I agree with much of what's been said already. How about the Binaural songs that were left off the album and ended up on Lost Dogs, too. That still blows my mind. I sometimes wish it had the length of Riot Act. Just put everything on there. Ah well, that's what playlists are for.
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
Possibly their very best album. I spun it yesterday while trying to read a book, and i couldn't retain a single word. The music/lyrics literally demanded 100% of my attention.
I can't really read anything while listening to any PJ.
I can't even tie my shoes and listen to Pearl Jam, let alone try and read a book while listening to Binaural. That is a Tough skill
And Binaural is freaking awesome.
And if anyone wants to sell me a copy of it on vinyl for what they paid for it in 2000, that would be great.....lol
Always struck me as a dark album, but so entwined in that era of my life.
Thin Air - the light. Insignificance - what it was to me then, first time "heard" via ICQ. Oh time, where have ye gone? Grievance - Letterman! Sleight of Hand - Swan Dive meets And All That Could Have Been. Parting Ways - "are they breaking up?!!" Gods' Dice (love the plural'ing) - fuckin a!
Of the Girl is reserved for evenings of candlelight and hitting the bowl.
oh yes, was listening to the PJ Channel on Sirius, and Mike was talking about "Of The Girl", and how it is a bit different from style, bluesy, and that he digs opening shows up with it. To me, its the best way to open a show...Im a huge Binaural fan.
0
KP_McMinn
West Philadelphia born and raised Posts: 748
This album is a complete gem. I'm listening to it right now ... trying to pick my favourite song. Light Years ... NAIS ... Of the Girl ... cannot decide.
Of the Girl, best show opener imo. Particularly love when the bass comes in on this song...
Fantastic album. A rather brooding album that corresponded well to a rather brooding period of my life. I don't reach for it often but when I do it's like an old friend.
Funny story...I bought the CD the day it came out. First listen thru it altogether skipped Soon Forget. Once I realized the tracking didn't jibe I wiped clean the back of the CD and....wah-la....second time thru there's a "new" song on the new album. I've always enjoyed Soon Forget a little extra because of the bonus surprise of hearing it that way for the first time.
First half of the record is perhaps their worst collection of songs. Second half is one of their best! I always skip to insignificance and listen from there on. I have a feeling the band today wishes they had tracked the album differently.
Summerfest 7/8/95 Missoula 6/20/98 Alpine Valley 6/26/98 & 6/27/98 Alpine Valley 10/8/00
Champaign 4/23/03 Alpine Valley 6/21/03 Missoula 8/29/05
Chicago 5/16 & 17/06 Grand Rapids 5/19/06 Summerfest 6/29/06 & 6/30/06
Tampa 6/12/08
Chicago 8/23/09
Indy 5/7/10 Alpine Valley x2 2011 Wrigley 2013 Milwaukee 14 Telluride 16
First half of the record is perhaps their worst collection of songs. Second half is one of their best! I always skip to insignificance and listen from there on. I have a feeling the band today wishes they had tracked the album differently.
I fully disagree
"...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
"..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
“..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
First half of the record is perhaps their worst collection of songs. Second half is one of their best! I always skip to insignificance and listen from there on. I have a feeling the band today wishes they had tracked the album differently.
I also completely disagree with everything you said. I don't know about everyone in the band, but know that at least Jeff considers this their best album, so I don't think he wishes it was tracked differently. I personally think it's perfect just the way it is!
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
First half of the record is perhaps their worst collection of songs. Second half is one of their best! I always skip to insignificance and listen from there on. I have a feeling the band today wishes they had tracked the album differently.
I fully disagree
I also disagree regarding the first half vs. second half bunches of songs, but I will say that for some reason, I was never big on how Binaural ended up being tracked. To this day, I listen to the full album all the way through but shuffle the order in which the songs come on.
"Somewhere in between / There and here / I got lost / I got scared..."
So interesting to me how different our opinions are even though we all love PJ. I love the entire album but the first half has a slight edge because of Light Years and NAIS.
