Post subject: Re: Let's actually listen to the albums: Backspacer edition
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 9:28 am
The Snowboy
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:53 pm Posts: 11395
It's worth listening to every single Pearl Jam album all the way through, and seeing what sticks. They all deserve the attention, whatever you come away feeling about them.
Post subject: Re: Let's actually listen to the albums: Backspacer edition
Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2012 12:28 pm
Johnny Guitar
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:44 am Posts: 129
Tig wrote:
got some wrote:
stip wrote:
come back and the reprise are really the only songs after parachutes that I like (but I like come back a lot and it was fun to see pearl jam write that kind of song, even though the production on S/T was not necessarily the best place for it). But that first block of songs is so strong that the album still ends up ranking in the top half of their catalog (or maybe at the top of the second half)
I hate to say it but I love gone. Aol version is amazing.
For this, I forgive you for liking Got Some. for me, Gone is a 4-or-5 star song.
Post subject: Re: Let's actually listen to the albums: Backspacer edition
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:10 pm
statistically insignificant
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:19 pm Posts: 25134
Ugh. Not a good start. Thirty seconds in and I'm subjected to a silly, contrived growl. It's not 1994 anymore bros.
The music and verses aren't my taste, but I guess they're not terrible. Guitars do nothing for me here, though the rhythm section isn't bad. The chorus is an abomination, and the silliness of the bridge undermines any kind of credibility the chorus attempted to build.
Post subject: Re: Let's actually listen to the albums: Backspacer edition
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:16 pm
statistically insignificant
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:19 pm Posts: 25134
Man, I'm just not buying anything Eddie is selling. At all. I wish he didn't have some, because I surely don't need it.
More redeemable than Gonna See My Friend. I kind of like the choruses and bridge, and appreciate what they're trying to achieve musically. Not formulaic, but they've done this kind of song in the past, and much, much, much better. I'm indifferent to this one.
Post subject: Re: Let's actually listen to the albums: Backspacer edition
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:21 pm
statistically insignificant
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:19 pm Posts: 25134
Johnny Guitar is the first marginally interesting song, and the first song on which I enjoy Eddie's delivery. The post-chorus musical interlude and palm mutes about a minute in are inane, and should have been purged. This song is all about the riff and melody.
A song with an approachable and reasonable ambition, with solid execution. Pretty good work here.
Post subject: Re: Let's actually listen to the albums: Backspacer edition
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:22 pm
The Snowboy
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:53 pm Posts: 11395
thodoks wrote:
Ugh. Not a good start. Thirty seconds in and I'm subjected to a silly, contrived growl. It's not 1994 anymore bros.
The music and verses aren't my taste, but I guess they're not terrible. Guitars do nothing for me here, though the rhythm section isn't bad. The chorus is an abomination, and the silliness of the bridge undermines any kind of credibility the chorus attempted to build.
Post subject: Re: Let's actually listen to the albums: Backspacer edition
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:29 pm
statistically insignificant
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:19 pm Posts: 25134
Good god is Just Breathe overproduced. Lovely verses, and really nice guitar work. I could do without Eddie's insistence to annunciate every fucking syllable in every fucking word, but for the most part I enjoy the delivery on this one.
Full band is completely unnecessary (a common theme recently...Gone, Speed of Sound, etc). Really don't like listening to Jeff clunk along. Third wheel. Not sure whether it was a O'Brien's decision or the band's, but they turned a level-7 song into a level-4 or level-5 song.
Post subject: Re: Let's actually listen to the albums: Backspacer edition
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:33 pm
statistically insignificant
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:19 pm Posts: 25134
The music on Amongst the Waves sounds like it was written for and performed by a Richard Marx backing band. Nothing at all interesting going on rhythmically, sonically, melodically, or structurally. Surprisingly, Eddie's delivery is the only thing that doesn't turn this into sheer pap.
Post subject: Re: Let's actually listen to the albums: Backspacer edition
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:36 pm
The Snowboy
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:53 pm Posts: 11395
thodoks wrote:
The music on Amongst the Waves sounds like it was written for and performed by a Richard Marx backing band. Nothing at all interesting going on rhythmically, sonically, melodically, or structurally. Surprisingly, Eddie's delivery is the only thing that doesn't turn this into sheer pap.
OH WOW MIKE U REALLY SHREDDIN NOW BRO
Man, this is just bad. Bad, bad, bad. Poor Matt.
You're basically saying that my drumming write up was bollocks. I can cope with that, but you're wrong.
Post subject: Re: Let's actually listen to the albums: Backspacer edition
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:39 pm
statistically insignificant
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:19 pm Posts: 25134
Unthought Known sounds like what I would imagine Eddie wanted Love Boat Captain to be. Structurally, this one's pretty straightforward and predictable. I really thought they'd turned the page on trying to write anything approaching an anthem, and I'm not a fan of their attempt to resuscitate these types of songs.
Anyway, as anthems go, this one's pretty good. God I wish Mike would do something other than play one fucking scale all the time. Nice music, and not an off-putting vocal delivery. I'm sure this'll be a concert staple.
Not my taste, but I can appreciate this for what it is.
Post subject: Re: Let's actually listen to the albums: Backspacer edition
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:43 pm
statistically insignificant
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:19 pm Posts: 25134
The irony of Supersonic is that it's so bad but that it's one of the few songs on the record that actually has personality.
Just a mindless B-side, which isn't a bad thing. Except it's on the album. I mean, really, how long did Stone and Mike spend on writing these guitar parts? Probably not the best song to criticize their work, but it's pretty lazy.
Oh, the bridge. Not bad, but it just feels like a throwaway. Stone used to write such interesting stuff. Not a terrible vocal delivery.
Really dislike the pop/surf punk aesthetic these bros continue to embrace.
Post subject: Re: Let's actually listen to the albums: Backspacer edition
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:47 pm
The Snowboy
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:53 pm Posts: 11395
thodoks wrote:
The irony of Supersonic is that it's so bad but that it's one of the few songs on the record that actually has personality.
What, the sports jock who's always the first to get drunk at house parties and piss everyone off by singing about his awesome life in a slurred manner?
Post subject: Re: Let's actually listen to the albums: Backspacer edition
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:48 pm
statistically insignificant
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:19 pm Posts: 25134
Thirty seconds in, and Speed of Sound is already hugely off-putting. Eddie's labored delivery and AM-friendly music make this one as disposable as disposable comes. Plodding rhythm. Just not sure the music supports a full five-piece effort. God this music is just so dull.
At least there are lasers though. I find pretty much nothing redeeming about this piece of music.
Post subject: Re: Let's actually listen to the albums: Backspacer edition
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:55 pm
statistically insignificant
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:19 pm Posts: 25134
Ugh, more droning, uninteresting guitars. Seriously, I'm not sure Pearl Jam have a more monotonic album in their catalog. YOU HAVE PEDALS AND BRAINS SO USE THEM. Eddie's delivery feels contrived. Again, Matt must be bored out of his fucking mind playing this kind of music. No imagination at all.
Formulaic structure. Song develops and ends exactly as one would expect. Predictable. OH LISTEN MIKE MIKES AN APPEARANCE TO TAKE US HOME
Seriously, when did Pearl Jam become such enthusiastic schlock-crafters?
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