Why are Binaural and Riot Act considered subpar?

2

Comments

  • brainofPJ
    brainofPJ Posts: 2,361
    Binaural to me is their best album...

    and to hear the songs live....that's a whole different experience!


    Esther's here and she's sick?

    hi Esther, now we are all going to be sick, thanks
  • CityMouse
    CityMouse Posts: 1,010
    I don't know, but I LOVE riot act. I think it's one of the best albums ever made, even in terms of pearl jam.
  • libragirl
    libragirl Posts: 4,632
    fanch75 wrote:
    YIELD is the best ever, though.

    hell yeah!
    fanch75 wrote:
    Remember that song "Bye Bye Bye" by Nsync? That song is better than most of what's on riot act. That's how bad that album is. At least I remember how "Bye Bye Bye" goes.

    cmon now..lol
    These cuts are leaving creases. Trace the scars to fit the pieces, to tell the story, you don't need to say a word.
  • U R A Crazy Breed
    U R A Crazy Breed Posts: 8,370
    Binaural is in my top 3 PJ albums!! it took me awhile to recognize it's true brilliance!!

    i guess it's just going to take the masses a little longer :)
  • Solat13
    Solat13 Posts: 6,996
    I don't think per say that Binaural and Riot Act are bad albums. They are just my least favorite PJ albums. They both have their moments but they never affected me as much as the original 5 and Pearl Jam.
    - Busted down the pretext
    - 8/28/98
    - 9/2/00
    - 4/28/03, 5/3/03, 7/3/03, 7/5/03, 7/6/03, 7/9/03, 7/11/03, 7/12/03, 7/14/03
    - 9/28/04, 9/29/04, 10/1/04, 10/2/04
    - 9/11/05, 9/12/05, 9/13/05, 9/30/05, 10/1/05, 10/3/05
    - 5/12/06, 5/13/06, 5/27/06, 5/28/06, 5/30/06, 6/1/06, 6/3/06, 6/23/06, 7/22/06, 7/23/06, 12/2/06, 12/9/06
    - 8/2/07, 8/5/07
    - 6/19/08, 6/20/08, 6/22/08, 6/24/08, 6/25/08, 6/27/08, 6/28/08, 6/30/08, 7/1/08
    - 8/23/09, 8/24/09, 9/21/09, 9/22/09, 10/27/09, 10/28/09, 10/30/09, 10/31/09
    - 5/15/10, 5/17/10, 5/18/10, 5/20/10, 5/21/10, 10/23/10, 10/24/10
    - 9/11/11, 9/12/11
    - 10/18/13, 10/21/13, 10/22/13, 11/30/13, 12/4/13
  • Evacuation Rules
    Evacuation Rules Posts: 2,162
    Because people are too stupid to understand songs like "Evacuation" and "Cropduster".
  • falcon
    falcon Posts: 163
    Binaural, Riot Act, and No Code are my 3 favorite albums. The reason... I think because it took so many listens to appreciate the incredible songwriting.
    MANSFIELD 7/3/03, 7/11/03
    BOSTON 9/28/04, 9/29/04
    HARTFORD 5/13/06
    BOSTON 5/24/06
    MANSFIELD 6/28/08, 6/30/08
    EV BOSTON 8/1/08, 8/2/08
    CHICAGO 8/24/09
    HARTFORD 5/15/10
    BOSTON 5/17/10
    EV PROV 6/15/11
    WORCESTER 10/15/13, 10/16/13
    HARTFORD 10/25/13
  • Yellow Bedwetter
    Yellow Bedwetter NYC Posts: 2,832
    cuz they're not rockers like ten and Vs
    2005: Borgata 2, Philly
    2006: Camden 1&2, East Ruth 1&2
    2008: BONNAROO, MSG1, MSG2, Hartford
    2009: Philly 1, 2, 4
    2010: Hartford, MSG1, MSG2
    2012: Made in America
    2013: BK1, BK2, Hartford
    2015: Global Citizens
    2016: MSG 2 (ISO MSG1)
    EV Solo: NJPAC 2008; Tower Theatre, PA 2009; Hartford 2011
  • HushBull
    HushBull Posts: 996
    Because someone in a previous thread about the same topic, a person with a really high post count, said they didn't enjoy those two albums. Thus, no one does anymore. It was decided by the powers that be.... :o

