Lets Actually Listen to the Album: Backspacer

[chewm]

I think its way worse than S/T, I actually really, really like that album.
Backspacer is ok, just none of the songs (except maybe Got Some) do a lot for me, maybe its the production.
I really think Speed Of Sound has some great ideas and a very good melody, but i dont feel that either the demo or the album version make the song justice, I feel like it shouldn't have been a completely acoustic song but also definetely not as over produced as the album version.
Actually I dont think I dislike any song, its a good album, just my least favorite from Pearl Jam

[LikeLukin]

Boring and super generic. Just awful.

This

[stip]

generic is one of the more irritating complaints that gets thrown around, especially in the context of Backspacer. Boring--fine. Uninteresting--fine. Generic implies that these songs are all written off of a fairly standard and well worn templete, and that's a tough sell with Backspacer, I think.

[harmless]

If anything, Backspacer exposes a slightly shameful fact; Pearl Jam were always erring on the generic side. They never had a vastly unique sound of their own, and they always had their detractors for exactly that reason. When PJ consciously 'goes pop', that will come right to the fore. You're either OK with that, or you're not.

[stip]

But still, if you look for obvious antecedents to most of these songs in their catalog you're not going to come up with very much. Pearl Jam never really pushed boundaries, but that doesn't make them generic.

[stip]

true story: pearl jam is a pretty excellent band.

[EJ]

If anything, Backspacer exposes a slightly shameful fact; Pearl Jam were always erring on the generic side. They never had a vastly unique sound of their own, and they always had their detractors for exactly that reason. When PJ consciously 'goes pop', that will come right to the fore. You're either OK with that, or you're not.

One way to avoid that is to keep adding musicians. They're at seven now and counting.

[Jorge]

If anything, Backspacer exposes a slightly shameful fact; Pearl Jam were always erring on the generic side. They never had a vastly unique sound of their own, and they always had their detractors for exactly that reason. When PJ consciously 'goes pop', that will come right to the fore. You're either OK with that, or you're not.

One way to avoid that is to keep adding musicians. They're at seven now and counting.

They are?

[stip]

he's counting boom and BoB.

[harmless]

But still, if you look for obvious antecedents to most of these songs in their catalog you're not going to come up with very much. Pearl Jam never really pushed boundaries, but that doesn't make them generic.

I wouldn't use the word generic to describe them, no. But I wouldn't use 'generic' to describe Future Days either. It sounds like an older Pearl Jam, and it'd sound generic if any other band I was listening to at the moment wrote songs like it. The only songs that sound anything like it that I've heard are church songs. Church songs aren't 'generic'; what they are is out of touch with current trends... and you know where I'm going with that.

[LikeLukin]

Amongst the Waves is super generic. If you put someone else's voice in there to replace Ed, there is nothing there that would make anyone say "this sounds like Pearl Jam," and I don't mean that in a good way either like they are finding new ground that they haven't touched before. It just sounds like a pure run-of-the mill adult contemporary song. If there was an "Adult Contemporary Composing for Dummies" book, Amongst the Waves would be a main example referred to in its pages. Same goes for Just Breathe.

[harmless]

Amongst the Waves is super generic. If you put someone else's voice in there to replace Ed, there is nothing there that would make anyone say "this sounds like Pearl Jam,"

This is always the worst criticism on the forum. Honestly, Ed has always made Pearl Jam sound like Pearl Jam. Other than Ed, they are just a rock band. If you take Dave Grohl away from Foo Fighters... wow, so much meh.

[Lament]

If you take Dave Grohl away from Foo Fighters... wow, so much meh.

One of the things I find consoling about Pearl Jam is that I really can't imagine they'll ever deteriorate to the point where they're as bad as Foo Fighters.

[LikeLukin]

Amongst the Waves is super generic. If you put someone else's voice in there to replace Ed, there is nothing there that would make anyone say "this sounds like Pearl Jam,"

This is always the worst criticism on the forum. Honestly, Ed has always made Pearl Jam sound like Pearl Jam. Other than Ed, they are just a rock band. If you take Dave Grohl away from Foo Fighters... wow, so much meh.

This is just simply not true. I am not saying they aren't a rock band. Yes, Ed's voice is the main component of Pearl Jam that makes them sound like Pearl Jam but it is not the only thing.

[harmless]

If you take Dave Grohl away from Foo Fighters... wow, so much meh.

One of the things I find consoling about Pearl Jam is that I really can't imagine they'll ever deteriorate to the point where they're as bad as Foo Fighters.

That's why I'm still here, to be honest. The accusations against Pearl Jam sound so stupid when you compare them to other bands of their ilk. They are still my favourite band of their peers, as they always were. But they're also still not the most skilful band in the world.

[harmless]

Amongst the Waves is super generic. If you put someone else's voice in there to replace Ed, there is nothing there that would make anyone say "this sounds like Pearl Jam,"

This is always the worst criticism on the forum. Honestly, Ed has always made Pearl Jam sound like Pearl Jam. Other than Ed, they are just a rock band. If you take Dave Grohl away from Foo Fighters... wow, so much meh.

This is just simply not true. I am not saying they aren't a rock band. Yes, Ed's voice is the main component of Pearl Jam that makes them sound like Pearl Jam but it is not the only thing.

I didn't say it was the only thing. But it's very often the decisive thing. People hear Ed and they think Pearl Jam. People heard Mirrorball, and by and large they thought Neil Young.

[stip]

Amongst the Waves is super generic. If you put someone else's voice in there to replace Ed, there is nothing there that would make anyone say "this sounds like Pearl Jam," and I don't mean that in a good way either like they are finding new ground that they haven't touched before. It just sounds like a pure run-of-the mill adult contemporary song. If there was an "Adult Contemporary Composing for Dummies" book, Amongst the Waves would be a main example referred to in its pages. Same goes for Just Breathe.

what song does Amongst the Waves call to mind?

[Lounge Lizard]

But still, if you look for obvious antecedents to most of these songs in their catalog you're not going to come up with very much. Pearl Jam never really pushed boundaries, but that doesn't make them generic.

I wouldn't use the word generic to describe them, no. But I wouldn't use 'generic' to describe Future Days either. It sounds like an older Pearl Jam.

I think it doesnt belong on a PJ record.

[stip]

But still, if you look for obvious antecedents to most of these songs in their catalog you're not going to come up with very much. Pearl Jam never really pushed boundaries, but that doesn't make them generic.

I wouldn't use the word generic to describe them, no. But I wouldn't use 'generic' to describe Future Days either. It sounds like an older Pearl Jam.

I think it doesnt belong on a PJ record.

did you think TMW belongs on a pearl jam record?

[LikeLukin]

Amongst the Waves is super generic. If you put someone else's voice in there to replace Ed, there is nothing there that would make anyone say "this sounds like Pearl Jam,"

This is always the worst criticism on the forum. Honestly, Ed has always made Pearl Jam sound like Pearl Jam. Other than Ed, they are just a rock band. If you take Dave Grohl away from Foo Fighters... wow, so much meh.

This is just simply not true. I am not saying they aren't a rock band. Yes, Ed's voice is the main component of Pearl Jam that makes them sound like Pearl Jam but it is not the only thing.

I didn't say it was the only thing. But it's very often the decisive thing. People hear Ed and they think Pearl Jam. People heard Mirrorball, and by and large they thought Neil Young.

Obviously, since all of the songs were written by Neil and his guitar was front and centre over everything else.

Anyway, regardless, my point in my original post was that ATW is indeed as generic as it gets.