This could be PJ's most technically complicated album in terms of guitars--and also my favorite. That's interesting in that it also has the fewest straight up solos with the possible exception of Vitalogy. It's like Stone and Mike realized that layering the guitars and playing unique parts is far more interesting than just constant wankery and then just sustained that throughout the course of an album rather than on a few songs here and there.

The guitar climax of Got Some is one of my favorite moments on the album.

I love the wailing screech of the highly bent low E string at 0:15 on Gonna See My Friend.

People are going to reply to this thread disagreeing with you.


Wanking to the bridge of porch, why go, etc..etc..etc... is not as difficult as layeirng guitars and songwriting. Thats fact.

Guitar wanker anyone can do with enough loser down time (*raises hand*)... song writing and adding to a song..with your guitar..and texturing is much more difficult and takes more talent...

They did a great job on this record of it.

whatever is easier or harder to do doesn't really matter to me. if i want to hear complex guitar work i'll listen to some virtuoso play something; i don't listen to pj for mindblowingly difficult, i listen for just fucking good. not that i'm saying pj shouldn't work on complex guitar work, but i don't find this guitar work all that exciting; interesting, intricate, it's always a plus, but it's not a major factor if it's not there, and it can't save something i don't like. the layering of multiple guitar tracks on riot act (in a lot of songs, more than two guitars going, creating great atmosphere) does a lot more for me than this. listen to bushleaguer and help help and can't keep with headphones to see the atmospheric layering of instruments i'm talking about (not that that means you have to agree that it's better, or even good, but there's a lot of stuff going on on those tracks, far from wankery).

dk, seriously, you should just move on to the new AIC album rather than belaboring your disappointment in this album. It can only drag you down.....

ah, i'd still give it a 7/10, so it's not like i hate it. but i figure, why not waste as much time as possible posting about music. and it's mostly the contrarian in me that makes my viewpoint sound harsher, after hearing people call it amazing, greatest since the 90s, and all that over and over. also comparing it to the rest of pj's catalog.

I'm not dissing the guitar playing on previous albums (Riot Act included) I'm just pointing out the differences here. Part of it is BOB's production. After hearing Backspacer everything post-Yield sounds really thin (especially Binaural). The beefier rhythm section on the new record helps the guitars to stand out more I think.

Supersonic is pertty awful. Mike's solo is very average, it sounds like he doesnt give a shit. He wrecked the bridge, and that was the only good part of that song.

i dont totally agree with this, i understand but i dont think its always true

in the past mike's solos have always sounded really specifically structured and seem to be written rather than improvised, and if they aren't written and improvised it doesn't sound that way

i think it takes an enormous amount of talent to pull of extremely well-structured guitar solos just from the top of your head, and i take it that is what mike does quite a lot of the time. while i understand what you mean with the layering thing, with enough time (and in the studio you have more than enough) it really wouldn't be THAT hard to think of a few different fitting parts that could be added

disclaimer: i haven't heard the record so it could render my remark useless but i think i get the general idea of what is being discussed

I'm afraid (imo) you destroyed your argument before you really made one here. Do you REALLY think it's harder to plan a solo than to plan seperate rhythm guitar parts consisting of different chords, rhythms and melodies, then layer them over one another? Mike could plan a guitar solo in his sleep, whereas Mike and Stone really had to put their heads together on this one, first to write their parts, and then to make sure they cohered with one another.

With the more dominant rhythm section and the interplay- rather than solo-oriented guitar parts, I daresay they taken something from playing with My Morning Jacket.

well as i said i haven't listened to the album yet cos im waiting for it to actually come out here but with enough time and two decent and experienced guitarists do you really expect them to be constantly playing the same thing?

my point about the solos is that mike is so talented that time after time he plays solos that are interesting and sound like they've been immaculately planned where in truth they haven't

not that i don't mind this as an alternative but i don't really want to see his solos die on all future records

The solo is backmasked.

the thing with mike is, he basically is just awesome at playing pentatonic scale, and has a vast knowlege of licks and what notes sound good that all his solo's sound great when he improvises

HOWEVER, in the studio he does think about his solo's sometimes, i remember interviews from the early days where he specifically talks about structuring and thinking about solos for daughter and heaps of other songs.

regarding the new album, this is possibly the lacking (in terms of solos) that pearl jam has ever done. even vitalogy had immortality not for you satans bed for solos. i think its eddies influence and wanting to do things quick and precise and mike went along and got these 'pattern' things going (which sound great)

not every song or album needs solo's though so im not really phased, im sure the next one will have a few in there.

and to those that think solos are not needed at all get over yourselves. THIS IS ROCK MUSIC and rock music and solo's go together hand in hand.

Other than the end of got some (which I wish was a little longer) Mike doesn't do much 'Mike' stuff on this album, and there are a few places I wish he did (gonna see my friend and johnny guitar especially). His one conventional solo (on amongst the waves) is defintiely not one of his better ones. But there are other places where he's playing those 'patterns' ed talked about (like the end of Force of nature) which are just terrific.

this is an understated record for the most part. I usually like pearl jam's over the top guitar stuff but the approach they used here works great and is a very welcome addition to the catalogue.

Oh Hilly, you ruined that post with the last comment!

My deepest regrets and apologies, kind sir, if my exquisite taste has offended thee.

Jonny Guitar after the 1 min mark, has a nice little riff. Probably one of my favorite moments on the record. Actually, there are about five solid riffs in that song.

Totally disagree! Thats one of his coolest solos i think. TIs very Bob Stinson (replacements) RIP. Dirty, trashy, don't give a fuck. It fits and its different than his usual solos