Better Album: Backspacer or Lightning Bolt

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Comments

  • cp3iversoncp3iverson Posts: 8,632
    Backspacer
    vedpunk said:
    Backspacer and it's not even close.  Don't get the hate for Backspacer.   Tight, fun rockers with actual melodies...best since Yield.   What's not to love?
    best since Yield...except for Binaural, Riot Act, and S/T
    I’ll take BS and Gigaton over those 3 albums, Gern.  

    Its a fun listen.  Maybe because The Fixer is such a dividing tune that it set the stage for all of this.  IMO The Fixer is one of Ed’s best choruses ever.  “Fight to get it back again” defines PJ
  • KM73780KM73780 Posts: 1,033
    Backspacer
    You’re right, it’s a great chorus. Pearl Jam fans are still interested in full albums..a lot of people aren’t anymore. 
  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Your Mom's Posts: 17,937
    Lightning Bolt
    vedpunk said:
    Backspacer and it's not even close.  Don't get the hate for Backspacer.   Tight, fun rockers with actual melodies...best since Yield.   What's not to love?
    best since Yield...except for Binaural, Riot Act, and S/T
    I’ll take BS and Gigaton over those 3 albums, Gern.  

    Its a fun listen.  Maybe because The Fixer is such a dividing tune that it set the stage for all of this.  IMO The Fixer is one of Ed’s best choruses ever.  “Fight to get it back again” defines PJ
    I'm glad that you see it that way...it is interesting how many of us prefer certain albums over others.

    For me BS just doesn't have the same staying power as the others.  It seemed quickly put together...and I believe at the time Brendan O'Brien even said something to the effect that he wished the band would play together more instead of doing side projects.

    To me Gigaton is miles above BS and quite a way above LB....not above S/T though...and nowhere near Binaural or RA.  Yield will likely always be my favorite PJ album.  Maybe because of what was going on in my life at the time with kids, job, etc.
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  • KM73780KM73780 Posts: 1,033
    Backspacer
    S/T has grown on me. I wasn’t huge on it back in the day. Still can’t stand Parachutes. 
  • Tim SimmonsTim Simmons Posts: 6,865
    edited May 2020
    Lightning Bolt
    A few years ago I made a playlist of my favorite tracks from both records and made an album that I play pretty often. Flows pretty well IMO. Sometimes I add Pendulumorphisis to open. Kinda neat intro to Pendulum IMO

    Pendulum
    Getaway
    Got Some
    Just Breathe
    Infallible
    The Fixer
    Amongst the Waves
    Lightning Bolt
    Supersonic
    Yellow Moon
    Unthought Known
    Future Days
    Post edited by Tim Simmons on
  • 1ThoughtKnown1ThoughtKnown Posts: 6,155
    edited May 2020
    Backspacer
    JPPJ84 said:
    KM73780 said:
    I’m surprised that LB has more support than BS. I always thought BS was ok until I came to this forum. First three tracks on BS are better than anything on LB except MYM. 
    When comparing albums as others have, the BS slow rockers of Just Breathe, Speed of Sound and The End (if you have ever known a person in this situation this song tears you up inside) are far superior IMO than LB’s Future Days, Sleeping By Myself and Yellow Moon. I really only want to hear Yellow Moon, has an Uncle Neil feel to me, Future Days is ok... and SBM (ugh). 



    This way of comparing albums doesn’t make much sense to me. What does it matter how both songs 3 compare? You like a song or you don’t and at the end of the album you know how many songs you like
    It doesn’t have to make sense to you. To me it’s apples to apples.  
    Post edited by 1ThoughtKnown on
  • JPPJ84JPPJ84 Hamburg, Germany Posts: 3,434
    Lightning Bolt
    JPPJ84 said:
    KM73780 said:
    I’m surprised that LB has more support than BS. I always thought BS was ok until I came to this forum. First three tracks on BS are better than anything on LB except MYM. 
    When comparing albums as others have, the BS slow rockers of Just Breathe, Speed of Sound and The End (if you have ever known a person in this situation this song tears you up inside) are far superior IMO than LB’s Future Days, Sleeping By Myself and Yellow Moon. I really only want to hear Yellow Moon, has an Uncle Neil feel to me, Future Days is ok... and SBM (ugh). 



