Here's a theory...

In this new age of the internet and leaked tracks, I think our ability to honestly evaluate an album is all messed up.

For me, I've been listening to Life Wasted, WWS, Comatose, Severed Hand, Gone (live version), Parachutes, and Unemployable for about a month or more prior to getting the actual album on Friday.
I LOVED these songs when I first heard them, but NOW, inevitably, I'm a little bored with them.

My Point: having finally received the album, it's like it only has 5 new songs on it. I feel like I have 2 albums here: one that I've already heard, loved, and am now a little tired of, and a new one that's too short, but VERY good.

My Point (again): it's literally impossible for me to hear this album as it was meant to be heard by the band (and the way that critics are probably hearing it): ALL AT ONCE!!!

For SOME of those who are a little let down by the album, I think this might have something to do with it. Try to imagine hearing all 13 of these tracks for the 1st time all at once. Personally, I think I'd be floored even more than I am right now. Like I said, for the past 2 days I've basically been listening to 5 songs over and over.

Well, that's it. What do you think?

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Just to clarify, I see a few different issues here:

1) the album leaks in its entirety, and the quality is poor;
2) the album leaks in its entirety, and the quality is very good;
3) the album leaks in waves, and the quality is poor;
4) the album leaks in waves, and the quality is very good.

For me, the issue is really #3 or #4. Even putting quality aside, I'm just complaining about hearing the album in pieces. Like I've said, I think this undermines your ability to hear the album as an ALBUM.

Personally, I'd be fine with #2 (or even #1). Although you wouldn't have the art work, you'd still get the album all in ONE SHOT.

Don't download it early, listen to it when it comes out. You're the one who ruined the "full" effect of the album by listening early, don't you think?

I hear what you are saying, tremor. With this album, I learned a valuable lesson about downloading leaks of albums I really really want ahead of time. This whole torrent thing is still pretty new to me, and if I was never exposed to it, I would have definitely been able to hold out for the actual release date as I did with Riot Act. I would've much rather waitied it out and been completely blown away by the album and its artwork all at once.

Obviously. As far as I know, I wasn't forced to download those songs.

My point is simply that this has a strange effect on one's experience of the album, and that, possibly, this is causing some to think the album is less than what it really is. That's all.

i wish i completely hid from the world for the last two months so i never heard one song from the album...i would have been blown away on first listen

at the same time, albums normally leak as a whole. 'pearl jam' is one of very few records i know that leaked progressively

You're right. I think that made it even more strange.
In fact, the 1st thing we heard wasn't even a song, it was that 15 second clip of WWS.

thats why i stoped listening to the first leak after about 8 to 10 listens and only listened to the 2nd leak once, so its new again.
i listened to the 2nd leak only to know that the whole album would be great.

up until friday night i had only heard umemployable and wws, but than i broke down that night and went to the streaming part of AOL.com and listened to the whole thing...basically the months of anticipation worked for me and i love the album so damn much, its just a matter of how much self control you have in waiting for the album to come out or breaking down and getting the leaks

Thats like saying to a fat person " don't eat that quarter pounder" or to a drug addict "don't do that line of cocaine"
(as I sprinkle cocaine on my quarter pounder)

i've only heard WWS Severed Hand and life wasted,the first two were from SNL the third from the amazon video.
i have stayed away from leaks,and even the x-mas single.
and i can't wait untill tuesday to get the new album.

thats hardcore dedication there

Yeah it is! I envy you. You're in for an auditorily overwhelming experience on Tuesday.

up until someone posted the fucking aol stream i had only heard wws, unemployable, severed hand, and life wasted.. i would be awaiting tuesday to be a great day, and now ive already listened through the cd a bunch of times...fuck me

well, this is the only album this year that i wanted to hear that i waited for the disc, and I'm glad I did...it's all good to those who did listen early and enjoyed it

I'm just as guilty as anyone that downloaded the album before its official release---which I didn't feel too guilty about because I already pre-ordered the album...but I too have really taken all of this to heart...

I heard Ten after its release---exposed, at first, by the MTV videos, then a taped copy from a college friend...

VS.--after its release.

Viatology was really-really fun because a Chicago radio station was playing one song per hour--lots of fun. *Wonder why they never played "Heyfoxymoma" and "Pry, to"...*

No Code through Binaural after the album was released.

Riot Act + Pearl Jam (Avocado) as leaks--and Lost Dogs for that matter...

So, after thinking about the thrill of listening to an entire album the night of release--which is what I did for most of them---I've officially made the decision to do the black out mode thing. I plan to also not listen to any of the other PJ albums at all once a release date has been set for a new album. The only exception would be to stumble onto a PJ song by chance on the radio. Just a dumb fun rule I've set for myself.

I have been saying this all along. The way the band intended it to sound.
The leaks were of dime store quality, so they are hard to judge. People are right stay of the boards, and wait for the record till it drops if you do not want to suffer that particular effect. Better yet ,listen to the leaks once, as a sampler, than ditch them. They sounded like dog shit anyways. I love hearing the songs like "Life Wasted" mixed down. I actually like the songs better. Way more powerful. New Life to them. After the first leaks I did not seek to get the second wave. I can only hope you got to hear "Comeback Inside Job, and Army Reserve, the way they are intended. Then hopefully you felt the feeling I felt, which was a complete restoration of faith that this band will and still get better.

well thats bc the album was half-leaked.....if the ENTIRE album leaked instead of just that 6 song promo, you would, and I would feel differently....i def feel the same way you do....

the entire album DID leak.

i know it did seinfeld, but i had heard 6 track sampler mid march, then i didnt hear the rest till like 3 weeks ago....

so for me, i didnt hear the whole album, at once......it was like 2 albums to me....

and to be honest....i love the songs, i love the lyrics, i love eddies voice....but there is something about this one i dont like....its missing something.....to me the artwork doesnt go with the music.....and also to me, the album doesnt have a feel to it, its weird.....it doesnt give off a vibe like the rest of them do.....i dont know, its just fuckin weird, and im having a hard time explaining it