Backspacer - Where are the riffs?

2»

Comments

  • Gremmie03
    Gremmie03 Posts: 507
    There's a lot of neat stuff in there and it's not super easy stuff that they're doing there.

    I enjoy the neat stuff. Their placements are candy to my ear.
    Demented and sad, but social
    Wrigley Earthcam/Hartford 2013
  • Ledbetterman10
    Ledbetterman10 Posts: 17,037
    The OP probably means there's no awesome riffs
    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
  • NewJPage
    NewJPage Posts: 3,326
    Kinsey wrote:
    DewieCox wrote:
    Their albums have been pretty short on solos since 1994.
    I don't hear many riffs, either, but there is plenty of Mike here.

    That is one of the most intelligent things I've read here in a long time. I keep seeing posts bemoaning the lack of Mike solos - Vs was the last album where Mike was regularly set up to let rip.

    i humbly disagree. Mike kills on pretty much every song on riot act (i think he has a legitimate solo in all but like 2 songs) and on most of s/t.
    6/26/98, 8/17/00, 10/8/00, 12/8/02, 12/9/02, 4/25/03, 5/28/03, 6/1/03, 6/3/03, 6/5/03, 6/6/03, 6/12/03, 6/13/03, 6/15/03, 6/18/03, 6/21/03, 6/22/03, 7/12/03, 7/14/03, 10/3/04, 10/5/04, 9/9/05, 9/11/05, 9/16/05, 5/16/06, 5/17/06, 5/19/06, 6/30/06, 7/23/06, 8/5/07, 6/30/08, 8/23/09, 8/24/09, 5/4/10, 5/7/10, 9/3/11, 9/4/11, 10/11/13, 10/17/14, 8/20/16
  • dimitrispearljam
    dimitrispearljam Posts: 139,747
    if u mean solos..yes there arent a lot..
    "...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
    "..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
    “..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
  • 12345AGNST1
    12345AGNST1 Posts: 4,906
    jonbond1779 wrote:
    I think I caused confusion here...

    When I say riffs I mean the distinctive melodic figure that runs throughout the song..like, Jeremy, Alive, In Hiding, Given to Fly, Leash, Yellow Ledbetter, Corduroy and so on....

    Its just that Backspacer (with the expection of the ballads) has no real memorable riffs or hooks...Dont get me wrong, I think its a great album and Im so happy we have more PJ to add to our collections but the songs seem to basic!

    no memorable hooks? this album is more poppy, catchy and melodic than any PJ album in years!
    5/28/06, 6/27/08, 10/28/09, 5/18/10, 5/21/10
    8/7/08, 6/9/09
  • josevolution
    josevolution Posts: 32,919
    Every thread allways goes back to this comment "like in the old days " it has allready been done this is where the band is at this moment in time Mike is very happy with the way it is .. :mrgreen:
    jesus greets me looks just like me ....
  • darthvedder81
    darthvedder81 Posts: 688
    DewieCox wrote:
    corduroykelly wrote:
    If you don't hear any riffs maybe you don't know what they are?

    If you do, maybe you don't.

    There are a few minor rifflets, but nothing that just screams RRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIFFFFF!!!!!!!, like the old days.

    This gripe might have made sense in 1994 or 1996. It's kind of ridiculous now. Ten and Versus followed on the heels of 70's and 80's arena rock. The band hasn't been making music like that for a long time so all the criticisms just sound like a broken record. There's still some riffing to be found: Supersonic breakdown, Amongst the Waves, the outro on Johnny Guitar...
    So this life is sacrifice...
    6/30/98 Minneapolis, 10/8/00 East Troy (Brrrr!), 6/16/03 St. Paul, 6/27/06 St. Paul
  • Stu42
    Stu42 Posts: 178
    Definately try listening with headphones, the riffs really aren't as up front on this one. I think it could be a matter of the production, the rhythm section gets pushed way up in the mix so matt and jeff kinda dominate most of the time (i like it personally) so it gets harder to distinguish whats going on. I wish the record wasn't so loud though so the guitars didn't blend together so much. Its not supercompressed like avocado, and it sounds good, but I feel like theres a lack of space.
  • I_GOT_no_IDea
    I_GOT_no_IDea Posts: 653
    Stu42 wrote:
    Definately try listening with headphones, the riffs really aren't as up front on this one. I think it could be a matter of the production, the rhythm section gets pushed way up in the mix so matt and jeff kinda dominate most of the time (i like it personally) so it gets harder to distinguish whats going on. I wish the record wasn't so loud though so the guitars didn't blend together so much. Its not supercompressed like avocado, and it sounds good, but I feel like theres a lack of space.
    good call stu - i disagreed with you on the amongst the waves and unthought known thread, but you're on the money here. i actually like the domination of matt and jeff on this album - it is different to previous albums. regardless, where mike comes into his own is LIVE and i'm sure we'll get some wicked solos thrown into some of these wonderful songs. i really like the thin lizzy style snippet within his amongst the waves solo by the way.
    Sydney 3 1998; Brisbane 1 2003; Sydney 1/2/3 2003; Brisbane 1/2 2006; Sydney 1/2/3 2006; Melbourne 1/2 2006; Adelaide 2009; EV Solo Sydney 1 2011.
  • clk019
    clk019 Posts: 88
    DeLukin wrote:
    I just listened to Avocado after spinning Bacspacer constantly all weekend and I'm not sure if it's the production or what but Avocado does seem to rock a little harder. More hooks/riffs/licks,etc, more Mike, more Jeff, and the guitars are constantly in your face. Backspacer seems to put Ed in your face.

    This is the first thing I noticed... The mix was really heavy on vocal presence... I miss the balance...

    There are riffs there... Chunkier, tighter... I think the miss-my-"memorable" riffness comes from being exposed to extended riffs that take over measure after measure and stick in your craw... Think Disadent and Given to Fly and Whipping... These are more like Corduroy... tight little numbers.
    So held by these thoughts
    They refuse to slip away
    Hangman in dreamland
    About to call your name
    Much to be done
    Much to be

    07/26/98, 10/08/00, 06/21/03, 09/09/05, 05/16/06, 05/17/06 – (WOW), 05/19/06 – (DOUBLE WOW), 05/20/06, 08/05/07, 06/17/08, 05/07/10, 11/23/13, 11/24/13, 10/20/14 – (THE MOST MAGICAL THING EVER), 11/14/16 – (Temple of the Dog), 05/09/22. Coming Soon: 08/29/24 and 08/31/24.

Categories