Yeah, and to answer the previous question about Ten being better...
I think, speaking on behalf of the people that post here, YIELD means a little more to us because of everything else that surrounds it. The things that were going on in our life at the time, when we've listened to it, why we've listened to it, all these things factor in to it.
We're not trying to push YIELD on everyone or say it's better, all we're trying to do is discuss it to find out more about it, thusly finding out more about ourselves.
If you can do that with Ten, that's great, please do. I think that's half the point of the message board. If you'd like to join us and do so with YIELD, post away.
It's all state of mind, so I don't think it's fair to characteristically assume one album is better than any other. The album is meaningless without the listener.
true. i like YIELD because thematically it transcends and integrates (Ken Wilber) in a way that the other albums haven't. It answers the soul searching in No Code, it is the answer to the question that No Code asks (thanks to likepilate for this analogy). We feel it is more like a concept album than anything that PJ has ever made- but accidently. It was the perfect convergence of events- the bands history, the writing process, the elder guidance of Mr. Jack Irons (MJI), etc. all put into one coherent package.
For me as well, it is before Ed went off the deep end with his adolescent political commentary. There was social commentary, sure, but he didn't try to be a college professor or Noam Chomsky. It was general enough to allow the listener to fill in the blanks.
Lastly, I can't describe it, but I feel an emotion when I listen to YIELD that is something between grief and joy.....the feeling of being ALIVE. It's this tension- the paradox of beauty and destruction, the paradox of the internal experience and the external environment that sums up the feeling I get, but alas, words are only vague signposts to what the experience truly is.
true. i like YIELD because thematically it transcends and integrates (Ken Wilber) in a way that the other albums haven't. It answers the soul searching in No Code, it is the answer to the question that No Code asks (thanks to likepilate for this analogy). We feel it is more like a concept album than anything that PJ has ever made- but accidently. It was the perfect convergence of events- the bands history, the writing process, the elder guidance of Mr. Jack Irons (MJI), etc. all put into one coherent package.
For me as well, it is before Ed went off the deep end with his adolescent political commentary. There was social commentary, sure, but he didn't try to be a college professor or Noam Chomsky. It was general enough to allow the listener to fill in the blanks.
Lastly, I can't describe it, but I feel an emotion when I listen to YIELD that is something between grief and joy.....the feeling of being ALIVE. It's this tension- the paradox of beauty and destruction, the paradox of the internal experience and the external environment that sums up the feeling I get, but alas, words are only vague signposts to what the experience truly is.
Yeah, and to answer the previous question about Ten being better...
I think, speaking on behalf of the people that post here, YIELD means a little more to us because of everything else that surrounds it. The things that were going on in our life at the time, when we've listened to it, why we've listened to it, all these things factor in to it.
We're not trying to push YIELD on everyone or say it's better, all we're trying to do is discuss it to find out more about it, thusly finding out more about ourselves.
If you can do that with Ten, that's great, please do. I think that's half the point of the message board. If you'd like to join us and do so with YIELD, post away.
It's all state of mind, so I don't think it's fair to characteristically assume one album is better than any other. The album is meaningless without the listener.
I think I've seen at least one or two posts where people in here have said that Yield is better/the best... :rolleyes:
you couldn't swing if you were hangin' from a palm tree in a hurricane.
Lastly, I can't describe it, but I feel an emotion when I listen to YIELD that is something between grief and joy.....the feeling of being ALIVE. It's this tension- the paradox of beauty and destruction, the paradox of the internal experience and the external environment that sums up the feeling I get, but alas, words are only vague signposts to what the experience truly is.
I don't have a lot of time to post, I have to run to an appointment, but I have to reply to this. I think you nailed this with your comment about the tension between grief and joy. That's the duality we used to talk about with this album. It makes you somewhat uncomfortable at time, because there is this conflict between seemingly opposing forces and/or feelings....but somehow it's a familiar discomfort that's like an old sweatshirt. It just seems to fit us perfectly no matter what the flaws are. And it's in that paradox that you mentioned that you find the message of YIELD. 2 forces pushing and/or pulling us in 2 different directions. Will we YIELD, or will we escape? Good stuff, my friend. Well done.