    This way of comparing albums doesn’t make much sense to me. What does it matter how both songs 3 compare? You like a song or you don’t and at the end of the album you know how many songs you like
    It doesn’t have to make sense to you. To me it’s apples to apples.  
    That’s exactly what I said, „to me“ 
  • Matts3221Matts3221 Posts: 658
    Lightning Bolt
    JPPJ84 said:
    KM73780 said:
    I’m surprised that LB has more support than BS. I always thought BS was ok until I came to this forum. First three tracks on BS are better than anything on LB except MYM. 
    When comparing albums as others have, the BS slow rockers of Just Breathe, Speed of Sound and The End (if you have ever known a person in this situation this song tears you up inside) are far superior IMO than LB’s Future Days, Sleeping By Myself and Yellow Moon. I really only want to hear Yellow Moon, has an Uncle Neil feel to me, Future Days is ok... and SBM (ugh). 



    This way of comparing albums doesn’t make much sense to me. What does it matter how both songs 3 compare? You like a song or you don’t and at the end of the album you know how many songs you like

    Exactly , some may like the more songs on BS and others LB , either way some will like one album over the other.
  • mcgruff10mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 27,739
    Backspacer
    Backspacer.  Unthought known and lightening bolt are my two favorite songs.  
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  • pjhawkspjhawks Posts: 12,172
    Lightning Bolt
    surprised how many chose Backspacer. I think most of it are throw away rockers.  i think there are only 3 keepers on Backspacer; Unthought Known, Just Breathe and Amongst the Waves. I like Force of Nature as well but pretty the rest is pretty blah to me.  I think on Lightning Bolt the first 8 songs are really good to solid.    If you cut out Let the Records Play and Sleeping by Myself that would be a really solid 10 song album. I think the few extra fluff on Lightning Bolt hurts it in some people's eyes. 
  • 1ThoughtKnown1ThoughtKnown Posts: 6,155
    edited May 2020
    Backspacer
    JPPJ84 said:
    JPPJ84 said:
    KM73780 said:
    I’m surprised that LB has more support than BS. I always thought BS was ok until I came to this forum. First three tracks on BS are better than anything on LB except MYM. 
    When comparing albums as others have, the BS slow rockers of Just Breathe, Speed of Sound and The End (if you have ever known a person in this situation this song tears you up inside) are far superior IMO than LB’s Future Days, Sleeping By Myself and Yellow Moon. I really only want to hear Yellow Moon, has an Uncle Neil feel to me, Future Days is ok... and SBM (ugh). 



    This way of comparing albums doesn’t make much sense to me. What does it matter how both songs 3 compare? You like a song or you don’t and at the end of the album you know how many songs you like
    It doesn’t have to make sense to you. To me it’s apples to apples.  
    That’s exactly what I said, „to me“ 
    Of all the posts comparing the two albums (which is what this whole thread is) mine is the only way that doesn’t make sense to you 😂.
    Its been compared nine ways til Tuesday and comparing songs that are actually the same tempo makes no sense. 

    Paradoxical.

    Post edited by 1ThoughtKnown on
  • vitovito Chicago Posts: 1,434
    Backspacer
    JPPJ84 said:
    KM73780 said:
    I’m surprised that LB has more support than BS. I always thought BS was ok until I came to this forum. First three tracks on BS are better than anything on LB except MYM. 
    When comparing albums as others have, the BS slow rockers of Just Breathe, Speed of Sound and The End (if you have ever known a person in this situation this song tears you up inside) are far superior IMO than LB’s Future Days, Sleeping By Myself and Yellow Moon. I really only want to hear Yellow Moon, has an Uncle Neil feel to me, Future Days is ok... and SBM (ugh). 



    This way of comparing albums doesn’t make much sense to me. What does it matter how both songs 3 compare? You like a song or you don’t and at the end of the album you know how many songs you like
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  • matt84matt84 Posts: 584
    Lightning Bolt
    Listened to Backspacer recently for the first time in years. Upon it's initial release I thought it was pretty good, but after my recent listening experience I think it’s their weakest album. 
  • Backspacer
    I don't know -- it's really close between Backspacer and Lightning Bolt.  If I had to rank the Pearl Jam studio albums, my list would be:
    (1) Ten -- easily the best (my favorite album of all time)
    (2) Yield -- whole thing is great
    (3) Riot Act -- Save You is one of my five favorite Pearl Jam songs
    (4) No Code -- Too young to completely appreciate it in 1996 but love it now
    (5) Versus -- great second album
    (6) Vitalogy -- some bizarre stuff (Bugs) but some excellent stuff too
    (7) Gigaton -- best Pearl Jam album in 18 years (since Riot Act)
    (8) Pearl Jam (Avocado) -- really solid from beginning to end
    (9) Binaural -- good but not great by Pearl Jam standards
    (10) Backspacer -- just a bit better than Lightning Bolt
    (11) Lightning Bolt -- good but doesn't measure up to the rest on this list
    P.S. - If Lost Dogs was a studio album, it'd be number three on this list!

