So here's the skinny. Not all the songs are finished and there still might be more that need to be recorded. Jeff isn't sure it is enough to be an album yet, although he is enjoying the creative direction the band has taken the past year and half.
I don't think Stone misspoke when he said they are getting close to the finish line with all the work that has been completed. But Jeff's assertion that recording will take longer is also correct since the band is taking the summer off. He hopes the album will come out next year (no surprise) and they penciled in some shows, especially in places they haven't been to in awhile.
It is also great to hear Jeff's passion for Pearl Jam. I liked his idea of each member writing the top 10 things they would like to see Pearl Jam accomplish before they are done, whether types of songs they could write or different venues to play.
Yeah I don't think he is as hyped as Stone seems to be on what they have recorded so far, seems to me like he thinks the band should be pushing themselves a bit harder. Since they have earned the right to do whatever they want, they shouldn't settle and should push themselves to another level. He sounded a little bit frustrated to me, IMO.
He said in a week they were shutting down for the summer, but in September after the tour they would start up again and the same questions he has now will still be there.
Crazy for me to say, but if a new Pearl Jam album dropped today I don't know that I'd rush to download it. Half of Gigaton was great but the bad half sours the album for me.
I'd still rush to hear new material, but otherwise I agree with you. Gigaton felt like half a great album, or 2/3 of a good album. I think the opening 4 tracks are solid, but then the wheels fall off a bit.
Crazy for me to say, but if a new Pearl Jam album dropped today I don't know that I'd rush to download it. Half of Gigaton was great but the bad half sours the album for me.
I'd still rush to hear new material, but otherwise I agree with you. Gigaton felt like half a great album, or 2/3 of a good album. I think the opening 4 tracks are solid, but then the wheels fall off a bit.
To me it's weirdly sequenced to. It starts of great and high energy, and then just at the halfway point BAM starts with slower songs and drags till the end.
But the first few songs are really good. Eddie globetrotting etc.
"Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
Crazy for me to say, but if a new Pearl Jam album dropped today I don't know that I'd rush to download it. Half of Gigaton was great but the bad half sours the album for me.
I'd still rush to hear new material, but otherwise I agree with you. Gigaton felt like half a great album, or 2/3 of a good album. I think the opening 4 tracks are solid, but then the wheels fall off a bit.
Crazy for me to say, but if a new Pearl Jam album dropped today I don't know that I'd rush to download it. Half of Gigaton was great but the bad half sours the album for me.
I'd still rush to hear new material, but otherwise I agree with you. Gigaton felt like half a great album, or 2/3 of a good album. I think the opening 4 tracks are solid, but then the wheels fall off a bit.
To me it's weirdly sequenced to. It starts of great and high energy, and then just at the halfway point BAM starts with slower songs and drags till the end.
But the first few songs are really good. Eddie globetrotting etc.
Agree with both of you. After seeing what he did on Earthling, I'm massively excited for the Andrew Watt-produced PJ album.
I'm hoping he had something to do with the Earthling song arrangements for the likes of Brother, The Cloud, The Dark, Picture etc as it was reminiscent of early era Pearl Jam.
That said, I've liked Pearl Jam throughout, but I think there's been 3-5 good songs before a big drop on every album since Avocado. Plus I think it's time to inject some new Rearviewmirrors et al into the set list.
As someone hinted the new album might/will sound like vs, I somehow hope it won’t. And this coming from someone who loves vs and has loved PJ ever since 91.
But the singing has changed and wouldn’t be able to live up to that sound anymore. I even think the last time Ed‘s voice really rocked was on Avocado. His voice has naturally transitioned with age. He truly still shines in mid tempo and slow songs. I consider ‘alright’ as a good example where his aged voice is really strong.
But the fiery tension in his voice that made ‘animal’ or much later for example ‘save you’ standout, isn’t there anymore. And that’s ok.
I would love an album with lots of mood and have Ed’s ‘weathered’ voice sound like a late Cash here and there.
…in the end, let them have fun! I will look forward to a new album anyways. I am happy they are still alive and want to make music together! This in itself is amazing!
As someone hinted the new album might/will sound like vs, I somehow hope it won’t. And this coming from someone who loves vs and has loved PJ ever since 91.
But the singing has changed and wouldn’t be able to live up to that sound anymore. I even think the last time Ed‘s voice really rocked was on Avocado. His voice has naturally transitioned with age. He truly still shines in mid tempo and slow songs. I consider ‘alright’ as a good example where his aged voice is really strong.
