Riot Act > Backspacer

13567…10

Comments

  • Sleep.With.Innocence
    Sleep.With.Innocence Posts: 607
    I_GOT_no_IDea wrote:
    comparing the albums and songs to previous ones is a pointless exercise. it's such a personal thing as to what is floating one's boat at that particular point in time. people get so caught up in wanting everyone to agree with their point of view that they forget the simple beauty of different songs doing it for different people. i love that pearl jam songs that i hate are some people's favourites - it always strikes me. no album or song can possibly be everyone's favourite, as if that were so we'd all have to be brainwashed robots who've been subjected to the same teachings and experiences. pearl jam are very clever in that different albums and songs have a completely different character. i happen to adore this album if anyone cares, but i don't expect others to care and i don't care if they care.
    ... there you go :)

    Sorry buddy, again to me it's human nature to compare things. I'm just stating the effect this record had on me, and after I listened to it I was left dissapointed.

    This album has gotten a lot of love on the boards, and again I'm sure it will sell great. I guess I'm just not listening to the same album you all are. To me it seems entirely to poppy and catchy.
  • LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun
    LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun Posts: 6,097
    i would prefer a more stripped down PJ album next (doubt it will happen), but this isnt too bad. i think the extras add to some of the songs like Unthought Known, but not all.
  • pearljammer
    pearljammer Posts: 237
    Sleep.With.Innocence wrote:
    That's exactly what it's about, and it's a beautiful line.

    Lyrically it's a solid record, but what do you expect from Eddie Vedder? That's what he does best.

    But musically it doesn't stick with me.


    Want to know what I think is the best part about PJ?

    One day, many years from now, you'll be driving somewhere, with your iPod on shuffle, and one of these songs will come on.. and it will totally click. It will make your hair stand on end. It will make you put the pedal to the floor and you will drive home and start a thread on here raving about how awesome

    GONNA SEE MY FRIEND IS!!!!!!

    WOOT! :D
    EvenFLOW PsYcHo #29

    ~ is your Pearl Jam cup half empty, or 1/2 Full?
  • Sleep.With.Innocence
    Sleep.With.Innocence Posts: 607
    yield2me wrote:
    Sleep.With.Innocence wrote:
    There, I said it. Seems like the more I read these boards the more I see people getting destroyed for not liking Backspacer. NEWSFLASH, it's not the best thing since Yield.

    I saw someone early say that Amongst The Waves was the next Given to Fly. :shock:

    Just because you don't think Backspacer is the best thing since sliced bread doesn't make you any less of a fan. I see this shit on the board over and over again "They aren't going to remake Ten, so get over it." <-- Calm all that crap down.

    I like Backspacer, it's a solid record, but I don't love it. It has it's glaring weaknesses (in my opinion) But hey, just because don't like it as much as you doesn't mean I'm any less of a fan. It just means we have a different musical taste, get over it.

    It's a very poppy record, it screams mainstream. It will sell a butt load of records, but that's okay because that's what the band wants (to appeal to the mainstream) if you don't believe me watch ESPN.

    I don't like the piano in any of it, I feel as if the orchestra add on kills the end of "The End". Speed of Sound would be much better with if it didn't have so many records. I LOVED the demo, highly dissapointed with all the extra "stuff" in it.

    Sorry, I'm a Pearl Jam fan and I was somewhat dissapointed with Backspacer, shoot me.

    I think every post you've made over the last few days has been negative towards Backspacer. Did you really need to make a thread about your feelings as well toward the album? I'm pretty sure everyone knows you don't like it, that's fine, now move along...

    Really? Because I've seen 4 threads alone dedicated to Amongst the Waves. If they can voice their opinion and be repetitive, don't I have that same right? That repetitive clam has two sides to it. It's all an opinion (even if it's positive or negative)

    You like Backspacer.

    I don't like it as much as you do.

    If you have the right to post post after post confessing your love for it, I have the right to do the opposite.
  • StickmanJam
    StickmanJam Posts: 425
    pearljammer wrote:
    Sleep.With.Innocence wrote:
    That's exactly what it's about, and it's a beautiful line.

    Lyrically it's a solid record, but what do you expect from Eddie Vedder? That's what he does best.

    But musically it doesn't stick with me.


    Want to know what I think is the best part about PJ?

    One day, many years from now, you'll be driving somewhere, with your iPod on shuffle, and one of these songs will come on.. and it will totally click. It will make your hair stand on end. It will make you put the pedal to the floor and you will drive home and start a thread on here raving about how awesome

    GONNA SEE MY FRIEND IS!!!!!!

