This is not Riot Act related really, but Binaural had so many cuts (in my opinion) because songs like Fatal, Sad, Sweet Lew, and Education wouldn't have fit in the album. The mood for those songs isn't Binaural if that makes sense. That also explains Down. That wouldn't have fit on Riot Act (in my opinion) because of how upbeat and happy it sounds. Not like the album at all. But Riot Act had two more songs than Binaural so it just means they wrote more "Riot Act" songs during the recording sessions. I could be wrong though.
That actually makes a lot of sene. I also think it hold true because Riot Act has a really good flow to the album, all the songs really feel like they belong together.
you couldn't swing if you were hangin' from a palm tree in a hurricane.
I can't remember if I've posted in this thread or not...I probably have, but I just wante to make sure, cause I'd probably have to say that Riot Act is my favourite album right now...its frickin awesome!
A bit sad that they didn't play more of this album at the two Toronto shows, cause this album really shines live...although I did get to hear You Are, so that was pretty sweet. I love that damn song, especially live...that funky riff that Stone plays is so badass, and it was nice and 'dirty' on Wednesday, I love that.
But yeah, SO many good songs, especially live like I said. You Are, Thumbing My Way, Save You, LBC, All or None (SO good), Bu$hleaguer, I am Mine, Can't Keep and ARC are all such awesome songs (I guess I should have just listed the whole album, lol). I wish I had been to more shows on the 2003 tour!
Anyway, I think my point is basically this: Riot Act frickin ROCKS!!!!!!!
Peace
:-p
"Six million dollars we turned down, to prevent our song to be sung by a cock" E.V. - San Diego, June 5, 2003
1. Can't Keep
2. Save You
3. Love Boat Captain
4. Undone
5. Otherside
6. I Am Mine
7. Thumbing My Way
8. You Are
9. Down
10. Arc
11. All Or None
now that is a good album!
1. Can't Keep
2. Save You
3. Love Boat Captain
4. Undone
5. Otherside
6. I Am Mine
7. Thumbing My Way
8. You Are
9. Down
10. Arc
11. All Or None
now that is a good album!
Actually, I like the original much, much better. I love Ghost, 1/2 Full Cropduster, Green Disease, Get Right, Help Help, and Bushleaguer. You can't just get rid of them!
Also, as much as I like Down, it just doesn't flow with the rest of the album. I say, leave it alone! Its a masterpiece!
you couldn't swing if you were hangin' from a palm tree in a hurricane.
"Survivor: Seattle" left its share of casualties throughout the '90s. Kurt Cobain left the building far too soon. Alice in Chains ceased to continue after the tragedy of Layne Staley's cold fade into night. Soundgarden broke up after they found themselves "Down on the Upside". Even bands outside the rain of Seattle like the Smashing Pumpkins couldn't keep it together. All in all, it was a bad time for the makers of flannel and Doc Martens. With a talent for endurance that even Darwin would envy, Pearl Jam remains the last band standing.
For years now, Pearl Jam has sought to escape the arena-rock pigeonhole they found themselves in circa 1992. Derided by Saint Cobain, a leader of the purists, the backlash began somewhere around the 4,000,000th spin of "Jeremy". Labeled as classic-rock retreads, Pearl Jam consistently proved to be a band out of time. Here in the "Age of Irony" was a group hell-bent on the righteous path. They (like their musical heroes The Who) were in search of music that meant something; Mudhoney they were not. In perhaps the most famous of their virtuous deeds, they took on the monopolistic behemoth known as Ticketmaster. After a fight that sent virtually all other bands scurrying, Pearl Jam was left for dead beneath the mega-corporate boot of greed. Subsequent tours were cancelled, ironically taking the focus off of Pearl Jam's exalted purpose -- the music. The masses grew tired of the self-dictated detachment and the band was lampooned for its tight fist and rutted brow. "Not For You" took on new meaning. Album sales plunged, MTV scoffed, and magazine covers were forced to go without the famous furrowed visage of Eddie Vedder. Famously, Rolling Stone went so far as to publish an unauthorized cover story on "The Real Eddie Vedder", which claimed, among other earth-shattering truths, that little Eddie Vedder actually smiled in high school! The world was angry at Pearl Jam. But, something funny happened on the way to oblivion: they arrived at #2 on the Billboard pop charts.
