Okay... So where are all the Brendan O'Brien haters now?

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  • rival.rival. Chicago Posts: 7,775
    rival. wrote:
    tracks 8-12 are COVERED in o'brien's cheddar.
    i fully disagree about track number 11.....!! :)

    :lol: it's all good. listened to the album start to finish twice last night.

    love the overall vibe though. i think it's already safe to say it is their best work since riot act (easily better than backspacer, might duke it out with self titled when the dust settles).
  • Better DanBetter Dan Posts: 5,684
    JimmyV wrote:
    I really like the softer stuff on this record. Blown away by Yellow Moon in a way I wasn't expecting. Enjoyed Future Days too which after Wrigley I wasn't sure I would. That said...

    ...the piano outro bothers me. This is a good, potentially great, PJ record and it ends with a BOB piano solo. That bothers me for some reason. If it was Boom it wouldn't bother me at all. I understand this might not sound entirely rational and that many will disagree.


    I understand your point and agree. It's a great PJ record that ends with a producer playing what many believe to be an unnecessary piano part rather than ending with a member of PJ playing/singing.
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  • thefixer9thefixer9 Posts: 9,376
    I still really like Brendan O'Brien, and Lightning Bolt is a great album, but there are a couple of songs that the production sounds a little too clean. Still a great album.
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  • NamiNami Newfoundland Posts: 5,998
    BN8419 wrote:
    One is still right here. Call me a hater, whatever, my hand is raised.

    Many examples of this opinion-

    1) Who in their right mind puts Sirens after that abrupt end to MFS? Crazy. Kills the momentum and takes away from Sirens. Put it after Swallowed Whole where it can breathe. You know, so it can catch it's breath to breathe...

    2) SBM is a xmas single. Plain and simple. Way out of place here. Just idiotic. I kinda like it in and of itself, but no way it fits on this album. No way.

    3) Just stop it with the pianos on FD. Just start after the intro piano and stop before the outro piano, the song works 3x better. It actually becomes a beautiful song without distraction.

    4) Pendulum is the best piece of music this band has produced in over a decade, probably since Binaural. Just shows how good Backspacer might have been without it being a return to pop, with sugary B o'B fingerprints. These guys still have it in them, stop and think where they would go if they didn't have another influence that is basically the 6th/7th band member? There's a reason why they look at Boom as a touring member, not a writing member.

    Now, I will give a little credit, for the rest of the songs, I think this album is much better produced than S/T, night and day better, even. But some of the decisions that B o'B has been a part of on the last two records are just mind-boggling.

    #2 agree... dont wanna say idiotic but imo doesn't fit on the album. Just my opinion and no disrespect to the band or Mr. O'Brien.

    Other than that, the album is solid from beginning to end.
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  • High Fidelity 2000High Fidelity 2000 New Mexico USA Posts: 4,439
    october22 wrote:
    Dude, you have to like Yellow Moon. You simply have to.

    Listen again.

    You know, I probably will when I listen to it more. Just when it started, all I could think was Low Light II. It just seems like the album gets so tired out towards the end. I've only listened once... I need more experience of course before I decide.
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  • As i just finished up listening to the new record for the third time. I cannot help but hear the WHO in some of the songs. A lot of the songs had a WHO ARE YOU (the record) and Endless Wire (the record) feel to it.
    Which is just fine with me. They really explored outside the box with this record.

    I really like the new album. If i had to be picky, i would say there are some songs where the lyrics are wordy and smoother the music, and i would have NOT recycled one of ED's ukulele solo songs.

    Some people just have to face that they are not and will never be the same band they were on the first 5 records.
    The world has changed, people have changed, and sadly rock music has changed. I think until another band comes along and strips it down to the basics,like pearl jam (in their prime), sound garden, and nirvana did in the 90's, we will have a pop-like, commercial driven style of Rock music. I think the Kings of Leon do it the best these days. They changed to become pop-rock, yet stayed tough enough with some wriffs/good lyrics to keep the older fans, and yet still be radio friendly and considered rock.
  • Vedd HeddVedd Hedd Posts: 4,620
    and after listening to the while album for the fist time, my first reaction is to get rid of the fucking piano/keyboards all together. Later boom. it was nice knowing ya.