    Indeed my friend.

    I love the guitar lick playing as eddie sings, "I'm gonna shake this thing, I'm gonna shake this pain before I retire"

    So groovy!

    WOOT! :D
    MSG 7/8-7/9/03 -- Boston 9/28/04 -- Hartford 5/13/06 -- Boston 5/24-5/25/06 -- MSG 6/24-6/25/08 -- Hartford 6/27/08 -- Philly 10/31/09 -- Hartford 5/15/10 -- Boston 5/17/10
  • Sleep.With.Innocence
    Sleep.With.Innocence Posts: 607
    pearljammer wrote:
    Sleep.With.Innocence wrote:
    That's exactly what it's about, and it's a beautiful line.

    Lyrically it's a solid record, but what do you expect from Eddie Vedder? That's what he does best.

    But musically it doesn't stick with me.


    Want to know what I think is the best part about PJ?

    One day, many years from now, you'll be driving somewhere, with your iPod on shuffle, and one of these songs will come on.. and it will totally click. It will make your hair stand on end. It will make you put the pedal to the floor and you will drive home and start a thread on here raving about how awesome

    GONNA SEE MY FRIEND IS!!!!!!

    WOOT! :D

    I hope (for the sake of nostalgia) you're right.
  • Sleep.With.Innocence
    Sleep.With.Innocence Posts: 607
    Lol, and come to think of it No Code's been in my car for a long time.

    I've got to get Red Mosquito off of repeat before I can put Backspacer in my car. ;)
  • LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun
    LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun Posts: 6,097
    i always find it interesting to hear from fans who werent around during the early years. i forget that people actually became fans BECAUSE of albums like Binaural and RA.
  • LikeAnOcean
    LikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
    edited September 2009
    I will never understand Yields appeal over the other albums. Yes, its a great album, but I personally do not find it more likable than Binaural, Riot Act, Avocado or Backspacer, all fine albums in my opinion. Maybe I'm just a Pearl Jam slut. 8-)

    I wish people would stop trying to compare albums and just let them be on their own.
    Post edited by LikeAnOcean on
  • LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun
    LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun Posts: 6,097
    let us compare shit endlessly and pointlessly in peace!

    i know i'm crazy but i think some albums are better than others. its all just opinions obviously (but not so obvious to some), and even if i disagree i'm interested to hear it. Sure, i'll call you an idiot and demand you be banned for liking Cropduster, but i'll forgive you ;).

    i don't think Yield is their best album, i just think none of their last 4 albums are as good (IMO). its just a good dividing line i think. For a lot of people thats true.
  • Deck
    Deck Posts: 76
    I love the album. But I will agree comparing Amongst the Waves to Given to Fly is blasphemous. One of their greatest songs ever being compared with one of the weakest tracks on Backspacer. mmmmm no.
    11/22/93 Little Rock
    07/02/98 St. Louis
    10/12/00 Kansas City
    06/20/09 Memphis (EV)
  • pearljammer
    pearljammer Posts: 237
    Opening Band For The Sun wrote:
    let us compare shit endlessly and pointlessly in peace!

    i know i'm crazy but i think some albums are better than others. its all just opinions obviously (but not so obvious to some), and even if i disagree i'm interested to hear it. Sure, i'll call you an idiot and demand you be banned for liking Cropduster, but i'll forgive you ;).

    i don't think Yield is their best album, i just think none of their last 4 albums are as good. For a lot of people thats true.

    I hope I can explain myself clearly on my point here. In a strange way, I think Backspacer makes the three albums that preceded it (Binaural, Riot Act and Avocado) more relevant. I think this because, I can hear all of those albums in Backspacer. As if it was all some grand progression.
    EvenFLOW PsYcHo #29

    ~ is your Pearl Jam cup half empty, or 1/2 Full?
  • The Champ
    The Champ Posts: 4,063
    Got Some alone pretty much kicks the crap out of Riot Act....and for me, the proper comparison to Given to Fly is Unthought Known...in the way that it builds slowly, steadily raising you up off the ground, until it explodes and sends you soaring above everything....anyway, have fun listening to Help Help, Cropduster and Bushleaguer ;) ..
    'I want to hurry home to you
    put on a slow, dumb show for you
    and crack you up
    so you can put a blue ribbon on my brain
    god I'm very, very frightening
    and I'll overdo it'
  • pearljammer
    pearljammer Posts: 237
    Deck wrote:
    I love the album. But I will agree comparing Amongst the Waves to Given to Fly is blasphemous. One of their greatest songs ever being compared with one of the weakest tracks on Backspacer. mmmmm no.