"Your light's reflected now, reflected from afar. We were but stones, your light made us stars."
Below is my contribution to this great thread although I just cut and pasted a review from Amazon.com. It is long but deserving.
Pearl Jam has never been a band to be boxed into formulaic songwriting or pinned down with simple-minded categorizations. What makes PJ great is their willingness to experiment, evolve and take significant RISKS with each release. It's a risky proposition, because along with great hits can come great misses, and the public is ever so fickle and resistant to change. But it's something that will ultimately make PJ a truly standout - if not classic - band. And who in the hell ever said that you judge a band's quality by the album sales? If you believe that, you've been missing out on 90% of the best music out there. Populist tendencies and crowd-pleaser work do not necessarily a classic make. The most ironic thing about this all is that on "Binaural" PJ continues on with their original purpose...making experimental, truly "ALTERNATIVE" music, pushing the envelope and exploring sounds and textures. It's ironic because that's what alternative and grunge were about in the first place - the spirit of the movement was about music deviating from the mainstream. No, this isn't a "Ten" or a "Vs." because those were ten years ago...back then, THAT was "alternative". PJ have continued to evolve and follow their vision. And now they're getting slammed for doing what people loved about them at first. Of course each album should be evaluated according to it's musical and lyrical substance and quality, not its genre...it's just a point that I personally find amusing. Having said that, "Binaural" is quite, quite good. PJ here sounds restrained yet raw, elegant, graceful, mature, MUSICAL. It's a RAUCOUS album played with freshness and almost abandon - yet layered and complex. A WORD OF CAUTION: "Binaural" takes time to grow on you. It's a bit difficult to digest at first and takes repeated listens to really understand the quality behind this album. It's not formulaic, and the hooks are subtle. It's about layers...with each spin new elements emerge that contribute to finally understanding the whole. Give it time and really listen. The first thing that impacted me was the production - it's raw and almost primitive - almost a throwback to the analog days. A reviewer said it best when he said they sound like an indie band. Don't get me wrong, each instrument is distinct and clearly heard...it's just missing the typical slick, "digital" production. It's as if the songs were recorded live in the studio with minimal effects (maybe they were?). Almost muddy, but not quite. To me it works, but not everyone will be pleased with it. The musicianship on this album is excellent. Eddie's voice is more versatile and uses more textures and inflection than ever. Some of the screaming rage is gone, but it's replaced by a simmering, brooding anger and a deeper frustration and emotion. The guitars are outstanding...listen to the interplay between Stone and Mike, the subtle strains of classic rock, southern rock, folk...the emotional licks and riffs. There is always a dual attack going on which gives the music dimension. A bit of the biting, electric wall-of-sound approach is missing to be replaced by a more textured, classsic, almost jangly (at times) sound...it's a small gripe I have. But worry not, they still rock when needed. Jeff's bass playing is spot-on and supports the rhythm solidly while providing melodic elements of his own. And Matt Cameron's drumming is sensational. This is a brilliant drummer - one of the best in any style of rock today. For the most part, this album is a hit. The aggressive rockers like "Breakerfall", "God's Dice" are true standouts. Again, think raw indie approach. "Insignificance" and "Grievance" are arguably two of the best songs PJ has ever penned. Beautifully done. And of their slower tracks, "Light Years", "Thin Air" are very good, with brooding emotion and subtle hooks. Of their more experimental songs, "Nothing Is As It Seems" and "Sleight of Hand" are great, psychedelic numbers...with "Parting Ways" being absolutely brilliant. Now, some misses (to me): "Rival" is too experimental and to me comes off sounding forced and out of character. "Soon Forget" (Eddie's ditty with a ukelele) sounds genuine but bland and forgetful. It's missing expression and I believe Eddie could have done more with it. Finally, the rocker "Evacuation" does rock, but it's difficult to latch on to, even after repeated listenings...it toes the line of sounding dissonant and disjointed and ALMOST out of control - like a last-minute improvised jam session. It works to some effect, but it can be a bit annoying. Some have said that if this was an album by a new band, it would be ignored. I take a different tack...if this was an album by a new band, it would be hailed as brilliant, original, fresh, etc. But since it's PJ and PJ has been boxed into a formula and sound by the public, it doesn't conform to expectations, so the album is not widely accepted. Think about it. Great album...if you're open-minded enough.
