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The Aging of Avocado

walkunafraidwalkunafraid Posts: 2,591
in The Porch
I was spinning self-titled this morning (as I do a few times a month) and reflecting on how well this album has stood the test of time with me.

It's the only post-2000 studio album that I listen to from start-to-finish on a regular basis (Backspacer comes in a distant second), and it seems like just as the satisfaction of the rediscovery of a particular track begins to wane, another soon rises up to take its place.

I still have a lot of love for the uptempo rockers - Life Wasted, Severed Hand, and Marker in the Sand, in particular - but the real treasures (in my opinion) are Parachutes (why this doesn't get more love, I'll never know), Army Reserve (ditto), Come Back (I understand it's a love it or hate it song, but I love it), and especially Inside Job, which I've always considered to be one of the band's greatest achievements. It still feels as epic and powerful and meaningful to me as it did the first time I heard it.

The only track I ever have the urge to skip is Big Wave, mostly because it feels out of place.

Just curious to know how this album resonates to other fans, 9+ years after its release, as it resides as a top 5 PJ album (maybe top 3) to me.
Everything has chains...Absolutely nothing's changed. - PJ

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” - Albert Camus
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Comments

  • cp3iversoncp3iverson Posts: 8,688
    My least favorite album but man Inside Job is amazing
  • stevedsteved Posts: 657
    Marker, Come Back, Inside Job are some great tracks... Others are good but those are the stand outs for me.. I agree with Big Wave being out of place.
    1994 - Pensacola, Miami, Atlanta - 1995 - Milwaukee, Milwaukee, New Orleans (Tickets to Phoenix, Las Cruces, Austin, Shows Canceled) - 1996 - Randalls Island, Randalls Island, Charlotte, N.Charleston, Ft. Lauderdale - 1997 - Oakland -1998 - Alpine Valley, Alpine Valley, Chicago, West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach -  2000 - West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Phoenix, Las Vegas (10th Anniversary Show)  - 2003 - West Palm Beach, Tampa, Atlanta, Nashville, Camden, Camden, MSG, MSG - 2004 - Kissimmee, Fl  -  2006 - Irving Plaza, Albany, Hartford, Denver, Denver, Las Vegas - 2007 - Ed w/ Jack Irons & Flea in LA  - 2008 - West Palm Beach, Tampa, Columbia, Camden, Camden, Washington D.C. - 2009 - L.A., San Diego, Philly Spectrum Night 3 & 4  - 2010 - New Orleans, Columbus, Indianapolis, Hartford, MSG, MSG - 2011 - Ed - Hartford, Providence, Boston - 2011 - Alpine Valley X2 (PJ20), Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver - 2012 - Ed - Ft. Lauderdale x2, - 2012 / 2014 Beautiful Daughter "Emily" born 11/07/12. On the bench for 3 years! She's really cute though! - 2015 - Mexico City - 2016 - Ft. Laud, Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, Greenville, Raleigh, Columbia, Philly 1 & 2, Toronto 1 & 2, Fenway 1 & 2, Wrigley Night 1 & 2 - 2016 - MSG, San Francisco, San Francisco, Seattle, Seattle (TOTD) - 2018 - Seattle 1 & 2, Fenway 1 & 2

  • HesCalledDyerHesCalledDyer Posts: 16,433
    I've been listening to it a lot more recently and feel the same way. It has definitely stood the test of time. When the album first came out, it took me a while to get into it - the only PJ album that's done that to me in their entire catalog. I did eventually grow to love it, but as time & two more albums go by, it got put on the proverbial shelf for a while. Since I've put it back in the rotation I've come to appreciate it even more.

    I don't know where I'd rank it.. I have a hard time ranking PJ albums. There's Yield and then everything else tied for 2nd.
    Star Lake 00 / Pittsburgh 03 / State College 03 / Bristow 03 / Cleveland 06 / Camden II 06 / DC 08 / Pittsburgh 13 / Baltimore 13 / Charlottesville 13 / Cincinnati 14 / St. Paul 14 / Hampton 16 / Wrigley I 16 / Wrigley II 16 / Baltimore 20 (xx) / Camden 22 / Baltimore 24
  • smalltown_pjsmalltown_pj Posts: 56
    edited October 2015
    I agree with nearly all that you say. Inside Job is epic and Army Reserve a very close second best on Avocado. I still struggle at times with Parachutes but I'm 100% with you on Big Wave not being a great fit. As an album way better than what has come since unfortunately!
    Post edited by smalltown_pj on
    'Everything has changed but absolutely nothing's changed'