--"I'm like an opening band for the sun"
--"We’re taking pills to get along with life… the pills are YIELD and PJ’s music. Then we create words to call our own = our analysis of YIELD." - YIH
Great thread, Yield has always stood out in my mind as their best album, both lyrically and the production behind it. Ed's voice never sounded better, not before or after.
The entire album just has this total organic feel to it and is still the only record that I can still listen front to back and upside down over and over.
I don't have a lot of time to post, I have to run to an appointment, but I have to reply to this. I think you nailed this with your comment about the tension between grief and joy. That's the duality we used to talk about with this album. It makes you somewhat uncomfortable at time, because there is this conflict between seemingly opposing forces and/or feelings....but somehow it's a familiar discomfort that's like an old sweatshirt. It just seems to fit us perfectly no matter what the flaws are. And it's in that paradox that you mentioned that you find the message of YIELD. 2 forces pushing and/or pulling us in 2 different directions. Will we YIELD, or will we escape? Good stuff, my friend. Well done.
I'll third the Flag here on a job well done.
I guess it symbolizes those times when you're in the middle of making a decision, be it "escape" in one form or another or not. You're out of the routine and picking your future. Maybe the grief and joy can be explained in talking about the past and the future - grief at not being able to go back, joy at the unwritten promise of the future. YIELD certainly has a time element going on as well.
Nah, like I said before, everyone likes what they like for a reason.
Here, we're just offering our reasons, exploring them and opening up new avenues and perspectives for other people too.
Nah, like I said before, everyone likes what they like for a reason.
Here, we're just offering our reasons, exploring them and opening up new avenues and perspectives for other people too.
Keep up the good fight.
I guess I'll try and add something Yieldy to this thread, cause well, that's what it's here for.
Lowlight is possibly the most beautiful song Pearl Jam ever wrote. And at the same time so bitter sweet. The music comes off so happy, but the lyrics aren't. This song has some strange calming effect on me. I'm not great at describing experiences, but to me, this song is the epitome of Yield.
Edit: Plug for Riot Act
you couldn't swing if you were hangin' from a palm tree in a hurricane.
I guess I'll try and add something Yieldy to this thread, cause well, that's what it's here for.
Lowlight is possibly the most beautiful song Pearl Jam ever wrote. And at the same time so bitter sweet. The music comes off so happy, but the lyrics aren't. This song has some strange calming effect on me. I'm not great at describing experiences, but to me, this song is the epitome of Yield.
I believe that's that duality theme kicking in. There's something to it.
For me as well, it is before Ed went off the deep end with his adolescent political commentary. There was social commentary, sure, but he didn't try to be a college professor or Noam Chomsky. It was general enough to allow the listener to fill in the blanks.
Everything used to be subtle...under the radar. I miss that. Now, it's wrapped up in a nice little box and bow.
PBM
"We paced ourselves and we didn't rush through it and we tried to be as creative as our collective minds would let us be over some course of time instead of just trying to rush through a record"
I believe that's that duality theme kicking in. There's something to it.
It's definitely possible. I just remember listening to the song the first time before paying attention to the lyrics, and thinking wow, this is really beautiful and happy. And then reading the lyrics and being like, "what"?
you couldn't swing if you were hangin' from a palm tree in a hurricane.
I guess I'll try and add something Yieldy to this thread, cause well, that's what it's here for.
Lowlight is possibly the most beautiful song Pearl Jam ever wrote. And at the same time so bitter sweet. The music comes off so happy, but the lyrics aren't. This song has some strange calming effect on me. I'm not great at describing experiences, but to me, this song is the epitome of Yield.
Edit: Plug for Riot Act
Awesome.
