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Post subject: Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Posted: Tue June 24, 2014 1:17 pm
Yeah Yeah Yeah
Joined: Wed July 24, 2013 7:38 pm Posts: 50
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!
Post subject: Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Posted: Tue June 24, 2014 1:38 pm
NEVER STOP JAMMING!
Joined: Wed January 02, 2013 1:56 am Posts: 21847
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.
Post subject: Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Posted: Tue June 24, 2014 2:38 pm
AnalLog
Joined: Wed April 03, 2013 8:10 pm Posts: 1833
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.
Post subject: Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Posted: Wed June 25, 2014 4:56 am
AnalLog
Joined: Wed December 18, 2013 5:27 am Posts: 1009
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.
Post subject: Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Posted: Wed June 25, 2014 11:08 am
The worst
Joined: Thu December 13, 2012 6:31 pm Posts: 39948
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
Post subject: Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Posted: Wed June 25, 2014 3:07 pm
AnalLog
Joined: Wed December 18, 2013 5:27 am Posts: 1009
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.
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
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
Post subject: Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Posted: Wed June 25, 2014 4:30 pm
likes rhythmic things that butt up against each other
Joined: Mon January 07, 2013 7:58 pm Posts: 525
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.
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
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.
Post subject: Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Posted: Wed June 25, 2014 5:15 pm
AnalLog
Joined: Wed December 18, 2013 5:27 am Posts: 1009
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.
Post subject: Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Posted: Wed June 25, 2014 5:56 pm
Commissioner
Joined: Wed March 13, 2013 12:48 am Posts: 11792
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.
Post subject: Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Posted: Sat June 28, 2014 11:44 pm
AnalLog
Joined: Wed December 18, 2013 5:27 am Posts: 1009
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.
Post subject: Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Posted: Sun June 29, 2014 10:54 am
The worst
Joined: Thu December 13, 2012 6:31 pm Posts: 39948
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?
Post subject: Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Posted: Sun June 29, 2014 11:17 am
AnalLog
Joined: Wed December 18, 2013 5:27 am Posts: 1009
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.
Post subject: Re: What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Pearl Jam
Posted: Mon June 30, 2014 10:39 pm
Banned from the Pit
Joined: Wed April 23, 2014 11:56 am Posts: 25
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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