"Last Kiss", a pretty cover tune distributed as a Christmas gift for fan club members, suddenly rang out from radios across America. The generation that had N'Sync on repeat began to sing along with a guy named Vedder ("Oh where, oh where can my BABY BE!"). In true Pearl Jam fashion, they achieved success without clamoring for it. The achievement of "Last Kiss" was all the more remarkable when one considers the corrupt solidity of radio playlists. Here was a song not even meant for the airwaves, yet, in a purely organic way, unearthed the ears of millions. Somehow, Pearl Jam discovered the hidden mantra for longevity: focus on the music.
With their counterparts falling one by one, they had released a string of albums that followed the beat of their own drummer (even if that was to be its most Spinal Tap-like position with four skins-men over seven albums). In 1996, they released No Code, a meditative reflection engulfed by tribal beats (courtesy of drummer number three Jack Irons). February of 1998 gave way to Yield, a slight return to the roots of anthem with a mature twist. Another two years passed and the beaten path of Binaural was revealed. An attempt at a more ethereal sound, it was the first album in nearly 10 years not to be produced by the stalwart Brendan O'Brien. In his place, Tchad Blake oversaw a band trying to find its way. At times, the record produced a permeating beauty with floating dirges like "Nothing As It Seems". Too often, however, the writer's block Vedder admits to have suffered during the recording reared its ugly head. Binaural was an interesting exploration that ultimately lacked the cohesive wallop needed to carry an entire album. Which brings us to the task at hand: Riot Act.
Simply put, Riot Act is the conclusion of an epic that began with the off-ramp surge of No Code. The fruit of their toil is evident in the intricate wisdom of lyrics and music as one. A cohesive attack of 15 songs, Riot Act is a concept album about philosophical matters in American life: Love vs. Greed, Man against Nature, and the Haves versus the Have-nots.
Not since Vitalogy has Eddie Vedder presented such a consistent thread in his lyrics. Perhaps the most moving is "Love Boat Captain", an exploratory hymn that carries the memory of the "nine friends we'll never know" who died during a 2000 Pearl Jam show in Denmark. The finished product shows a man who has gained crucial perspective on life ("And the young, they can lose hope / Cuz they can't see beyond today / The wisdom that the old can't give away"). Perfectly complemented by the organ of rookie sixth member "Boom" Gaspar, "Love Boat Captain" pulls off an incredible feat by becoming a soaring elegy.
The philosophy lesson continues on the waltz build of "I Am Mine". The times of uncertainty in which we live often manufacture a loss of control. "I Am Mine" is a heartening message to those losing their grasp. When the world without you falls to chaos, there is hope within ("I know I was born / And I know that I'll die / The in between is mine / I am mine"). By the time the song reaches the towering inferno of Mike McCready's best guitar solo in years, the hooks of memory have begun.
The album also benefits greatly from the rock-steady pound of Matt Cameron. Now Pearl Jam's longest-running drummer, Cameron takes every song and ratchets up the pressure. The remaining members of the band have clearly learned the instinct of following his lead. Part two of the rhythm section (Jeff Ament) trails him like a predator, tumbling bass lines across the foundation of the beat on songs like "Cropduster", a lament that burns menace over a zig-zag guitar line. The atypical "You Are" (penned by Cameron) bears the mark of a guitar riff played through a drum machine that produces a sexy groove unlike anything Pearl Jam has previously created. The line "Sometimes I burn like a dot on the sun" captures the dense home of loneliness as McCready's background solo echoes like the moan of a whale deep at sea.
Another detour from the ordinary arrives in the one-minute acapella "Arc". Vedder goes to spiritual heights in the wailing style of his deceased friend, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The voice becomes a conduit for the definition of "arc": the audible part of a celestial body's path. With this and others on Riot Act, Eddie Vedder has managed to do the unthinkable. He's taken his often-imitated voice and made it an original vehicle once again. This is no small feat for a man that launched a thousand cheesy carbon-copies (eh hem, Scott Stapp). Whether it's the hushed prayer of "Can't Keep" or the growling wail of "Save You", Vedder has learned the art of vocal adaptation and his talent burns bright as an arc.
