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How do you feel Mad Season's only album...

iOnlyownMymindiOnlyownMymind Posts: 2,917
edited April 2013 in The Porch
stacks up against any Pearl Jam album? After listening to the reissue and watching and listening to the Moore show, man this might be up there. Anyone else agree/disagree? I don't think there's a bad song on the album and all the songs sound tremenous with the Moore show (haven't watched the RKCNDY yet).
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • veddertownveddertown Scotland Posts: 5,260
    Above, TOTD and Ten are pretty much level on quality, longevity, etc for me. Amazing times in the early 90's. Vitalogy, No Code, Badmotorfinger and Dirt eclipsed this during a ridiculously creative musical spell though. PJ haven't written an album anywhere near the standard of Above in a looooooooong time! Never will now. I don't mind though, Yield, Binaural and Riot Act are very, very acceptable.... :D
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  • Out of My Mind and TimeOut of My Mind and Time Posts: 1,333
    I was thinking I would be watching this and just staring at Layne's every move but I found myself watching Mike over everybody. He was amazing at the Moore. Unbelievable energy and he just shredded. Amazing concert all the way through. November Hotel was awesome. I have watched that part over and over. Glad I got this. it is very good. ;)
  • Jamminonthe1Jamminonthe1 Posts: 1,243
    One of the best, most original rock albums of the 90s. I remember from watching the VHS, which I still have, I was always impressed with Barret Martin on drums.
  • ChoccoloccotideChoccoloccotide A grass shack nailed to a pinewood floor Posts: 1,235
    Jamminonthe1 wrote:
    One of the best, most original rock albums of the 90s. I remember from watching the VHS, which I still have, I was always impressed with Barret Martin on drums.

    I agree about Barrett! Man he was laying some thunderous blows. I can't believe his kit held up through that concert.
  • ZodZod Posts: 10,815
    I'm a big fan of the album. It was one of those things I didn't discover until several years after it came out (I guess it came out just before internet started getting traction, so there were those things you missed out in if your local radio station didn't mention it, or you weren't listening at the right time).

    I do remember hearing river of deceit on the radio but had assumed it as an AIC song.. lol.

    It was a few years later I was listening to the radio and it was referred to as Mad Season. Of which I immediately looked it up on that music distribution service that Metallica put under :)

    It's an awesome album, and even more so to have found it a few years after its release. I play it at home alot. I'm looking forward to the DVD showing up in the mail, I never did see it on VHS.
  • youngsteryoungster Boston Posts: 6,576
    Mike has never played a better guitar than he did with Mad Season.
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  • iOnlyownMymindiOnlyownMymind Posts: 2,917
    Glad to hear the support for the album. Barrett and Mike really are off the charts with this and I really dig the sax on 'Long Gone Day'. You guys who haven't gotten the deluxe in the mail yet are going to love the dvd. It's definitely worth it.
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 16,149
    It is good music that is interesting, which was PJ through Binaural.
  • korn-1korn-1 Los Angeles, transplanted from Chicago Posts: 930
    Fantastic album and the re-release is beautiful. Was so glad I got my hands on one of the signed ones... even happier when it arrived signed not only by Mike but Barret also cause that guy can pound.
    For me its hard to compare it to PJ because, unfortunately, it was just a one-off side project.
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  • animusanimus Twin Cities area Posts: 530
    Such a great album. No fillers IMO. I love how it closes with November Hotel & All Alone it just amplifies the feeling of anger,depression and loneliness I became obsessed with the album during late fall/early winter one year and now it always seems fitting to listen to it during the winter months.

    Though the band could never make another album, I don't think they could've topped Above. I think it was created at just the right time by the right people.
  • red mosred mos Posts: 4,953
    edited April 2013
    It's a fantastic album, one of my faves. However, I think of it as a different band when compared to PJ even though Mike is in the band Mad Season as well.

    I don't think it stacks up to a PJ album, it holds it's own cause it's that good; It's different than Pearl jam, (a side project), but it is a fave of mine.

    Waiting for McCready to unleash some studio solos on a PJ album, like on the mad season songs.

    Out of the new tracks my fave is: "Black book of fear"Epic album, just ordered my Mad season shirt, been wanting one since the beginning. 8-)
    Post edited by red mos on
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  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 50,363
    It's amazing. I love it! I see no reason to compare it to any PJ album, as they are totally different. It's just a great album. Period. Can't wait to get the vinyl!
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  • dimitrispearljamdimitrispearljam Posts: 139,721
    when a band..has as member the incredible guy that called Mike McCready..

    its so easy to answer this type of questions like the OP asked..

    YES...
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  • Out of My Mind and TimeOut of My Mind and Time Posts: 1,333
    edited April 2013
    youngster wrote:
    Mike has never played a better guitar than he did with Mad Season.

