Oh yes, you have hit the nail on the head. People are going, "but I want them to do odd things ... like XYZ from Binaural or Riot Act or No Code". Isn't that the exact opposite of taking a left turn? THAT would be the conservative route, would it not? To instead go in a direction like Backspacer, which had never been done in a full album format, THIS is a left turn, peeps.

It's virtually the same reaction as was in 96-00, when the Ten fans were going, "but I want them to sound like Ten". Just a reverse mirror image where fans are pining for an era that has passed. Only difference is it's just a different section of fans pining for a different era.

Again, most of us don't care which direction they go in. I am all for PJ making a fun, poppy album. They can make whatever "kind" of music they want.

I just want it to be good.

I'm not saying Backspacer is a work of art, just that it was technically an odd turn. Lightning Bolt was much more "paint by numbers" Pearl Jam.

Regardless, I just want well thought out songs with interesting textures that demand a revisit once in a while. Whichever way they "turn" to get there is fine by me.

I honestly believe the band aka eddie just wants to make albums/songs that will chart, its basically a moneygrab at this point. So those of you expecting the next album to be experimental with long jams/instrumentals will be disappointed. Lightning Bolt was a " logical extension of Backspacer" and the album 11 will be a logical extension of Lightning Bolt, not to say those albums werent good, because they both had some great songs but they also had some very lame songs. IMO The one thing that gives me hope for album 11 is that from Binaural to Backspacer each album got progressively worse, that trend broke for me as I think LB was a major step up from BS... For the next album they should give Jeff and Stone complete control of the music(no singing tho), obviously Eddie should write all the lyrics, and if they do have BOB produce dont let him gut all the songs, let them kick out the jams for gods sake.
Other producers that could work:
David Fridmann
Daniel Lanois
Andy Wallace ( )
hell even T Bone Burnett

I meant more like build upon the direction they went in Binaural / RA. So, I don't want them to be conservative at all. I want them to go back on the odd path they were on, and stay that way for an album or two. The jam in Of The Earth touches on that path I like, the jam during Army Reserve does the same. Pendulum a bit too. I want more of that PJ please.

Oh, and in the OP, I forgot to mention Help Help. I fucking LOVE Help Help.

What I want from them next album: whatever the fuck they want.

Meaning, I'll judge the album by how well they execute whatever artistic vision they have, and how illustrative and complete that artistic vision is. If it's a banjo album of Mr. Rodgers covers, I want to it be w/ good execution. I'll judge it poorly if they can't hit the sentiments of "Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" in their own unique way.

I don't know what's going on in their lives, so I think it's ludicrous to say "I wish they'd do some extended reverb synth jam with a trip-hop bridge and an outro w/ a flute solo w/ lyrics about the Mexican border situation". Before anyone gets offended, I'm not talking about you (but, you, the other guy).They're gonna write what they feel, that's all I hope for. If they're co-coaching their girls' gymnastic classes, the songs could be about the joys of watching someone improve at the uneven parallel bars. Who knows?

I just hope they're feelin it, whatever it is that comes out of them. That's all.

This is pretty much a long-winded version of what I just said.

Ehhh, fuck that. I don't want some pussy ass bullshit on the next album. Rock, get a little weird, and rock some more. That's the best Pearl Jam, everybody knows it. Everybody fuckin' knows it.

Less guitars, more piano please.

I want the five of them in a room banging out songs. For five hours a day five days a week together. As far as producers go it shouldn't matter at this point in their careers.
I dont need a heavy record or a arty record or mellow record or a poppy record or a experimental record. I need a new Pearl Jam record and Pearl Jam records use to be all of the above and then some.

no, it should be Dave A; and the singer of Dave A's choice, as restitution from PJ for Ed manopausing him out of the band all those years ago; and the band will celebrate this new arrangement with the adding of chocolate to milk, and with an all ticketmaster tour where they drive Ferraris from venue to venue

You're right, it is ludicrous to say this.

I just want more music from them. And i agree, BS as a bold move from them. LG was maybe the first album were they dont experiment that much.

I would like the next album to exist, and sooner rather than later. And we'll go from there

PM BurtReynolds for the link.

I just want the next album to have Of The Earth and Anything In Between on it.

This...Anything in Between is the tits...possibly my favorite mike solo

The main difference this time is not that their style has changed, but that the quality of their songwriting has taken a nose-dive, as with most bands who are in the "I don't care anymore, this is just a job" phase of their career. They have nothing left to be passionate about, as they would probably rather be lounging on an island in Fiji. The fact that they openly talk about not wanting to put any real effort into anything anymore pretty much confirms this. It's not that hard to see.