    New York: 09-10-98; London: 05-29-00; London: 05-30-00; Glasgow: 06-03-00; Dublin: 08-23-06; Reading: 08-27-06; Virginia Beach: 06-17-08; Washington: 08-16-08 (EV); Seattle: 09-21-09; Philadelphia 10-31-09; Bristow: 05-13-10; Belfast: 06-23-10
  • MG14345MG14345 Posts: 89
    Parachutes is tremendous.
  • elwayvedderelwayvedder Posts: 9,124
    The anger and passion in this album and thoughts and feelings towards war still permeates with us today as it was 2006. A classic and the band at their best. The only song i tend to skip is Parachutes
    www.operationyellowribbon.org
  • whoanelly15whoanelly15 Posts: 740
    There's a bad joke here somewhere about how good the guacamole from this avocado would still be. But this album has power over me. Even more than it did when it first came out. At that time, it was all about Life Wasted, Comatose and Marker in the Sand for me. Since, Inside Job and Gone have become joined as some of my all time favorites. Really, as start-to-finish albums, this one and Binaural stand alone for me. There are songs on other albums that I love more, but those records are tops for me.
  • SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 Posts: 26,162
    GREAT- Severed Hand, Come Back, Inside Job, Wasted Reprise/Life Wasted
    GOOD- WWS, Comatose, Marker In The Sand, Parachutes, Unemployable, Army Reserve
    POOR- Big Wave, Gone



    severed hand thirteen
    2006: Gorge 7/23 2008: Hartford 6/27 Beacon 7/1 2009: Spectrum 10/30-31
    2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
    2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
    2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
    2017: RRHoF 4/7   2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4   2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18 
    2022: MSG 9/11  2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
  • Tim SimmonsTim Simmons Posts: 8,027
    My favorite post 2000 album by far.

    And Big Wave is one my favorites from it.
  • ckravitzckravitz Posts: 1,668
    Great album and one that I definitely feel has really taken its place among the greats by this band. The more I have spun it, the better it has gotten.

    As an aside, the last 1:25 of Marker is the best jamming, steering wheel slamming outro of any song in the catalog (IMO of course).
  • mrussel1mrussel1 Posts: 29,627
    SVRDhand13 said:

    GREAT- Severed Hand, Come Back, Inside Job, Wasted Reprise/Life Wasted
    GOOD- WWS, Comatose, Marker In The Sand, Parachutes, Unemployable, Army Reserve
    POOR- Big Wave, Gone



    I really like Gone... maybe I'm in the minority. Agree with the other ratings here. Come Back is one of my favorite PJ songs. I think the lyrics are very powerful and of course, sad.
  • tino_11tino_11 Posts: 2,114
    My least favourite PJ album but that said I do enjoy playing it.

    That middle section of parachutes, big wave and unemployable isn't to my taste and gets skipped every time.

    Love army reserve!
    'F*** the pessimists. F*** 'em.' Eddie Vedder
  • SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 Posts: 26,162
    mrussel1 said:

    SVRDhand13 said:

    GREAT- Severed Hand, Come Back, Inside Job, Wasted Reprise/Life Wasted
    GOOD- WWS, Comatose, Marker In The Sand, Parachutes, Unemployable, Army Reserve
    POOR- Big Wave, Gone



    I really like Gone... maybe I'm in the minority. Agree with the other ratings here. Come Back is one of my favorite PJ songs. I think the lyrics are very powerful and of course, sad.
    I used to hate Gone, but now I can deal with it. Maybe in 9 more years I'll love it haha.
    severed hand thirteen
    2006: Gorge 7/23 2008: Hartford 6/27 Beacon 7/1 2009: Spectrum 10/30-31
    2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
    2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
    2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
    2017: RRHoF 4/7   2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4   2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18 
    2022: MSG 9/11  2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
  • walkunafraidwalkunafraid Posts: 2,591
    mrussel1 said:

    SVRDhand13 said:

    GREAT- Severed Hand, Come Back, Inside Job, Wasted Reprise/Life Wasted
    GOOD- WWS, Comatose, Marker In The Sand, Parachutes, Unemployable, Army Reserve
    POOR- Big Wave, Gone



    I really like Gone... maybe I'm in the minority. Agree with the other ratings here. Come Back is one of my favorite PJ songs. I think the lyrics are very powerful and of course, sad.
    I forgot to mention in my original post that Gone is another one of my favorites on the album, so you're not alone.
    Everything has chains...Absolutely nothing's changed. - PJ

    “The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” - Albert Camus
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,939
    edited October 2015
    I absolutely love this album. I don't like it as much as Binaural or Riot Act, but it's PJ's last great album IMO. I spin it all the time. I love every single song on this album (I LOVE parchutes, FTR ;) ), except for Big Wave. That song does nothing for me. I don't hate it. It's just a total blank. But the rest of S/T is awesome.
    Post edited by PJ_Soul on
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • pjhawkspjhawks Posts: 12,518
    Inside Job is awesome live and don't get why it's not played a lot more often.
  • Dr. DelightDr. Delight Posts: 11,210
    edited October 2015
    yeah
    Post edited by Dr. Delight on
    And so you see, I have come to doubt
    All that I once held as true
    I stand alone without beliefs
    The only truth I know is you.
  • HughFreakingDillonHughFreakingDillon Posts: 36,901
    it is my most listened-to PJ album from Binaural on. love it.
    new album "Cigarettes" out Spring 2025!

    www.headstonesband.com




  • mrussel1mrussel1 Posts: 29,627
    edited October 2015
    IMO, Life Wasted has translated the best in concert (followed by a sit down Come Back)... I especially love the jam at the end..

