new (old) song: Let it Ride

[gardenparty]

the verse shares some similarities to Of the Earth

i enjoy this song

[harmless]

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.

'Eat a bowl of dicks' was awesome. That's even better than the 'bag of dicks' meme we've been throwing around already.

[harmless]

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.

Might you even say that you had a... fortunate feeling?

[E.H. Ruddock]

To them I say - eat a bowl of dicks, you god damn hipster.

[BurtReynolds]

I hated The Fixer before it was cool.

[Jorge]

To them I say - eat a bowl of dicks, you god damn hipster.

That looks a lot like Harmless.

[E.H. Ruddock]

To them I say - eat a bowl of dicks, you god damn hipster.

That looks a lot like Harmless.

I thought so too. I just found it in a 'hipster meme' search.

[stip]

Even the end of this song is starting to fade on me a bit. Just not that into this one.

[EJ]

Even the end of this song is starting to fade on me a bit. Just not that into this one.

Do you find it more or less preferable to Red Dot?

[stip]

what could be less preferable than red dot?

[Norah]

what could be less preferable than red dot?

Gonna See My Friend
Got Some
The Fixer
Johnny Guitar
Just Breathe
Amongst The Waves
Unthought Known
Supersonic
Speed Of Sound
Force Of Nature
The End

[Heathen]

what could be less preferable than red dot?

Gonna See My Friend
Got Some
The Fixer
Johnny Guitar
Just Breathe
Amongst The Waves
Unthought Known
Supersonic
Speed Of Sound
Force Of Nature
The End

the 11 best Backspacer songs

[E.H. Ruddock]

what could be less preferable than red dot?

Gonna See My Friend
Got Some
The Fixer
Johnny Guitar
Just Breathe
Amongst The Waves
Unthought Known
Supersonic
Speed Of Sound
Force Of Nature
The End

Pretty much

[stip]

what could be less preferable than red dot?

Gonna See My Friend
Got Some
The Fixer
Johnny Guitar
Just Breathe
Amongst The Waves
Unthought Known
Supersonic
Speed Of Sound
Force Of Nature
The End

the 11 best Backspacer songs

Rolling Stone should sponsor a countdown

[last|soldier]

Has anyone deciphered the part right at the end, before Ed sings "Look around she'll always be there."

[stupidmop]

'Look around and i will be there' is what i hear but he doesnt say 'I' anywhere else in the song so that might be wrong

[Fuzzcharger]

Gosh I hope that jam from the 2 minute mark onwards gets used on something else on Lightening Bolt assuming this isn't on the final record.

[Blenheim Augustine]

The radio barely exists anymore. It surely doesn't exist as the medium at which a piece of modern day pearl jam 'punchiness' would be optimally unleashed onto the salivating masses. They have this thing called the internet, guys....

I think you underestimate the impact of programmed music sources (both FM and online).



"Online radio is the fastest growing music listening option among U.S. consumers. In 2011, 43 percent of U.S. Web users chose to listen to music via Pandora, Slacker, Yahoo! Music, and other online radio options, which is 9 percentage points higher than the previous year. At the same time listening to music on AM/FM radio stayed relatively steady (84 percent) in 2011, as did CD listening (74 percent)."

[Fuck You Jobu]

Let it Ride feels like a Springsteen inspired phrase

When I saw the title, I thought the same thing.

[Fuck You Jobu]

This song just doesn't do much for me either. Just a standard song format with no real catch or hook.

Definitely hipster-esque

But I really dig Cold Confession.