    Ouch.. No way....
    Turn this anger into
    Nuclear fission
  • Vedd HeddVedd Hedd Posts: 4,620
    I absolutely love the keys in FD. In fact, that song perfectly sums up the album, and in order to do that, they needed something different for them.

    The whole album is about death, destruction, dealing with life while death is all around.....

    FD was the only ending for this album, and the keys are the only ending for that song.
    Turn this anger into
    Nuclear fission
  • JimmyVJimmyV Boston's MetroWest Posts: 19,500
    edited October 2013
    Vedd Hedd wrote:
    I absolutely love the keys in FD. In fact, that song perfectly sums up the album, and in order to do that, they needed something different for them.

    The whole album is about death, destruction, dealing with life while death is all around.....

    FD was the only ending for this album, and the keys are the only ending for that song.

    So the only ending for the song which is the only ending for the album needed to be played by someone not in the band? Strange. I'm not hating on the song, I like the song, I just don't like the piano-by-producer outro to close the record.
    Post edited by JimmyV on
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  • jtr101jtr101 Posts: 270
    The things I do not like about this album are Brendan O'Briens fault. Lose the Casio keyboard. Lose sleeping by Myself and make them pound out a finished version of Of the Earth. Then stop making albums that run out of gas half way through. Oh and Infallible would have been and will be epic live when it sounds like real guitars. That being said Pendulum is awesome. Also please make sure Ed knows Future Days is not a Pearl Jam song.

    Pretty much sums it up right there.... great post!
    Enjoy difference. Without it we're all boring!

  • jtr101jtr101 Posts: 270
    Vedd Hedd wrote:
    and after listening to the while album for the fist time, my first reaction is to get rid of the fucking piano/keyboards all together. Later boom. it was nice knowing ya.


    Ouch.. No way....

    Replacement player for the Keys:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J---aiyznGQ
    Enjoy difference. Without it we're all boring!

  • Vedd HeddVedd Hedd Posts: 4,620
    JimmyV wrote:
    Vedd Hedd wrote:
    I absolutely love the keys in FD. In fact, that song perfectly sums up the album, and in order to do that, they needed something different for them.

    The whole album is about death, destruction, dealing with life while death is all around.....

    FD was the only ending for this album, and the keys are the only ending for that song.

    So the only ending for the song which is the only ending for the album needed to be played by someone not in the band? Strange. I'm not hating on the song, I like the song, I just don't like the piano-by-producer outro to close the record.


    The band changes as they age, much like....everything.

    I have no problem with BoB playing the piano on this. He played the organ on Betterman. He played keys on No Code. Even ed called him "the sixth member of pearl jam" on occasion.

    So, as long as boom can play those parts, I have no problem with Brendan steering Boom in the right direction.
    Turn this anger into
    Nuclear fission
  • Vedd HeddVedd Hedd Posts: 4,620
    jtr101 wrote:
    Vedd Hedd wrote:
    and after listening to the while album for the fist time, my first reaction is to get rid of the fucking piano/keyboards all together. Later boom. it was nice knowing ya.


    Ouch.. No way....

    Replacement player for the Keys:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J---aiyznGQ


    Its not your cup of tea.
    Turn this anger into
    Nuclear fission
  • marjenmarjen CT Posts: 808
    WOw whats with all the hate. I think this album is tremendous. My least favorite PJ records are riot act and binural. Neither done by BOB. There is some great material on this record, and I happen to like Future days, keys and all.
  • Vedd HeddVedd Hedd Posts: 4,620
    marjen wrote:
    WOw whats with all the hate. I think this album is tremendous. My least favorite PJ records are riot act and binural. Neither done by BOB. There is some great material on this record, and I happen to like Future days, keys and all.