But the fiery tension in his voice that made ‘animal’ or much later for example ‘save you’ standout, isn’t there anymore. And that’s ok.
I would love an album with lots of mood and have Ed’s ‘weathered’ voice sound like a late Cash here and there.
…in the end, let them have fun! I will look forward to a new album anyways. I am happy they are still alive and want to make music together! This in itself is amazing!
I don't know if he can still sing like the early 90s. But I believe he started taking lessons and chose this way of singing. I guess we can look to songs like Power of Right and Good and Evil from Earthling to get a sense of how the rockers on the new album will sound voice wise
As someone hinted the new album might/will sound like vs, I somehow hope it won’t. And this coming from someone who loves vs and has loved PJ ever since 91.
But the singing has changed and wouldn’t be able to live up to that sound anymore. I even think the last time Ed‘s voice really rocked was on Avocado. His voice has naturally transitioned with age. He truly still shines in mid tempo and slow songs. I consider ‘alright’ as a good example where his aged voice is really strong.
But the fiery tension in his voice that made ‘animal’ or much later for example ‘save you’ standout, isn’t there anymore. And that’s ok.
I would love an album with lots of mood and have Ed’s ‘weathered’ voice sound like a late Cash here and there.
…in the end, let them have fun! I will look forward to a new album anyways. I am happy they are still alive and want to make music together! This in itself is amazing!
I don't know if he can still sing like the early 90s. But I believe he started taking lessons and chose this way of singing. I guess we can look to songs like Power of Right and Good and Evil from Earthling to get a sense of how the rockers on the new album will sound voice wise
Yeah, good examples to my point. It’s not bad singing at all. But for a voice that was straight and pure (with some punk and honest desperation in it) back then in fast paced songs (Lukin!), these songs now have a touch of ‘musical’ (for a lack of better word) singing to it.
Both songs leave me cold, honestly.
As a singer myself, I know it’s a fine line between “this feels fine and is technically better than that“ to it doesn’t emotionally hit as hard as it did.
With age come different strengths. All I am saying is, I hope it shows on the next album.!I liked Gigaton much more than LB, for example.
I haven't really had much problem with his singing on the albums. I think it's easier to nail a vocal in the studio, where you get repeated takes and you're not singing for two straight hours over a crowd. I've never noticed the affectation I described above on the studio tracks.
EDIT: I didn't discuss the "affectation" in this thread; it's in the thread about Ed's singing. My bad.
I just want more creative output and to ditch the 1 album every 7 years, legacy band persona.
Release some shit, release some gems, release some forgettable material, but at least keep the creative engine turning.
agreed! even McCartney is putting something new out more frequently than PJ. Some of it is subpar, and also some great stuff . But at least as a fan i know he is still inspired as an artist. I feel like PJ would rather go to the dentist instead of the studio.
Comments
He said in a week they were shutting down for the summer, but in September after the tour they would start up again and the same questions he has now will still be there.
But the first few songs are really good. Eddie globetrotting etc.
I'm hoping he had something to do with the Earthling song arrangements for the likes of Brother, The Cloud, The Dark, Picture etc as it was reminiscent of early era Pearl Jam.
That said, I've liked Pearl Jam throughout, but I think there's been 3-5 good songs before a big drop on every album since Avocado. Plus I think it's time to inject some new Rearviewmirrors et al into the set list.
EV: Amsterdam II 2012, Amsterdam I/III 2017, Amsterdam I 2019
Brad: Zoetermeer & Utrecht 2013
Soundgarden: Pinkpop 2012, Amsterdam 2013, Utrecht 2014
Melbourne #2 '03
Melbourne #3 '03
Melbourne #1 '06
Melbourne #3 '06
Melbourne '09
Melbourne '14
astoria 06
albany 06
hartford 06
reading 06
barcelona 06
paris 06
wembley 07
dusseldorf 07
nijmegen 07
this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
2020: Oakland, Oakland: 2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
But the singing has changed and wouldn’t be able to live up to that sound anymore. I even think the last time Ed‘s voice really rocked was on Avocado. His voice has naturally transitioned with age. He truly still shines in mid tempo and slow songs. I consider ‘alright’ as a good example where his aged voice is really strong.
Release some shit, release some gems, release some forgettable material, but at least keep the creative engine turning.
astoria 06
albany 06
hartford 06
reading 06
barcelona 06
paris 06
wembley 07
dusseldorf 07
nijmegen 07
this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
EDIT: I didn't discuss the "affectation" in this thread; it's in the thread about Ed's singing. My bad.