There is something to Jeff's songwriting in the YIELD/Binaural/RA trio there, especially on YIELD and RA. Help, Help live in 03, the few times they played it, kicked so much butt since that's just a great bassline and McCready slashes it up on the solos. He's never quite had a song on another record like Low Light...the Ghosts and the God's Dice's, Big Wave's, etc...I would much like a return to this type of song if he has it in him on the next one.
Awesome.
There is something to Jeff's songwriting in the YIELD/Binaural/RA trio there, especially on YIELD and RA. Help, Help live in 03, the few times they played it, kicked so much butt since that's just a great bassline and McCready slashes it up on the solos. He's never quite had a song on another record like Low Light...the Ghosts and the God's Dice's, Big Wave's, etc...I would much like a return to this type of song if he has it in him on the next one.
Yea, the guy writes a good tune or two.
I actually think Help Help is one PJ's most underrated songs, and its truly something else. But that's for a different thread...
you couldn't swing if you were hangin' from a palm tree in a hurricane.
His backing vocals need work...sorry Jeff...it's true.
PBM
"We paced ourselves and we didn't rush through it and we tried to be as creative as our collective minds would let us be over some course of time instead of just trying to rush through a record"
I just have to ask, before I can ever really get into my full appreciation mode, how can anyone realistically say Yield is better than Ten? I don't know how to get past that.
I struggled with this for a long time. Ten is the album that introduced me to the band and it contains so many epic songs.
However, YIELD is an album that constantly evolves for me...as I've said before...it challenges me to think and ponder alternative points of view.
Musically, as well as conceptually, it's a work of art.
PBM
"We paced ourselves and we didn't rush through it and we tried to be as creative as our collective minds would let us be over some course of time instead of just trying to rush through a record"
I struggled with this for a long time. Ten is the album that introduced me to the band and it contains so many epic songs.
However, YIELD is an album that constantly evolves for me...as I've said before...it challenges me to think and ponder alternative points of view.
Musically, as well as conceptually, it's a work of art.
PBM
It sometimes strange for me to see how much people want Ten to be their favorite, or proclaimed best album. I personally think, that it would be pretty sad if Ten were the best. I mean, they've done so much more, and to think that they peaked and wrote their best music before their career even started I would believe is kind of sad.
I'm not trying to take away from Ten at all, and its not the reason that Ten isn't my favorite. I think it's a great album, but somewhere in the middle. They've grown past it, and in my opinion written better music. Which is how it should be. I do think some albums aren't quite as good as Ten, but that's also ok. Maybe they were just a little dry one recording period. Anyway, just some random thoughts.
you couldn't swing if you were hangin' from a palm tree in a hurricane.
I guess it symbolizes those times when you're in the middle of making a decision, be it "escape" in one form or another or not. You're out of the routine and picking your future. Maybe the grief and joy can be explained in talking about the past and the future - grief at not being able to go back, joy at the unwritten promise of the future. YIELD certainly has a time element going on as well.
right, the crossroads, the existential dilema of a desicion, the feeling of being alone, but connected to somethign greater than yourself...
hello Yosi, my old nemisis and friend. you are more eloquent than you give yourself credit for- I believe you nailed it about YIELD, brother.
Howdy.
Funny that you refer to me again as nemesis. I was just rereading that old thread on the Yield board
Also, I think all of you in this thread would like to know that Yield has pretty much entered into my top 3 PJ albums. Something which I wasn't sure if it would ever do. But it has certainly grown on me.
you couldn't swing if you were hangin' from a palm tree in a hurricane.
this is so so so true. do you think it's because of the times or maybe it stems from the band getting older?
I'm not quite sure if it's because:
1. They (i.e. Ed) want to speak out against the war, so he wants to get the message to a broader audience.
2. Since going "free lance", they're more inclined to try various new things.
or
3. They have created a viable brand name and are cashing in.
This whole situation is like that scene in Wayne's World:
"It's like looking down on Wayne's basement, only that's not Wayne's basement"
PBM
"We paced ourselves and we didn't rush through it and we tried to be as creative as our collective minds would let us be over some course of time instead of just trying to rush through a record"
this is so so so true. do you think it's because of the times or maybe it stems from the band getting older?