    Agreed. In fact, I think Future Days should have been the 2nd single. (although I like Sirens too)
    Turn this anger into
    Nuclear fission
  • Brendan is the man. I have complete confidence in him, especially after hearing LB, but felt the same way about BS really. The albums without him are missing the little bit extra that totally matters from a studio recording (RA Ed sounds tired, Binaural is a audio mess despite the aim). The band can take it over the top live, but in the studio you need something to make the exact effect take hold.

    and as far as keyboards, he can absolutely play, write, or arrange things that Boom cannot. I don't know if he wrote the FD piano part or not, but he was the one guy in the studio who can play it properly. Same as Gremmie out of Control; he played the lead guitar part because Mike & Stone couldn't. It doesn't matter that Grem was a giveaway single and FD is an album closer; the band needed and asked him to play that, to get the song to where they wanted it to go.

    Remember, he has produced dozens of hit records by some of the biggest rock acts in history. He doesn't "want to join Pearl Jam". He wants them to make records that show the world that they are one of the biggest acts in rock history.

    And mission accomplished, says me.

    cheers!!!
  • Vedd HeddVedd Hedd Posts: 4,620
    Brendan is the man. I have complete confidence in him, especially after hearing LB, but felt the same way about BS really. The albums without him are missing the little bit extra that totally matters from a studio recording (RA Ed sounds tired, Binaural is a audio mess despite the aim). The band can take it over the top live, but in the studio you need something to make the exact effect take hold.

    and as far as keyboards, he can absolutely play, write, or arrange things that Boom cannot. I don't know if he wrote the FD piano part or not, but he was the one guy in the studio who can play it properly. Same as Gremmie out of Control; he played the lead guitar part because Mike & Stone couldn't. It doesn't matter that Grem was a giveaway single and FD is an album closer; the band needed and asked him to play that, to get the song to where they wanted it to go.

    Remember, he has produced dozens of hit records by some of the biggest rock acts in history. He doesn't "want to join Pearl Jam". He wants them to make records that show the world that they are one of the biggest acts in rock history.

    And mission accomplished, says me.

    cheers!!!
    :clap:
    Turn this anger into
    Nuclear fission
  • DiRtYyELLoWoCeAnDiRtYyELLoWoCeAn Medford, Ma Posts: 1,605
    JimmyV wrote:
    I really like the softer stuff on this record. Blown away by Yellow Moon in a way I wasn't expecting. Enjoyed Future Days too which after Wrigley I wasn't sure I would. That said...

    ...the piano outro bothers me. This is a good, potentially great, PJ record and it ends with a BOB piano solo. That bothers me for some reason. If it was Boom it wouldn't bother me at all. I understand this might not sound entirely rational and that many will disagree.


    Spot ON.
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  • jtr101jtr101 Posts: 270
    Vedd Hedd wrote:
    jtr101 wrote:
    Vedd Hedd wrote:

    Ouch.. No way....

    Replacement player for the Keys:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J---aiyznGQ


    Its not your cup of tea.


    I'm just kidding around...haha... i like the album as a whole. The keys though on FD are totally unnecessary in my opinion though. The song sounded pretty cool when ed was playing it on the beach in the short film.
    Enjoy difference. Without it we're all boring!

  • BeerBaronBeerBaron Toronto-ish Posts: 4,100
    In general, this album has that over-produced/heavily-polished Brendan O'Brien feel to it. That said, overall I think he's done a good job with the songs. I am really digging most of them after 2 listens.