    Can I ask what makes you think it's so weak? I'm not being an ass, I'm curious. If anything, I think the song reminds me of In Hiding. Another amazing, uplifting song.

    I also think the comparison is neat, in the fact that right after Amongst the Waves is over, another song with a palm muted melody begins, Unthought Known. Kinda like Wishlist after Given to Fly. ;)
    EvenFLOW PsYcHo #29

    ~ is your Pearl Jam cup half empty, or 1/2 Full?
  • LikeAnOcean
    LikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
    Deck wrote:
    I love the album. But I will agree comparing Amongst the Waves to Given to Fly is blasphemous. One of their greatest songs ever being compared with one of the weakest tracks on Backspacer. mmmmm no.
    I like Amongst the Waves better than Given to Fly.. Given to Fly has lived its life and a great one it was, but time for new music and new memories.
  • Spiritual_Chaos
    Spiritual_Chaos Posts: 31,561
    Riot Act is a one of a kind masterpiece.

    Backspacer is a "filler album", it's a throw away album with some nice pop/punkrockers and a great Just breathe.

    Would like to write more but at work. Boss will kill me.

    But actually listened to Backspacer and directly after that put on Riot Act a few days ago. It is a giant difference in quality to me. Riot act is honest, bold, has a lot of nice unique songs and Eddie sings in a thoughtful and mature way. To me that is how PJ should sound when they are 40+ years old. It's like every word that leaves his mouth he thinks about.

    Backspacer has some fun songs on it, Got Some and The Fixer was great to hear live but it still "nothing special". Easy to listen to, but doesn't stay with me. I respect what PJ is doing this album and with Avocado (which I'm not a super fan of either), but I wish that Rioc Act would have sold more so they would have understood that is the way to go.

    You can't beat the atmosphere on that record.
    "Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
  • dustinpardue
    dustinpardue Las Vegas, NV Posts: 1,829
    replace Ghost, Cropduster, and Green Disease with Down, Undone, and Otherside and then I would agree Riot Act is a masterpiece. I agree with one of the previous pages. I like each album because they all stand on their own and looking back really provided a soundtrack as to what was going in my life at the time.
    "All I Ever Knew" available now in print and digital formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks.
  • LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun
    LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun Posts: 6,097
    pearljammer wrote:
    Deck wrote:
    I love the album. But I will agree comparing Amongst the Waves to Given to Fly is blasphemous. One of their greatest songs ever being compared with one of the weakest tracks on Backspacer. mmmmm no.

    Can I ask what makes you think it's so weak? I'm not being an ass, I'm curious. If anything, I think the song reminds me of In Hiding. Another amazing, uplifting song.

    I also think the comparison is neat, in the fact that right after Amongst the Waves is over, another song with a palm muted melody begins, Unthought Known. Kinda like Wishlist after Given to Fly. ;)

    i agree that its more like In Hiding, but it doesnt do much for me either. its too polished and safe to me. Sounds like something U2 or someone like that would make. The older anthemic songs felt more raw than this. They felt more...i dont know the word... urgent?

    Plus the lyrics don't do much for me. The thinly veiled surfing metaphors are pretty lame.

    i don't hate it, i'm just not crazy about it. Its really just a matter of personal preference. its technically good, but im not really into these newer PJ mid tempo songs. i still like their slow ones and rockers, but the midtempo ones from the last few albums bore the shit out of me. EXCEPT 1/2 Full and Unthought Known, which aren't perfect but are pretty good.
  • Calum
    Calum Posts: 635
    could you point out these 'glaring weaknesses' ;)
    London Astoria - Dublin - Wembley - Shepherds Bush - London 02
  • Gary Carter
    Gary Carter Posts: 14,077
    Sleep.With.Innocence wrote:

    It's a very poppy record, it screams mainstream. It will sell a butt load of records, but that's okay because that's what the band wants (to appeal to the mainstream) if you don't believe me watch ESPN.
    this album won't even sell 500,000 copies. i can't bet you a 12 pack of your fave beer on that. big deal that's its being promoted on espn. espn has been doing that as of late with new cd from bands. they did the same with green day's cd and some of pearl jam's self titled.
    Ron: I just don't feel like going out tonight
    Sammi: Wanna just break up?

Categories