Losing Hope for New Album... Really

CrookedTom · September 2012

A few points to make...

All (and that means all) bands have their creative peak, where they are just writing brilliant songs one after another. I believe PJ's peak was 1991-2000 - Six amazing albums, and probably 2 albums worth of superb b-sides etc.

I don't think their albums since Binaural have been in the same league - Riot Act, Pearl Jam & Backspacer all had their problems, what with Riot Act's rather flat dreary songs, Pearl Jam's horrible production and forced songwriting, and Backspacer's poppy approach and at times corny lyrics.

They have also lost a certain amount of intensity in their live shows - Watching TB2000, is to watch a band at the height of their powers...I don't think any tour since then has matched that (Europe 2006 was close though)

Eddie's voice really isn't the force it was - Since 2006 this has been quite evident

There seems to be no urgency to record the new album and tour for any length, yes they all have families and side projects, but excuses aside, could it be that they don't think the songs are good enough, and are putting off doing it, hoping Eddie perhaps pens a couple of gems in the meantime, it's a strange move.

I love this band, but I am starting to lose interest in the new bootlegs (despite the production never sounding better) because they lack the intesity of the past, the songs post 2000 aren't that special, and Eddie's singing is clearly not as strong...

PeArLgOoNeR · September 2012

I always thought tb2000 was pretty blah.. sounds good and stuff, but the energy was better before and after that tour IMHO..

I do agree that ranking their albums would place the last 3 in the bottom.. I still love those albums though.. and the thing is that to me Pearl Jam is more than music.. it's part of who I am as a human being, and no other band will be able to fill that spot..

This summer I saw them 3 times i Europe and I still to this day have not quite landed. Maybe that will change once I hit the 45 show mark

mtolan514 · September 2012

It's started to get annoying that if you defend the band or if you disagree with some of the criticism, you're called "slavish", a "lapdog" or any slew of words of the like. I also just saw whoever it was comparing Pearl Jam to a totalitarian Middle Eastern regime. Maybe it's reaaally a time for a break? :P

I'm not sure I understand the ambiguity and slew of opinions on what the band's pace on the album indicates. Jeff, Mike and Stone have all come out and said that they're really pacing themselves on this album, they're taking their time, they're in no rush. They've also come out and performed together multiple times in this span.

From this we can draw the following conclusion: Making the new album isn't a huge priority, i.e. not the most important thing in their lives. They're interested in pursuing Pearl Jam musical avenues through some assorted live shows, but also interested in doing some different things than they've been doing over the past 20 years. And hey, wouldn't you, if the opportunity afforded itself? As Pandora eloquently said, "This is their lives, their creativity, we're just along for the ride."

They're being chill about this. Maybe we can follow their lead, and be kinda chill too? This isn't by any means the end, let's not act like the sky is falling. May I point to the Greek god of touring, the mighty Bruce Springsteen. The guy took a solid amount of time off from touring in the '90s (WOAHAOHAOHOAHOAHAH THAT'S LIKE 20 YEARS FROM WHEN HE STARTED) and now he's come back and the Magic Tour and this Wrecking Ball Tour, though they're not his shows from the '70s or '80s, still excellent, standard-setting shows. He just played his longest show in history a few months ago...40 years later from his start. I'm not saying PJ will follow this arc completely, but it just goes to show that anything's possible!

P.S. I can't stand the production on recent bootlegs. Really don't like listening to them. I love the dark crispness of 2000 the most, 2003's pretty solid as well. 2008 (despite Ed's voice is also a favorite).

P.P.S. You realize that we literally slobber over new merch and trade posters and oggle over new stuff with feverish intensity. Could it possibly be they're...just..giving us what we want...? Maybe that's just me being slavish again.

dwhite76 · September 2012

CrookedTom wrote:

A few points to make...

All (and that means all) bands have their creative peak, where they are just writing brilliant songs one after another. I believe PJ's peak was 1991-2000 - Six amazing albums, and probably 2 albums worth of superb b-sides etc.

I don't think their albums since Binaural have been in the same league - Riot Act, Pearl Jam & Backspacer all had their problems, what with Riot Act's rather flat dreary songs, Pearl Jam's horrible production and forced songwriting, and Backspacer's poppy approach and at times corny lyrics.

They have also lost a certain amount of intensity in their live shows - Watching TB2000, is to watch a band at the height of their powers...I don't think any tour since then has matched that (Europe 2006 was close though)

Eddie's voice really isn't the force it was - Since 2006 this has been quite evident

There seems to be no urgency to record the new album and tour for any length, yes they all have families and side projects, but excuses aside, could it be that they don't think the songs are good enough, and are putting off doing it, hoping Eddie perhaps pens a couple of gems in the meantime, it's a strange move.

