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What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
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Author:  jtmack20 [ Tue June 24, 2014 1:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
I find that listening to the 6 demos -life wasted with no fade, severed hand, wws, comatose, parachutes, and unemployable- along with let it ride and cold confession, makes for a much better listening experience than the album itself. it excludes the worst of the album like gone and inside job, and includes 2 really killer unreleased tracks. I hate how they always do that. the actual record sounds like shit! FLAW!
Author:  McParadigm [ Tue June 24, 2014 1:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
It's all too crafty and brittle.

Songs that used to have the kind of primal kick they want this stuff to have always felt a bit impulsive, or spontaneous in the way they jerked from one section to the next. Rearviewmirror is a good example...they even use the lack of craft as a way to create a silent breath before the final explosion. It's also the most important thing separating Jeremy from just being a heavy-handed public scolding. The degree to which it actually feels sympathetic and affected is the same as the degree to which it is not carefully written.

On S/T, it all sounds like it was put together in a very calculated "where do we want this song to go next" fashion, which works for more controlled and theatric bands who have similar ambitions (The Who, Pink Floyd), but not for Pearl Jam's punk-and-Neil based pulse.

I have the same problem with them trying to get back to muscly Pearl Jam stuff on the last album...it sounds like a group of dudes wrote those songs, trying to find a way to include a hook or reach an audience or just capture a little of the old magic again...but that very approach requires a revocation of some of the honesty that gave the sound value to begin with. The empathy gets sucked out. The cannonfire gets replaced by cheap fireworks.

Probably, of the last three albums (get yer eye rolls ready), Backspacer was the most effective and least terrible. At least it had the ambition and canvas appropriate to this kind of "let's try to write something clever" intent.

Hell. Backspacer liked fireworks.
Author:  Mine [ Tue June 24, 2014 2:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
McParadigm wrote:
On S/T, it all sounds like it was put together in a very calculated "where do we want this song to go next" fashion, which works for more controlled and theatric bands who have similar ambitions (The Who, Pink Floyd), but not for Pearl Jam's punk-and-Neil based pulse.

In my opinion this wouldn't necessarily be an issue if they had the ability to pull it off. I agree with how Ed put it - everything lives in it's own corner of the room. I think this is the main limit of most of the band and it becomes very prominent as they stubbornly insist on this artificial dynamic they refer to as "the communication within the band is amazing". Most of them don't seem to have the ability to understand how an individual part sounds in the context of the song or how sections from a song work together for that matter. I really like when a piece of music is better than the sum of it's parts and creates a room rather than separate corners. Pearl Jam used to be like that by the rule but seem to be producing finished products that are very often kitsch.
Author:  PryTo [ Wed June 25, 2014 4:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
The end of PJ 1.0 and the beginning of what they are today. That said, because it was the opening volley of PJ mach II, I don’t find it nearly as bad as some folks seem to. The production is a big step down from most of their other records, but that doesn’t ruin the experience for me at all. It really wasn’t even something I noticed until it was pointed out a bunch by others. Songs like Come Back and Inside Job polarize the fan base – I think they’re fantastic. Love Severed Hand, Life Wasted, Marker in the Sand, and Parachutes, too. Overall, it’s a pretty good album.

To me the fatal flaw is World Wide Suicide. I really hate this song. I generally don't feel that strongly about any of their material. Some songs are sort of meh, this one I actively despise. The lyrics are trite and Ed’s singing is atrocious. This was really the first album where his vocals took a huge, noticeable step down. This once-great singer was no longer great. And on WWS he was flat out bad – straining, trying way too hard, and basically delivering nothing of worth. It was the first single on the album and made me ignore it entirely. I had written them off at this point, although I did catch one show on this tour, which I thought was awful. Of course, they were sure to play WWS because they seem to think it’s a great song. That type of thinking and a song like WWS made it pretty clear that something was very different in the world of PJ. If only I had known how different it would turn out to be.
Author:  stip [ Wed June 25, 2014 11:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
I remember staying up for some late night debut of WWS on some Seattle radio station, and it would have been impossible to wipe the smile off of my face. It felt like something I had lost had finally come home. WWS marked the start of my second honeymoon with the band. Not as good as the first one, but good enough to remind you why you fell in love in the first place.

