N.Y. Times E.V. Night 2 Review(negative)
This makes us fans sound like a bunch of mindless syncophants. Don't know how to post a link so here it is in cut and paste. From N.Y. Times front page website.
Toward the end of Eddie Vedder’s one-man concert at the United Palace on Tuesday, he gave the crowd something funny-awful, something he knew it would hate: a demonstration track that was factory-programmed into a Boss loop sampler, the digital machine he would use later to layer his vocals. It was an instrumental R&B slow jam — obviously slick and canned compared with the chest-bellow folk-rock Mr. Vedder had been putting forth.
Eddie Vedder performing at the United Palace in Washington Heights, where his songs included many cuts from the recent soundtrack for “Into the Wild.”
He seemed to find it the epitome of insincerity. “Aww, yeah,” he murmured over the sound in an umber bass-baritone, imitating Barry White. “Ohh, baby.” The crowd squealed.
It was comic relief and easy aesthetic demagoguery. (It made me wish Mr. White were still alive, to counter-imitate the buffalo sensitivity of Mr. Vedder.) It also demonstrated the elements that Tuesday’s show, part of Mr. Vedder’s first solo tour, lacked: swing, artifice, lightness, whatever could add some emulsion to two hours of brooding and righteousness. Brooding and righteousness can be very good, and so can folk-rock politics. But backed by Mr. Vedder’s middling, power-strum guitar playing, it was all too much.
After Mr. Vedder’s beginnings with Pearl Jam in the early ’90s, his lyrics moved from sputtering anger to semi-acceptance of fate. The characters in his songs can embrace the void and be amazed by nature, but they aren’t Buddha. They reserve the right to be skittish and moody. “I’ve got my indignation, but I’m pure in all my thoughts,” he sang in “Guaranteed.” It’s a more enlightened variation on beautiful-loserdom, and his voice is right for it — tremulous, patient, with streaks of anger and fear.
“Guaranteed” was one of many songs in this show, the second of two nights at the theater, from his soundtrack to Sean Penn’s film “Into the Wild.” On one, “Hard Sun,” he worked with his opening act, Liam Finn. He also sang some of his contributions to the soundtracks of the Jack Johnson surf film “Brokedown Melody,” Tim Burton’s fantasy “Big Fish” and the antiwar documentary “Body of War.”
His non-Pearl Jam discography is sprinkled all over the place, but to his superfans it is all one entity. They sang along like fire, indulged him when he forgot some lyrics, laughed at his mumbled introductions, cheered when he called out Exxon Mobil.
When he undermined his natural grandiosity, he was at his best. This tended to happen in soundtrack songs so short they didn’t need a bridge (“Guaranteed,” “Goodbye”) and in cover versions. Mr. Vedder has a history of mixing indie-rock diffidence with stadium-rock charisma, and he knows he’s part of a long tradition of American counterculture. So the set included an admirably wide range of covers personal and polemical: songs by Daniel Johnston, John Lennon, Cat Stevens, Bob Dylan, James Taylor and Tom Waits. And he used the folk process to change the words of a Phil Ochs song, firing away at the president, vice president and former Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales. “Here’s to the land you’ve torn out the heart of,” he sang to each one. “Find yourself another country to be part of.”
Eddie Vedder, with Liam Finn, will perform Thursday at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark; njpac.org.
Toward the end of Eddie Vedder’s one-man concert at the United Palace on Tuesday, he gave the crowd something funny-awful, something he knew it would hate: a demonstration track that was factory-programmed into a Boss loop sampler, the digital machine he would use later to layer his vocals. It was an instrumental R&B slow jam — obviously slick and canned compared with the chest-bellow folk-rock Mr. Vedder had been putting forth.
Eddie Vedder performing at the United Palace in Washington Heights, where his songs included many cuts from the recent soundtrack for “Into the Wild.”
He seemed to find it the epitome of insincerity. “Aww, yeah,” he murmured over the sound in an umber bass-baritone, imitating Barry White. “Ohh, baby.” The crowd squealed.
It was comic relief and easy aesthetic demagoguery. (It made me wish Mr. White were still alive, to counter-imitate the buffalo sensitivity of Mr. Vedder.) It also demonstrated the elements that Tuesday’s show, part of Mr. Vedder’s first solo tour, lacked: swing, artifice, lightness, whatever could add some emulsion to two hours of brooding and righteousness. Brooding and righteousness can be very good, and so can folk-rock politics. But backed by Mr. Vedder’s middling, power-strum guitar playing, it was all too much.
