Riot Act

2

Comments

  • curmudgeoness
    curmudgeoness Brigadoon, foodie capital Posts: 4,133
    Riot Act lives in my basement; I listen to it when I'm lifting. I can't imagine taking it with me in the car (which is where all the other albums live). The only problem with this arrangement is that I, um, rarely lift for over an hour.

    I think the lyrics on Riot Act are great, some of the most interesting ones, period. The music does not always live up to the words ("Cropduster," for me, is an example of this -- great lyrics, meh music), but the album as a whole continues to grow on me.
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  • Music For Rhinos
    Music For Rhinos Posts: 1,693
    curmudgeoness wrote:
    The music does not always live up to the words ("Cropduster," for me, is an example of this -- great lyrics, meh music), but the album as a whole continues to grow on me.


    :shock: :shock: :shock: CROPDUSTER meh music?

    Wow. Just wow. Have you actually listened to that song? The outro jam is unbelievably phenomenal.

    I just can't and never will believe the comments of some people on here. Truly shocking. But to each his/her own I guess. Haha.
  • curmudgeoness
    curmudgeoness Brigadoon, foodie capital Posts: 4,133
    Music For Rhinos wrote:
    curmudgeoness wrote:
    The music does not always live up to the words ("Cropduster," for me, is an example of this -- great lyrics, meh music), but the album as a whole continues to grow on me.


    :shock: :shock: :shock: CROPDUSTER meh music?

    Wow. Just wow. Have you actually listened to that song? The outro jam is unbelievably phenomenal.

    I just can't and never will believe the comments of some people on here. Truly shocking. But to each his/her own I guess. Haha.

    I like the outro, but the rest of it, well, I just wish it was as good as the outro; then it probably would be one of my favorite songs. And, yes, to each her own. :) PJ writes songs in so many different styles that there is something for everyone.
    All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
  • Music For Rhinos
    Music For Rhinos Posts: 1,693
    curmudgeoness wrote:
    :) PJ writes songs in so many different styles that there is something for everyone.

    Bingo.
  • vant0037
    vant0037 Posts: 6,170
    veddertown wrote:
    vant0037 wrote:
    You want to talk about the sound/recording quality of this album, listen to it with some quality headphones. Not earbud, iPod headphones...I'm talking high-quality Bose type headphones. Wow. The album is indeed atmospheric, but also "encompassing" (does that make sense?); you end up adrift in that musical sea. Its fucking awesome.

    Easily one of my top PJ albums.
    This album really deserves the full headphone treatment the same way any of the creative albums (Vitalogy, No Code, Binaural) do. I can listen to any of the other albums outside these four making dinner, in the car, normal day to day stuff, etc but these albums, especially Binaural and Riot Act have an array of background noises, instrumentation, percussion and backing vocals I'd bet 50% of fans have never heard before simply because they've not had the time to listen on good headphones. Make a space in your life to properly discover them because they never sound the same again afterwards. Even the songs I once thought were duds on Riot Act are now among my favourites. It took me eight years to fully appreciate Binaural and I still make little discoveries listening to it and only during the last year has Riot Act for me become a truly great album rather than an average one. You need to listen to an album in the correct setting sometimes for it to make perfect sense. I had to take Backspacer into the car for it to come to life and same with Avocado. Everyone should go and listen to Riot Act with headphones and if you don't get it then well fair enough but it is my number four album now. I love the quote about being adrift on a musical sea and yes, it is fucking awesome!! :D

    Perfectly said. Each album has its "home" where it sounds best...
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  • StoneAment
    StoneAment Posts: 393
    dimitrispearljam wrote:
    i love it!!and an album with song like ghost in become favorite for me..

    Ghost = awesome
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  • i_lov_it
    i_lov_it Perth, Western Australia Posts: 4,007
    LikeAnOcean wrote:
    is pretty effin atmospheric.

    I know its not their "best" album. It's not very optimistic, Ed mumbles and so on.. but when in the mood, it takes you to places no other Pearl Jam album takes you.. I still think, sound-wise it's their best produced album.

    Something about Riot Act and '03 tour.. the warm sound to everything.

    Does anyone else agree?, wether you like the music or not, something about how everything was recorded and mixed just hooks me.

    Yeah agree with the "Warmth" sound too it!...:)
  • tremors
    tremors Posts: 8,051
    Agree, Riot Act is terribly underrated - especially on this board. I loved it before but have to say it sounds even better since I got my turntable working again and discovered I had bought a vinyl copy in its absence! (very good move!). Sounds even better on vinyl.

