A general remark and something I've been meaning to say for 3 days now. A lot of complaints from those who like the new single towards those who don't like it are about how we cannot expect them to make another Ten, how we cannot expect to have teenage angst songs, how it isn't 1992-1994 anymore, … well… when you look closely, you'll find that a lot of people who aren't particularly fond of the new song, are not that fond of the first 2 records (Ten & Vs.) in the first place. They're mostly fans of the direction the band took on the great No Code-Yield-Binaural-Riot Act stretch and you'll find that after the major blow Avocado was for a lot of them, they're now again disappointed in the band.

I'll be honest with you, deep inside it hurts. It hurts a lot. I don't know for the others, but I can speak for myself. It hurts for several reasons.

1. Because lots of my friends automatically associate me with Pearl Jam, so I don't know if I have to defend PJ with this song or not. They're still Pearl Jam, who have given me so much to enjoy over the years.
2. Because I want to like what this band does. Avocado was a major disappointment, but I thought "well, next time better, accidents can happen". But this is now again a song I cannot get behind. And coming from my favourite band, it's very frustrating really. I don't know if you can understand this feeling.
3. For over a decade (1994-2005), this band could do no wrong for me. They released only albums I absolutely loved.I loved almost every song. I listened to about every show I could get my hands on. I loved everything they did. They were untouchable. But then comes the decline, then I realized they weren't so untouchable. I remember Stip used to refer to No Code as the point where he realized they were not this godly band who could do no wrong.
4. Because I invested a lot in this band. I have nothing but good memories from the first time I got to know them, my trip to Canada, my trips around Europe, the songs that accompanied me through many important moments in my life. I don't want to look back and see they got to be a band I don't care about anymore. I want them to stay with me.

People say "go out and find new bands", I don't agree. They have released 5 albums I will 'always' love, I travelled around for this band, I collected bootlegs, vinyl, posters, … from this band. It's pretty hard just to let go. I'm sure you'll understand that. I do listen to a lot of new music and there's things I

People say "they're still a brilliant live band". To be honest, I don’t know. Back in 2005, there were only very few songs I did not like. Even Flow was about the only one. If I go to a show now and I have a song sequence like "Life Wasted - Even Flow - the Fixer - Severed Hand. That's 15-20min toilet break, that's a lot of piss. And my favourite song - Given to Fly - is being anally raped by doubling its speed. They're playing Europe this year and when I was contemplating going or not, the only reason that could convince me was the meet-up and pre/after show fun with the Across the Atlantic bang gang. So euh… I'm not going.

Conclusion : Excuse me(/us) for a few negative posts. I'll try not to do it anymore. But please understand that I really wish I wouldn't have to do so. And those posts come from a frustration from being so disappointed in a band I once thought could never disappoint me.

(sorry for creating new topic, merge ahead if you want, I just thought I'd put it here instead of in the big mess that is that 50-page Fixer thread. besides, this is about more than just the Fixer)

There's a lot of individual points I could discuss further here Angus (and I might do that later) but interestingly, though we share similar feelings about the band*, I think The Fixer is a storming return to form.

Weird, huh?

* Well, not that similar now I think of it. Sure, I love No Code and Yield, but love Ten, Vs. and Vitalogy just as much (probably more). I think Binaural and S/T are seriously flawed and Riot Act is fantastic and frustrating in equal measures.

It should have been obvious since Ten that Pearl Jam couldn't do no wrong, because it's the same with every single band. It sounds like you've put this band on a pedestal and are infused with some sort of nostalgia. If you hold them to these high standards, then they're going to dissapoint you.

Interesting post Angus. I can sympathise with your feelings as I've felt them with other bands, and naturally because I don't love everything Pearl Jam does either.

However, while I fully understand feeling frustrated with a band, I feel like you're exaggerating the importance and impact of The Fixer. The bottom line is, it's just one Pearl Jam song. I would think there are several songs in the Pearl Jam discography (b-sides included) that are a lot worse no matter what taste anyone has. Personally I think The Fixer is great at what it does, and still I'm thankful that the rest of the album won't be the same, because then it could get tiring. Like normal, we will get an album filled with a variety of songs. One of the things I love about this band.

Well said. A few others have tried to explain the same thing in the Fixer thread, but I'm not sure anyone is actually listening, because the same argument always comes back a couple of pages later. I wish you good luck though, my Belgian friend

I have a similar feeling, although not exactly the same. The main difference is that I got into the band with Ten and I loved this one and Vs too. It must be because I got into these albums as a teenager, I was 13 or maybe 14 and, well, that's probably the kind of audience that was receptive to this album. But then I grew up and it seems that the band grew up too, No Code/Yield/Binaural are more mature albums than Ten/Vs musically and thematically. I loved these ones too.

