new (old) song: Let it Ride

[warehouse]

its not a radio song, but its fairly catchy. its like 'hold on' and 'army reserve' had a baby, and their baby is much better looking and successful than either parent.

really like ed's vocals on the outro. is that ed and matt, since its from avocado?

[Thejambi]

This gets a "like it". I think the music is great but the vocals are a little too flat.


The outro is fucking great.

[zoe1271]

This is weak, but so is Avocado IMO. I'm not hearing why there's so much love for this song.

[verb_to_trust]

This is weak, but so is Avocado IMO. I'm not hearing why there's so much love for this song.

Because this band hasn't put a decent song to record in 10 years or so?

[Vic Cognac]

I like it, but it's not as good as cold confession...but then again pretty much all of Backspacer and at least half of the Avocado are not as good as cold confession either....but either way 4 out of 5.

[zoe1271]

This is weak, but so is Avocado IMO. I'm not hearing why there's so much love for this song.

Because this band hasn't put a decent song to record in 10 years or so?

I do like MYM. I think we will all be pleasantly surprised by Lightning Bolt.

[BurtReynolds]

This is weak, but so is Avocado IMO. I'm not hearing why there's so much love for this song.

Because this band hasn't put a decent song to record in 10 years or so?

I do like MYM. I think we will all be pleasantly surprised by Lightning Bolt.

it would only surprise me if it isn't bland.

[verb_to_trust]

[Farmer John]

[VinylGuy]

This is weak, but so is Avocado IMO. I'm not hearing why there's so much love for this song.

Because this band hasn't put a decent song to record in 10 years or so?

I do like MYM. I think we will all be pleasantly surprised by Lightning Bolt.

i have the same feeling.

[IlluminEddie]

These feel unmastered to me. I really wonder how much of people's issues with later day pearl jam really come down to production--issues with how the songs feel due to their presentation, rather than the writing itself.

I don't really make a distinction. A song is what a song sounds like. Not what the sheet looks like. At least to me. Now I know what you mean of course, so would I like Life Wasted, Unemployable, The Fixer or WWS with a different production? Probably not, unless it was produced in a way that makes the lyrics unhearable.

that's true, and the song is the song. But there were more than a few comments somewhere in this avalanche where people were remarking on how great they tracks felt/sounded (the 5 guys playing in a room) that I think reflects the rawer, unmastered feel of these songs. I can very easily imagine people soured on backspacer's production, for instance, enjoying the unmastered versions of those songs more. Will they become their favorite songs? Of course not. Will it make a difference? it might.

Yup.

In my limited time here over the years, I think RM is known for it's hipster-style remarks. I think that's what you're getting at and I agree. If it's "not released", there's more incentive here to like it because that's the hipster thing to do

to clarify, that was definitely not my point. It's not that these songs were rare that matters. They feel rawer or unprocessed/unmastered. So you can hear the actual song in a purer form. And I think that's attractive to a lot of people--especially since the mastering on the last two albums (of which I am one of the most, if not the most, vocal defenders) does leave something to be desired.

The point is that when Pearl Jam songs are good, no one gives a shit about this stuff. No one is talking about production, vocal delivery or agency because these songs are immediate. They engage the right hand side of the brain so the left hand side can take a rest.

I'd say this isn't true. I think most can agree The Fixer was a weird tune, but in relative terms, popular. So, fair enough Fixer gets burned here and elsewhere - cause let's face it, it's kinda beat. It goes with the band being absolute hypocrite sell-outs to Target. Just Breathe, however, that's a great lyric and song. That particular tune doesn't get street cred in these parts though. The End, in my opinion, is probably even better. Lyrically, I'd argue it may be Ed's best work. Moreover, it's a very nice, semi-odd, chord structure in the realm of Black Bird. Yet, where's the love? It's slow and it's on a commercial album (not a b-side)... that's probably it.

Let's get more specific though. In this past week, I've heard bitching about Small Town. Seriously? Small Town? That's a classic tune. It's a great song, and yet some are saying PJ shouldn't have put it on an album. To them I say - eat a bowl of dicks, you god damn hipster. That's a fantastic tune and thankfully it was included on Verses. PJ is a diverse band - slow and fast. I like that. They've always been that way. From Oceans, Release, Footsteps to Porch, State of Love and Trust, Once to Just Breathe, The End, to Force of Nature, Gonna See My Friend and Severed Hand and so on. People want to pretend the music is really changing. I'd argue it's not. It's just more Ed. And you know what, I like that. If you're anti-Ed writing, I get that too. Want more jams? Ok. That makes sense. But, to just say a song's shit, that actually isn't then claim this shit tune Let it Ride is divine... get real.