After Mr. Vedder’s beginnings with Pearl Jam in the early ’90s, his lyrics moved from sputtering anger to semi-acceptance of fate. The characters in his songs can embrace the void and be amazed by nature, but they aren’t Buddha. They reserve the right to be skittish and moody. “I’ve got my indignation, but I’m pure in all my thoughts,” he sang in “Guaranteed.” It’s a more enlightened variation on beautiful-loserdom, and his voice is right for it — tremulous, patient, with streaks of anger and fear.
“Guaranteed” was one of many songs in this show, the second of two nights at the theater, from his soundtrack to Sean Penn’s film “Into the Wild.” On one, “Hard Sun,” he worked with his opening act, Liam Finn. He also sang some of his contributions to the soundtracks of the Jack Johnson surf film “Brokedown Melody,” Tim Burton’s fantasy “Big Fish” and the antiwar documentary “Body of War.”
His non-Pearl Jam discography is sprinkled all over the place, but to his superfans it is all one entity. They sang along like fire, indulged him when he forgot some lyrics, laughed at his mumbled introductions, cheered when he called out Exxon Mobil.
When he undermined his natural grandiosity, he was at his best. This tended to happen in soundtrack songs so short they didn’t need a bridge (“Guaranteed,” “Goodbye”) and in cover versions. Mr. Vedder has a history of mixing indie-rock diffidence with stadium-rock charisma, and he knows he’s part of a long tradition of American counterculture. So the set included an admirably wide range of covers personal and polemical: songs by Daniel Johnston, John Lennon, Cat Stevens, Bob Dylan, James Taylor and Tom Waits. And he used the folk process to change the words of a Phil Ochs song, firing away at the president, vice president and former Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales. “Here’s to the land you’ve torn out the heart of,” he sang to each one. “Find yourself another country to be part of.”
Eddie Vedder, with Liam Finn, will perform Thursday at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark; njpac.org.
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Comments
Mr. Ratliff bemoans the lack of some emulsifying elements in Tuesday night's performance, "swing, artifice, lightness" in particular. Perhaps his ears are still ringing from the louder-than-loud Boris show a month ago, and he is unable to parse much of the bass range. That might explain why Eddie Vedder's gregarious banter, delivered in his signature baritone, never made the full voyage down Mr. Ratliff's ear canals. The so-called superfans just might have been laughing at "his mumbled introductions" because they heard what Ed said, and it happened to be mighty funny.
For those who don't spend much time in the kitchen, an emulsion takes place when water and an oily/fatty substance form a thick creamy mixture. Mr. Ratliff is quick to admit that the entire Eddie Vedder experience was "all too much" for him ... clearly he needed something a little more watered down ... I mean, "emulsified."
What strikes me as most disingenuous about this piece, is the reviewer's recognition that this clearly was a moving performance for many (if not most) in the audience. Yet, like a diabetic clucking in disapproval while a chocolate-lover devours a piece of mud-cake, Mr. Ratliff condescends to all those present who enjoyed the show in spite of all the "failings" so readily apparent (at least to him). Equally bizarre is the reviewer's ready praise for 1) Ed's voice, 2) Into the Wild songs, 3) "admirably wide range of covers", and 4) use of the "folk process" to ad lib his own timely lyrics. Apparently, Mr. Ratliff studied at the Manohla Dargis school of review, whereby a reviewer must open with a snarky and cutting introduction, include several pretentious and unrelated references, and establish a firm stance of high-brow disdain for any "fans." Note that this holds true for even the most laudable pieces of art.
The review cuts off abruptly, like Eddie after a false-start on Guaranteed. Unlike the review, however, Eddie always delivers a self-deprecating comment and gamely launches into the song again ... not for himself, nor the various alter egos he channels through the poetry he delivers as lyrics. He seems inspired to press on by the sea of people who hang on each of his words, as if he were regaling them with the story of a lifetime while they sit together in a mutual friend's living room. One "superfan" on the Pearl Jam internet message board said it best: "We may treat Eddie like a god, but he treats each of us like an old friend."
Oh rise. You can't be neutral on a moving train.
I won't even give the Times a second thought, but I had to respond to how you ended your post. I also read the above quote and have been using it all day.
Edit: I need to find the original poster and say "thanks". It is a perfect description.
"Chirp"
Hey that was me!
And yea... chalk it up for one more who "doesn't get it." This guy had his mind made up before he saw the show.
3 Decibels Doubles the Volume
2006
Thanks for that one ! My cousin who is still into Elvis *really* was curious about Ed and why I was so into seeing as much of him as possible and your little quote summed it up so well, I had to use it. I would love to siggy it - with your permission and a citation, of course.
"Chirp"
Go for it! Glad to see it came in handy, especially in explaining to those who don't understand why we do what we do.
