Backspacer: Official Album Thread

[Monkey_Driven]

I know the album version got a lot of shit at the time, but I really like both versions of SoS.

[Strat]

I know the album version got a lot of shit at the time, but I really like both versions of SoS.

Fuck RM. Speed of Sound is fantastic with lasers

[evenslow]

I know the album version got a lot of shit at the time, but I really like both versions of SoS.

Fuck RM. Speed of Sound is fantastic with lasers

I, too, grew into these feelings about SoS.

[Strat]

I know the album version got a lot of shit at the time, but I really like both versions of SoS.

Fuck RM. Speed of Sound is fantastic with lasers

I, too, grew into these feelings about SoS.

once the meds kicked in, i figured this would be the case.

[evenslow]

I know the album version got a lot of shit at the time, but I really like both versions of SoS.

Fuck RM. Speed of Sound is fantastic with lasers

I, too, grew into these feelings about SoS.

once the meds kicked in, i figured this would be the case.

my meds are the sweet forbidden elixir of lasers. an ssri for the ears.

[Strat]

I know the album version got a lot of shit at the time, but I really like both versions of SoS.

Fuck RM. Speed of Sound is fantastic with lasers

I, too, grew into these feelings about SoS.

once the meds kicked in, i figured this would be the case.

my meds are the sweet forbidden elixir of lasers. an ssri for the ears.

I fucking love you when you talk medical to me

[PHATJ]

Speed of Sound is one of the few tolerable songs on Backspacer.

[Monkey_Driven]

I'm glad everyone has come around on SoS.

[PHATJ]

I never hated it.

[dprival78]

the demo version >>>>>>>> the album version.



ok, maybe >>>>> the album version

[chewm]

I dont get the love for the demo versions of songs like Speed of Sound and Gone, they're boring as hell. I guess I dont care for solo vedder.

I really like the album version of Speed of Sound, one of the best from Backspacer.

[epilogue]

I vote sparkly btw.

[epilogue]

I think Supersonic is actually underrated.

It's weird because Supersonic actually helped me more fully appreciate Mankind.

[epilogue]

I know the album version got a lot of shit at the time, but I really like both versions of SoS.

Fuck RM. Speed of Sound is fantastic with lasers

I, too, grew into these feelings about SoS.

There was nothing to grow into. It was one of the album's best tracks from listen #1.

[epilogue]

In light of Backspacer's birthday, I've made stip a new avatar to celebrate:

Also,... Stip.

You only have like 30 hours left to make this your avatar or we ban you for life.

[VinylGuy]

I've heard so many arguments and none of them hold water. There's nothing embarrassing about Amongst the Waves. There is no "failure" or reach for former glory or any of that nonsense. If that's why a listener doesn't like the song, then that's on the listener. That's the listeners own bullshit baggage that they're bringing to the experience.

Which is not to say that it's impossible to hate the song. I totally get why a person would hate it. There are legitimate reasons to dislike it. But "Reaching for and falling far short of a former brilliant place" just isn't one of them.

I agree with this so much...To be fair, sometimes its impossible not to put our own bullshit baggage to a song or a piece of art. But yeah, i agree that the whole ¨ its was a failure¨ doesnt matter much, specially 8 years from the release of the album.

I saw yeasterday a few songs from their ACL shoot in 2009, Johnny Guitar, ATW and The Fixer were fucking awesome.

Oh and the end of Army Reserve...fuck that jam is good.

[epilogue]

I've heard so many arguments and none of them hold water. There's nothing embarrassing about Amongst the Waves. There is no "failure" or reach for former glory or any of that nonsense. If that's why a listener doesn't like the song, then that's on the listener. That's the listeners own bullshit baggage that they're bringing to the experience.

Which is not to say that it's impossible to hate the song. I totally get why a person would hate it. There are legitimate reasons to dislike it. But "Reaching for and falling far short of a former brilliant place" just isn't one of them.

To be fair, sometimes its impossible not to put our own bullshit baggage to a song or a piece of art.

Very true. Good point.

[gardenparty]

SOS

[stip]

In light of Backspacer's birthday, I've made stip a new avatar to celebrate:

Also,... Stip.

You only have like 30 hours left to make this your avatar or we ban you for life.

it's too big. How do I shrink it?!

[stip]

I've heard so many arguments and none of them hold water. There's nothing embarrassing about Amongst the Waves. There is no "failure" or reach for former glory or any of that nonsense. If that's why a listener doesn't like the song, then that's on the listener. That's the listeners own bullshit baggage that they're bringing to the experience.

Which is not to say that it's impossible to hate the song. I totally get why a person would hate it. There are legitimate reasons to dislike it. But "Reaching for and falling far short of a former brilliant place" just isn't one of them.

To be fair, sometimes its impossible not to put our own bullshit baggage to a song or a piece of art.

Very true. Good point.

I like Amongst the Waves a lot, but I think there is something to that broad critique as a style of critique. If you write a song or create any art that calls to mind similar works crafted in the past you do invite the audience to draw comparisons. It's probably impossible not to. And while it is absolutely its own song, Amongst the Wave does share a lineage with triumphant mid tempo anthems of pearl jam past. And then if you don't like the song as much as its peers it will influence how you think and talk about the song. I don't like this song, and I DO like songs on that part of the family tree, therefore there is something deficient in this particular performance.


I apply the same logic to a song like In Hiding or Faithful, rather than Amongst the Waves. Here is a mid tempo anthem in the classic pearl jam style (talky verses, soaring chorus, etc), but when I listened to them they didn't move me like Jeremy or Alive or Betterman or Given to Fly on the same album, and my enjoyment of faithful or in hiding suffered because I was reminded of other songs I like better. I'm not sure that I LIKE push me/pull me more than faithful, but I feel more warmly disposed towards it in part because it stands alone and I'm not comparing it to other songs I enjoy more.


I'm not saying this is a good or bad thing as much as it is just likely inevitable.