Which show did you see in 06? That's probably my third favorite tour
Author:  PryTo [ Wed June 25, 2014 3:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Chicago 1. Way too Ten heavy for my tastes. My least favorite show I've seen them play. The second night looked a lot better. I learned the lesson that if you're gonna go, go both nights if possible.

Night One setlist
Spoiler: show
SET 1
Release
World Wide Suicide
Life Wasted
Severed Hand
Comatose
Given To Fly
Low Light
Corduroy
I'm Open
I Got Id
Even Flow
Unemployable
Daughter
W.M.A.
Present Tense
Do The Evolution
Jeremy
Save You
Porch

ENCORE 1
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
Better Man
Come Back
State Of Love And Trust
Black
Alive

ENCORE 2
Go
Blood
Atomic Dog
Indifference
Baba O'Riley
Yellow Ledbetter


Night Two setlist
Spoiler: show
SET 1
Severed Hand
World Wide Suicide
Life Wasted
Animal
Marker In The Sand
Do The Evolution
Whipping
1/2 Full
I Am Mine
Even Flow
Gone
Insignificance
Better Man
Save it for Later
Down
Garden
Inside Job
Lukin
Why Go
ENCORE 1
Wasted Reprise
Man Of The Hour
Footsteps
Once
Alive


ENCORE 2
Last Kiss
Last Exit
Glorified G
Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town
Crown Of Thorns
Rockin' In The Free World
Yellow Ledbetter
Author:  mkay0 [ Wed June 25, 2014 4:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
stip wrote:
I don't know. I think riot act and S/t are in conversation with each other more than any other two pj slbums


Strongly agreed. The only thing that comes close to RA/Avocado albums responding to each other is is No Code/Yield.
Author:  mkay0 [ Wed June 25, 2014 4:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
PryTo wrote:
Chicago 1. Way too Ten heavy for my tastes. My least favorite show I've seen them play. The second night looked a lot better. I learned the lesson that if you're gonna go, go both nights if possible.

Night One setlist
Spoiler: show
SET 1
Release
World Wide Suicide
Life Wasted
Severed Hand
Comatose
Given To Fly
Low Light
Corduroy
I'm Open
I Got Id
Even Flow
Unemployable
Daughter
W.M.A.
Present Tense
Do The Evolution
Jeremy
Save You
Porch

ENCORE 1
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
Better Man
Come Back
State Of Love And Trust
Black
Alive

ENCORE 2
Go
Blood
Atomic Dog
Indifference
Baba O'Riley
Yellow Ledbetter


Night Two setlist
Spoiler: show
SET 1
Severed Hand
World Wide Suicide
Life Wasted
Animal
Marker In The Sand
Do The Evolution
Whipping
1/2 Full
I Am Mine
Even Flow
Gone
Insignificance
Better Man
Save it for Later
Down
Garden
Inside Job
Lukin
Why Go
ENCORE 1
Wasted Reprise
Man Of The Hour
Footsteps
Once
Alive


ENCORE 2
Last Kiss
Last Exit
Glorified G
Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town
Crown Of Thorns
Rockin' In The Free World
Yellow Ledbetter


Went to both of these shows, and they really ruled. Encore 1 of night 2 was pretty insane, mamasan in reverse order. I didn't think it was too heavy on Ten songs, but I really like the way that record's songs sounded on this tour.

Agreed that you have to go both nights when they do a double shot. No matter how good the night I went to was, I would think the other one was better on paper.
Author:  PryTo [ Wed June 25, 2014 5:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
mkay0 wrote:
No matter how good the night I went to was, I would think the other one was better on paper.