I love this band, but I am starting to lose interest in the new bootlegs (despite the production never sounding better) because they lack the intesity of the past, the songs post 2000 aren't that special, and Eddie's singing is clearly not as strong...

WOW I hear what your saying but its so funny how 2 fans can have the opposite outlook on the post 2000 era.

I think the album that was the darkest and flattest was Binaural not RA. Riot Act is a awesome up beat (at times slow) album. I think if the title and album cover was some thing more exciting people would have a different view about it. People do judge books by the cover

Personally I thought that 2000 the live stuff wasnt as good. Seemed like Binaural did a little flat and non energetic.

2003 they started to pick it up in a rebirth and I think they peaked in 2010. The live shows in 2010 were so awesome.

They may have burned themselves out the past few years with PJ20 and side stuff. But I totally think they have another 1/2 tank of gas left

dwhite76 · September 2012

mtolan514 wrote:

P.P.S. You realize that we literally slobber over new merch and trade posters and oggle over new stuff with feverish intensity. Could it possibly be they're...just..giving us what we want...? Maybe that's just me being slavish again.

Yup. I said it in another thread some where. We will bitch about every thing and every thing. But weren't the good old days realy great

dwhite76 · September 2012

PS

This will all be forgotten and all will be right in the world as soon as the new album finally arrives. Until then this keeps us from concentrating on important things. Like work

mtolan514 · September 2012

dwhite76 wrote:

PS

This will all be forgotten and all will be right in the world as soon as the new album finally arrives. Until then this keeps us from concentrating on important things. Like work

Work schmork :P

Unless complaining is our job....

Black Diamond · September 2012

I'm just here for the witty banter.

cincybearcat · September 2012

Awesome way to celebrate PJ20....nothing but side projects!!!!

JonnyPistachio · September 2012

I am always a bit surprised that it takes so long to do an album these days, especially since one like Backspacer was only about 35 minutes and pretty cut and dry.

If each band member came up with 3-4 ideas and they all got together once in awhile, you'd think they crash out an album every two years...unless crap like Ole' is diminishing their motivation.

But then again, maybe its all this side project stuff and other distractions that makes them able to stay together.

xunbrokenx · September 2012

I'm looking forward to a new album soon so they can drag their butts back over to Australia.
*taps foot impatiently*

green_girl · September 2012

I just read somewhere that Gwen Stefani wrote "Sweet Escape" in 10 mins. and that was a huge hit.
Sooooo....

davidos · September 2012

I know they have families, other things to do, etc. but it's not stopping them from globe trotting with their side projects playing to a few hundred people (Ed more)... They like to work... just not with each other... hopefully someone is not sick or in rehab.

And I do need to listen to different music... I am a guitar player and I love the interplay between Stone and Mike.... and sprinkle in some Ed.... I just "get it"... it clicks with me... I haven't found anyone out there like them...

is there a band out there that has guitar like PJ? And i'm not talking about Kings of Leon or similar... Can't stand the poppy song driven guitar that has no riffs.

stuckinline · September 2012

Could we turn this 'waiting' period into something positive? Please take this time to reach out to your community.
Surely someone in your neighborhood, city, state or country could use your help.

Ask an elderly neighbor if they need help
Donate a book to your local school
Clean up litter or clean up a river
Adopt a soldier
Donate any unused clothes
Etc, etc ......

Thank you to those who already do a lot!

GirlLovesPJ · September 2012

My head is spinning from reading all of these posts!!!!! Everyone has a different opinion, different demands, different expectations from the band! How can the band accomodate its entire fanbase (granted it wants to do so) if it's hard to keep up with this thread of just a few people??? :fp:

You can like them and appreciate their music and/or shows or you can move on to the next band, plain and simple.

GardenOfStoned · September 2012

RD171825 wrote:

How about using the time to discover new music... non pj related music. There is so much music out there and so many bands. The new PJ record will come, just give it time.

This is pretty much what I have done. I’m not going to diss on PJ or abandon them by any means; they have been my favorite band and have meant so much to me over all these years. I’ll never give up hope.

However in light of all this festival crap, predictable setlists, no proper tours, no new album, no Alpine boots etc, etc, etc, there is another band that has helped to ease the pain and pass the time, and that band is Phish. Give them a listen if you like them, they sound better than ever these days with their melt your face off style jamming. Plus, every bootleg is available and you can webcast some shows. I just webcasted the final 3 shows of their tour in CO and it was f-ing off the hook.

JaneNY · September 2012

LiLiNY81 wrote:

I'm used to waiting a long time for new albums with Metallica...so this really doesn't bother me. It'll come, don't worry.

So true - or try being a NIN fan - people waited from 1999's The Fragile to 2005 With Teeth, and before that, The Downward Spiral 1994. And Reznor, bravely, turned off the NIN machine and has continued to create interesting new things and collaborate with different people.

