Something Special - How is nobody talking about this beautiful song???

kmcmanus said:

BF25394 said:

MikeDigs said:

BF25394 said:

PJNB said:

MikeDigs said:

BF25394 said:

MikeDigs said:

I also don't get the argument about the song not fitting on a Pearl Jam album or belonging on a solo record, due to composition?  Wreckage has pop-country / pop-rock vocalization styles that I would never guessed could ever end up on a Pearl Jam album. 

I refer you to "Off He Goes" and "Around the Bend."

You mentioned Off He Goes before, and I love that track.  I don't see Pop-Country at all.  I also love Around The Bend.
None of theses songs have the pop-like vocals in Wreckage.   I really don't get how you are connecting those songs to Wreckage.

Those are not even close to being the same songs imo. 

They're not the same songs, but "Off He Goes" and "Around the Bend" both have a pop-country sensibility. I'm just working off of MikeDigs' description. I don't actually hear anything "country" in "Wreckage." It is very easy to imagine a country artist doing a faithful cover of either of the No Code songs I mentioned.

EDIT: From Rob Sheffield's review of No Code from the October 1996 issue of Details:

"Off He Goes" builds its prairie atmosphere around a gentle countrified guitar riff that takes its sweet time going nowhere.

This doesn't make me right, but it just goes to show I'm not the only person who hears this. (And other reviewers made similar observations at the time.)

I can imagine a country artist doing a faithful cover of NIN - Hurt also.  But Hurt is not country.  I think you were focusing on the "country" aspect.  For me, it's the "pop vocal" aspect.  Whether pop-rock, pop-country, or pop-whatever.  For me, those gang chorus shouts, and pop vocal styles, I would have never imagined on a Pearl Jam album.  But it fits, and it's fine.  Won't Tell has some of the styling as well, "country-ish" or whatever.  It's the vocals I'm referring too.  Still a great song and fits on the album.

Off He Goes is a stellar track.  First got in to the No Code album this past January (late I know), but I LOVE it and every track is great.  I binged on Off He Goes on repeat for almost 2 days straight.  Off He Goes sounds nothing, whatsoever like Wreckage.  The vocal stylings in Wreckage / Won't Tell haven't been heard in any PJ song.

Anyway, the point is that even though those pop vocal / (easy listening?) / whatever styles exist in Wreckage / Won't Tell, and I could never have imagined them ending up on a Pearl Jam album, they still 100% fit on Dark Matter.  Yes they fit and they are great.

The idea that Something Special "doesn't fit" on Dark Matter is complete rubbish.  Imagine in 94', "oh no, a song about bugs sang over an accordion? oh no, that doesn't fit in"  Bugs is a banger lol

To be clear, at no point was I suggesting that "Off He Goes" is anything but stellar. (Same goes for "Around the Bend.") Nor was I saying that "Wreckage" was country. I was responding to your description of "Wreckage" and suggestion of its novelty and pointing out that songs that fit that description have graced the Pearl Jam catalog before. The most country-sounding song on Dark Matter is actually "Something Special." Its tempo and its twangy guitar are both redolent of contemporary country-rock.

Maybe it’s just me, I get big Counting Crows vibes from Something Special