Where is PJ's creativity

Their creativity is ALL OVER Backspacer and I am so glad that it is.

dustinpardue wrote:

It's the never-ending debate. Here is what I notice. People who love love love Riot Act, don't like Self Titled or Backspacer. And people who are luke-warm to Riot Act love love love Self Titled and Backspacer. There is no way to please everyone all the time. I think Self Titled and Backspacer are both brilliant and Riot Act would have been if Down, Undone, and Otherside would have been on the record.

Pearl Jam- 60% of the time it works everytime.

Rise-Above wrote:

Amen!

81 wrote:

to me, pearl jam isn't about studio albums anymore. it's about the live show.

i barely ever listen to the studio albums, almost all my listening is to boots. it will be interesting to hear some of these new songs on the upcoming tour

I agree- I think some of these songs will be awseome live and with Johnny Guitar and Force of nature, Mike is going to wail away at the end of them.

HeidiJam wrote:

I can't belive a band that has made Vitalogy, no code, yeild, riot act has put out these last two albums. I like the new album but its so average compared to what they used to do and are clearly capible of. I know they are maturing but these new songs are so basic and un-original. They have no jams, no guitar solo's (5 seconds does not count) and 3 of these songs were clearly written when eddie was writing into the wild. I like the album as i do self titled but i can't belive it took 3 years to make this. Hopefully they get their creativity back. They seem to be digressing with these last two.

I guess I know what You think about. I share Your feelings...
I miss Mike's solos like I wrote, I miss all the experiments we found in Vitalogy...

But I like to see it this way - this record is different. Maybe really poppy, maybe too easy, maybe not so original, but, again Pearl Jam surprised me. They did it, and though I may feel not satisfied in 100% I am glad They made sth new. Again. There are moments on Backspacer I was really surpriced - bridges in Johnny Guitar and Supersonic, bass in Just Breathe (Jeff? God, He did it perfectly!), Ed's voice - new style I hear, but great.

So finally I got what I expected the most - something new. This is what I love in PJ the most - They are creative,but in different way now than They used to be, so... that's how looks like creativity exactly.

I don't see the comparisons between Avocado & Backspacer either, i really don't.

Half of the reason i like this one so much is because it feels like such a departure from Avocado. Avocado, for me, was a big mish-mash of totally different & unfinished ideas. (Severed Hand was the main exception to this, it sounds incredible on the album).

It was raw, a surprise after the Yield/Binaural/Riot Act production. But there were too many songs that didn't get off the ground, or that sounded like they were just in the totally wrong key for Ed to sing (Life Wasted, Army), or that they just didnt know how to finish (Inside Job). But, i liked that it was different from other albums, and it sounded good live. Again, all just personal taste.

This album has more nuance and restraint than anything on Avocado to me, and is a far more cohesive album. The guitars are great, and with little structural pieces like Supersonics bridge, Johnny guitar, Unthought Known,and The Ends sudden stop, Im happy with the creativity.The main creativity here to me is from the drums, easily Matts strongest PJ record yet.
It flows much better too from start to finish.

HeidiJam wrote:

For all the people in disagreement i would like to know what you find creative on this album, This and self titled are the only albums that i feel not atmosphere with their music, even riot act had a haunting atmosphere, these songs just seem like fun rock songs and many bands could do

I wrote my examples over Your post.

... maybe You have "not right time for PJ music"?
I had it a few years ago. With Binaural and Riot Act. Now I love Riot Act, bu Binaural still waits for the moment

Vedderlicious wrote:

i just feel that this album could have been the 2nd disc to the self titled. its cool that they try new things, new directions, and are "maturing"... hey, it worked for zeppelin. i just think this album was a let down cause it sounded too much like self titled, and i was hoping they'd sound different than that. i really wasnt too into it. though i think this album is much more well written, and i like the songs a lot more (except for come back.. donno, cant explain that one) and i, as a guitar solo lover, really feel the absence of mike presence in this album. and not to mention the fact that their stage presence is nothing like it used to be. old age, that goes without saying, obviously. my only point is that i miss it more and its just a let down. even though i know what to excpect, i still cant help but feel the difference. its hard to see your favorite bands get old. im pretty sure once the hype dies down this cd will just lie on top of self titled and only come out once in a while.

That's interesting. I think this sounds as far removed from S/T as Ten does. This is a much more user-friendly album than S/T, IMO. No politics at least in the forefront, much more sweet and tender. Has a bunch of stuff on there that is pleasant to listen to and others that kick my butt. Reminds me of late Zeppelin and how they matured. I really enjoy it. But everyone does not have to feel the way I do.

I'd expect any Pearl Jam fan to be listening the last 30 seconds of Gonna See My Friend waiting for Mike to unleash all bloody hell fire and wah wah damnation on that shit - the fact that this doesn't happen is why this album is genius.

MrMerkinball wrote:

CropDuster, Ghost, Get Right, Save you & LBC have very little imagination at all.

So very, very wrong. All those songs are better than anything on Backspacer with the exception of maybe Got Some.

yosi wrote:

MrMerkinball wrote:

CropDuster, Ghost, Get Right, Save you & LBC have very little imagination at all.

So very, very wrong. All those songs are better than anything on Backspacer with the exception of maybe Got Some.

I agree with the exception of Get Right which seems like type of song that would be on backspacer (ie supersonic/GSMF) but I like get right better than both of those due to a great guitar solo and EV delivering better vocals.

Riot Act has aged very well with me. It really captures that era quite well in it understatement and united themes and sounds. Riot Act is like a novel. Backspacer is like an entertaining comic book with some insights.