Ed's lyrics sometimes suck - like The Fixer or like Evenflow. Sometimes the song carries it, like Evenflow. Other times, his lyrics are fantastic - like Release, like Tremor Christ, etc. I get someone coming down on Ed for shit lyrics. I get someone coming down on the band for shit music. I get it. But, generally, there's a sense of impending doom in these parts (with the sole exception of the release of shit Bsides which one can bitch weren't on an album) and the sense of impending rock stardom in the ten club alternative (with no exceptions - everything they make is gold and diamonds over there ).

It's a fun dynamic to watch/read/contribute in, actually.

[Blenheim Augustine]

These feel unmastered to me. I really wonder how much of people's issues with later day pearl jam really come down to production--issues with how the songs feel due to their presentation, rather than the writing itself.

I don't really make a distinction. A song is what a song sounds like. Not what the sheet looks like. At least to me. Now I know what you mean of course, so would I like Life Wasted, Unemployable, The Fixer or WWS with a different production? Probably not, unless it was produced in a way that makes the lyrics unhearable.

that's true, and the song is the song. But there were more than a few comments somewhere in this avalanche where people were remarking on how great they tracks felt/sounded (the 5 guys playing in a room) that I think reflects the rawer, unmastered feel of these songs. I can very easily imagine people soured on backspacer's production, for instance, enjoying the unmastered versions of those songs more. Will they become their favorite songs? Of course not. Will it make a difference? it might.

Yup.

In my limited time here over the years, I think RM is known for it's hipster-style remarks. I think that's what you're getting at and I agree. If it's "not released", there's more incentive here to like it because that's the hipster thing to do

to clarify, that was definitely not my point. It's not that these songs were rare that matters. They feel rawer or unprocessed/unmastered. So you can hear the actual song in a purer form. And I think that's attractive to a lot of people--especially since the mastering on the last two albums (of which I am one of the most, if not the most, vocal defenders) does leave something to be desired.

The point is that when Pearl Jam songs are good, no one gives a shit about this stuff. No one is talking about production, vocal delivery or agency because these songs are immediate. They engage the right hand side of the brain so the left hand side can take a rest.

I'd say this isn't true. I think most can agree The Fixer was a weird tune, but in relative terms, popular. So, fair enough Fixer gets burned here and elsewhere - cause let's face it, it's kinda beat. It goes with the band being absolute hypocrite sell-outs to Target. Just Breathe, however, that's a great lyric and song. That particular tune doesn't get street cred in these parts though. The End, in my opinion, is probably even better. Lyrically, I'd argue it may be Ed's best work. Moreover, it's a very nice, semi-odd, chord structure in the realm of Black Bird. Yet, where's the love? It's slow and it's on a commercial album (not a b-side)... that's probably it.

Let's get more specific though. In this past week, I've heard bitching about Small Town. Seriously? Small Town? That's a classic tune. It's a great song, and yet some are saying PJ shouldn't have put it on an album. To them I say - eat a bowl of dicks, you god damn hipster. That's a fantastic tune and thankfully it was included on Verses. PJ is a diverse band - slow and fast. I like that. They've always been that way. From Oceans, Release, Footsteps to Porch, State of Love and Trust, Once to Just Breathe, The End, to Force of Nature, Gonna See My Friend and Severed Hand and so on. People want to pretend the music is really changing. I'd argue it's not. It's just more Ed. And you know what, I like that. If you're anti-Ed writing, I get that too. Want more jams? Ok. That makes sense. But, to just say a song's shit, that actually isn't then claim this shit tune Let it Ride is divine... get real.

Ed's lyrics sometimes suck - like The Fixer or like Evenflow. Sometimes the song carries it, like Evenflow. Other times, his lyrics are fantastic - like Release, like Tremor Christ, etc. I get someone coming down on Ed for shit lyrics. I get someone coming down on the band for shit music. I get it. But, generally, there's a sense of impending doom in these parts (with the sole exception of the release of shit Bsides which one can bitch weren't on an album) and the sense of impending rock stardom in the ten club alternative (with no exceptions - everything they make is gold and diamonds over there ).

