The uptempo songs have more of a casual feel to them as well. The second batch of songs are much heavier statement songs. Even Fixer, which does have a lot to say, does so in a way that feels light.

but it is also uptempo v midtempo

Speed of Sound trying to be Sleight of Hand…

What?

Ah yes, I can totally see that now. Thanks for spelling it out.

In my strange mind though, everything on Gigaton fits that album - uptempo or midtempo. Even Never Destination serves as a palate cleanser after the heaviness of the message in Alright —> Seven O’Clock.

In the manner I divided it up with Backspacer, Pearl Jam is trying to accomplish some sort of anthemic or substantive thing in the latter group of songs, and consciously trying not to accomplish something in the former. It makes for a thematic imbalance to me. Those toss off songs don’t land because Pearl Jam doesn’t commit to being loose and cool - they still have to bring weighty songs to the mix, but it makes both like oil and water in that neither end up being particularly appealing when you try to mix them together.

Giving Backspacer some love today. For all its modesty it is a wonderfully singular moment in the catalog. They don't need to go back here again, but I'm so glad they did this once. Except for Supersonic, I have great affection for almost every one of these songs

I love every Pearl Jam album, but this is the one to me where some of the songs seem half baked and the rest feel overcooked, and there’s a lack of balance in that regard.

What feels overbaked, other than Speed of Sound? Backspacer is light (by design) and there are a few songs (really just Amongst the Waves and Unthought Known) where they do feel slightly incomplete, though some of that is because they are the songs most readily comparable to other moments in the catalog.

Unthought Known is currently going through a small renaissance with me, but it remains just slightly disappointing - it's a good song, but it could have been an all-timer with just a little more attention

Speed of Sound deserves more love than it gets. I think its presence on Backspacer causes it to be underestimated. There's a lot going on there

Speed of Sound, and I think Amongst the Waves and to some extent Force of Nature. Granted that just may be how I feel compared to The End or The Fixer or Gonna See My Friend or Supersonic that could use more time.

Speed of sound is gosh darn wonderful. Favorite track of mine

I put some Backspacer on a couple weeks ago and came away thinking Speed of Sound is one of the three best songs on there.

after fixer and force of nature i have a hard time ranking backspacer songs. I like em all except supersonic, and all roughly the same

I’ve been hoping for years that they would bring back force of nature. Hopefully this is the tour

I love force of nature on backspacer but it is a dud live - i believe. Though, to be fair, most versions are from 09 or so and the boots sounded like shit.

However, i truly believe that force of nature is really one of the songs that benefits greatly from the production. Infallible is similar.

I feel exactly the same way

April fools

100%

Agreed.