    It was fucking amazing! Mike was absolutely amazing in this concert. I do not think I have ever seen him play so amped up. Maybe he was sharing what Layne had too give but man he just shredded!!! Amazing concert. Very cool 8-)
    Post edited by Out of My Mind and Time on
  • PJSEMPREPJSEMPRE Posts: 687
    Amazing record! The deluxe edition is great..Slip Away is my favourite new track.
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  • goldrushgoldrush everybody knows this is nowhere Posts: 7,714
    I can't compare it fairly to a PJ album because they are very different bands. It would probably be somewhere in the middle though as there are at least 5 PJ records that I like more than Above. I do think it is far better than all of the AIC records though.

    As far as the side projects go, it'd be in the top 5 for me along woth TOTD, Into The Wild, Mirrorball and RNDM.
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  • BALLBOYBALLBOY Australia Posts: 1,035
    Always loved Above & after getting my Deluxe edition it hits home how brilliant this side band/collaboration is & it really shows how Mike is the best guitarist of the past 20 years & how he has been ignored in polls or anything to do with guitarists is a criminal act. Layne is a very haunting frontman & his economy of movement is what made him so cool. The Self Pollution footage is magic & surely one day we will see the full PJ performance released. :idea: This band had a very short lifespan but what a life it was :clap::clap:
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  • dimitrispearljamdimitrispearljam Posts: 139,721
    :D
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    "..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
    “..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
  • JonnyPistachioJonnyPistachio Florida Posts: 10,219
    youngster wrote:
    Mike has never played a better guitar than he did with Mad Season.

    I think a lot of us have been wondering why Mike isnt more prevalent in PJ songwriting process after this recent MadSEason resurgence. He did some phenomenal stuff there, and the album certainly is great from start to finish.
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  • mysticweedmysticweed Posts: 3,710
    JonnyPistachio wrote:
    youngster wrote:
    Mike has never played a better guitar than he did with Mad Season.

    I think a lot of us have been wondering why Mike isnt more prevalent in PJ songwriting process after this recent MadSEason resurgence. He did some phenomenal stuff there, and the album certainly is great from start to finish.

    river of deceit?
    absolute heaven
    mad season live at the moore is one of my treasures
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  • dmaradona10dmaradona10 Posts: 915
    I think the songs on Above are different to many of the successful albums from the era. The songs have so many different musical influences that really made it an interesting album.
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  • thecrystalshipthecrystalship Dublin, Ireland Posts: 36
    Amazing album. Every song is a gem. To me, it's one of those albums I can go back and listen to over and over again. Haven't got the deluxe edition yet but I'm sure I'll be impressed. :)
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  • Hugh Freaking DillonHugh Freaking Dillon Posts: 14,010
    I still don't have my deluxe in the mail yet. :evil: but I watch the VHS of live at the moore on a regular basis, always have. it's one fantastic show. I can't wait to see it on dvd.

    the album is 10/10. the only other album, ANY album, not just PJ, that gets that is Ten. For me a 10/10 is not only how good each song is, but how it goes together, and just as important, I don't have to be in any certain mood to listen to it (like Pink Floyd for instance-The Wall and Dark Side each get a 9). I can put on Above or Ten in any emotional context and it's ON.
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  • DURPDURP OhighO Posts: 2,180
    I can take it or leave it. I don't hate it but it's not a favorite of mine.

    Guess I'm in the minority.
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  • lephtylephty Posts: 770
    i am addicted all over again to Above. The "new" tracks are amazing. When Locomotive was released I could not believe my ears. Really getting into picking apart the lyrics which are amazing and heartbreaking.

    It still amazes me that I really didn't know about this album until a few years ago. I could've enjoyed it for so many more years... Though thinking back I can probably blame the lack of real internet until the early 2000's. I lived on Five Horizons... and I'm rambling so why are you still reading this?
  • iOnlyownMymindiOnlyownMymind Posts: 2,917
    lephty wrote:
    i am addicted all over again to Above. The "new" tracks are amazing. When Locomotive was released I could not believe my ears. Really getting into picking apart the lyrics which are amazing and heartbreaking.

    It still amazes me that I really didn't know about this album until a few years ago. I could've enjoyed it for so many more years... Though thinking back I can probably blame the lack of real internet until the early 2000's. I lived on Five Horizons... and I'm rambling so why are you still reading this?

    I like the new tracks, but for some reason I feel like they don't necessarily fit with the rest of the album, maybe because of Mark Lanegan. I'm not as big of a fan of his voice as some and keep thinking what the tracks would sound like with Layne singing.
  • lephtylephty Posts: 770
    iOnlyownMymind wrote:
    I like the new tracks, but for some reason I feel like they don't necessarily fit with the rest of the album, maybe because of Mark Lanegan. I'm not as big of a fan of his voice as some and keep thinking what the tracks would sound like with Layne singing.

    I am a HUGE fan of Lanegan so that helps. The music alone in Locomotive is amazing. Black Book of Fear and Slip Away do sound more like Lanegan songs but I am okay with that.
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