"Green Disease", a new wave ditty bent on speed, begins a four-track suite centered on the poison of greed and the ever-widening gap between the haves and the have-nots. In a time of corporate mayhem, Vedder growls over the selfish actions of the "upper" class ("Like weeds with big leaves / Stealing light from what's beneath"). Following the contraction of this "disease", the song "helphelp" sounds like a desperate plea for truth. Instruments seem as if they're packed into an echo chamber, upping the ante on paranoia. The faint narrator of "helphelp" repeatedly chants "Help me" and "Tell me lies" so as not to deal with the truth of corruption. It's a cautionary tale for a society that's been fed black and white notions about "the enemy" ("The man they call my enemy / I've seen his eyes, he looks just like me / A mirror"). "Bushleaguer" is a spoken-word jaunt penned for the leader of the free world who has his own famous notions about the enemy. In the tone of a full-fledged Nader supporter, Vedder balances satire ("born on third, thinks he got a triple") with the stark reality of the world today ("blackout weaves its way through the city"). The final installment in the rich vs. poor quartet comes with "1/2 Full", a seething mountain of blues. Built around the carnivorous crunch of three guitars, the lyrics focus on the elements of nature that man has polluted ("Climbing on the mountains / Floating out on the sea / Far from the lights of the city / The elements they speak to me / Whispering that life existed long before greed"). Pearl Jam sounds like a hurricane on the final build-up to the end, with Vedder howling at the moon for someone to "save the world." It is in this spirit of passionate response that Pearl Jam has made some of the most vital music of its career. A "Riot Act" indeed.
Wow. That was an amazing review. Its too bad that not as many people see this album for the brilliance that the reviewer does. Thanks for the awesome, awesome read.
you couldn't swing if you were hangin' from a palm tree in a hurricane.
Wow. That was an amazing review. Its too bad that not as many people see this album for the brilliance that the reviewer does. Thanks for the awesome, awesome read.
Always happy to share something positive about Riot Act. I know it's never going to be to everyone's taste, and I stopped trying to change minds about it a long time ago. But it's always good to read a review like that and feel as though the person who wrote it really dug in and gave it the kind of listen it deserved.
Always happy to share something positive about Riot Act. I know it's never going to be to everyone's taste, and I stopped trying to change minds about it a long time ago. But it's always good to read a review like that and feel as though the person who wrote it really dug in and gave it the kind of listen it deserved.
Yea I feel the same way. So thanks again for sharing that.
I was listening to it this morning, and I never realized, but I love the three in a row of Cropduster, Ghost, I Am Mine. You start out with Cropduster, which is a little bit of a wierder tune, but has a good riff, and is totally a solid song. The you have Ghost, which is a good rocker, but as the song keeps going there is this kind of sense of panic that reverberates throughout the song, and it keeps building until this sort of breakdown, and then it gets even more panicky, and I just get the feeling of kind of being swept out to sea. And after this kind of panicky hard rocking song, you get totally anchored down with a straight rocker like I Am Mine. I think its fucking brilliant.
you couldn't swing if you were hangin' from a palm tree in a hurricane.
I was listening to it this morning, and I never realized, but I love the three in a row of Cropduster, Ghost, I Am Mine. You start out with Cropduster, which is a little bit of a wierder tune, but has a good riff, and is totally a solid song. The you have Ghost, which is a good rocker, but as the song keeps going there is this kind of sense of panic that reverberates throughout the song, and it keeps building until this sort of breakdown, and then it gets even more panicky, and I just get the feeling of kind of being swept out to sea. And after this kind of panicky hard rocking song, you get totally anchored down with a straight rocker like I Am Mine. I think its fucking brilliant.
It's funny, one of the criticisms that has come up over the years is that the track placement is weak and that it drags down the album and creates a disjointed feeling. But I've always loved the way the songs followed one another. It always felt to me kinda like the flow of one of their live shows.
They didn't play a single Riot Act song between Albany and Hartford. This disturbs me greatly. I mean come on? I don't even need to list the gems from that album...we all know what they are. they deserve to be played and deserve recognition. PS. I've posted this before but how could Sad be left off of Binaural, but Evac and Rival be included? It's a mystery for the ages, i guess
HugePJFan
"...You try it, I give you the room, you try..."
They didn't play a single Riot Act song between Albany and Hartford. This disturbs me greatly. I mean come on? I don't even need to list the gems from that album...we all know what they are. they deserve to be played and deserve recognition. PS. I've posted this before but how could Sad be left off of Binaural, but Evac and Rival be included? It's a mystery for the ages, i guess
I know. I'll be on Chicago "Riot Act Watch" tonight -- hoping for maybe Can't Keep or Thumbing to make an appearance.