    I was trying to post a specific point in the Hartford show. I copied the URL with the time, but it doesn't work here. I must be doing something wrong.
    https://youtu.be/_a7qRMmauz8?t=7674
    Post edited by mrussel1 on
  • buck502000buck502000 Posts: 8,951
    it needs to be remastered - it's way too looouuuudddddd!!!!!
  • Mawky1103Mawky1103 Posts: 310
    Best PJ album post 2000. I think Come Back, Life Wasted, Severed Hand, Marker in the Sand, and Inside Job are all timers. And the solo's are better than anything on BS or LB.

    -Parachutes too. I recently learned the riff to this song, its really beautiful.
  • PJfanwillneverleave1PJfanwillneverleave1 Posts: 12,885
    ckravitz said:

    Great album and one that I definitely feel has really taken its place among the greats by this band. The more I have spun it, the better it has gotten.

    As an aside, the last 1:25 of Marker is the best jamming, steering wheel slamming outro of any song in the catalog

    I agree with you sir!
    I have listened to that part hundreds of time really loud in the car, rewind listen, rewind listen.
    It feels like the song just breaks away into a feel good untouchable rhythm.
    It gives me the same feeling as the outro on LB. after the "problems they won't die with you, yeah, yeah."

  • StevieGStevieG Posts: 850
    For me it's No Code at the top, Avocado firmly in the two hole.
    Barrie, ON - Aug 22, 1998
    London, ON - Sep 12, 2005
    Toronto, ON - Aug 21, 2009
    Toronto, ON- Sep 11 2011
    Hamilton, ON- Sep 15 2011
    London, ON- Jul 16 2013
    Buffalo, NY- Oct 12 2013
  • PeeJ8991PeeJ8991 Posts: 2
    Had to make my first post about this album. One of my favorites. Big Wave is great in my opinion and I love Life Wasted. Not a huge fan of Severed Hand but it's still good.
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,939
    buck502000 said:

    it needs to be remastered - it's way too looouuuudddddd!!!!!

    I keep seeing people say this, but I think it sounds pretty damn good at the volume I always use on my TT.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • ckravitzckravitz Posts: 1,668
    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

    ckravitz said:

    Great album and one that I definitely feel has really taken its place among the greats by this band. The more I have spun it, the better it has gotten.

    As an aside, the last 1:25 of Marker is the best jamming, steering wheel slamming outro of any song in the catalog

    I agree with you sir!
    I have listened to that part hundreds of time really loud in the car, rewind listen, rewind listen.
    It feels like the song just breaks away into a feel good untouchable rhythm.
    It gives me the same feeling as the outro on LB. after the "problems they won't die with you, yeah, yeah."

    Me too! Haha. I'll skip back to the beginning of the third chorus a few times with the volume at deafening levels and just rock out. You captured the essence very well with your statement on how it "just breaks away...".
  • EB218946EB218946 Posts: 3,932
    This albumn has aged very well. So many incredible lyrics on avocado. In my opinion this was the last great Pearl jam albumn. I have love for BS and LB but not the same caliber or feel. Sadly, the band hit its glass ceiling with Avocado due to Father Time and family. But, I still love these guys and respect the solid effort they always give live!
  • mcgruff10mcgruff10 Posts: 28,470
    Good album that was very much needed after the two previous flops. I wish they d play marker more live; on the flip side inside job might be one of their most boring songs live after what seems like a two hour intro. The 06 tour was great imo, I wish I could have caught more shows that year.
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Posts: 49,939
    mcgruff10 said:

    Good album that was very much needed after the two previous flops. I wish they d play marker more live; on the flip side inside job might be one of their most boring songs live after what seems like a two hour intro. The 06 tour was great imo, I wish I could have caught more shows that year.

    Now you're just trying to piss me off. :angry:
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • samjamsamjam Posts: 9,283
    I find I listen to this album most in the summer.
    "Sometimes you find yourself having to put all your faith in no faith."
    ~not a dude~
    2010: MSGx2
    2012: Made In America
    2013: Pittsburgh, Brooklynx2, Hartford, Baltimore
    2014: Leeds, Milton Keynes, Detroit
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    2016: Phillyx2, MSGx2, Fenwayx2
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