    For me Riot Act is hearing Eddie singing very raw, very 'low', very close to the edge. It's a very truthful album, with little artifice. In many ways I think of this as the ultimate 'grunge' record - if you consider the context in which it was written and the themes it tackles. It is deep, dark and brooding. Some of the instrumental is so 'flat' and empty of polish or flourish it can be tough listening - but even this I feel is representative of where the band were at at the time (2000-2002). It's not a pretty place.

    Contrast Riot Act with Backspacer and there is quite a story to tell - with BS we hear Ed and the whole band riding high at the top of the wave. Riot Act (for me) is the trough - you can hear it in the vocals, in the guitars, in the words. I'm glad we have both albums. Riot Act for me is like the flat bread - tough but essential. It is such a necessary part of the band's story and development it almost hurts me to hear it slated. We take the rough and the smooth with this band. That's not to say we have to love everything; but at least have the decency to reach out and try and hear what each record is trying to say.
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  • 81
    81 Needing a ride to Forest Hills and a ounce of weed. Please inquire within. Thanks. Or not. Posts: 58,276
    OP needs a love boat captain. :D
    81 is now off the air

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  • jwagner
    jwagner Posts: 435
    I'll give a couple big thumbs up to Riot Act. It's one of those albums that reveals itself over time. It's not an immediate sort of album. And I also love the warmth of it, very rehearsal room-style recording.

    And...almost 8 years later, I'm FINALLY getting into "Green Disease" and "Thumbing My Way," songs that didn't click with me at all initially...
    "I know I was born and I know that I'll die...the in between is mine"
  • 2-feign-reluctance
    2-feign-reluctance TigerTown, USA Posts: 23,469
    veddertown said:



    vant0037 wrote:

    You want to talk about the sound/recording quality of this album, listen to it with some quality headphones. Not earbud, iPod headphones...I'm talking high-quality Bose type headphones. Wow. The album is indeed atmospheric, but also "encompassing" (does that make sense?); you end up adrift in that musical sea. Its fucking awesome.



    Easily one of my top PJ albums.

    This album really deserves the full headphone treatment the same way any of the creative albums (Vitalogy, No Code, Binaural) do. I can listen to any of the other albums outside these four making dinner, in the car, normal day to day stuff, etc but these albums, especially Binaural and Riot Act have an array of background noises, instrumentation, percussion and backing vocals I'd bet 50% of fans have never heard before simply because they've not had the time to listen on good headphones. Make a space in your life to properly discover them because they never sound the same again afterwards. Even the songs I once thought were duds on Riot Act are now among my favourites. It took me eight years to fully appreciate Binaural and I still make little discoveries listening to it and only during the last year has Riot Act for me become a truly great album rather than an average one. You need to listen to an album in the correct setting sometimes for it to make perfect sense. I had to take Backspacer into the car for it to come to life and same with Avocado. Everyone should go and listen to Riot Act with headphones and if you don't get it then well fair enough but it is my number four album now. I love the quote about being adrift on a musical sea and yes, it is fucking awesome!! :D

    Here here Gary!
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  • primussucks
    primussucks Posts: 2,365
    Funny how people talk about how well produced this album is. If you read the Avocado thread people are talking about the poor production on it. Both albums were produced by the same man.
    I should give this album a listen again soon. Haven't in a long time.
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  • 2-feign-reluctance
    2-feign-reluctance TigerTown, USA Posts: 23,469
    primussucks said:

    Funny how people talk about how well produced this album is. If you read the Avocado thread people are talking about the poor production on it. Both albums were produced by the same man.
    I should give this album a listen again soon. Haven't in a long time.

    I think it sounds incredible - always has.
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  • 2-feign-reluctance
    2-feign-reluctance TigerTown, USA Posts: 23,469
    Especially Matt's drums. I love how they were captured on this record. Really get a feel for his playing, especially on Ghost.
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  • my2hands
    my2hands Posts: 17,117
    I love riot act
  • Theia
    Theia Posts: 145
    gecko said:

    Love Riot Act.

    I find it warm, too, warm and amber-y, like having brandy in the evening. Love the cover art, too.

    Great description....warm and amber-y.
    Love Boat Captain, I Am Mine, Thumbing My way, You Are. This record really took me to another place.
  • halloweenhead95
    halloweenhead95 Croatia Posts: 255
    It has some of my favorite PJ tracks (LBC, Thumbing My Way), but I don't like it so much as an "album" album... maybe one day
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  • KV4053
    KV4053 Mike's side, crushed up against the stage Posts: 1,519
    best PJ album lyrically
    I know I was born and I know that I'll die. The in between is mine.
  • my2hands
    my2hands Posts: 17,117
    KV4053 said:

    best PJ album lyrically

    I agree
  • EBowie
    EBowie Posts: 532
    Probably the best production of all the PJ albums (imo).

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