice, the voice has that "Eddie from ITW and forward" spin to it that worked on the ITW songs but not really on BS. Warm but rough and a bit strained. And the lyrics are a bit cheesy, like Amongst The Waves and others on BS.

Weaker than any song on ITW in my opinion. But stronger than some stuff on ST and BS.

RiotZact

would everyone saying riot act please go pop in the showbox dvd and watch the tag at the end of daughter, and check out the "hope didn't get much applause". Unless theres some kind of proof riot act is in last place on my list of albums that this song came from, right after ten.

Gonzo1977

Veddernarian wrote:

Similar Spanish-style solo to Immortality 2003. I forgot if it was Boston preset or whether it was Benaroya. But very similar. That was Mike for sure.

I don't know...

I see what your saying in reference to the Benaroya "Immortality" solo...easily one of my favorite Mike solos...

However...the "Better Days" solo has a very eastern feel to it; which is nothing like anything I've heard Mike play before.

His solos are usually laced with the blues -even in the spanish flavored solo from Benaroya- but there is absolutley no trace of it here.

It's definately not Eddie...so I'd wouldn't be too suprised if it was either Michael Brook or Khaki King on lead guitar; obviously dating this song around the time of "Into The Wild".

eyecanwalk

just found thisNews > Pearl Jam
Come Listen To A New Pearl Jam Song
By Skwerl
Tuesday, June 8, 2010


We’re not exactly sure who Pete is, but he just posted a song online on behalf of Pearl Jam’s manager Kelly Curtis. A Pearl Jam song. An unreleased one. Called Better Days.
A few minutes ago it was posted here, with the message “Gary, Kelly wanted you to hear this please give it a listen.”

I suppose it wouldn’t hurt if we listened, too.

That’s all we know. Rumor has it this is a b-side from Backspacer… or the self-titled album. No one claims to be sure Riot Act. But we kinda like it.


not sure who she is either but I bet he is on Kelly's shit list now

and I did not post the link so please do not kill my post thank you

DewieCox

RiotAct10 wrote:

Laddie wrote:

It's my understanding that this track is definitely from Riot Act.

That is what someone who may or may not have any idea what they are talking about said when the song first came out. But, judging from the vocal performance, I would be, and I think a lot of people would be, shocked if this came from Riot Act. It may have been orgininaly written during Riot Act, but because of Ed's voice and emotion in his voice, it does not seem to fit Riot Act. On Binaural and Riot Act, Ed really didn't get very into his singing, but on this song, he does, so I mean, it could be from Riot Act, but I would be really surprised if we found out that the vocals to this song were recorded anytime between 2000-2002.

I agree about Riot Act and Ed's voice, but Binaural is prolly Ed's most emotional singing.

Veddernarian

Seems to have Brendan o'Brian's feel. A lot of production. My assertion is that it could have been conjured up way back when, but I think it was finished/polished by the current cast of characters.

Flagg

I like it. Its not the greatest thing in the last 10 years like some are claiming, but it is different. The accordion is a nice touch. I know the Riot Act discussion is because there was some unreleased or unfinished track from then with the same name, but as many have noted, the vocals on this track are definitely not from the Riot Act era.

If this was from Riot Act, then this is even more evidence that the B sides from Riot Act make a far better album than Riot Act itself does.

I like the Spanish solo. Not sure if it is Mike or not, but he could definitely pull that off if he wanted. Sounds like him.

Good song. Very Into the Wild like. I like the upbeat and positive lyrics, but then I love Backspacer and everything about it.

arq

Doesn't matter where it came from, I'M LOVING IT!!!

doompony

i like it.. the second half is lovely...GO EDDIE! REACH FOR THE STARS!!!

Kilgore_Trout

eh... not really that into it... guess that explains why the band shelved it

the drumming and guitar work isnt bad... just overall not a great

hopefully there's more leaks like this to come though

RiotAct10

After just listening to it on good speakers for the first time, it really does feel like Into The Wild. And I agree that there could have been some instrumentation added here from an outside source, so maybe this is a song that Ed worked on with the creator of the score. But it wouldn't surprise me if it came from the BS session either, as I could see Brendan O Brien being the guy responsible for the music being the way it is.

RiotZact

Another reason I don't think it's from ITW is cus if youve been to or heard ed's solo shows he's really not afraid to break out anything, Arc for example, I think he would have played something that was recorded with such great quality.

Better Dan

The more I listen to this the more I love it. It's a really good song.

Laddie

ofthegirl99 wrote:

Laddie wrote:

It's my understanding that this track is definitely from Riot Act.

Any what would your "understanding" be?

The recording archive site that was listed by someone else here links it to Riot Act and that site hasn't been updated since 2003. The website that this song (which I really like by the way) can be heard (not downloaded) was updated with strikeouts over self-titled and backspacer, leaving riot act as the source. As much as people may have trained ears and musical deduction skills, we can only really go by the information that is out there and this point. In this case, it consistently points towards the riot act recording sessions as the origin. obvioulsy it could have been reworked and what not much later than that, but it seems pretty clear that this is when the song originated.

jezebeloria

Thanks to those who helped me out!

Kilgore_Trout

i had to turn it off my second time through... really not having it... boo this song! boo! :P

its got kindof a "let me sleep" + "hard sun" thing happening... dont know what it is that just SO BAD

mavi

I like it.

Also, 100% agree with

RiotZact wrote:

"Our future's paved with better days", not someting ED would have said in 02

drsluggo

Its far from my favorite, but its cool... I can understand why they left it off though - I dont see this fitting so well even on Riot Act.

JohnnyGeetar

Wow..that was deleted quickly.

Veddernarian

Laddie wrote:

ofthegirl99 wrote:

Laddie wrote:

It's my understanding that this track is definitely from Riot Act.

Any what would your "understanding" be?

The recording archive site that was listed by someone else here links it to Riot Act and that site hasn't been updated since 2003. The website that this song (which I really like by the way) can be heard (not downloaded) was updated with strikeouts over self-titled and backspacer, leaving riot act as the source. As much as people may have trained ears and musical deduction skills, we can only really go by the information that is out there and this point. In this case, it consistently points towards the riot act recording sessions as the origin. obvioulsy it could have been reworked and what not much later than that, but it seems pretty clear that this is when the song originated.

Good point. Look at the Zeppelin 4 and Houses of the Holy songs that ended up on Physical Graffiti, and Walter's Walk on Coda was a case where the song was from the Houses of the Holy era, a riff was used on Presence, and when it finally appeared on Coda, Plant had recorded the vocal track in the early 80's after Bonham died, obviously, for the album's release. So what I'm saying, this wouldn't be the first time a band finisher and released earlier material, at a later time.