Below is my contribution to this great thread although I just cut and pasted a review from Amazon.com. It is long but deserving.
Pearl Jam has never been a band to be boxed into formulaic songwriting or pinned down with simple-minded categorizations. What makes PJ great is their willingness to experiment, evolve and take significant RISKS with each release. It's a risky proposition, because along with great hits can come great misses, and the public is ever so fickle and resistant to change. But it's something that will ultimately make PJ a truly standout - if not classic - band. And who in the hell ever said that you judge a band's quality by the album sales? If you believe that, you've been missing out on 90% of the best music out there. Populist tendencies and crowd-pleaser work do not necessarily a classic make. The most ironic thing about this all is that on "Binaural" PJ continues on with their original purpose...making experimental, truly "ALTERNATIVE" music, pushing the envelope and exploring sounds and textures. It's ironic because that's what alternative and grunge were about in the first place - the spirit of the movement was about music deviating from the mainstream. No, this isn't a "Ten" or a "Vs." because those were ten years ago...back then, THAT was "alternative". PJ have continued to evolve and follow their vision. And now they're getting slammed for doing what people loved about them at first. Of course each album should be evaluated according to it's musical and lyrical substance and quality, not its genre...it's just a point that I personally find amusing. Having said that, "Binaural" is quite, quite good. PJ here sounds restrained yet raw, elegant, graceful, mature, MUSICAL. It's a RAUCOUS album played with freshness and almost abandon - yet layered and complex. A WORD OF CAUTION: "Binaural" takes time to grow on you. It's a bit difficult to digest at first and takes repeated listens to really understand the quality behind this album. It's not formulaic, and the hooks are subtle. It's about layers...with each spin new elements emerge that contribute to finally understanding the whole. Give it time and really listen. The first thing that impacted me was the production - it's raw and almost primitive - almost a throwback to the analog days. A reviewer said it best when he said they sound like an indie band. Don't get me wrong, each instrument is distinct and clearly heard...it's just missing the typical slick, "digital" production. It's as if the songs were recorded live in the studio with minimal effects (maybe they were?). Almost muddy, but not quite. To me it works, but not everyone will be pleased with it. The musicianship on this album is excellent. Eddie's voice is more versatile and uses more textures and inflection than ever. Some of the screaming rage is gone, but it's replaced by a simmering, brooding anger and a deeper frustration and emotion. The guitars are outstanding...listen to the interplay between Stone and Mike, the subtle strains of classic rock, southern rock, folk...the emotional licks and riffs. There is always a dual attack going on which gives the music dimension. A bit of the biting, electric wall-of-sound approach is missing to be replaced by a more textured, classsic, almost jangly (at times) sound...it's a small gripe I have. But worry not, they still rock when needed. Jeff's bass playing is spot-on and supports the rhythm solidly while providing melodic elements of his own. And Matt Cameron's drumming is sensational. This is a brilliant drummer - one of the best in any style of rock today. For the most part, this album is a hit. The aggressive rockers like "Breakerfall", "God's Dice" are true standouts. Again, think raw indie approach. "Insignificance" and "Grievance" are arguably two of the best songs PJ has ever penned. Beautifully done. And of their slower tracks, "Light Years", "Thin Air" are very good, with brooding emotion and subtle hooks. Of their more experimental songs, "Nothing Is As It Seems" and "Sleight of Hand" are great, psychedelic numbers...with "Parting Ways" being absolutely brilliant. Now, some misses (to me): "Rival" is too experimental and to me comes off sounding forced and out of character. "Soon Forget" (Eddie's ditty with a ukelele) sounds genuine but bland and forgetful. It's missing expression and I believe Eddie could have done more with it. Finally, the rocker "Evacuation" does rock, but it's difficult to latch on to, even after repeated listenings...it toes the line of sounding dissonant and disjointed and ALMOST out of control - like a last-minute improvised jam session. It works to some effect, but it can be a bit annoying. Some have said that if this was an album by a new band, it would be ignored. I take a different tack...if this was an album by a new band, it would be hailed as brilliant, original, fresh, etc. But since it's PJ and PJ has been boxed into a formula and sound by the public, it doesn't conform to expectations, so the album is not widely accepted. Think about it. Great album...if you're open-minded enough.