P.S. I've always actually really liked Rival. But yeah, swap Evacuation with Sad and things start looking better.
I know. I'll be on Chicago "Riot Act Watch" tonight -- hoping for maybe Can't Keep or Thumbing to make an appearance.
P.S. I've always actually really liked Rival. But yeah, swap Evacuation with Sad and things start looking better.
Can't Keep is a long shot, a large long shot...but thumbing is a definite possibility. I want I am mine, Ghost, LBC, Save You (heard it a few times live, but still love it), Thumbing, or of course the all mighty All Or None!
HugePJFan
"...You try it, I give you the room, you try..."
Can't Keep is a long shot, a large long shot...but thumbing is a definite possibility. I want I am mine, Ghost, LBC, Save You (heard it a few times live, but still love it), Thumbing, or of course the all mighty All Or None!
Maybe a long shot, but at some point I'd love to see them open with Can't Keep and follow it up with Life Wasted or Comatose.
I loved Riot Act the first time I heard it and I still do. Binaural and Riot Act are so underrated! They're fucking awesome albums.
Riot Act and Binaural both took some listening time to fall in love with. I truly love both albums. But, in my opinion, they pale in comparison to Pearl Jam. the first time I listened to Pearl Jam, I was head over heels in love. I like riot act and binaural better than Vitalogy, but not quite as much as No Code, which says a lot, I think. I would bet they will play Can't Keep eventually...it will be one of those songs that people will rave about...it will be the rarity played at whatever show it's played at. Every show has 1 or 2 rarities that no one expected. I think they have been rehearsing all of their songs and they are picking and choosing where to reveal each one. Yet another reason to love this band...surprises around every corner!
HugePJFan
"...You try it, I give you the room, you try..."
yeah, right now i think i prefer Pearl Jam as well...but I think it mostly depends on my mood.
Well, only one Riot Act song last night: Save You. At least it finally got played. Hopefully we'll get more Riot Act as the tour goes on.
Side note, no Binaural at Chicago I last night. So fucking wierd that these two albums are getting so left out. Oh well, I know that I still love all the shows I go to, just be a little peeved if Riot Act doesn't show up.
you couldn't swing if you were hangin' from a palm tree in a hurricane.
Well, only one Riot Act song last night: Save You. At least it finally got played. Hopefully we'll get more Riot Act as the tour goes on.
Side note, no Binaural at Chicago I last night. So fucking wierd that these two albums are getting so left out. Oh well, I know that I still love all the shows I go to, just be a little peeved if Riot Act doesn't show up.
BUMP to that.
'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'
At least we know riot act is on their radar. i love down!
Yeah, I've got a lot of love for Down as well. Such a great vibe. I heard it live for the first time last year at the Thunder Bay show and it was such a nice little surprise.
My fiance and I were trying to compare the Avacado to any other albums, but I insisted that the new stuff was unlike any album to date, however the more I listen to Riot Act I could see songs like "you are", "save you" and "green disease" blending well with the new sounds.
My fiance and I were trying to compare the Avacado to any other albums, but I insisted that the new stuff was unlike any album to date, however the more I listen to Riot Act I could see songs like "you are", "save you" and "green disease" blending well with the new sounds.
Contrary to popular opinion, I too see this album as a continuation of Riot Act. Don't get me wrong, it's better. But only thing entirely different, to me, is the album art work
'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'
Yeah I see a more of a continuation between these two albums than any other two, and yet the funny thing is a majority of people say Riot Act is the worst PJ album and this I call Avacado is the best. Funny how that is.
1/2 Full and Down make their tour debut tonight! And a second showing for I Am Mine! Not too shabby.
Finnaly! A little Riot Act love. Hopefully I get to see 1/2 Full live, love that song! Already saw Down and I am Mine, but would be more than happy to hear 'em both again!
I kind of here what people mean about Avacado being a continuation of Riot Act, but personally, I think the songs are more well crafted in general on Riot Act. I also like the somber tone that Riot Act has going on. The more I listen to it, the more I think that its a kind of concept album. I really love it.
you couldn't swing if you were hangin' from a palm tree in a hurricane.
Comments
That actually makes a lot of sene. I also think it hold true because Riot Act has a really good flow to the album, all the songs really feel like they belong together.