Avocado was the first time I didn't like one of their records. I know how you feel, I felt the same, probably even stronger because I actually loved everyone of the albums before this one. It sounded so immature, like they were going backwards. Maybe if I was 14 again I would have loved this album, but being 30 I just found it totally uninteresting. I was a bit shocked at first, I was losing MY band. Now I don't care about this. They're not my band, they're a band. Since Avocado came out, I have found a lot of other music I love so I'm not actually waiting for PJ to give me my fix of music. The PJ songs I still like today mostly come from this "mature" era. I don't care about the first albums anymore either.

So, like you said, if I don't like The Fixer, it's not because I want them to do Ten all over again, or because I want angry stuff, or because I have too high expectations or any other reasons people try to come up with in order to explain the dislike. I just don't like this kind of songs, they bore me. Today I want bigger emotions.

I really don't like The Fixer on any level. In fact, I chuckle when I listen to it.

However, Pearl Jam are still my favourite band, I will still see every show I can get to. Just because they've released some dud songs doesn't erase all of the gold or the experiences.

Angus you said it perfect

I've loved Pearl Jam since 1999 and I was 8. I always loved all the records growing up, when i got around 15 I was a fan of the early years a lot more (Ten, Vs.) but the last few years I've grown out of that and gotten much more into the stuff that seems to never get old, and seems to grow on you, like their more different stuff (No Code, Binaural). But I love all their work from Vitalogy - Riot Act, and I still really like Vs. and Ten.

Ten I like in a way that is more I think its great, but I just prefer their other stuff. Whereas Self-Titled I hate because I don't think it's great at all. Pearl Jam before 2006 could also do no wrong. At this time I think I was still in the Ten-loving phase, although coming out of it. But I still didn't think what they were doing wasn't good. They could do no wrong in my eyes at that time too.

Then when Self-Titled came along, at first I liked it. But since the initial rush of a new Pearl Jam record has worn off, I have realised that I really don't consider it to be a good Pearl Jam album, with songs i didn't actually consider to be good. This was the first time for this to happen. Just like Angus, I thought that their next effort would be better. As all Pearl Jam albums are different from one another, I thought that Avocado was just a phase of theirs and they would move on with this record.

I'm starting to feel now that when I say I love Pearl Jam, I'm not talking about the Pearl Jam from now. Im talking about pre-2006 Pearl Jam.

The Fixer doesn't sound like they've moved on from the mid-life-crisis wanna-be-young-rockers sound. It may be happier, but it still seems like Avocado material. The only Pearl Jam sound I really don't enjoy. It almost seems like Pearl Jam have given up trying, and are just thinking "oh well, fans will buy it no matter what.." It's disconnecting me from a band I once loved and still love. I really hope that The Fixer isnt a reflection of the entire album, or it will disconnect me further. Because I don't think the three songs Ed has played live is enough to save an album full of The Fixers.

All of your points are valid and I understand it...I even think from 1991-2000 this band could do no wrong. Riot Act and Avocado were let-downs for me.

HOWEVER

What the hell does bitching and whining about something on a message board prove?

There are posters who seek out the positives about The Fixer (and subsequent Backspacer release) and bash them as well.

Honestly, I really like The Fixer and think it's way better than WWS (which I also liked at first), but I am stoked for this album because of the three Vedder songs he has played solo...those are great...not to mention Got Some sounded great as well.

This band is aging...they are going to be 50 really soon...you can't expect their sound to be similar to what it was 10 years ago. And don't forget that even though Binaural was just 2 albums ago...it was still almost 10 years ago, a lot has changed since then.

But what bothers me the most is that they are not aging well musically.

They are almost going in reverse of what most bands do. Their songs are now almost punk influenced with no emotion, less musicianship, no musical highlights, and it all seems too hurried.

I am not asking for some shlock-rock major-wankery guitar solo.... But my god, it has been a long time since Mike has had a great memorable solo on a record that leave you humming it after the song is over. Maybe he has physical issues that he can not play them live night after night now so he stopped writing them. Or maybe EV has too much writing control.... I don't know.... But I miss them.

Like Angus, I stand from the sideline hoping the rest of the album will be better than the first two songs that have been released and that their next album they will return to solid form.

That might be the main point I need to realize.

There's "negativity" surrounding The Fixer because it is "not very good".

I think Binaural is a record that an approaching-50-year-old band could make though.
I think a big problem I have with songs like The Fixer is that they sound forced. Like the band is not feeling it just as much as me. Just a feeling I get.

[photobucketvid]
Would you rather them be making albums of christmas song covers. Or maybe its time they got a vegas show. Seriously, I'm happy they are still making original music. My tastes have matured over the years and evolved and so far I love everything I've heard from backspacer. To each their own though I guess.

From this side of the fence it's kinda like U2 for me..a bunch of actually old guys trying to sound like young guys. I always always hoped and imagined Pj slowly evolving into a Neil Young, more acoustic based direction, and thus when they did decide to rock out, it would be all the more powerful for it. I like the Fixer but I can agree there is a smack of effort from it in that regard.
But we're rushing to judgement it seems to me and the song is being judged overly harshly in a million threads. The single never usually is the best thing on the record..well except maybe Given to Fly and Alive but not since really, so I think we all should remain calm and open minded.