That was a great fuckin read..thank u!!
"...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
"..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
“..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
First half of the record is perhaps their worst collection of songs. Second half is one of their best! I always skip to insignificance and listen from there on. I have a feeling the band today wishes they had tracked the album differently.
I fully disagree
I respectfully disagree with your disagreement.
Summerfest 7/8/95 Missoula 6/20/98 Alpine Valley 6/26/98 & 6/27/98 Alpine Valley 10/8/00
Champaign 4/23/03 Alpine Valley 6/21/03 Missoula 8/29/05
Chicago 5/16 & 17/06 Grand Rapids 5/19/06 Summerfest 6/29/06 & 6/30/06
Tampa 6/12/08
Chicago 8/23/09
Indy 5/7/10 Alpine Valley x2 2011 Wrigley 2013 Milwaukee 14 Telluride 16
Below is my contribution to this great thread although I just cut and pasted a review from Amazon.com. It is long but deserving.
Pearl Jam has never been a band to be boxed into formulaic songwriting or pinned down with simple-minded categorizations. What makes PJ great is their willingness to experiment, evolve and take significant RISKS with each release. It's a risky proposition, because along with great hits can come great misses, and the public is ever so fickle and resistant to change. But it's something that will ultimately make PJ a truly standout - if not classic - band. And who in the hell ever said that you judge a band's quality by the album sales? If you believe that, you've been missing out on 90% of the best music out there. Populist tendencies and crowd-pleaser work do not necessarily a classic make. The most ironic thing about this all is that on "Binaural" PJ continues on with their original purpose...making experimental, truly "ALTERNATIVE" music, pushing the envelope and exploring sounds and textures. It's ironic because that's what alternative and grunge were about in the first place - the spirit of the movement was about music deviating from the mainstream. No, this isn't a "Ten" or a "Vs." because those were ten years ago...back then, THAT was "alternative". PJ have continued to evolve and follow their vision. And now they're getting slammed for doing what people loved about them at first. Of course each album should be evaluated according to it's musical and lyrical substance and quality, not its genre...it's just a point that I personally find amusing. Having said that, "Binaural" is quite, quite good. PJ here sounds restrained yet raw, elegant, graceful, mature, MUSICAL. It's a RAUCOUS album played with freshness and almost abandon - yet layered and complex. A WORD OF CAUTION: "Binaural" takes time to grow on you. It's a bit difficult to digest at first and takes repeated listens to really understand the quality behind this album. It's not formulaic, and the hooks are subtle. It's about layers...with each spin new elements emerge that contribute to finally understanding the whole. Give it time and really listen. The first thing that impacted me was the production - it's raw and almost primitive - almost a throwback to the analog days. A reviewer said it best when he said they sound like an indie band. Don't get me wrong, each instrument is distinct and clearly heard...it's just missing the typical slick, "digital" production. It's as if the songs were recorded live in the studio with minimal effects (maybe they were?). Almost muddy, but not quite. To me it works, but not everyone will be pleased with it. The musicianship on this album is excellent. Eddie's voice is more versatile and uses more textures and inflection than ever. Some of the screaming rage is gone, but it's replaced by a simmering, brooding anger and a deeper frustration and emotion. The guitars are outstanding...listen to the interplay between Stone and Mike, the subtle strains of classic rock, southern rock, folk...the emotional licks and riffs. There is always a dual attack going on which gives the music dimension. A bit of the biting, electric wall-of-sound approach is missing to be replaced by a more textured, classsic, almost jangly (at times) sound...it's a small gripe I have. But worry not, they still rock when needed. Jeff's bass playing is spot-on and supports the rhythm solidly while providing melodic elements of his own. And Matt Cameron's drumming is sensational. This is a brilliant drummer - one of the best in any style of rock today. For the most part, this album is a hit. The aggressive rockers like "Breakerfall", "God's Dice" are true standouts. Again, think raw indie approach. "Insignificance" and "Grievance" are arguably two of