It's a fun dynamic to watch/read/contribute in, actually.

It is always difficult when you aggregate the opinions of this board as, contrary to what this seems to imply, I think the tastes are pretty diverse - I do agree that there can be an excessive degree of negativity sometimes but I think that is reflective of disappointment in most cases. Like you I don't completely buy the 'it's Ed's fault' critique considering he was responsible for the majority of songwriting on two of my three favourite albums. I haven't seen the distaste for Elderly Woman, but I know that it doesn't tend to be a live favourite for most people here (I don't think that necessarily means that people don't like the song on Vs). I'd also say there is a decent amount of like or love of the End but many people feel there isn't much of the band's personality stamped on it - in the 'old days' you'd hear the creak of Jeff's fretless bass and some guitar stabs from Stone - now there's someone playing violins. The other criticisms of the post 2005 period have been argued ad infinitum and I personally think it has a lot to do with 1) lack of output and 2) Backspacer. Avocado wasn't bad but the lack of output since then means that for the last ten years the studio output has been average / weak.

[dimejinky99]

This one has Stone stamped all over it.
The outro, again wish it went on longer.

Fade outs be damned.

[Heathen]

These feel unmastered to me. I really wonder how much of people's issues with later day pearl jam really come down to production--issues with how the songs feel due to their presentation, rather than the writing itself.

I don't really make a distinction. A song is what a song sounds like. Not what the sheet looks like. At least to me. Now I know what you mean of course, so would I like Life Wasted, Unemployable, The Fixer or WWS with a different production? Probably not, unless it was produced in a way that makes the lyrics unhearable.

that's true, and the song is the song. But there were more than a few comments somewhere in this avalanche where people were remarking on how great they tracks felt/sounded (the 5 guys playing in a room) that I think reflects the rawer, unmastered feel of these songs. I can very easily imagine people soured on backspacer's production, for instance, enjoying the unmastered versions of those songs more. Will they become their favorite songs? Of course not. Will it make a difference? it might.

Yup.

In my limited time here over the years, I think RM is known for it's hipster-style remarks. I think that's what you're getting at and I agree. If it's "not released", there's more incentive here to like it because that's the hipster thing to do

to clarify, that was definitely not my point. It's not that these songs were rare that matters. They feel rawer or unprocessed/unmastered. So you can hear the actual song in a purer form. And I think that's attractive to a lot of people--especially since the mastering on the last two albums (of which I am one of the most, if not the most, vocal defenders) does leave something to be desired.

The point is that when Pearl Jam songs are good, no one gives a shit about this stuff. No one is talking about production, vocal delivery or agency because these songs are immediate. They engage the right hand side of the brain so the left hand side can take a rest.

I'd say this isn't true. I think most can agree The Fixer was a weird tune, but in relative terms, popular. So, fair enough Fixer gets burned here and elsewhere - cause let's face it, it's kinda beat. It goes with the band being absolute hypocrite sell-outs to Target. Just Breathe, however, that's a great lyric and song. That particular tune doesn't get street cred in these parts though. The End, in my opinion, is probably even better. Lyrically, I'd argue it may be Ed's best work. Moreover, it's a very nice, semi-odd, chord structure in the realm of Black Bird. Yet, where's the love? It's slow and it's on a commercial album (not a b-side)... that's probably it.

Let's get more specific though. In this past week, I've heard bitching about Small Town. Seriously? Small Town? That's a classic tune. It's a great song, and yet some are saying PJ shouldn't have put it on an album. To them I say - eat a bowl of dicks, you god damn hipster. That's a fantastic tune and thankfully it was included on Verses. PJ is a diverse band - slow and fast. I like that. They've always been that way. From Oceans, Release, Footsteps to Porch, State of Love and Trust, Once to Just Breathe, The End, to Force of Nature, Gonna See My Friend and Severed Hand and so on. People want to pretend the music is really changing. I'd argue it's not. It's just more Ed. And you know what, I like that. If you're anti-Ed writing, I get that too. Want more jams? Ok. That makes sense. But, to just say a song's shit, that actually isn't then claim this shit tune Let it Ride is divine... get real.

So basically what you're saying is you don't accept it when people don't like songs you like, and that makes them hipsters.

[dimejinky99]

Gotta love all this new blood here at RM towers

[Revelator]

This one has Stone stamped all over it.
The outro, again wish it went on longer.

