Gigaton: Official album thread

[Farmer John]

I was really not expecting to like Comes Then Goes and Never Destinations based on the early descriptions, but they're two of my favs.

[Habitman]

The two best songs on the album are QUICK ESCAPE and DOTC. One is a true “return to form” - could fit right in on Vs and still be a standout. The other is a complete departure from their previous work and is equally spectacular. This is a tremendous achievement for a band that’s been together 30 years.

[elliseamos]

Ed’s vocals are so diverse, the run of different vocal stylings from song to song

I think this is pretty true.

3rded. He really shines in many parts of the album. The whole band really captured something special with this album.

That said, I really wish Ed would write like he did for rearviewmirror and use a few less words and let the words he does sing float across the instrumentation. I'm sure someone else has already posted/said it better, but it's strange to me that he is so wordy now. Maybe Stone or Jeff could play the fixer role for a bit.

He does to an extent on 7:00 which is causing it to rise up by current board.

[stip]

So far I like every single song on this record. Having a hard time pinpointing when that was last true.

the pearl jam song ranker offers 4 different ways to definitively answer that question! all you need is an internet connection and 6 hours

[McParadigm]

So far I like every single song on this record. Having a hard time pinpointing when that was last true.

the pearl jam song ranker offers 4 different ways to definitively answer that question! all you need is an internet connection and 6 hours

goddamn it stip

[stip]

Ed’s vocals are so diverse, the run of different vocal stylings from song to song

I think this is pretty true.

3rded. He really shines in many parts of the album. The whole band really captured something special with this album.

That said, I really wish Ed would write like he did for rearviewmirror and use a few less words and let the words he does sing float across the instrumentation. I'm sure someone else has already posted/said it better, but it's strange to me that he is so wordy now. Maybe Stone or Jeff could play the fixer role for a bit.

He does to an extent on 7:00 which is causing it to rise up by current board.

There's kind of an Antichrist Television Blues style on a few of these songs. That wordier, Subterranean Homesick Blues kind of thing. Where the lyrics keep coming a mile a minute, and it just keeps going.

someone (kevin davis?) noted that wordier songs may be easier for ed to sing than songs with fewer lyrics and sustained notes. that’s when his vowel affectations pop up

[stip]

So far I like every single song on this record. Having a hard time pinpointing when that was last true.

the pearl jam song ranker offers 4 different ways to definitively answer that question! all you need is an internet connection and 6 hours

goddamn it stip

i can only lead you to the water

[YieldAhead]

Sounds like it is going to be a mixed bag.

[dimejinky99]

Alright would have Been a greasy way to open this record.

A la sometimes. Go from that into quick escape. Or one of the big ones

[daft twat]

Who Ever Said - **** - Great opener. Catchy and fun
SBWM - **** - This would have been the best track on Backspacer. I like that album and I really like this song.
Dance - *** It's fine. Other bands do this better. The dicks and fix and fire things line is awful.
Quick Escape- ***** What a groove. Best song they've written in forever.
Alright - ****1/2 Ed sounds nice. I like the sentiment of this one.
Seven O'Clock - * Like the music, but what the fuck is Ed doing with these verses?
Never Destination - ***1/2 This is fun. Verb's Huey Lewis reference is right on.
Take the Long Way - ***1/2 Matt is great, isn't he?
Buckle Up - *** "Do no Ho-arm" Christ. Also, just don't think you can sing "bed sores" pretty.
Comes Then Goes - ***** I love this song. The only part that is jarring is when he hammers on the guitar, but it sort of reminds me of Fred Rogers banging on the low keys of the piano. It's just anger and frustration. He lost his friend. He should have a moment to pound on the guitar in the midst of the melancholy.
Retrograde - *** This song doesn't offend me. It's just there. Bland.
River Cross - ****1/2 Great closer. So happy with what the band added to it.

It's probably a ***1/2 star album for me. The highs are really high, though, so maybe 4. If Seven O'Clock wasn't on here, 4 stars for sure.

[McParadigm]

So far I like every single song on this record. Having a hard time pinpointing when that was last true.

the pearl jam song ranker offers 4 different ways to definitively answer that question! all you need is an internet connection and 6 hours

goddamn it stip

i can only lead you to the water

Anyways the answer is Binaural.

