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fortyshades
fortyshades Posts: 1,834
in The Porch
One of the most exciting things about this period is always the reviews, leaks, rumors, fsnviews etc. So I thought I make a thread.  Journalists, selected friends, lucku bastards, people who heard it duur g a listening session (dont keep it to yourself), news paper clippings or whatever.: lets collect all the reviews and fanviews here in one place. I think a lot will come out these upcoming weeks.

It goes without sayong: tbis thread will have spoilers. 
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  • fortyshades
    fortyshades Posts: 1,834
    I found two reviews so far.

    Considering the topic it goes without saying, but *spoilers* ahead.




    Review one:

    https://www.pearljamonline.it/en/gigaton-a-listening-session-of-the-new-pearl-jam-album-with-eddie-vedder/
  • fortyshades
    fortyshades Posts: 1,834
    Review 2:

    https://variety.com/2020/music/news/pearl-jam-eddie-vedder-unveils-new-album-gigaton-1203479780/
  • fortyshades
    fortyshades Posts: 1,834
    Review 3:


    https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8549034/eddie-vedder-gigaton-listening-party-grammy-week

  • unforgiven
    unforgiven Posts: 380
    Thanks for those, enjoyed reading them all!
  • PJNB
    PJNB Posts: 13,890
    Great idea for a thread. Right now things are quiet and most of those have been dissected already. Things will pick up soon I hope!
  • fortyshades
    fortyshades Posts: 1,834
    PJNB said:
    Great idea for a thread. Right now things are quiet and most of those have been dissected already. Things will pick up soon I hope!
    Dear PJNB, I hope so too. For me this is always the exciting moment before the album release.  The anticipation, the rumors, the guesses. After the release there will be the often common  responses: some hate it, some love it, some are undecided. And there is always this two album cycle, which from an group dynamics point of view or group psychology, I cannot get my hands on. (And I speak here from a professional capacity.) When RA came out, many hated it or saw it as an uninspiring effort. When ST came, same comments, except the main complained was that it was too polished. When BS came, the critique on RA subsided and was by some considered their best effort until today.  When LB came, ST was considered a good album. There is always an interval of two albums.

    So I like this calm before the storm. Here the album can still be anything, really. It is now nothing more than an abstract construct. So I like the reviews etc. Especialllly the track-to-track reviews. I wrote some myself (in Dutch unfortunately) where I try to analyse the album through an anthropological lens. Of takes a lot of time.

    I can also understand the 3 month gap between teasing us with the album title × tracklist and a release date. It is marketing one on one. By leaking stuff slowly, it gains a momentum. Tool had a gap of 4+ months.

    For me I am very excited.  I write fiction and non-fiction. At some point, as an  artist ypu realize you have to get out of your comfort zone and reienvent  yourself. They seemed to have done that, which makes me very curious and exciting. I also think it is funny how people are already categorizing songs by titels alone.

    So if you heard the album (legally) share your thoughts here. I love fanviews, which are often better than reviews.


  • fortyshades
    fortyshades Posts: 1,834
    Interview with Stone Gossard:


    https://music.apple.com/us/post/sa.142a96d0-3d68-11ea-9614-0197bd081a9f?fbclid=IwAR1EDl8FmeUdK2YtRAdY8MfdYZaJMSBHaMtLZvpe49k15ordrjHLspCeSCU
  • fortyshades
    fortyshades Posts: 1,834
    A review from Stereogum... Reviews startng to roll!!! =)


  • edocon
    edocon Posts: 336
    Rolling Stone:
    https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/pearl-jam-gigaton-964544/
  • fortyshades
    fortyshades Posts: 1,834
    Thanks Edocon. Lets pit all the reviews here. Love to read this stuff.
  • Joostone
    Joostone Posts: 237
    Consequence of sound:

    Guerilla Candy:

    AV Club:

    Scene Point Blanc:



    PJ: Pinkpop 2000, Sydney I/II/III 2003, Adelaide 2003, Arnhem 2006, Antwerp 2006, Berlin 2006, Dusseldorf 2007, Nijmegen 2007, Werchter 2007, Rotterdam 2009, Berlin 2009, Nijmegen 2010, Amsterdam I/II 2012, Amsterdam I/II 2014, Amsterdam I/II 2018, Pinkpop 2018, Werchter 2018, Pinkpop 2022, Budapest 2022, Krakow 2022, Amsterdam 2022.
    EV: Amsterdam II 2012, Amsterdam I/III 2017, Amsterdam I 2019
    Brad: Zoetermeer & Utrecht 2013
    Soundgarden: Pinkpop 2012, Amsterdam 2013, Utrecht 2014
  • cp3iverson
    cp3iverson Posts: 8,702
    edited March 2020
    So far this has been receiving better reviews than the last two or three albums.

