I'm not sure if everyone here could agree on when Pearl Jam were in their prime or peaking (creatively), but at that point what direction did everyone expect the band to head in? More of a jam band, more experimental, or making poppy tunes? I thought they were heading down the experimental path after Binaural and was sad to see them give up on that so quickly. Maybe Help Help and You Are were good attempts at it again, but after that is Big Wave as experimental as they get now?

I'm not sure I ever had expectations. I am glad they didn't head in the binaural direction though

I don't like the phrase experimental, at least in this context. Experimental is working with sounds and styles you're not normally familiar with. Another album that sounded like Binaural wouldn't be experimental. The approach to song writing on Backspacer was experimental and you don't like that album.

im with stip...backspacer was something new for pearl jam...even if you dont like it, or think is crap, its just different.

What was the big difference with Backspacer? Was it just that they learned the songs before they went into the studio? I just don't hear any musical growth (besides Ed's acoustic songs on the album), any new direction, or anything fresh in the finished product.
I think this topic was meant to be more general, and not so much a focus on the latest album. It's about the bands sound as a whole (live or studio). I personally had some hopes of where the band was heading and that didn't turn out to
be where they went. I still find that they make some interesting music, but I was wondering what others' opinions were.

I'm stoned, listening to Severed Hand, and this is what I see. Your timing is excellent. I'd like to buy you a beer or a lap dance one day. Maybe even both.

did any of us ever have expectations about where they'd go in their deelopmemt? I don't think I did outside seeing them much older, doing the Neil Young thing, making different but more acoustic based records and going on tour doing the usual shows.

I'm happy with where they are. or where they seem to be. this topic is heavily related to the discussion we had about their side projects and do those projects steal energies better invested with PJ? I don't think they do but I don't listen to the side projects other than eds stuff for whatever reason.

PJ is only ever gonna do what they're doing now. there won't be any great creative swerves don't think. maybe a film score? that sorta thing. concept album? doubtful. double album? they're too self critical. it'd be gimmicky and they're too far into their career to be venturing outside their patch & doing a radiohead but I could be completely wrong. I look forward to anything from them and look forward to liking it.

Good point Dime. Your last paragraph basically summed up what I WAS expecting them to do about 10 years ago. Nothing wrong with the fact that they didn't do it. I just didn't know if a large majority of PJ fans were thinking the same or were more like the responses I'm seeing here.

I just noticed today there's 5 years between ten and no code. that's a whole lot of excellent music in a relatively short space of time. 4 records. what do we have now in the last 5? backspacer and s/t. their two most controversial records in terms of dividing opinion. it's apples and oranges completely but I trust them still so I'm just excited to see where they go.

the only caveat being that they should get into their age somehow, I'm not sure what that means even, but stuff like comatose turning up records as well as certain songs getting played that really should be retired, I know it's probably a lot to do with their personal preferences and peer group but i've always mantained it would be silly for them to be 50 and playing leash and that sorta thing.

thats a different discussion maybe though.

I don't have a big problem with them playing their younger songs at this age; they don't seem to be making an effort to act like they're the same people from that time period. It's more of a celebration of that time period, commemorating it with the fanbase.

One thing I think would help the band, and where they're heading, is if they released more albums. They don't seem like the type of band that can make, or is interested in making a landmark album that they can ride for years. They're not a OK Computer type of band. They seem to be more into snapshot albums; "this is where we're at right now." Albums like No Code or Riot Act, which aren't all-time classic albums IMO, work really well in that regard, as a snapshot. Backspacer and S/T could work that way, too, but the opposite side of it is that it's hard for a band to take a snapshot and then have that be the band's statement for 4+ years, which as dimejinky said, these albums have had to do. Especially because they're pretty conservative in terms of their instrumentation, it seems to make more sense to try to get out an album every year or two, even if they don't tour heavy on them.

if you're ever in southeastern ohio. not sure why you'd ever come to southeastern ohio, but other than that

i'd say by the Mirrorball/Merkinball/No Code days I thought they were going to maintain a certain collective personality and felt reasonably confident that they'd stay in familiar territory.

then came Yield, and there seemed to be a distinct shift in the writing and the overall sound of the music, which continued and seemingly climaxed during the Binaural sessions and the 2000 tour. i had quit trying to guess where the band was headed at that point, but was hopeful to be caught off guard again as the shift from the previous "familiar territory" was enjoyable.

needless to say Riot Act surprised me, both in style and sound, and I see similarities between that album and S/T. as well as the touring that followed each album. i expected this to become the new "familiar territory" and produce at least one more album.

however, Backspacer seems like new ground to me, although if I had a choice I'd wish for them to explore something different, rather than sticking w/ this approach/sound any further.

excellent post. never thought of it like that but snapshot albums is a perfect description of how they do. I still think they have a truly great record in them, possibly two.

Think Bush:Deconstructed

And who says they don't try new things? They did a rap song with Cypress Hill for crying out loud!

and one thing I hope they never do is start getting into rearranging how songs are played, just to show they're great players or anything. I know ed's played with it but I'm just after listening to hail hail from Berlin in 96 and hail hail from Berlin 09. they're both perfect, and if anything the 09 is a bit more expansive sounding, while the 96 sounds tighter than a nuns cunt. but they're boh excellent.

pj on their night, are better than anyone.

Excellent post, dickfan.

Creative peak was Binaural, hands down. Not just the record but that entire time period. I didn't expect them to stay with that exact sound, and even with Riot Act sounding very different I wasn't disappointed with it. With Self Titled and Backspacer though they seemed to turn from a band who took their cues from people like Neil Young into a band that took their cues from people line Bono.

rather Bono than some punk icon I don't know anything about.

They used to want to be a cross between Neil Young and Pete Townshend, now they want to be a cross between Bono and Joey Ramone.