Fade outs be damned.

Agreed, pretty solid tune IMO. Fucking fade outs...

[hailroad]

This one has Stone stamped all over it.
The outro, again wish it went on longer.

Fade outs be damned.

X2. I love how it doesn't start out as a straight ahead tune, but midway through it straightens out and builds up steam and stomps along. To me, this song pounds anything on Backspacer into the ground. This should have replaced Gone on ST and CC taken Big Wave's spot. I love Ed's vocal take on this. It's refreshing to hear him without all of the affectations from 2009-on.

[JimX6]

These feel unmastered to me. I really wonder how much of people's issues with later day pearl jam really come down to production--issues with how the songs feel due to their presentation, rather than the writing itself.

I don't really make a distinction. A song is what a song sounds like. Not what the sheet looks like. At least to me. Now I know what you mean of course, so would I like Life Wasted, Unemployable, The Fixer or WWS with a different production? Probably not, unless it was produced in a way that makes the lyrics unhearable.

that's true, and the song is the song. But there were more than a few comments somewhere in this avalanche where people were remarking on how great they tracks felt/sounded (the 5 guys playing in a room) that I think reflects the rawer, unmastered feel of these songs. I can very easily imagine people soured on backspacer's production, for instance, enjoying the unmastered versions of those songs more. Will they become their favorite songs? Of course not. Will it make a difference? it might.

Yup.

In my limited time here over the years, I think RM is known for it's hipster-style remarks. I think that's what you're getting at and I agree. If it's "not released", there's more incentive here to like it because that's the hipster thing to do

to clarify, that was definitely not my point. It's not that these songs were rare that matters. They feel rawer or unprocessed/unmastered. So you can hear the actual song in a purer form. And I think that's attractive to a lot of people--especially since the mastering on the last two albums (of which I am one of the most, if not the most, vocal defenders) does leave something to be desired.

The point is that when Pearl Jam songs are good, no one gives a shit about this stuff. No one is talking about production, vocal delivery or agency because these songs are immediate. They engage the right hand side of the brain so the left hand side can take a rest.

I'd say this isn't true. I think most can agree The Fixer was a weird tune, but in relative terms, popular. So, fair enough Fixer gets burned here and elsewhere - cause let's face it, it's kinda beat. It goes with the band being absolute hypocrite sell-outs to Target. Just Breathe, however, that's a great lyric and song. That particular tune doesn't get street cred in these parts though. The End, in my opinion, is probably even better. Lyrically, I'd argue it may be Ed's best work. Moreover, it's a very nice, semi-odd, chord structure in the realm of Black Bird. Yet, where's the love? It's slow and it's on a commercial album (not a b-side)... that's probably it.

Let's get more specific though. In this past week, I've heard bitching about Small Town. Seriously? Small Town? That's a classic tune. It's a great song, and yet some are saying PJ shouldn't have put it on an album. To them I say - eat a bowl of dicks, you god damn hipster. That's a fantastic tune and thankfully it was included on Verses. PJ is a diverse band - slow and fast. I like that. They've always been that way. From Oceans, Release, Footsteps to Porch, State of Love and Trust, Once to Just Breathe, The End, to Force of Nature, Gonna See My Friend and Severed Hand and so on. People want to pretend the music is really changing. I'd argue it's not. It's just more Ed. And you know what, I like that. If you're anti-Ed writing, I get that too. Want more jams? Ok. That makes sense. But, to just say a song's shit, that actually isn't then claim this shit tune Let it Ride is divine... get real.

Ed's lyrics sometimes suck - like The Fixer or like Evenflow. Sometimes the song carries it, like Evenflow. Other times, his lyrics are fantastic - like Release, like Tremor Christ, etc. I get someone coming down on Ed for shit lyrics. I get someone coming down on the band for shit music. I get it. But, generally, there's a sense of impending doom in these parts (with the sole exception of the release of shit Bsides which one can bitch weren't on an album) and the sense of impending rock stardom in the ten club alternative (with no exceptions - everything they make is gold and diamonds over there ).

It's a fun dynamic to watch/read/contribute in, actually.

Geez I must be a hipster for not liking every single song my favorite band wrote. Guys I'm no longer a fan..

[EJ]

This is a 5 star song to my ears from 2:00 on. Damnit.

[Monkey_Driven]

This is a 5 star song to my ears from 2:00 on. Damnit.

Absolutely.