    My only two real complaints however are:

    1. Sleeping By Myself. What a waste of space.

    2. Future days. This song had potential to be a really nice closer but the keyboards are just terrible. They almost go as far as to ruin the song. They are overdone at the beginning and completely unnecessary at the end of the song.
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  • Threads like this suck so much. They encourage and somewhat celebrate "haters"
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  • JimmyVJimmyV Boston's MetroWest Posts: 19,500
    Threads like this suck so much. They encourage and somewhat celebrate "haters"

    Don't hate on the thread dude. ;)
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  • JimmyV wrote:
    Threads like this suck so much. They encourage and somewhat celebrate "haters"

    Don't hate on the thread dude. ;)

    Don't hate that I'm hating on this promotion of hate.
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  • TJ25487TJ25487 Posts: 1,497
    JimmyV wrote:
    Threads like this suck so much. They encourage and somewhat celebrate "haters"

    Don't hate on the thread dude. ;)

    Ok you two. I'm only going to say this once: Mind Your Manners! :lol:
  • ParksyParksy Posts: 1,835
    Soulfire42 wrote:
    BN8419 wrote:
    One is still right here. Call me a hater, whatever, my hand is raised.

    Many examples of this opinion-

    1) Who in their right mind puts Sirens after that abrupt end to MFS? Crazy. Kills the momentum and takes away from Sirens. Put it after Swallowed Whole where it can breathe. You know, so it can catch it's breath to breathe...

    2) SBM is a xmas single. Plain and simple. Way out of place here. Just idiotic. I kinda like it in and of itself, but no way it fits on this album. No way.

    3) Just stop it with the pianos on FD. Just start after the intro piano and stop before the outro piano, the song works 3x better. It actually becomes a beautiful song without distraction.

    4) Pendulum is the best piece of music this band has produced in over a decade, probably since Binaural. Just shows how good Backspacer might have been without it being a return to pop, with sugary B o'B fingerprints. These guys still have it in them, stop and think where they would go if they didn't have another influence that is basically the 6th/7th band member? There's a reason why they look at Boom as a touring member, not a writing member.

    Now, I will give a little credit, for the rest of the songs, I think this album is much better produced than S/T, night and day better, even. But some of the decisions that B o'B has been a part of on the last two records are just mind-boggling.

    I pretty much agree with everything above.

    me too.

    SBM doesn't fit. Future Days is ripe with fromage.
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  • snipes824snipes824 Posts: 870
    on2legs wrote:
    There was a lot of hate for BoB floating around the board... just wondering if anyone changed their mind after listening to the live stream?
    He let Sleeping By Myself on this album. :nono:
  • fifefife Posts: 3,327
    snipes824 wrote:
    on2legs wrote:
    There was a lot of hate for BoB floating around the board... just wondering if anyone changed their mind after listening to the live stream?
    He let Sleeping By Myself on this album. :nono:

    so did the band.
  • JimmyVJimmyV Boston's MetroWest Posts: 19,500
    JimmyV wrote:
    Threads like this suck so much. They encourage and somewhat celebrate "haters"

    Don't hate on the thread dude. ;)

    Don't hate that I'm hating on this promotion of hate.

    :D
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  • snipes824snipes824 Posts: 870
    fife wrote:
    snipes824 wrote:
    on2legs wrote:
    There was a lot of hate for BoB floating around the board... just wondering if anyone changed their mind after listening to the live stream?
    He let Sleeping By Myself on this album. :nono:

    so did the band.
    Yeah, I'm sure the rest of the band was just dying to get one of Ed's uke songs on the album.
  • DewieCoxDewieCox Posts: 11,432
    fife wrote:
    snipes824 wrote:
    on2legs wrote:
    There was a lot of hate for BoB floating around the board... just wondering if anyone changed their mind after listening to the live stream?
    He let Sleeping By Myself on this album. :nono:

    so did the band.

    Not "so did the band" but "no, the band did".


    I think they were trying to make Future Days different from The End and in the process over cheesed it. The whole thing feels like a Celine Dion song. I can't totally lay the blame on BOb, even though he played the piano. They all, as a group and producer, should've agreed to cut it imo. It would've made that last run of mellow songs, which is a song too long a little shorter and kept one of the worst songs in PJ history off the album.

    I think the album as a whole is expertly mixed and a vast improvement over Backspacer and S/T sonically. Gotta give props to BOb for that and making sure each members parts laid together in a way that didn't mud things up.
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