Binaural, Riot Act and Avocado, may not be perfect

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  • DewieCox
    DewieCox Posts: 11,432
    Binaural is perfect.

    Riot Act was the first album to come out once my fandom was sealed up tight, so it holds some special memories. My favorite shows and some fun ones to follow along online, on this tour. I also think it was the last album that really showed them at their creative heights. Hardly any songs with any catchiness, but you can hear that they were really pushing themselves from and artistic standpoint.

    S/T had some great moments and almost no bad songs, but I don't think it has anything truly great. It seems like they played it pretty safe on a majority of the tracks.

  • my2hands
    my2hands Posts: 17,117
    Riot Act sucks... play the hits
  • BALLBOY
    BALLBOY Australia Posts: 1,035
    Riot Act is getting alot of my attention at the moment due to the fact I spend alot of time "climbing on the mountains floating out in the sea (ocean really) far from the lights of the city the elements they speak to me" They make albums that if you are in a beautiful place in the world as I am the music really does hit home & sounds & feels so much better.
    Eastern Creek 95,Syd 1 98,Bris 2 98, Syd 1&2 03, Reading Fest 06, Bris 1 06, London 09, Hyde Park 10, Gold Coast BDO 14 Budapest 22 Krakow 22 Amsterdam 22 St Paul 1&2 23 Chicago 1&2 23 Chicago 1&2 24 New York 1 24 Philly 1&2 24 Boston 1&2 24 Gold Coast 24 Melbourne 1 24 Sydney 1&2 24
  • PorchgirlCO
    PorchgirlCO Colorado Posts: 1,377
    shetellsherself said:

    tempo_n_groove said:

    I keep saying I'm gonna try and listen to these again but never get around to it…

    Pick an album and a particular song and I'll start off with that and I'll report back.

    Binaural. Breakerfall. Headphones. Sunday afternoon. Perfect combo
    Yes, Jen. Breakerfall is a great place to start....just listened to that today! :)
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me...

    Orlando 4/24/92 & 8/23/92, Miami 3/28/94, Ft Laud 10/7/96, Alpine Valley 6/26/98, Missoula 9/30/12, EV Jax 11/24/12 & 11/25/12, Chicago (Wrigley) 7/19/13, Charlottesville 10/29/13, Charlotte 10/30/13, Tulsa 10/8/14, Lincoln 10/9/14, Denver 10/22/14, Jacksonville 4/12/16, Greenville 4/16/16, Telluride 7/9/16, Boston (Fenway) 8/5/16 & 8/7/16, Seattle (Safeco) 8/10/18, Boston (Fenway) 9/2/18 & 9/4/18, Dana Point 10/1/21 & 10/2/21, MSG 9/11/22, Denver 9/22/22, Austin 9/18/23 & 9/19/23.
  • FrankY59
    FrankY59 Posts: 1,052
    onejourney... said:

    In my opinion Pearl Jam have never made a bad Album...

    That being said we are a picky bunch and these albums get little praise.

    For a long time Binaural was my favorite album...still might be.

    When avocado came out I thought it was their best work yet... When a Riot Act came out it accompanied me on many drives down the coast and I am forever grateful...

    We get so caught up "rating" things nowadays, when things are not so black and white.

    3 albums any band would love to have made, but our band did.

    I'll take them any day...


    I'm going to go listen to Rival...

    Couldn't of said it better...but I'm going to listen to Save You.
  • Driftin'Along
    Driftin'Along Posts: 1,403
    I am of the opinion that Binaural is perfect. That was the record that hooked me and turned me into the fan that I am today. Lots of love for this album out there but also a lot of hate. Nothing but love from me for it.
    "Not only do you have sunshine but you have better thunder...fuckers." -Ed, Phx 10/21/00
    PJ * 10/21/00 - Phx * 6/7/03 - Phx * 6/29/06 - Milwaukee * 6/30/06 - Milwaukee * 11/19/13 - Phx *
    EV * 11/4/12 - Phx, AZ *
  • Nami
    Nami Newfoundland Posts: 5,999
    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

    Nami said:

    insert popcorn smiley...

    image
    lol i was waiting to see it blow up but someone backed out.
    Hamilton 9-13-05; Toronto 5-9-06, Toronto 8-21-09, Toronto 9-12-11, Hamilton 9-15-11....
  • Ledbetterman10
    Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,991
    edited March 2015
    That era of the band is probably most special to me even if the music kinda isn't. I got into the band when I was 13 (between No Code and Yield) and was a hardcore, tenclub card-carrying, bootleg downloading son-of-a-bitch by time I was 15. Binarual came out when I was 16, Riot Act during my freshman year of college, and Avocado during my senior year of college. So those three albums invoke fond memories of those fun years for me. Those fond memories outweigh the actual music on the albums though. I like the albums just fine. But I don't hold them in the high regard I hold the first five albums. Again, I enjoy the memories more than the actual songs....for the most part. Some songs from those three albums are among my favorites (NAIS, Grievance, You Are, WWS) but most others are just a reminder of the times for me. Help, Help for instance reminds me of college...which is nice cause college was fun. But it's not like I'm all that into the song otherwise.
    Post edited by Ledbetterman10 on
    2000: Camden 1, 2003: Philly, State College, Camden 1, MSG 2, Hershey, 2004: Reading, 2005: Philly, 2006: Camden 1, 2, East Rutherford 1, 2007: Lollapalooza, 2008: Camden 1, Washington D.C., MSG 1, 2, 2009: Philly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2010: Bristol, MSG 2, 2011: PJ20 1, 2, 2012: Made In America, 2013: Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014: Denver, 2015: Global Citizen Festival, 2016: Philly 2, Fenway 1, 2018: Fenway 1, 2, 2021: Sea. Hear. Now. 2022: Camden, 2024: Philly 2, 2025: Pittsburgh 1