A bit sad that they didn't play more of this album at the two Toronto shows, cause this album really shines live...although I did get to hear You Are, so that was pretty sweet. I love that damn song, especially live...that funky riff that Stone plays is so badass, and it was nice and 'dirty' on Wednesday, I love that.
But yeah, SO many good songs, especially live like I said. You Are, Thumbing My Way, Save You, LBC, All or None (SO good), Bu$hleaguer, I am Mine, Can't Keep and ARC are all such awesome songs (I guess I should have just listed the whole album, lol). I wish I had been to more shows on the 2003 tour!
Anyway, I think my point is basically this: Riot Act frickin ROCKS!!!!!!!
Peace
:-p
thats really stupid, ran dry?? my god.. dont be such an idiot
1. Can't Keep
2. Save You
3. Love Boat Captain
4. Undone
5. Otherside
6. I Am Mine
7. Thumbing My Way
8. You Are
9. Down
10. Arc
11. All Or None
now that is a good album!
Actually, I like the original much, much better. I love Ghost, 1/2 Full Cropduster, Green Disease, Get Right, Help Help, and Bushleaguer. You can't just get rid of them!
Also, as much as I like Down, it just doesn't flow with the rest of the album. I say, leave it alone! Its a masterpiece!
http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/p/pearljam-riot.shtml
PEARL JAM
Riot Act
(Epic)
by Tim Slowikowski
"Survivor: Seattle" left its share of casualties throughout the '90s. Kurt Cobain left the building far too soon. Alice in Chains ceased to continue after the tragedy of Layne Staley's cold fade into night. Soundgarden broke up after they found themselves "Down on the Upside". Even bands outside the rain of Seattle like the Smashing Pumpkins couldn't keep it together. All in all, it was a bad time for the makers of flannel and Doc Martens. With a talent for endurance that even Darwin would envy, Pearl Jam remains the last band standing.
For years now, Pearl Jam has sought to escape the arena-rock pigeonhole they found themselves in circa 1992. Derided by Saint Cobain, a leader of the purists, the backlash began somewhere around the 4,000,000th spin of "Jeremy". Labeled as classic-rock retreads, Pearl Jam consistently proved to be a band out of time. Here in the "Age of Irony" was a group hell-bent on the righteous path. They (like their musical heroes The Who) were in search of music that meant something; Mudhoney they were not. In perhaps the most famous of their virtuous deeds, they took on the monopolistic behemoth known as Ticketmaster. After a fight that sent virtually all other bands scurrying, Pearl Jam was left for dead beneath the mega-corporate boot of greed. Subsequent tours were cancelled, ironically taking the focus off of Pearl Jam's exalted purpose -- the music. The masses grew tired of the self-dictated detachment and the band was lampooned for its tight fist and rutted brow. "Not For You" took on new meaning. Album sales plunged, MTV scoffed, and magazine covers were forced to go without the famous furrowed visage of Eddie Vedder. Famously, Rolling Stone went so far as to publish an unauthorized cover story on "The Real Eddie Vedder", which claimed, among other earth-shattering truths, that little Eddie Vedder actually smiled in high school! The world was angry at Pearl Jam. But, something funny happened on the way to oblivion: they arrived at #2 on the Billboard pop charts.
"Last Kiss", a pretty cover tune distributed as a Christmas gift for fan club members, suddenly rang out from radios across America. The generation that had N'Sync on repeat began to sing along with a guy named Vedder ("Oh where, oh where can my BABY BE!"). In true Pearl Jam fashion, they achieved success without clamoring for it. The achievement of "Last Kiss" was all the more remarkable when one considers the corrupt solidity of radio playlists. Here was a song not even meant for the airwaves, yet, in a purely organic way, unearthed the ears of millions. Somehow, Pearl Jam discovered the hidden mantra for longevity: focus on the music.
With their counterparts falling one by one, they had released a string of albums that followed the beat of their own drummer (even if that was to be its most Spinal Tap-like position with four skins-men over seven albums). In 1996, they released No Code, a meditative reflection engulfed by tribal beats (courtesy of drummer number three Jack Irons). February of 1998 gave way to Yield, a slight return to the roots of anthem with a mature twist. Another two years passed and the beaten path of Binaural was revealed. An attempt at a more ethereal sound, it was the first album in nearly 10 years not to be produced by the stalwart Brendan O'Brien. In his place, Tchad Blake oversaw a band trying to find its way. At times, the record produced a permeating beauty with floating dirges like "Nothing As It Seems". Too often, however, the writer's block Vedder admits to have suffered during the recording reared its ugly head. Binaural was an interesting exploration that ultimately lacked the cohesive wallop needed to carry an entire album. Which brings us to the task at hand: Riot Act.
