Home› The Porch
Options

Backspacer Lovers Unite

walkunafraidwalkunafraid Posts: 2,557
in The Porch
I've seen so much dislike/criticism of Backspacer on this board, but there have to be others who, like me, really enjoy the album, right? No, it's not my FAVORITE PJ album of all time, but it's certainly in my top half, and light years ahead of Lightning Bolt, which I've heard others suggest is the superior record. Unthought Known, Amongst the Waves, and Force of Nature have stood the test of time both on-record and in-concert quite well, and I truly believe that Got Some is very underrated as an energetic live track that doesn't get enough love. I know Just Breathe was overplayed/overhyped to some people here, but that aside, it's a pretty track that is nowhere near the cheesiness of Future Days or Sleeping By Myself on LB. Same can be said of The End -- one of my favorite "slow" PJ songs, one that I think is vastly underrated.

Anyone else with me on this one?
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

Comments

  • Options
    bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 15,528
    The End is an amazing tune.
  • Options
    walkunafraidwalkunafraid Posts: 2,557
    Also, here's one of my most-watched PJ performances of recent years. Never seen a PJ video shot quite from this angle, really gets me hyped for my next PJ show.

    https://youtu.be/3cXMTch4Deg
    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
  • Options
    cp3iversoncp3iverson Posts: 8,640
    It is their most listenable album IMO of the 2000s. It has the least amount of tunes to skip.

    Love it. One of their top 5 for me.
  • Options
    my2handsmy2hands Posts: 17,117
    swap out Johnny Guitar with Of The Earth and Backspacer would be a classic LP
  • Options
    rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    my2hands said:

    swap out Johnny Guitar with Of The Earth and Backspacer would be a classic LP

    Absolutely, Johnny Guitar tries to kill the album for me but it can't.

    My best friend likes Backspacer best because it came out at the height of his fandom and it matches his guitar playing style the most.
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • Options
    rustneversleepsrustneversleeps The Motel of Lost Companions Posts: 2,209
    love it
  • Options
    Dr DapsoyDr Dapsoy Posts: 70
    Force Of Nature is a Top 5 all time PJ song for me. This album came out at the time I was going through a divorce. The End hit me like a ton of bricks. That track is still tough to listen to.
    1996: Randall's Island 1
    1998: MSG 1
    2000: Jones Beach 1
    2003: Uniondale, MSG 1
    2006: Camden
    2013: Brooklyn 2
    2016: Boston 1
  • Options
    AndoAndo Denver Posts: 410
    Way to slow for me overall. Speed of sound, the end, just breathe, amongst the waves. Plus not a fan of the Fixer so about half of the album are skip songs for me. One a positive note I love GSMF, Got Some and Unthought Known
  • Options
    buck502000buck502000 Birthplace of GIBSON guitar Posts: 8,951
    I vow to disband you!!!! :)
  • Options
    Ledbetterman10Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,725
    edited April 2016
    ..
    Post edited by Ledbetterman10 on
    2000: Camden 1, 2003: Philly, State College, Camden 1, MSG 2, Hershey, 2004: Reading, 2005: Philly, 2006: Camden 1, 2, East Rutherford 1, 2007: Lollapalooza, 2008: Camden 1, Washington D.C., MSG 1, 2, 2009: Philly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2010: Bristol, MSG 2, 2011: PJ20 1, 2, 2012: Made In America, 2013: Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014: Denver, 2015: Global Citizen Festival, 2016: Philly 2, Fenway 1, 2018: Fenway 1, 2, 2021: Sea. Hear. Now. 2022: Camden

    Pearl Jam bootlegs:
    http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
  • Options
    HesCalledDyerHesCalledDyer Maryland Posts: 16,418
    I highly enjoy Backspacer! I highly enjoy The Fixer! I really don't understand all the grief this album & song get.
    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
  • Options
    TJ25487TJ25487 Posts: 1,455
    They should play it in its entirety (minus JG) in one of the upcoming shows.
  • Options
    northerndragonnortherndragon somewhere, nowhere, anywhere Posts: 9,728
    I don't understand why everyone hates on Johnny Guitar, it is just one hell of a fun rock song. Ten Million times better than Just Breathe. Good album, everyone just became old and crotchety right around the time it came out hence all the "get off my lawn" yelling about it.
    Anything you lose from being honest
    You never really had to begin with.


    Sometimes it's not the song that makes you emotional it's the people and things that come to your mind when you hear it.
  • Options
    rgambsrgambs Posts: 13,576
    northerndragon said:

    I don't understand why everyone hates on Johnny Guitar, it is just one hell of a fun rock song. Ten Million times better than Just Breathe. Good album, everyone just became old and crotchety right around the time it came out hence all the "get off my lawn" yelling about it.