I think it stems from Ed being undereducated and reading to much from one angle. He didn't balance any of the info he got into with an opposing view so it became emotional ideology and rehetoric. no logic. but, i do agree with alot of what he says- i just prefer metaphor and vagueness in my art.
Comments
true. i like YIELD because thematically it transcends and integrates (Ken Wilber) in a way that the other albums haven't. It answers the soul searching in No Code, it is the answer to the question that No Code asks (thanks to likepilate for this analogy). We feel it is more like a concept album than anything that PJ has ever made- but accidently. It was the perfect convergence of events- the bands history, the writing process, the elder guidance of Mr. Jack Irons (MJI), etc. all put into one coherent package.
For me as well, it is before Ed went off the deep end with his adolescent political commentary. There was social commentary, sure, but he didn't try to be a college professor or Noam Chomsky. It was general enough to allow the listener to fill in the blanks.
Lastly, I can't describe it, but I feel an emotion when I listen to YIELD that is something between grief and joy.....the feeling of being ALIVE. It's this tension- the paradox of beauty and destruction, the paradox of the internal experience and the external environment that sums up the feeling I get, but alas, words are only vague signposts to what the experience truly is.
In any case, welcome.
i love this. all of it really.
I think I've seen at least one or two posts where people in here have said that Yield is better/the best... :rolleyes:
I don't have a lot of time to post, I have to run to an appointment, but I have to reply to this. I think you nailed this with your comment about the tension between grief and joy. That's the duality we used to talk about with this album. It makes you somewhat uncomfortable at time, because there is this conflict between seemingly opposing forces and/or feelings....but somehow it's a familiar discomfort that's like an old sweatshirt. It just seems to fit us perfectly no matter what the flaws are. And it's in that paradox that you mentioned that you find the message of YIELD. 2 forces pushing and/or pulling us in 2 different directions. Will we YIELD, or will we escape? Good stuff, my friend. Well done.
--"We’re taking pills to get along with life… the pills are YIELD and PJ’s music. Then we create words to call our own = our analysis of YIELD." - YIH
The entire album just has this total organic feel to it and is still the only record that I can still listen front to back and upside down over and over.
Assron
But everyone knows that.
I guess I walked right into that...
I guess it symbolizes those times when you're in the middle of making a decision, be it "escape" in one form or another or not. You're out of the routine and picking your future. Maybe the grief and joy can be explained in talking about the past and the future - grief at not being able to go back, joy at the unwritten promise of the future. YIELD certainly has a time element going on as well.
Nah, like I said before, everyone likes what they like for a reason.
Here, we're just offering our reasons, exploring them and opening up new avenues and perspectives for other people too.
Keep up the good fight.
I guess I'll try and add something Yieldy to this thread, cause well, that's what it's here for.
Lowlight is possibly the most beautiful song Pearl Jam ever wrote. And at the same time so bitter sweet. The music comes off so happy, but the lyrics aren't. This song has some strange calming effect on me. I'm not great at describing experiences, but to me, this song is the epitome of Yield.
Edit: Plug for Riot Act
I believe that's that duality theme kicking in. There's something to it.
Everything used to be subtle...under the radar. I miss that. Now, it's wrapped up in a nice little box and bow.
PBM
Wishlist Foundation: http://wishlistfoundation.org
It's definitely possible. I just remember listening to the song the first time before paying attention to the lyrics, and thinking wow, this is really beautiful and happy. And then reading the lyrics and being like, "what"?
Awesome.