the best songs PJ has ever penned. Beautifully done. And of their slower tracks, "Light Years", "Thin Air" are very good, with brooding emotion and subtle hooks. Of their more experimental songs, "Nothing Is As It Seems" and "Sleight of Hand" are great, psychedelic numbers...with "Parting Ways" being absolutely brilliant. Now, some misses (to me): "Rival" is too experimental and to me comes off sounding forced and out of character. "Soon Forget" (Eddie's ditty with a ukelele) sounds genuine but bland and forgetful. It's missing expression and I believe Eddie could have done more with it. Finally, the rocker "Evacuation" does rock, but it's difficult to latch on to, even after repeated listenings...it toes the line of sounding dissonant and disjointed and ALMOST out of control - like a last-minute improvised jam session. It works to some effect, but it can be a bit annoying. Some have said that if this was an album by a new band, it would be ignored. I take a different tack...if this was an album by a new band, it would be hailed as brilliant, original, fresh, etc. But since it's PJ and PJ has been boxed into a formula and sound by the public, it doesn't conform to expectations, so the album is not widely accepted. Think about it. Great album...if you're open-minded enough.
That was a great fuckin read..thank u!!
Yes great read! I like the reviews perspective of them getting boxed into a genre and sound.
First half of the record is perhaps their worst collection of songs. Second half is one of their best! I always skip to insignificance and listen from there on. I have a feeling the band today wishes they had tracked the album differently.
I fully disagree
I respectfully disagree with your disagreement.
I respectfully disagree with your disagreement on my disagreement!
"...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
"..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
“..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
Underated album & sadly under played these days. NAIS is one of their greatest moments ever
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
Comments
Another habit says its long overdue
Another habit like an unwanted friend
I'm so happy with my righteous self
And Binaural is freaking awesome.
And if anyone wants to sell me a copy of it on vinyl for what they paid for it in 2000, that would be great.....lol
Funny story...I bought the CD the day it came out. First listen thru it altogether skipped Soon Forget. Once I realized the tracking didn't jibe I wiped clean the back of the CD and....wah-la....second time thru there's a "new" song on the new album. I've always enjoyed Soon Forget a little extra because of the bonus surprise of hearing it that way for the first time.
Missoula 6/20/98
Alpine Valley 6/26/98 & 6/27/98
Alpine Valley 10/8/00
Champaign 4/23/03
Alpine Valley 6/21/03
Missoula 8/29/05
Chicago 5/16 & 17/06
Grand Rapids 5/19/06
Summerfest 6/29/06 & 6/30/06
Tampa 6/12/08
Chicago 8/23/09
Indy 5/7/10
Alpine Valley x2 2011
Wrigley 2013
Milwaukee 14
Telluride 16
"..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
“..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
Pearl Jam has never been a band to be boxed into formulaic songwriting or pinned down with simple-minded categorizations. What makes PJ great is their willingness to experiment, evolve and take significant RISKS with each release. It's a risky proposition, because along with great hits can come great misses, and the public is ever so fickle and resistant to change. But it's something that will ultimately make PJ a truly standout - if not classic - band. And who in the hell ever said that you judge a band's quality by the album sales? If you believe that, you've been missing out on 90% of the best music out there. Populist tendencies and crowd-pleaser work do not necessarily a classic make.
The most ironic thing about this all is that on "Binaural" PJ continues on with their original purpose...making experimental, truly "ALTERNATIVE" music, pushing the envelope and exploring sounds and textures. It's ironic because that's what alternative and grunge were about in the first place - the spirit of the movement was about music deviating from the mainstream. No, this isn't a "Ten" or a "Vs." because those were ten years ago...back then, THAT was "alternative". PJ have continued to evolve and follow their vision. And now they're getting slammed for doing what people loved about them at first. Of course each album should be evaluated according to it's musical and lyrical substance and quality, not its genre...it's just a point that I personally find amusing.