3 Decibels Doubles the Volume
2006
http://seanbriceart.com/
I have no choice, but to dismiss the review because of what happened to me on Tuesday night. I took 2 of my daughters (ages 19 and 23) to the show. Having bought single seats, we all sat separately with me in orchestra and both of them upstairs but apart. After the show, the girls couldn't wait to tell me it was the "best concert" they'd ever experienced. It was for me, too. Yes, they grew up on PJ and Eddie adoration, etc., but they were never into the music as much as me. So, my girls who might now just become "superfans" will be that way because they had the experience of a lifetime and they want more.
Oh, and they weren't saying "Wow, Eddie's hot" or any girlie stuff, they were gushing over his musical talents - just thought it important to add that tidbit.
Enjoy Chicago !
"Chirp"
I wasnt there, wish I was, in the seat that was stupidly given to this phallous
This writer sounds grumpy.
For the most part these lyrics are not Vedder's but straight from the book, Into the Wild. Obviously, the reporter did not read the book or do his HW before writing this review.
'92 Stanhope, '98 Washington, DC (VFC), '00 Merriweather Post, MD, '03 Nashville, TN, State College, PA, Holmdel, NJ, '04 Reading, PA (VFC), '05 Philadelphia, PA, 06 Camden, NJ, East Rutherford, NJ, '08 Camden, NJ (I and II), 09 Philadelphia, PA (II and III), '10 New York, NY, '13 Baltimore, MD, Charlottesville, VA, '16 Hampton, VA, Philadelphia II, '22 MSG II, '24 Philadelphia, PA (II), Baltimore, MD, 08 Newark, NJ (Vedder Solo), '16 TOTD Upper Darby (I)
http://seanbriceart.com/
agreed. most definitely don't think it is all-out negative. and hey, i don't have a problem with people who don't appreciate ed, pearl jam, the fans, whatever....it's all subjective opinion and the writer's choice to have. i also do NOT think of ed as anywhere near 'god-like' status, not even close. i just adore his music, his voice and even him just sharing his perspective. i DO agree, oftentimes it sounds/feels like he is speaking/sharing amongst friends, a great sense of intimacy in that, even amongst 3k+ people.
Let's just breathe...
I am myself like you somehow
I wish this could be published on the column right next to the review. So people could have a choice in what to agree on what they're reading.
obviously I would agree with jonopono, cause the guy who wrote the review is a lame ass.
Jones Beach NY 1 + 3 - '00
MSG 1 + 2 - '03
Boston Garden - '04
Montreal - '05
Boston Garden 1, Meadowlands 1 + 2 - '06
Mansfield 1 - '08
(EV solo) Boston 1 - '08
Chicago 1 - '09
MSG -'10
Brooklyn 1+2 - '13
Central Park - '15
MSG - '16
Fenway - '16
Wrigley - '16
(RRHOF) Brooklyn - '17
Fenway - '18
MSG - '22
MSG 1 - '24
Yep, two out of three. LOL. As for a father-in-law, although their Dad did see Ed with me on Monday, he is not really a fan, but wants to share in what interests me. That makes him okay in my book !!!
"Chirp"
http://seanbriceart.com/
all reviews are critiques, and most importantly, opinion pieces. i don't understand why anyone would ever take a critic's 'opinion'...their review....personally. honestyl, who cares? he is just as entitled to his opinion as anyone. yes, he also gets paid to share it, but it still is simply his own persepective. people have a CHOICE to agree or disagree, w/o a companion article. it's one guys opinion, in one article, that ran one day in the New York Times......NOT a big deal, at all.
some fans, not saying *you*...take such way too much to heart. i am sure ed is totally over it, if he even read it.
Let's just breathe...
I am myself like you somehow
i agree with you wholeheartedly, and wrote my response with the same belief that everyone is entitled to their opinion. my objection to the review was not that i disagreed with the opnion, but rather that the opinion he offered seemed to be blatanly at odds with the facts he conveyed. other than the reference to ed's "middling" guitar playing, his recounting of events was universally positive; yet, he felt compelled to lead off with a snide and largely negative introduction.
in my humble opinion, this was a bad review, and not because it was negative. it was a bad review because the facts provided did not substantiate the opinion offered. also, i hate snarky and pretentious reviews.
Oh rise. You can't be neutral on a moving train.
BTW, Glorious rebuttal! Well done.
Mihi cura futuri.
The elements they speak to me.
http://espn.go.com/espnradiostations/NewYork1050/gallery/35218855.html
so cute they are
I told him that the people there appreciate Ed for his music, his voice, his passion and his overall humanity.