    Pearl Jam bootlegs:
    http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
  • mrshock13
    mrshock13 Posts: 472
    For me, every album of theirs from Ten to Riot Act is fantastic. I sort of view the band in two eras, the first being that time span, the second being Avocado till present. Same band, but the albums in each "era" have a distinct feeling for me that separate the eras. I enjoy Avocado, Backspacer, and Lightning Bolt to pieces, but still have to occasionally be in a certain mood for those three, whereas the first "era"'s music can be listened to anytime. I'm actually at work and listening to No Code, Binaural, and Vitalogy all over again. Because I can. And it's amazing.
  • my2hands
    my2hands Posts: 17,117
    Riot Act sucks... play the hits

    Jeb Bush = return of Bu$hleaguer?
  • goldrush
    goldrush everybody knows this is nowhere Posts: 7,785
    iOnlyownMymind said:

    They are all better than the last two

    They may all be better than the first two as well...
    “Do not postpone happiness”
    (Jeff Tweedy, Sydney 2007)

    “Put yer good money on the sunrise”
    (Tim Rogers)
  • broloco
    broloco Posts: 1,237
    I love these three records. Yes all can benefit from losing a song or two ( that's right I'm talking to you "Help, Help"). But can we talk about how all three have week artwork/album covers! I mean Binaural could have been classic because the "space" theme is so cool, but it fell a little flat, no? Riot act is blah and kinda looks like an outtake to me. Again great subject of skeletons and king/queen, but cover is pretty wack. The booklet cover should have been actual cover.
    And Avocado I'm still trying to figure out for fucks sake! I want to like it..
  • PJfanwillneverleave1
    PJfanwillneverleave1 Posts: 12,885
    broloco said:

    And Avocado I'm still trying to figure out for fucks sake! I want to like it..

    This brings back memories of waiting to press record on my VCR. For fucks sake at least like this (no facebook pun intended), like this dammit!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ3rshXmPNQ
  • The Waiting Trophy Man
    The Waiting Trophy Man Niagara region, Ontario, Canada Posts: 12,158
    Who is under rating Binaural? Not me.
    Another habit says it's in love with you
    Another habit says its long overdue
    Another habit like an unwanted friend
    I'm so happy with my righteous self
  • broloco
    broloco Posts: 1,237
    PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

    broloco said:

    And Avocado I'm still trying to figure out for fucks sake! I want to like it..

    This brings back memories of waiting to press record on my VCR. For fucks sake at least like this (no facebook pun intended), like this dammit!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ3rshXmPNQ
    Oh the music rocks! Love the music. I meant I'm still trying to figure why there is a piece of fruit on the cover.
  • rummy
    rummy British Columbia, Canada Posts: 4,466
    goldrush said:

    iOnlyownMymind said:

    They are all better than the last two

    They may all be better than the first two as well...
    Well....I'm not too sure I would/could go that far...I suppose it all depends on one's perspective at the time (i.e., what was going on in one's life at the time).

    I love Binaural, really like Riot Act, and have been trying for years with "Avocado" but I just wasn't in a space at the times of their releases where the music had a huge impact on me. This is certainly not the case with Ten and Vs - or the next three for that matter.
  • HughFreakingDillon
    HughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 39,449
    goldrush said:

    I still think Riot Act is one of their most rewarding records. You may not always feel like putting it on, but when you do boy are you glad you did!

    yeah, it's probably one my least listened-to PJ records. But I put it on a few days ago, and I couldn't stop listening to it. I fucking love it. I kept thinking "why haven't I listened to this in so long?"

    Hugh Freaking Dillon is currently out of the office, returning sometime in the fall




  • EBowie
    EBowie Posts: 533
    I love the Avocado album for the songs but the production is painful to listen to.
  • HughFreakingDillon
    HughFreakingDillon Winnipeg Posts: 39,449
    sometimes I'm really glad I don't have the audiophile ears that some of you seem to. it lets me enjoy the music more.

    I went to see the Chili Peppers with a buddy of mine. we were leaving the show, and I was on a high from the energy and just how fun it was. He said "that show sucked.....the drums sounded too tinny". I looked at him and said to myself "I will never go to a show with this poor sap ever again". And I haven't. and he's asked. and I've told him why.
    Hugh Freaking Dillon is currently out of the office, returning sometime in the fall




  • EBowie
    EBowie Posts: 533
    Believe me, I am no audiophile. But I do know that Avocado's production is way too loud. Throw on Riot Act and Avocado back-to-back, without adjusting your stereo, and you'll see what I mean.

    Speaking of the Chili Peppers, Californication might be the worst offender of loud production I've ever heard. It's a shame too because the songs are gorgeous.

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