Ain't that the truth!

They played 6/11 songs from Ten + YLP and State of Love and Trust. That makes for a pretty Ten-heavy setlist, although hardly out of the ordinary. Night two had a lot more songs I'd like to hear live, including a bunch of personal favs. Lesson learned, though. I went to both 2009 Chicago shows and thought they were outstanding. Chicago 1 from 2009 may be my all time favorite out of the dozen or so times I've seen them.
Author:  Lament [ Wed June 25, 2014 5:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
I was at Chicago I & II in 2006, and Chicago definitely felt vastly inferior to me. It was probably my 15th or so show and it was the first time I feeling underwhelmed, and kind of disappointed. Night II was much, much better in my book.
Author:  Leatherhead [ Fri June 27, 2014 8:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
I can't believe the hate WWS gets. I think it's great.
Author:  chewm [ Sat June 28, 2014 12:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
I love it too.
Author:  PHATJ [ Sat June 28, 2014 5:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
I hate it. With a deep passion.
Author:  PryTo [ Sat June 28, 2014 11:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
I listened to WWS again today. I stand by my earlier comments. The bridge and chorus are both awful. The verses are actually okay, but the double-tracked vocals (replete with random screams and other scary stuff) ruin it. I'm ambivalent about the lyrics. Not great, but not Ed's worst hour either. Ed's vocals tend to make or break the track for me. The band is almost always solid. Mind Your Manners is a recent example of a stellar performance by the band, totally ruined by Ed.
Author:  stip [ Sun June 29, 2014 10:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Really? I think MYM has some of Ed's best
vocals on that kind of song in years. Gruff, pissed off without sounding petulant, frustrated but still hopeful, accents of an older wisdom and experience without losing a sense of urgency. They're great. What is a recent studio performance of his you like?
Author:  PryTo [ Sun June 29, 2014 11:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Yup, and I like S/T better than most folks around here. But that song, phew. Two recent performances that I like are Got Some and Amongst the Waves. I know some folks don't like the latter track, but I was sold after seeing it live, which in turn made me better appreciate the studio version. I think it's a great example of how a band can mature and write songs about being forty-something, instead of trying to sound like teenagers. Kudos to Ed for that, although he's kind of beat this theme to death over the last two albums. Got Some is proof that Ed can still rock out and add some interesting vocal tics too.

Oh and Future Days. The vocals on that song rule. ;)
Author:  stip [ Sun June 29, 2014 11:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
I was just walking my daughter back to sleep this morning singing future days. Eddies version is better
Author:  Bammer [ Mon June 30, 2014 3:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
I am sad to say I have never heard Let It Ride or Cold Confession :oops:

Can someone link the location of these and any others I might not have that I can download as mp3's?

Thanks.
Author:  Sgt. Crackpot [ Mon June 30, 2014 9:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Bammer wrote:
I am sad to say I have never heard Let It Ride or Cold Confession :oops:

Can someone link the location of these and any others I might not have that I can download as mp3's?

Thanks.

This is what you need:
viewtopic.php?style=5&f=18&t=1713
Author:  mac [ Mon June 30, 2014 10:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
It's major flaw is that it's a pile of shit. Yet it also has many other flaws as well, such as awful production and awful songs. My most hated pearl jam album. If I can pin point the single worst bit though, it's the lyrics. I would be embarrassed to play this lp to anyone I know. Gone is just very bad on all fronts - I actually find it disturbing that such a song can have actually gone through the entire process of writing, recording, release without someone in the band or outside the band mentioning how appalling it is. Severed hand's lyrics are also god awful. But, as always with PJ, we have a couple of good ones - life wasted, parachutes are great tracks, musically and lyrically. This is the record that made me think pearl jam should stop writing new music, I really dislike it and I really wish it hadn't have happened. A real turning point in my liking of the band.
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