just an observation, since Hail Hail, PJ has always taken a faster, harder song like hail hail, Brain of J, Evacuation, etc, and put a slow, kinda jangly, and at first listen kinda out of place 30 seconds of music in the middle of their harder songs.

I always end up growing to like them, but at times, i wish that they'd just rock out and keep the flow up. I guess its one of teh subtle changes they've made over the years.

with all the hype of the new album, i wonder if their rockers are going to be straight rockers or there will be these short interludes that we learn to lvoe but still wonder why they changed pace mid song.

am i the only one or do you know what i speak of?

I know exactly what you mean. I'll have to say that the breakdowns are some of the best bits in their later rockers; whether it's the bass groove in Save You or the 'I wanna breath' part of Greivance, they take the songs and put a slightly different spin on them. I'll agree that it would be nice if they did a four to the floor, balls to the wall rocker on the next album but I'll be perfectly happy if they put bridges, breakdowns and/or middle 8s in all the rockier tunes.

MFC is pretty straight, but I don't know if that counts as a rocker or a mid-tempo song. I never thought about the presence of the slower interludes in their faster songs. I think I prefer that they keep the faster pace all the way through but in all the examples you and stuzzo gave I like the slower parts and in a some cases (Brain of J) they make the faster part they move back into more explosive, so I guess I can't complain

What an inconclusive post.

how bout the "is something wrong she said" part of Alive
"you think you've got your eyes closed..." in once
the middle break in deep

seems to me that they've always had these breaks in the songs...also known as a "bridge" to a musician.[/quote]

Jack's fills at the end of the bridge on Brain of J are just fucking amazing.

[/quote]

Is it a bridge if it is at the end of the song (like Grievance?). Also, Alive is not a fast song so the change isn't quite as noticable there. I was also going to comment that they've always had slow bridges but then I thought about Spin the black circle, which doesn't slow down, and whipping, which doesn't even have one.

Girl is the best example of this. The song all but stops except for a nice drum beat. Than, BAM! Back to the rocking and a cool solo from Mike.

Not For You is another good example. I freaking love the "all that's sacred...." bit.

how about do the evolution's hallellujah's?? best slow part in the middle of a rocker ever

That's what I was thinking. It slows the song down but with purpose. Nice call.

No, that would be more of an outro.

A bridge is a distinct section of a song connecting two other parts. It's usually followed by a chorus.

Good examples would be the "I sometimes realize..." part of Hail Hail, the instrumental break in Faithfull, and the "always keep it loaded" part of Glorified G.

yeah but I think those moments are kinda the "quiet - anger" moments, like you know its heavy but its spoken softly, and afterwards theres a big blowup into the heaviest part

I don't think many people like Pilate... but I love the "stunned by my own reflection..." part.

That's my favorite part as well. Ed's vocals are so tender there...that's what makes the song for me.

this is the exact reason why yield is not as good as it should and could be. they have big heavy parts, then just stupid irrelevant verses/breakdowns that sound out of place and weird

Or the exact reason why Yield is great.

Yield > *

one of their best verses they ever wrote. Makes the song.

It's so creepy. It's awesome if you get a good audience for it live. Plus that sequence in the video is great--the sound of music looking girl peacefull running through the fields until she obliviously steps on and destroys an anthill segueing right into the WWI destruction of human life

Pilate's a great song. Jeff has one underrated masterpiece on each album past yield.