  • JPPJ84JPPJ84 Hamburg, Germany Posts: 3,434
    edited May 2020
    Lightning Bolt
    JPPJ84 said:
    JPPJ84 said:
    KM73780 said:
    I’m surprised that LB has more support than BS. I always thought BS was ok until I came to this forum. First three tracks on BS are better than anything on LB except MYM. 
    When comparing albums as others have, the BS slow rockers of Just Breathe, Speed of Sound and The End (if you have ever known a person in this situation this song tears you up inside) are far superior IMO than LB’s Future Days, Sleeping By Myself and Yellow Moon. I really only want to hear Yellow Moon, has an Uncle Neil feel to me, Future Days is ok... and SBM (ugh). 



    This way of comparing albums doesn’t make much sense to me. What does it matter how both songs 3 compare? You like a song or you don’t and at the end of the album you know how many songs you like
    It doesn’t have to make sense to you. To me it’s apples to apples.  
    That’s exactly what I said, „to me“ 
    Of all the posts comparing the two albums (which is what this whole thread is) mine is the only way that doesn’t make sense to you 😂.
    Its been compared nine ways til Tuesday and comparing songs that are actually the same tempo makes no sense. 

    Paradoxical.

    Each to their own of course ;) PJNB put it well though... even if I put Unthought Known slightly above Pendulum, it totally discards a song that I personally think is better than the entire rest of Backspacer. No matter the tempo. Just because it had the bad fortune of being in 7th spot as well.
     It’s no big deal though. Again, each to their own :)
  • KM73780KM73780 Posts: 1,033
    Backspacer
    Just my personal rankings:

    Vs (my intro to PJ when I was in fifth grade)

    Vitalogy

    No Code

    Yield

    Binaural

    Ten (too young to appreciate it when it came out so I missed the boat on this one)

    Riot Act

    Gigaton 

    Pearl Jam

    Backspacer 

    Lightning Bolt

  • PapPap Aspra Spitia, Greece Posts: 28,123
    Backspacer
    Backspacer is full of gems and rhinestones... :wink:
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  • 1ThoughtKnown1ThoughtKnown Posts: 6,155
    Backspacer
    Pap said:
    Backspacer is full of gems and rhinestones... :wink:
    😂 well done! 
  • static111static111 Posts: 4,889
    edited May 2020
    no contest it has Johnny guitar
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  • BrainofBGABrainofBGA Australia Posts: 3,842
    Lightning Bolt
    The next thread should be Yield vs No Code or Ten vs VS. Riot Act vs Binaural. 
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  • mace1229mace1229 Posts: 8,956
    Backspacer
    Long Red said:
    edocon said:
    I did a track-by-track listenability comparison. In my opinion:

    1. Gonna See My Friend > Getaway
    2. Got Some == Mind Your Manners
    3. The Fixer > My Father's Son
    4. Johnny Guitar < Sirens
    5. Just Breathe > LIghtning Bolt
    6. Amongst the Waves > Infallible
    7. Unkthought Known > Pendulum
    8. Supersonic == Swallowed Whole
    9. Speed of Sound > Let The Records Play
    10. Force of Nature == Sleeping By Myself
    11. The End  == Yellow Moon and/or Future Days
     
    Backspacer 6
    Lightning Bolt 1
    Toss-up 4
    Whoa, hold on. Force of Nature is LEAPS AND BOUNDS better than Sleeping By Myself. 
    Exactly what I thought
  • Celticskemba8Celticskemba8 Posts: 308
    Backspacer
    1 vote for Backspacer here!
  • JY154170JY154170 Posts: 18
    Lightning Bolt
    Here's my track by track:
    1. Gonna see Friend= Getaway
    2. Got Some >Mind Your Manners
    3. The Fixer> Father son
    4.  Johnny Guitar< Sirens
    5. Just Breathe< LB
    6. Amongst Waves> Infallible
    7. Unthought Known> Pendulum
    8. Supersonic< Swallowed Whole
    9.  Speed of Sound> Records Play
    10.  Force of Nature> Sleeping by Myself
    11.  The End<<Yellow Moon and Future Days

    Interesting for me because my gut reaction is I like LB slightly better but track by track its Backspacer 6 LB 4 and 2 tossup.  A little off because I prefer Yellow Moon and Future Days could both get a nod since I like them better then the last three tracks on Backspacer.  And I love Pendulum and Infallible but track by track they lose to two of my PJ favorites.  Oh well, enjoy them both quite a bit.  
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