  • fortyshades
    fortyshades Posts: 1,834
    edited March 2020
    Yes, it does. And we also start to see commonalities: the first part of the album is driven. The second part speeds up by two songs and then slows down. Some like the second song in the trilogy at the end. Others less. There is some ambiguity there. Same for the Stone penned song (called "abstract" but also a "lullaby") and 7 o'clock. (Which I read was Pink Floyd influenced, but in another review was considered a Bruce Springteen kind of song.) But besides these things: the reviews are pretty consistent.

    What I never do not like is the word games some reporters do. Like it is a literally piece they write instead of giving  us an analysis of the album. You know  what I mean? Because  there is a song called Fixer in tthe tracklist, it is tempting to write: "this album.needs mote fiixing". A tongue and cheek  comment  but always the same. That is why I wrote some analysis myself of Vitalogy, No Code, Binaural and LB myself through an Anthropological lens; connecting the art work, with the lyrics, soundscapes etc. Really diving into the album. If you deconstruct the album, there are so many layers to discover. Pearl Jam is a theme oriented band, which as an Anthropologist is fascinating. Sometimes it feels like they studied Anthropllogy.. Maybe subconsciously, but there are some theories intertwined in the themes and lyrics. So  I find myself, when the mood strikes me, analyzing an album academically, for the fun of it. (I know this sounds a bit nerdy.) And pick the whole album apart . At some point I wanted to give classes at the University about grunge in general and PJ specifically. For you cannot truly speak of a true typical "grunge sound". AIC and Soundgarden were more metal inspired and oriented. Nirvana punk and PJ is and was hard to box in. They call it "classic rock", to give it a name, but they also innnovated,  pushed the envelope and experimented; charateristics that is not always asociated with classic rock.  The "grunge sound" was more in the delivery, the themes, the introspection (the rock bands before that, sung about love in an elevator) and the lyrics. It showed more signs of a social movement than a musical movement. I wish I could share my analysis, but they are all in Dutch. Maybe you could translate things in a good software program. I do not know. They are on my author website. Or PM me.

    I also noticed we are becoming old farts. Some of these reviewers werent even born yet when grunge exploded on the scene. I think it is always fun to watch how they contextualize or try to contextualize the album. For grunge was a perfect storm and completly unsuspected. 

    With kind regards,
    Anthonie Holslag.


    Post edited by fortyshades on
  • fortyshades
    fortyshades Posts: 1,834





    Stone on vocals in Buckle Up?





  • cp3iverson
    cp3iverson Posts: 8,702
    fortyshades said:
    Stone on vocals in Buckle Up?





    False info.  The world is already anxious enough.  This could set them over the edge. 
  • fortyshades
    fortyshades Posts: 1,834
    I sometimes wonder how someone becomes a music critic? Being a critic must be the most easiest job on the planet.
  • WW187806
    WW187806 Long Island, NY Posts: 565
    fortyshades said:
    I sometimes wonder how someone becomes a music critic? Being a critic must be the most easiest job on the planet.
    true, but then you have to work with all other critics that critique you. that could be critically bad!
  • kramer73
    kramer73 Posts: 2,628
    cp3iverson said:
    fortyshades said:
    Stone on vocals in Buckle Up?





    False info.  The world is already anxious enough.  This could set them over the edge. 
    The Spin article also mentions Matt singing on Take the Long Way.
  • Red Mosqito
    Red Mosqito Posts: 1,239
    fortyshades said:
    I sometimes wonder how someone becomes a music critic? Being a critic must be the most easiest job on the planet.
    It absolutely is if you mail it in like most of these reviewers did! Most of them must of worked off the same press sheet as their reviews were practically the same! The Consequence of Sound review was by far the best and most thought review out of the bunch and by a far margin if you ask me. 
  • Joostone
    Joostone Posts: 237
    edited March 2020
    In MOJO magainze UK:

    Post edited by Joostone on
    PJ: Pinkpop 2000, Sydney I/II/III 2003, Adelaide 2003, Arnhem 2006, Antwerp 2006, Berlin 2006, Dusseldorf 2007, Nijmegen 2007, Werchter 2007, Rotterdam 2009, Berlin 2009, Nijmegen 2010, Amsterdam I/II 2012, Amsterdam I/II 2014, Amsterdam I/II 2018, Pinkpop 2018, Werchter 2018, Pinkpop 2022, Budapest 2022, Krakow 2022, Amsterdam 2022.
    EV: Amsterdam II 2012, Amsterdam I/III 2017, Amsterdam I 2019
    Brad: Zoetermeer & Utrecht 2013
    Soundgarden: Pinkpop 2012, Amsterdam 2013, Utrecht 2014

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