Situations and people change; they take breaks; maybe they're just not feeling new PJ music right now....

demetrios · September 2012

JaneNY wrote:

LiLiNY81 wrote:

I'm used to waiting a long time for new albums with Metallica...so this really doesn't bother me. It'll come, don't worry.

So true - or try being a NIN fan - people waited from 1999's The Fragile to 2005 With Teeth, and before that, The Downward Spiral 1994. And Reznor, bravely, turned off the NIN machine and has continued to create interesting new things and collaborate with different people.

Situations and people change; they take breaks; maybe they're just not feeling new PJ music right now....

But that's a different story to Pearl Jam. NIN didn't play any show's in '01 - '04. http://db.etree.org/db/shows/browse/artist_key/838/ (maybe 1 or 2) unlike Pearl Jam's Backspacer record that was released in '09, the band has played each year since then. Maybe not grand tours like 72 show's a year but they were on the road in '10, '11 & '12.

smanchac1 · September 2012

Everyone talking about how the setlists aren't diverse enough?

I saw 5 shows on the euro tour this summer. The stats were this

154 total songs
71 unique pj songs
15 covers

The most I got repeated were
Alive - 5
Betterman -3
Black -3
Corduroy - 5
DTE - 5
Elderly woman - 5
Even flow - 5
Fixer - 4
GTF - 4
Just breathe - 5

Then there are 66 pearl jam songs with a 1-2 next to them! So 9 songs being played a lot but 66 songs that were rare and or played only once the entire tour. Then I have 16 covers too, with only RITFW being played 3 times, others 1-2.

And people talk about wanting rare songs at shows or new songs..

I was in Seattle 9-21 and 9-22-09. Pearl jam played 8 songs that were new and off of backpacker, in Seattle of all places! And the place was DEAD. It was clear they weren't Intreated in new songs, they wanted their alive even flow and black..
The second night they again played 6 backspaces songs, but threw In no way for the first time in over 11 years and a lot more older well known pj songs and the crowd seemed very happy.

So as much as the few on the board (the 1% overall) would be happy for a setlist packed full of rare songs... But the band and most people go to shows to hear songs they love, and the crowd interaction and singing is what hooked me in, not hearing a terrible version of sweet lew and black red yellow. The truth is those songs aren't played much because they aren't as good as the other songs. When's the last time you saw dont gimme no lip tearing up the charts?

Just because you want something doesn't mean it's what everyone else wants.

Does any one else remember the bitching about the fixer, got some, just breathe and the end being played all the time and that those songs suck? With all the whining about wanting a new album, I'm sure once it happens people will bitch about those songs being played and not whatever they wanted to hear

As far as touring, the band can do what it wants. It's like if you went from a normal person to a worldwide star because of a painting you did. Plus you get rich. Then for 20 years you keep painting for the fans.. But now your approaching 50, with 2 kids and a wife plus nearly 100 million dollars in your pocket. Answer honestly, would you want to keep painting everyday and touring to give it to fans? Or would you say I don't care what the fans think, I'm going to do this at my own pace. If they put out twice as many albums and toured non stop, can't you guys see they would hate or loathe doing it? I don't know anyone who wants to work more than they have to.

How many of you play Nintendo all day everyday like we might have 20 years ago? How many of you play sports for 20 years? How many have done anything for 20 years? If you have, can you please answer honestly that you want to continue to do whatever you've done for 20 years day in and day out and that your prioritys havent changed?

If you want to see the band so bad, go where they play. I realize they won't be around forever and I do that, travel for the shows. I've been to Canada and Europe seeing the band. If you want to go, go. Don't bitch because they aren't playing close enough to you. They played the south in 2003. It sucked. That's why they don't come back. They played ACL in 09. Compared to other shows in other areas. It sucked. Not for me. But compared to shows in the northeast ect...And by saying sucked I mean the crowd not the band.

I'm sick of all the bitching and whining on the board! I read everyday, stay up with news, have a huge collection of shows, I've seen 29 shows, and you know why? Because I love the music and don't expect them to do what I want them to. I realized back in 1994/1995 being 13 years old that they didn't play by the rules and that if I wanted to see this band it would be harder and more worth it to go and do it. They aren't every other band. If they were we wouldn't like them as much as we do. Please remember this before you complain and make yourself look childish and selfish.

Instead of bitching, how about talking about a song you like, a show you went to, a poster you like etc. yes we all want a tour and an album, but I will wait as long as it takes for a good album.

Make a list of all the 20 year old bands, see who's actually still a band, and compare actions. Pretty hard to do that. There aren't many like this band out there.. I wish we all could see that and appericiate that.

I understand if you disagree, we each have that right. But that's what I feel.

Bdog10 · September 2012

Nothing worse than a guy bitching about other people bitching. It's a public forum dude. People have every right to voice their opinions either if it's good or bad.

Losing Hope for New Album... Really

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