There is something to Jeff's songwriting in the YIELD/Binaural/RA trio there, especially on YIELD and RA. Help, Help live in 03, the few times they played it, kicked so much butt since that's just a great bassline and McCready slashes it up on the solos. He's never quite had a song on another record like Low Light...the Ghosts and the God's Dice's, Big Wave's, etc...I would much like a return to this type of song if he has it in him on the next one.
Yea, the guy writes a good tune or two.
I actually think Help Help is one PJ's most underrated songs, and its truly something else. But that's for a different thread...
His backing vocals need work...sorry Jeff...it's true.
PBM
Wishlist Foundation: http://wishlistfoundation.org
It's totally true. He almost ruined Lowlight in Boston last time around...
I struggled with this for a long time. Ten is the album that introduced me to the band and it contains so many epic songs.
However, YIELD is an album that constantly evolves for me...as I've said before...it challenges me to think and ponder alternative points of view.
Musically, as well as conceptually, it's a work of art.
PBM
Wishlist Foundation: http://wishlistfoundation.org
It sometimes strange for me to see how much people want Ten to be their favorite, or proclaimed best album. I personally think, that it would be pretty sad if Ten were the best. I mean, they've done so much more, and to think that they peaked and wrote their best music before their career even started I would believe is kind of sad.
I'm not trying to take away from Ten at all, and its not the reason that Ten isn't my favorite. I think it's a great album, but somewhere in the middle. They've grown past it, and in my opinion written better music. Which is how it should be. I do think some albums aren't quite as good as Ten, but that's also ok. Maybe they were just a little dry one recording period. Anyway, just some random thoughts.
right, the crossroads, the existential dilema of a desicion, the feeling of being alone, but connected to somethign greater than yourself...
the past/future piece is right on.
And if you dont have mine, THEN YOU ARE WRONG!!!
Yield RULES!!!
Toledo, Ohio (September 22, 1996), East Troy, Wisconsin (June 26, 1998), Noblesville, Indiana (August 17, 1998), Noblesville, Indiana (August 18, 2000), Cincinnati, Ohio (August 20, 2000), Columbus, Ohio (August 21, 2000), Nashville, Tennessee (April 18, 2003), Champaign, Illinois (April 23, 2003), Noblesville, Indiana (June 22, 2003), Chicago, Illinois (May 16, 2006), Chicago, Illinois (August 05, 2007), West Palm Beach, Florida (June 11, 2008), Tampa, Florida (June 12, 2008), Columbus, OH (May 06, 2010), Noblesville, Indiana (May 07, 2010), Wrigley Field (July 19, 2013), US Bank Arena (October 01, 2014), Lexington (April 26, 2016), Chicago Night 2 (August 20, 2018), Boston Night 1 (September 02, 2018), Nashville (September 16, 2022), St. Louis (September 18, 2022)
so true, so true.
i didn't mean perspective in terms of preference for albums.
i meant...the album. *it* is about perspective.
Howdy.
Funny that you refer to me again as nemesis. I was just rereading that old thread on the Yield board
Also, I think all of you in this thread would like to know that Yield has pretty much entered into my top 3 PJ albums. Something which I wasn't sure if it would ever do. But it has certainly grown on me.
this is so so so true. do you think it's because of the times or maybe it stems from the band getting older?
It's because of the times, and because they feel like they can make a difference that way (I'm not sure I agree...)
And it's also the reason why you won't hear No Way anytime soon, my friend.
I'm not quite sure if it's because:
1. They (i.e. Ed) want to speak out against the war, so he wants to get the message to a broader audience.
2. Since going "free lance", they're more inclined to try various new things.
or
3. They have created a viable brand name and are cashing in.
This whole situation is like that scene in Wayne's World:
"It's like looking down on Wayne's basement, only that's not Wayne's basement"
PBM
Wishlist Foundation: http://wishlistfoundation.org
I think it stems from Ed being undereducated and reading to much from one angle. He didn't balance any of the info he got into with an opposing view so it became emotional ideology and rehetoric. no logic. but, i do agree with alot of what he says- i just prefer metaphor and vagueness in my art.