Lets Actually Listen to the Album: Backspacer

[Mike]

I want people who think that Amongst The Waves is "generic" to explain why. Do you think the music aside from Ed is generic? I can't think of a lot that sounds like Amongst The Waves so I really don't get the "generic" criticism.

[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.

did you think TMW belongs on a pearl jam record?

it's close to Off He Goes, so yeah, fine with it.

[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.

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

A point which proves my thesis and somewhat abandons yours. The album wasn't defined by Neil's backing band, and neither is PJ defined by most people by Ed's.

[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.

what song does Amongst the Waves call to mind?

No one song specifically that comes to mind. It's just very easy to envision someone as lame as Celine Dion singing Amongst the Waves at one of her concerts, right before the Titanic theme.

[Lounge Lizard]

I want people who think that Amongst The Waves is "generic" to explain why. Do you think the music aside from Ed is generic? I can't think of a lot that sounds like Amongst The Waves so I really don't get the "generic" criticism.

Replace Eddie with the singer from a band called Live, and it's perfect.

[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.

A point which proves my thesis and somewhat abandons yours. The album wasn't defined by Neil's backing band, and neither is PJ defined by most people by Ed's.

True enough I guess.

[warehouse]

I want people who think that Amongst The Waves is "generic" to explain why. Do you think the music aside from Ed is generic? I can't think of a lot that sounds like Amongst The Waves so I really don't get the "generic" criticism.

Replace Eddie with the singer from a band called Live, and it's perfect.

no shit, i just youtube'd live's "heaven" b/c it was the closest thing i could think of.

[Mike]

Not liking a song and being able to imagine another band/artist singing it does not really make it generic.

[harmless]

True story: ATW is only as generic as GTF. I can't believe that people won't admit this just because they like one and not the other.

[warehouse]

True story: ATW is only as generic as GTF. I can't believe that people won't admit this just because they like one and not the other.

um, no. i know they kinda sound alike b/c of the rise and fall, but GTF isnt generic, or bland, or boring, or any other word you wanna use. unless stealing from led zeppelin is now considered generic.

[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?

No one song specifically that comes to mind. It's just very easy to envision someone as lame as Celine Dion singing Amongst the Waves at one of her concerts, right before the Titanic theme.

I just tried to do this and have a real hard time imagining it.

[LikeLukin]

Denial I guess.

[stip]

True story: ATW is only as generic as GTF. I can't believe that people won't admit this just because they like one and not the other.

um, no. i know they kinda sound alike b/c of the rise and fall, but GTF isnt generic, or bland, or boring, or any other word you wanna use. unless stealing from led zeppelin is now considered generic.

yeah, but neither is amongst the waves, really. At least not the verses.

[stip]

Denial I guess.

maybe my imagination is not as good as yours.

[LikeLukin]

There are definitely no maybes about that

[harmless]

True story: ATW is only as generic as GTF. I can't believe that people won't admit this just because they like one and not the other.

um, no. i know they kinda sound alike b/c of the rise and fall, but GTF isnt generic, or bland, or boring, or any other word you wanna use. unless stealing from led zeppelin is now considered generic.

Of course it isn't, because you like it. But my initial impression of GTF, all those years ago, was that it was better when it was called 'In the Name of Love' by U2.

[harmless]

To throw this 'generic' accusation even further back, it was even levelled at Led Zep back in the day.

[Mine]

True story: ATW is only as generic as GTF. I can't believe that people won't admit this just because they like one and not the other.

You're right.
When i 1st got into Pearl Jam and went trough their catalogue Yield had an effect on me no other album of theirs had. It failed at grabbing my attention. I just couldn't listen to it without loosing attention. It actually made me think about it because i didn't dislike it.

I think ATW is an attempt at a rewrite of Alive and similar songs. It has that late 80's formula of a calm verse that serves as a contrast to make the chorus sound even bigger. That big chorus does sound vintage at least to me.

[LikeLukin]

True story: ATW is only as generic as GTF. I can't believe that people won't admit this just because they like one and not the other.

um, no. i know they kinda sound alike b/c of the rise and fall, but GTF isnt generic, or bland, or boring, or any other word you wanna use. unless stealing from led zeppelin is now considered generic.

Of course it isn't, because you like it. But my initial impression of GTF, all those years ago, was that it was better when it was called 'In the Name of Love' by U2.

I don't get that comparison at all.

[stip]

I say this all the time but the verses of amongst the waves are so good and don't get the love and attention and respect they deserve.