Simply put, Riot Act is the conclusion of an epic that began with the off-ramp surge of No Code. The fruit of their toil is evident in the intricate wisdom of lyrics and music as one. A cohesive attack of 15 songs, Riot Act is a concept album about philosophical matters in American life: Love vs. Greed, Man against Nature, and the Haves versus the Have-nots.
Not since Vitalogy has Eddie Vedder presented such a consistent thread in his lyrics. Perhaps the most moving is "Love Boat Captain", an exploratory hymn that carries the memory of the "nine friends we'll never know" who died during a 2000 Pearl Jam show in Denmark. The finished product shows a man who has gained crucial perspective on life ("And the young, they can lose hope / Cuz they can't see beyond today / The wisdom that the old can't give away"). Perfectly complemented by the organ of rookie sixth member "Boom" Gaspar, "Love Boat Captain" pulls off an incredible feat by becoming a soaring elegy.
The philosophy lesson continues on the waltz build of "I Am Mine". The times of uncertainty in which we live often manufacture a loss of control. "I Am Mine" is a heartening message to those losing their grasp. When the world without you falls to chaos, there is hope within ("I know I was born / And I know that I'll die / The in between is mine / I am mine"). By the time the song reaches the towering inferno of Mike McCready's best guitar solo in years, the hooks of memory have begun.
The album also benefits greatly from the rock-steady pound of Matt Cameron. Now Pearl Jam's longest-running drummer, Cameron takes every song and ratchets up the pressure. The remaining members of the band have clearly learned the instinct of following his lead. Part two of the rhythm section (Jeff Ament) trails him like a predator, tumbling bass lines across the foundation of the beat on songs like "Cropduster", a lament that burns menace over a zig-zag guitar line. The atypical "You Are" (penned by Cameron) bears the mark of a guitar riff played through a drum machine that produces a sexy groove unlike anything Pearl Jam has previously created. The line "Sometimes I burn like a dot on the sun" captures the dense home of loneliness as McCready's background solo echoes like the moan of a whale deep at sea.
Another detour from the ordinary arrives in the one-minute acapella "Arc". Vedder goes to spiritual heights in the wailing style of his deceased friend, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The voice becomes a conduit for the definition of "arc": the audible part of a celestial body's path. With this and others on Riot Act, Eddie Vedder has managed to do the unthinkable. He's taken his often-imitated voice and made it an original vehicle once again. This is no small feat for a man that launched a thousand cheesy carbon-copies (eh hem, Scott Stapp). Whether it's the hushed prayer of "Can't Keep" or the growling wail of "Save You", Vedder has learned the art of vocal adaptation and his talent burns bright as an arc.
"Green Disease", a new wave ditty bent on speed, begins a four-track suite centered on the poison of greed and the ever-widening gap between the haves and the have-nots. In a time of corporate mayhem, Vedder growls over the selfish actions of the "upper" class ("Like weeds with big leaves / Stealing light from what's beneath"). Following the contraction of this "disease", the song "helphelp" sounds like a desperate plea for truth. Instruments seem as if they're packed into an echo chamber, upping the ante on paranoia. The faint narrator of "helphelp" repeatedly chants "Help me" and "Tell me lies" so as not to deal with the truth of corruption. It's a cautionary tale for a society that's been fed black and white notions about "the enemy" ("The man they call my enemy / I've seen his eyes, he looks just like me / A mirror"). "Bushleaguer" is a spoken-word jaunt penned for the leader of the free world who has his own famous notions about the enemy. In the tone of a full-fledged Nader supporter, Vedder balances satire ("born on third, thinks he got a triple") with the stark reality of the world today ("blackout weaves its way through the city"). The final installment in the rich vs. poor quartet comes with "1/2 Full", a seething mountain of blues. Built around the carnivorous crunch of three guitars, the lyrics focus on the elements of nature that man has polluted ("Climbing on the mountains / Floating out on the sea / Far from the lights of the city / The elements they speak to me / Whispering that life existed long before greed"). Pearl Jam sounds like a hurricane on the final build-up to the end, with Vedder howling at the moon for someone to "save the world." It is in this spirit of passionate response that Pearl Jam has made some of the most vital music of its career. A "Riot Act" indeed.