Having said that, "Binaural" is quite, quite good. PJ here sounds restrained yet raw, elegant, graceful, mature, MUSICAL. It's a RAUCOUS album played with freshness and almost abandon - yet layered and complex. A WORD OF CAUTION: "Binaural" takes time to grow on you. It's a bit difficult to digest at first and takes repeated listens to really understand the quality behind this album. It's not formulaic, and the hooks are subtle. It's about layers...with each spin new elements emerge that contribute to finally understanding the whole. Give it time and really listen.
The first thing that impacted me was the production - it's raw and almost primitive - almost a throwback to the analog days. A reviewer said it best when he said they sound like an indie band. Don't get me wrong, each instrument is distinct and clearly heard...it's just missing the typical slick, "digital" production. It's as if the songs were recorded live in the studio with minimal effects (maybe they were?). Almost muddy, but not quite. To me it works, but not everyone will be pleased with it.
The musicianship on this album is excellent. Eddie's voice is more versatile and uses more textures and inflection than ever. Some of the screaming rage is gone, but it's replaced by a simmering, brooding anger and a deeper frustration and emotion. The guitars are outstanding...listen to the interplay between Stone and Mike, the subtle strains of classic rock, southern rock, folk...the emotional licks and riffs. There is always a dual attack going on which gives the music dimension. A bit of the biting, electric wall-of-sound approach is missing to be replaced by a more textured, classsic, almost jangly (at times) sound...it's a small gripe I have. But worry not, they still rock when needed. Jeff's bass playing is spot-on and supports the rhythm solidly while providing melodic elements of his own. And Matt Cameron's drumming is sensational. This is a brilliant drummer - one of the best in any style of rock today.
For the most part, this album is a hit. The aggressive rockers like "Breakerfall", "God's Dice" are true standouts. Again, think raw indie approach. "Insignificance" and "Grievance" are arguably two of the best songs PJ has ever penned. Beautifully done. And of their slower tracks, "Light Years", "Thin Air" are very good, with brooding emotion and subtle hooks. Of their more experimental songs, "Nothing Is As It Seems" and "Sleight of Hand" are great, psychedelic numbers...with "Parting Ways" being absolutely brilliant.
Now, some misses (to me): "Rival" is too experimental and to me comes off sounding forced and out of character. "Soon Forget" (Eddie's ditty with a ukelele) sounds genuine but bland and forgetful. It's missing expression and I believe Eddie could have done more with it. Finally, the rocker "Evacuation" does rock, but it's difficult to latch on to, even after repeated listenings...it toes the line of sounding dissonant and disjointed and ALMOST out of control - like a last-minute improvised jam session. It works to some effect, but it can be a bit annoying.
Some have said that if this was an album by a new band, it would be ignored. I take a different tack...if this was an album by a new band, it would be hailed as brilliant, original, fresh, etc. But since it's PJ and PJ has been boxed into a formula and sound by the public, it doesn't conform to expectations, so the album is not widely accepted. Think about it.
Great album...if you're open-minded enough.
"..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
“..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
Missoula 6/20/98
Alpine Valley 6/26/98 & 6/27/98
Alpine Valley 10/8/00
Champaign 4/23/03
Alpine Valley 6/21/03
Missoula 8/29/05
Chicago 5/16 & 17/06
Grand Rapids 5/19/06
Summerfest 6/29/06 & 6/30/06
Tampa 6/12/08
Chicago 8/23/09
Indy 5/7/10
Alpine Valley x2 2011
Wrigley 2013
Milwaukee 14
Telluride 16
At the time seemed like the first record that was very difficult for them to make. Secret song writers block.
I love Matt Cameron, but still feel like he was not the best fit for them creatively. Their live shows are better for him though.
Oh what could've been....
"..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
“..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”