This thread is a good sign for the new album

just wait til you see it live

billy billy micromachenis

this kind of reasoned analysis has no place here stip.

Deferring to consensus isn't analysis

That wasn't me to consensus. That was the citing of evidence to undercut a deeply held religious conviction by a narrow circle of people.

Stip the Eternal Appeal to Authority.

Evidence against what? Was someone making the argument that Backspacer had received bad reviews and sold poorly?

Because it sounds like you're using "it received good reviews and it sold well" as an argument against people saying "this sucks" and I'm pretty sure you can see the problem with that

I cannot contribute to PJ threads in other forums because it's always full of people who hate the middle period and totally buy into the "return to form with S/T" bullshit. I guess people want commercialism rather than creativity. It's sad.

No, but there was a whole discussion about how terrible the recent albums were and how someone has an obligation to finally tell them that everything they do is awful so they could go back to making good albums. It is the dominant narrative about the last decade of the band (followed by the potentially more irritating PRAMG), and I am pointing out that this narrative probably doesn't hold up outside of this forum (or, more accurately, the disgruntled elements of the fan community). Also, that Eddie's wife, or the producer, or the band, or whoever, probably has no reason to tell Eddie or the band that everything they do sucks because their wider audience evidently doesn't see things that way.



Yeah, that obviously doesn't work if the point is to tell someone that they're wrong to dislike something because other people like it. But it is, I think, a rebuttal against the idea that Pearl Jam keeps 'failing', and a reminder that RM is an echo chamber

it's not only RM that thinks backspacer aint no good, brah.

RM plus a few guys that WTOB? knows

Yes, but at least I'm appealing to TWO gods

Return to form? Really? People say that.

At best, I figured they found a comfortable autopilot.

Someone was arguing with me that they weren't truly "creative" until S/T, and people were agreeing. I wanted to puke. I don't know if people truly see things this way or if they are just buying into marketing hype, but it makes no sense.

That's a pretty tough sell, but there is something to the 'return to form' argument insofar as the last few albums are more immediate, accessible, outward facing albums compared to the Vitalogy - Riot Act run (with the exception of Yield). If that's what you're looking for in pearl jam, that's the approach they've adopted. How more of less 'creative' it is, how good the songs are, etc. is obviously debatable.

I'm glad people find joy in Pearl Jam. It doesn't make me sick to hear those opinions, but I can't agree with the last 3 albums being "truly creative."