    Riot Act is probably my favorite. :)
    "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro"
  • mattcozea
    mattcozea Posts: 377
    I wouldn't say they're subpar, but they're at the bottom of my list. The others are just that good.
    6-27-98 Alpine Valley
    10-8-00 Alpine Valley
    10-9-00 All State Arena, Chicago
    4-23-03 Assembly Hall, Champaign
    5-16-06 United Center, Chicago
    6-30-06 Marcus Amphitheater, Milwaukee
    8-05-07 Grant Park, Chicago
    8-21-08 EV, Auditorium Theater, Chicago
    8-22-08 EV, Auditorium Theater, Chicago
  • TT98
    TT98 Posts: 137
    I would say they are both in bottom 3 for me in terms of PJ albums, but still in top 20 overall, they just cant seem to make an album I dont like at all. I guess they made Yeild too perfect that everything else after isnt gonna seem up to par. :)
  • spnoone
    spnoone Posts: 633
    oldfannewposter wrote:
    I saw them for the first time on an off night from the RHCP/ Smashing Pumpkins tour in 1992 in Ithaca, NY at a small place called the Haunt.
    you're the only other person i've ever seen on the board who was there. best $7 i ever spent.
  • OffHeGoes29
    OffHeGoes29 Posts: 1,240
    Binaural is the motha-fuck'n jam
    BRING BACK THE WHALE
  • brain of c
    brain of c Posts: 5,213
    oldfannewposter wrote:
    Riot Act and Binaural are two of the most solid albums ever recorded. But, you're right, people tend to dog these two efforts. I have no idea why. Some of the best lyrics and riffs ever written by Pearl Jam are on these two gems.

    I've really enjoyed each album as a separate entity. They're all good... great I mean. Pearl Jam's longevity and ability to draw sell out crowds with minimal airplay and exposure, in my opinion, is because of their ability to show growth and change with the their music that is honest, effortless, and real. No musician sits down and says, "OK.... let's write a song!". Their personal changes undoubtedly affects the demeanor of each record.

    I saw them for the first time on an off night from the RHCP/ Smashing Pumpkins tour in 1992 in Ithaca, NY at a small place called the Haunt (and for the last time in Mansfield night II) with 28 other shows in between, so I've followed their metamorphosis quite closely although I'm a new poster (or am I?). :0)

    They'll be doing stadiums soon on a regular basis, so enjoy these arena shows while you can... as well as each record they put out... equally.

    you were at the haunt. great club.
    d'oh!!!!!!

    http://www.myspace.com/brain_of_c
  • The Long Road
    The Long Road Posts: 183
    smartass1235 wrote:
    i think they both kick the shit out of no code


    Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!
    "All the rusted signs we ignore throughout our lives"--Ed
  • hrd2imgn
    hrd2imgn Southwest Burbs of Chicago Posts: 4,924
    I don't think any release by the band is subpar so I am not a part of the consensus
  • jonopono
    jonopono Posts: 80
    riot act strikes me as almost a total U-turn away from binaural's balls-to-the-wall punk influences. it's a much more contemplative album, but still manages to rock hard.

    i don't buy the argument that ten and vs. "rocked" any harder than other albums ... i think that the post-80's crashing guitars on ten and the dominant rhythms on vs. are easier to apprehend and maybe groove to, but the later albums have a much better symmetry in many respects. listening to ten and vs. now, i'm not sure if i'm listening to a band that's on tilt and will implode at any moment or a bunch of guys in it for the long haul ... maybe that's the tension that people find so exciting.

    all that said, i agree with everyone who put up yield as the epic album. so good ... so very good.

    (but i've gotta at least mention VITALOGY for all the singles it spawned ...)
    Rise. Life is in motion. I'm stuck in line.
    Oh rise. You can't be neutral on a moving train.
  • OffHeGoes132
    OffHeGoes132 Posts: 594
    I love both these albums, no arguments here! There is no such thing as a bad PJ record, and I would say if there was
  • Ledbetterman10
    Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,994
    They're all good albums and they're great in spots, but I don't think Pearl Jam's last three albums stand up very favorably to their first five at all. I mean, it's all a matter of opinion and you can prefer whatever you want to, but it's not unlike how Physical Graffiti, Presence, and In Through the Out Door don't really cut it when compared to the first five Zep albums.
    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, 2024: Philly 2, 2025: Pittsburgh 1

    Pearl Jam bootlegs:
    http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
  • itsevobaby
    itsevobaby Posts: 1,809
    it's like saying strawberry cheesecake is subpar compared to raspberry cheesecake, it's fucking cheesecake you know, it's all good!! if you like cheesecake that is
    Look Alive,
    See These Bones

Categories