I'm not really sure what it actually is that makes it so older guys can't have songs that sound as intense, raw, and aggressive as they did when they were younger (too clean production might be part of it?) or what makes it come off 'corny' or 'uncool' when it never did back in the 90s. Maybe it's just a youthful aggression that just isn't in them anymore? And that's fine. I guess I just prefer older Pearl Jam when they are more thoughtful or something? IDK. There's nothing wrong with them having a fun time and playing songs like this that they enjoy, it just comes off as a bit unappealing to me on the albums. Maybe I just expect rock (especially punkier rock) to have more teeth? And that's something Breed does have that this does not.

I do like their corny rockers sometimes, I liked the song Lightning Bolt even, but these ones specifically just never work for me for some reason.

Unless it's like Backspacer where they lean so far into it you can no longer deny them.

I also liked Self-Titled for some reason, which similarly seemed to lean into what it was but the energy there was exuberant to me.

Maybe somebody better with expressing themselves about music than me can put together what Im not getting from Running that makes it sound so...sterile? I dont know.

To think I once fully appreciated and respected you. SAD

don't get me wrong, I think Backspacer is good in other ways, but my main issue with it is the same as Lightning Bolt: it's all over the place tonally and thematically; yeah, there's a bit of pop on there, yeah, there's a bit of new-wave on there, but for two albums that do those things more consistently across their whole runtime, look at Paramore's After Laughter and This is Why

Strat was getting a little too excited with that post. He needs to calm down.

Ok, After Laughter and This is Why I'm back on team Harmless. I have a Thick Skull

It's been said before on this thread but REMs 'Accelerate' is a good example of a late career rock album where the band sounds authentic.

I'll help you

I like Backspacer, I like Lightning Bolt less, but they both have good attempts at that kind of thing on them; I just feel like they've never convinced me that "pop" or "new wave" are in their bones; maybe Dark Matter will do it? here's hoping

I mean, "LET'S GO!" is pretty aggressive.

I know I've said it over and over again but to me, the most "fun" PJ have ever sounded was on Lost Dogs (Hitchhiker, Gremmie)

Age-ism.

Oh yeah, two excellent songs.

Here’s the thing where trag has a real point: any sense that these songs are artificial or not authentic I think would have less to do with their numbered ages and more to do with the drums sounding like they were generated from a computer program than a human being. They sound canned even if they are actually being played by a person, which is a sound issue more than a song issue. Both of these songs I think will sound better live sounding drums.

A note that I actually enjoyed both songs and rated Dark Matter 4 stars and Running 3 stars.

I think Pearl Jam sounds authentic. I just think there a bunch of uncool dad dorks I'm ok with that.

I always considered myself a cool dad dork, now I have to rethink things!

Love this so much

A paradox within a paradox, to be sure


Somehow, I thought you might