— 10 February 2003
Always happy to share something positive about Riot Act. I know it's never going to be to everyone's taste, and I stopped trying to change minds about it a long time ago. But it's always good to read a review like that and feel as though the person who wrote it really dug in and gave it the kind of listen it deserved.
That works too.
Yea I feel the same way. So thanks again for sharing that.
I was listening to it this morning, and I never realized, but I love the three in a row of Cropduster, Ghost, I Am Mine. You start out with Cropduster, which is a little bit of a wierder tune, but has a good riff, and is totally a solid song. The you have Ghost, which is a good rocker, but as the song keeps going there is this kind of sense of panic that reverberates throughout the song, and it keeps building until this sort of breakdown, and then it gets even more panicky, and I just get the feeling of kind of being swept out to sea. And after this kind of panicky hard rocking song, you get totally anchored down with a straight rocker like I Am Mine. I think its fucking brilliant.
It's funny, one of the criticisms that has come up over the years is that the track placement is weak and that it drags down the album and creates a disjointed feeling. But I've always loved the way the songs followed one another. It always felt to me kinda like the flow of one of their live shows.
"...You try it, I give you the room, you try..."
I know. I'll be on Chicago "Riot Act Watch" tonight -- hoping for maybe Can't Keep or Thumbing to make an appearance.
P.S. I've always actually really liked Rival. But yeah, swap Evacuation with Sad and things start looking better.
Can't Keep is a long shot, a large long shot...but thumbing is a definite possibility. I want I am mine, Ghost, LBC, Save You (heard it a few times live, but still love it), Thumbing, or of course the all mighty All Or None!
"...You try it, I give you the room, you try..."
Maybe a long shot, but at some point I'd love to see them open with Can't Keep and follow it up with Life Wasted or Comatose.
Atlantic City: 09/30/05, 10/01/05
Riot Act and Binaural both took some listening time to fall in love with. I truly love both albums. But, in my opinion, they pale in comparison to Pearl Jam. the first time I listened to Pearl Jam, I was head over heels in love. I like riot act and binaural better than Vitalogy, but not quite as much as No Code, which says a lot, I think. I would bet they will play Can't Keep eventually...it will be one of those songs that people will rave about...it will be the rarity played at whatever show it's played at. Every show has 1 or 2 rarities that no one expected. I think they have been rehearsing all of their songs and they are picking and choosing where to reveal each one. Yet another reason to love this band...surprises around every corner!
"...You try it, I give you the room, you try..."
Atlantic City: 09/30/05, 10/01/05
Well, only one Riot Act song last night: Save You. At least it finally got played. Hopefully we'll get more Riot Act as the tour goes on.
Side note, no Binaural at Chicago I last night. So fucking wierd that these two albums are getting so left out. Oh well, I know that I still love all the shows I go to, just be a little peeved if Riot Act doesn't show up.
BUMP to that.
- the great Sir Leo Harrison
Save You is their best crazy-punk-rocker thing other than Brain of J.
1/2 full is a great song, and the live versions are even better.
All or None has some great vocals and is a wonderfull wonderful song.
The rest of the album is also very good, and not really a bad song. I actually like Help Help quite a bit, for all the shit it gets.
And the guitar tones are great.
2-1-0
4-3-2-1-0
2---2--3---3--2----1
---0
0
0
2-2-2-3-3-3-2-2-0
M
"...You try it, I give you the room, you try..."
and I really dislike Save You...
1. Sad
2. In My Tree
3. Red Mosquito
4. Do The Evolution
5. I Got Shit
www.myspace.com/messmergrad00
Yeah, I've got a lot of love for Down as well. Such a great vibe. I heard it live for the first time last year at the Thunder Bay show and it was such a nice little surprise.
Contrary to popular opinion, I too see this album as a continuation of Riot Act. Don't get me wrong, it's better. But only thing entirely different, to me, is the album art work
- the great Sir Leo Harrison
Finnaly! A little Riot Act love. Hopefully I get to see 1/2 Full live, love that song! Already saw Down and I am Mine, but would be more than happy to hear 'em both again!
I kind of here what people mean about Avacado being a continuation of Riot Act, but personally, I think the songs are more well crafted in general on Riot Act. I also like the somber tone that Riot Act has going on. The more I listen to it, the more I think that its a kind of concept album. I really love it.