Do you guys now prefer Got Some? can't really warm to that one at all, to me, thats the one that sounds forced and while I appreciate it's Ska-like vibe I think it's a poorer song, certainly by comparison to this one.

Got Some is gold. Smashes The Fixer out of the park.

no offense, but this is more your problem then a problem with the band.

So now the main argument is : "it's JUST one song, don't bother." No, it's not. It's Got Some as well which I don't like. the End sounds truly cringeworthy, more than the Fixer for me, but I'm waiting for a decent version of that one before jumping to conclusions. And overall it's the entire last 3 years. From Avocado I only really really like Marker and that was a big disappointment, only one song I love on an entire PJ album. At this point for Backspacer, I think I'll be happy with one song. That worries me.



I know, but luckily my post was a little bit more than just that...

Yes, seriously, Riot Act was kind of the perfect evolvement. Different production and new sounds. More difficult songs mixed up with quite good basic rock songs as Cropduster/Ghost (really good instrumentals and the lyrics are a whole lot better than the fixer). Avocado felt like a huge leap backwards, like let's try to make a ROCK RECORD! Disgusting powerchords and really simple structures. Nothing like Faithful/In Hiding/In my tree/Can't keep which all feels unique in their own ways. It felt like I wouldn't stop to think if I heard any of the songs, save Army Reserve, on the radio. It felt like Foo fighters/paramore whatever-you-name-it and so on. As everyone else I'm really disappointed by the fixer. It doesn't leave me with any feeling except for the suspicion that the song might actually have been written to promote the album among baseballfans :S Even so, after hearing the songs Eddie has performed solo I'm quite confident in that the album will feature really good vocal melodies. Still, all of the lyrics I've read sucks pretty bad... Well, I have no hopes for the straightforward rock songs but I do have some expectations for the ballads.

Nice post angus, I know your distaste for the last album is legendary. But maybe it is just a phase. I went through the same thing back in 1997. I was 17 angus and living here in New York at the time, seeing pearl jam was virtually impossible. From 1992-1996 u can make that if you were sucking cock for pearl jam tickets, u were not getting in. Then there was my infamous, ten club screwed up my 1996 randall's island tickets up fiasco and I was pretty much done with the band when yield came out. I didn't feel the record at all. I hate jack irons and I felt brendan O'Brien was misproducing the band.

I finally saw the band for the first time in 1998 in Jersey and enjoyed the show alot. Live on two legs came out and I got my hands on Ed's solo shows with C-average for about 60 bucks off ebay and my interest was slowing coming back.
Binaural came out and I was hooked. I was in aw when heard the record done live. During the 3 year period to riot act my fandon just grew. I created the 2000 euro comp. Riot act came out and I was still just hooked. I went to 9 or 10 shows that tour, with the 4 show run of philly-albany-nassau colesium and state college being the greatest run of shows for me ever. I still think the 2003 tour was there best tour ever. I made the 2003 comp and then went to two shows during the VFC tour which for me was something I needed so bad. I was going through one of the toughest times in my life. That reading and florida show saved me.

2005 came along and if anyone remembers I was pretty livid about the fact that the band would not be playing any new material. But once the shows began and I saw what they were playing, it was a great time and tour, going to Montreal, AC and Ottawa was a amazing experience. The 2006 tour came along and it was buisness as usual, not as good a 2003, but greats shows and a good time. I made my 2006 comp.

2007 was when my distaste started to come back, now I am not where you are angus but I think Tim's bigger control of the fan club and general band decision making has just been a turnoff for me. There were no 2007 bootlegs, we still don't know why. Prices for tickets posters and bootlegs brought back in 2008 just kept going up and up. The hartford ticket fuckup and The new ticketing system sucks and to be honest, the show by show announcement system is straight bullshit. News is found now from other sources months before ten club even releases it. The Ed Ved taping policy, it just goes on and on. Are these more band grievances than musical direction grievances, yes. But to me I think they are linked. I still will hold judgement on the new record till I hear it live, but since I was unable to even get a chance at the one show I could have afforded the next tour. I will have to wait for some sort of bootleg.

Did you see them in 2007? I saw them for instance at Wembley and Düsseldorf and those shows blew most of the 2006 shows out of the water, even though there were some great shows in 2006. And in 2008 the setlists were as diverse as I've ever seen them. Songs like W.M.A., Who You Are, All Night, I'm Open, Rats, Brain of J, Hard To Imagine popped up like they've never been gone. With these new songs it looks to me like they are ready to go and mix it up it even more. I'm sorry you seem to lose hope in them for some reason. The remedy would be just to go out and see them in their true habitat. Alive and kicking.