    It's just not lyrically excellent like every other Pearl Jam song.
    Monkey Driven, Call this Living?
  • Options
    mrluthor9mrluthor9 Posts: 264
    Love me some Backspacer.
    All the rusted signs we ignore throughout our lives,.....choosing the shiny ones instead,......
  • Options
    PJForceofNaturePJForceofNature Posts: 3,087
    I absolutely love the album, especially Force of Nature! ;)
    "A beacon on dry land"
  • Options
    walkunafraidwalkunafraid Posts: 2,557
    PJForceofNature said:

    I absolutely love the album, especially Force of Nature! ;)

    Prove it. :lol:
    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
  • Options
    intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,225
    I like this Album.
    For me it has some excellent songs that i love and some songs i can't believe pearl jam wrote.

    I also for some reason don't think Just Breathe and The End work on the same album. I think that hampers it some too.
    Charlotte 00
    Charlotte 03
    Asheville 04
    Atlanta 12
    Greenville 16, Columbia 16
    Seattle 18 
    Nashville 22
  • Options
    avenathusavenathus Connecticut Posts: 29
    My only complaint about Backspacer is that I wish it were maybe one or two songs longer! :D
    "This is for Manchester, this is for Ellington, for New Britain, for Danbury... and all the liquor store owners in Colchester."
    ---
    Hartford 2006 | Hartford 2008 | Philly 4 2009 | Hartford 2010 | Boston 2010 | Hartford 2011 (EV) | Philly 2012 | Worcester 2013 | Hartford 2013 | Philly 1 2016 | Philly 2 2016 | Fenway 1 2016 | Barcelona 2018 | Fenway 1 2018 | MSG 2020 | MSG 2022 | Camden 2022 | Chicago 1 2023 | Chicago 2 2023
  • Options
    JammalamboJammalambo Posts: 1,321
    rgambs said:

    northerndragon said:

    I don't understand why everyone hates on Johnny Guitar, it is just one hell of a fun rock song. Ten Million times better than Just Breathe. Good album, everyone just became old and crotchety right around the time it came out hence all the "get off my lawn" yelling about it.

    It's just not lyrically excellent like every other Pearl Jam song.
    Uhm... Supersonic? Olé? The Fixer? Sirens (come on)? and others as well... You can dislike its lyrics, but don't pretend it's the only PJ song with forgettable lyrics.. And personally, I like Johnny Guitar very much, really fun song.. better a song like that than an ultra boring song like Sirens (yes, this is practcally the only song of theirs where I would use the term 'ultra boring')...
    Backspacer is a good album, very easy listening, but good nonetheless..
  • Options
    LiftedLifted Posts: 1,602
    my2hands said:

    swap out Johnny Guitar with Of The Earth and Backspacer would be a classic LP

    Johnny guitar, lyrics aside, is a highlight on a mediocre album if you ask me. Different strokes. For Pearl Jam standards, I find the last two albums to be extremely weak.
  • Options
    Daron OshayDaron Oshay Middletown, NJ Posts: 2,490
    I love it and don't care if anyone else does or doesn't
  • Options
    on2legson2legs Standing in the Jersey rain… Posts: 14,418
    I love a few of the songs and like most of the others.
    1996: Randall's Island 2  1998: East Rutherford | MSG 1 & 2  2000: Cincinnati | Columbus | Jones Beach 1, 2, & 3 | Boston 1 | Camden 1 & 2 2003: Philadelphia | Uniondale | MSG 1 & 2 | Holmdel  2005: Atlantic City 1  2006: Camden 1 | East Rutherford 1 & 2 2008: Camden 1 & 2 | MSG 1 & 2 | Newark (EV)  2009: Philadelphia 1, 2 & 4  2010: Newark | MSG 1 & 2  2011: Toronto 1  2013: Wrigley Field | Brooklyn 2 | Philadelphia 1 & 2 | Baltimore  2015: Central Park  2016: Philadelphia 1 & 2 | MSG 1 & 2 | Fenway Park 2 | MSG (TOTD)  2017: Brooklyn (RnR HOF)  2020: MSG | Asbury Park  2021: Asbury Park  2022: MSG | Camden | Nashville  2024: MSG 1 & 2 (#50) | Philadelphia 1 & 2 | Baltimore


  • Options
    DPrival78DPrival78 CT Posts: 2,259
    edited April 2016
    northerndragon said:

    I don't understand why everyone hates on Johnny Guitar, it is just one hell of a fun rock song.

    yes, thank you. i love JG. the band needs to let matt write more songs.

    and i've really been into GSMF lately
    i'm more a fan of popular bands.. like the bee-gees, pearl jam
Sign In or Register to comment.