Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
pearl jam
Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Ten is classic rock, like a Led Zeppelin album from the 70s or something. That is to say, it's like an album that's always been around. Most of us would've only heard it long after it was released (1992 for me).
Vs at the time was, and still is, a visceral listening experience - a band at the peak of it's powers, in a whirlwind of fame and media attention, something that nearly knocked the wind out of them completely. I remember the build up to it. That they came out with an album as fierce as this was quite a statement of intent, answering their critics, and maintained and developed their fanbase (at the time I wasn't massively into Ten, but Vs was right up my street).
Vitalogy is like the flipside of Vs - the same intense, angry playing, but filtered through a lense of unease and distress. There's some truly harrowing moments on that album, and the artwork / book reinforced that. It didn't do them any harm commerically though.
(special mention to Mirror Ball here - there was some great Pearl Jam band moments on that album, some great rocking cuts, it's just a pity there wasn't as much Vedder - though Merkin Ball is a nice accompanying release)
No Code was like an extension of the stranger parts of Vitalogy (and a similar playing style to that on Mirror Ball), definitely cut from the same cloth. It was from this point forward they would no longer be as big as they were or as commercial sounding - compared to this album, Vs sounds positively Top 40.
Yield was a step back to a more classic rock sound but also planted the seed of the Pearl Jam we have today - while there's more variation on Yield than on the albums released after it, you can tell they are beginning to settle in to some kind of comfort zone.
Binaural / Riot Act / 'Avocado' / Backspacer / Lightning Bolt - from here on out, these albums are fairly middle of the road, PJ-by-numbers. I could never enjoy the mumbling vocals on Riot Act, and the music was very one dimensional. Binaural had far too many Spin the Black Circle retreads, and while 'avocado' showed some promise, it again fell into a one-trick mode. Backspacer was better by virtue of the fact that it had some good songs and more variety, but Lightning Bolt was probably the dullest album they've ever made.
I've a feeling the new one is at least back to Yield quality, for me there's some real standouts - Quick Escape, Seven O'Clock, Alright, Buckle Up - sonically any of these songs could've sat on any of the last four albums, though they would arguably be the best song on each one. Only Dance of The Clairvoyants shows a completely new PJ sound. Saying all that, the production is a marked improvement over the last four or five albums.
That's just my 2c anyway!
0 -
eviltimeban wrote: »Ten is classic rock, like a Led Zeppelin album from the 70s or something. That is to say, it's like an album that's always been around. Most of us would've only heard it long after it was released (1992 for me).
Vs at the time was, and still is, a visceral listening experience - a band at the peak of it's powers, in a whirlwind of fame and media attention, something that nearly knocked the wind out of them completely. I remember the build up to it. That they came out with an album as fierce as this was quite a statement of intent, answering their critics, and maintained and developed their fanbase (at the time I wasn't massively into Ten, but Vs was right up my street).
Vitalogy is like the flipside of Vs - the same intense, angry playing, but filtered through a lense of unease and distress. There's some truly harrowing moments on that album, and the artwork / book reinforced that. It didn't do them any harm commerically though.
(special mention to Mirror Ball here - there was some great Pearl Jam band moments on that album, some great rocking cuts, it's just a pity there wasn't as much Vedder - though Merkin Ball is a nice accompanying release)
No Code was like an extension of the stranger parts of Vitalogy (and a similar playing style to that on Mirror Ball), definitely cut from the same cloth. It was from this point forward they would no longer be as big as they were or as commercial sounding - compared to this album, Vs sounds positively Top 40.
Yield was a step back to a more classic rock sound but also planted the seed of the Pearl Jam we have today - while there's more variation on Yield than on the albums released after it, you can tell they are beginning to settle in to some kind of comfort zone.
Binaural / Riot Act / 'Avocado' / Backspacer / Lightning Bolt - from here on out, these albums are fairly middle of the road, PJ-by-numbers. I could never enjoy the mumbling vocals on Riot Act, and the music was very one dimensional. Binaural had far too many Spin the Black Circle retreads, and while 'avocado' showed some promise, it again fell into a one-trick mode. Backspacer was better by virtue of the fact that it had some good songs and more variety, but Lightning Bolt was probably the dullest album they've ever made.
I've a feeling the new one is at least back to Yield quality, for me there's some real standouts - Quick Escape, Seven O'Clock, Alright, Buckle Up - sonically any of these songs could've sat on any of the last four albums, though they would arguably be the best song on each one. Only Dance of The Clairvoyants shows a completely new PJ sound. Saying all that, the production is a marked improvement over the last four or five albums.
That's just my 2c anyway!
Great review.
I think is 'Avacado' is an overlooked album. Some great songs on it and Inside Job is a classic song.
With Backspacer and Lightining Bolt, I reckon between the 2 you could make one great album, what songs would make is a whole new debate altogether :pac:0 -
-
eviltimeban wrote: »Ten is classic rock, like a Led Zeppelin album from the 70s or something. That is to say, it's like an album that's always been around. Most of us would've only heard it long after it was released (1992 for me).
Vs at the time was, and still is, a visceral listening experience - a band at the peak of it's powers, in a whirlwind of fame and media attention, something that nearly knocked the wind out of them completely. I remember the build up to it. That they came out with an album as fierce as this was quite a statement of intent, answering their critics, and maintained and developed their fanbase (at the time I wasn't massively into Ten, but Vs was right up my street).
Vitalogy is like the flipside of Vs - the same intense, angry playing, but filtered through a lense of unease and distress. There's some truly harrowing moments on that album, and the artwork / book reinforced that. It didn't do them any harm commerically though.
(special mention to Mirror Ball here - there was some great Pearl Jam band moments on that album, some great rocking cuts, it's just a pity there wasn't as much Vedder - though Merkin Ball is a nice accompanying release)
No Code was like an extension of the stranger parts of Vitalogy (and a similar playing style to that on Mirror Ball), definitely cut from the same cloth. It was from this point forward they would no longer be as big as they were or as commercial sounding - compared to this album, Vs sounds positively Top 40.
Yield was a step back to a more classic rock sound but also planted the seed of the Pearl Jam we have today - while there's more variation on Yield than on the albums released after it, you can tell they are beginning to settle in to some kind of comfort zone.
Binaural / Riot Act / 'Avocado' / Backspacer / Lightning Bolt - from here on out, these albums are fairly middle of the road, PJ-by-numbers. I could never enjoy the mumbling vocals on Riot Act, and the music was very one dimensional. Binaural had far too many Spin the Black Circle retreads, and while 'avocado' showed some promise, it again fell into a one-trick mode. Backspacer was better by virtue of the fact that it had some good songs and more variety, but Lightning Bolt was probably the dullest album they've ever made.
I've a feeling the new one is at least back to Yield quality, for me there's some real standouts - Quick Escape, Seven O'Clock, Alright, Buckle Up - sonically any of these songs could've sat on any of the last four albums, though they would arguably be the best song on each one. Only Dance of The Clairvoyants shows a completely new PJ sound. Saying all that, the production is a marked improvement over the last four or five albums.
That's just my 2c anyway!
Good summary.
Love the song I'm the ocean from Mirrorball. Great riff.
Just on the last 2 points on Avocado - I know there are some very good songs on it. But when I go to listen to it, just something puts me off. I'm not at all familiar with the technical issues behind music, but is there something about the sound production? Overproduced? A kinda tin sound coming from it?
I don't know. Just something about it.0 -
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
Advertisement