What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Backspacer

[LoathedVermin72]

No matter how many times I try, outside of a handful of tracks (like The Fixer, Just Breathe, etc.), I genuinely cannot remember any song from Backspacer. Not one hook, melody, or lyric. I have to play the songs to remind myself what they are, and even then it barely rings any bells and I immediately forget again. It’s just aggressively poor, forgettable, generic rock music.

[stip]

ive cooled on some of these a bit, and backspacer lacks a top top track, but except for supersonic I do quite like every song. most consistent album for me post vitalogy

[stip]

force of nature comes VERY close. that stale opening holds it back

[LoathedVermin72]

Genuinely have no idea what Force of Nature sounds like

[stip]

whiny generic riff. first verse is ok. Excellent chorus, great second verse (with some really cool stuff happening below the main riff), great soaring outro. Has some really strong lyrics

[stip]

its one of those songs i always find inspiring. but i think the same about lightning bolt so what do I know

[Sgt. Crackpot]

To almost word for word quote stip (his comments on No Code):

it doesnt hold together for me. The most inconsistent tracklisting of any pj record. Weak finish and Just Breathe is self-indulgent to the point of parody.

[EJ]

What the hell was Matt thinking with his drumming on Speed of Sound? Might be the worst drumming choice in their catalog.

[SomethingCreative]

Ed’s vocal delivery on Amongst the Waves... or maybe just the overall execution on that song. It has so much potential but just never really reaches that high. Makes the song drag and kills the momentum of the album.

[Tj]

This album so brilliant I can't find a flaw.

[Let's all laugh at Rangers]

The order. Put Supersonic somewhere before Just Breathe.

[Anders]

Shortest PJ album, and still has several weak songs.

[PHATJ]

No matter how many times I try, outside of a handful of tracks (like The Fixer, Just Breathe, etc.), I genuinely cannot remember any song from Backspacer. Not one hook, melody, or lyric. I have to play the songs to remind myself what they are, and even then it barely rings any bells and I immediately forget again. It’s just aggressively poor, forgettable, generic rock music.

You may have a brain disease. You should get that checked out. But your review remains accurate.

[Ms Harmless]

I listened to The Fixer yesterday and enjoyed it but sort of smiled in a "aww Ed you're so embarrassing" kind of way at "fight to get it back again"

and then I looked at the sky and thought to myself maybe, just maybe, with "Dance of the Clairvoyants" and "Gigaton", they may have finally won that fight

[digster]

I think a big part of my problem is that the album tanks after Just Breathe. I'm not in love with the first five songs, but I can hear what they were going for (PJ meets poppy new wave), and can appreciate parts of it. I think if the album had continued in that vein, I'd enjoy it far more than I do. But my problem is that after Just Breathe, it's just song after song that are near the bottom of the catalog for me. I used to feel similarly about S/T, but I've come to enjoy Big Wave, Army Reserve and Come Back, so it's mainly just Gone and Inside Job that are stumbling blocks. For Backspacer, after the first few songs it never really recovers until, literally, The End.

[PHATJ]

Backspacer sucks. All of it. Even the good parts are terrible. It’s just a boring and shitty album. That’s reality.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[PHATJ]

This album is better than Terminator Dark Fate.

I don’t even know what that means. But terminator dark fate sounds truly horrific.

[stip]

I listened to The Fixer yesterday and enjoyed it but sort of smiled in a "aww Ed you're so embarrassing" kind of way at "fight to get it back again"

and then I looked at the sky and thought to myself maybe, just maybe, with "Dance of the Clairvoyants" and "Gigaton", they may have finally won that fight

there is a charming optimism to that moment that was definitely of a piece with that time, which does date it a bit. still like it though. i just wish fixer didnt have those processed uh-huhs

[Habitman]

The mid-Tempo songs are all mediocre (Fixer/Force/Unthought/Waves). A PJ album cannot reach high quality when the mid-tempos all fail to be really good.