[Ms Harmless]

Who Ever Said - **** - Great opener. Catchy and fun
SBWM - **** - This would have been the best track on Backspacer. I like that album and I really like this song.
Dance - *** It's fine. Other bands do this better. The dicks and fix and fire things line is awful.
Never Destination - ***** What a groove. Best song they've written in forever.
Alright - ****1/2 Ed sounds nice. I like the sentiment of this one.
Seven O'Clock - * Like the music, but what the fuck is Ed doing with these verses?
Never Destination - ***1/2 This is fun. Verb's Huey Lewis reference is right on.
Take the Long Way - ***1/2 Matt is great, isn't he?
Buckle Up - *** "Do no Ho-arm" Christ. Also, just don't think you can sing "bed sores" pretty.
Comes Then Goes - ***** I love this song. The only part that is jarring is when he hammers on the guitar, but it sort of reminds me of Fred Rogers banging on the low keys of the piano. It's just anger and frustration. He lost his friend. He should have a moment to pound on the guitar in the midst of the melancholy.
Retrograde - *** This song doesn't offend me. It's just there. Bland.
River Cross - ****1/2 Great closer. So happy with what the band added to it.

It's probably a ***1/2 star album for me. The highs are really high, though, so maybe 4. If Seven O'Clock wasn't on here, 4 stars for sure.

you've got Never Destination twice with two different scores

[Jaeti]

Also, just don't think you can sing "bed sores" pretty.

But, actually...

[daft twat]

Who Ever Said - **** - Great opener. Catchy and fun
SBWM - **** - This would have been the best track on Backspacer. I like that album and I really like this song.
Dance - *** It's fine. Other bands do this better. The dicks and fix and fire things line is awful.
Never Destination - ***** What a groove. Best song they've written in forever.
Alright - ****1/2 Ed sounds nice. I like the sentiment of this one.
Seven O'Clock - * Like the music, but what the fuck is Ed doing with these verses?
Never Destination - ***1/2 This is fun. Verb's Huey Lewis reference is right on.
Take the Long Way - ***1/2 Matt is great, isn't he?
Buckle Up - *** "Do no Ho-arm" Christ. Also, just don't think you can sing "bed sores" pretty.
Comes Then Goes - ***** I love this song. The only part that is jarring is when he hammers on the guitar, but it sort of reminds me of Fred Rogers banging on the low keys of the piano. It's just anger and frustration. He lost his friend. He should have a moment to pound on the guitar in the midst of the melancholy.
Retrograde - *** This song doesn't offend me. It's just there. Bland.
River Cross - ****1/2 Great closer. So happy with what the band added to it.

It's probably a ***1/2 star album for me. The highs are really high, though, so maybe 4. If Seven O'Clock wasn't on here, 4 stars for sure.

you've got Never Destination twice with two different scores

Fixed. Thanks

[darthvedder81]

Please don’t confuse darthvedder81’s post with mine. Can he change his name? I was here first.

The Pearl Jam hipsters are out in full force today!

[McParadigm]

I think one of the things I like so much about this record is that in almost every place where historical Pearl Jam would have tossed in a quick, forgettable solo, hit another chorus, and then repeated either the verse or the chorus progression into a fade out, this record looks for something else to do. It feels less like a bunch of dudes asking each other “OK so what do we do for the bridge,” and more like a song happened. Like they stretched out and played with totally open minds, without concern for how it will work live or whether it sounded too corny or whatever.

Never Destination is a great example. I can understand why some people would be turned off by the first half (I like it), because at this point just the IDEA of fast Pearl Jam is a little exhausting. But what would have in previous years been 20 seconds of idea played for 2 1/2 minutes now blossoms in the second half, exposing a beauty that no rushed post-punk pearl jam effort ever gave you, before landing as delicately as a butterfly.

Great record. Front to back.

[Waverider]

I sure hope my expectations don't hurt my first listen. Reading all these comments are quite enjoyable. It's quite interesting how music takes a hold of people. Although there is a common liking of a few songs, there is quite a range on the rest. One person doesn't like one song, yet another loves it. This is excellent. Sounds like it really does have something for everyone, and it sounds like some of these songs will probably break down barriers, and grow on some down the road.

For me, I never worried about one album being great front to back, what matters, is adding something I like to an ever growing catalog. Sounds like I'll be able to add more than I could off the last 2 records.

[corduroyg]

So far I like every single song on this record. Having a hard time pinpointing when that was last true.

the pearl jam song ranker offers 4 different ways to definitively answer that question! all you need is an internet connection and 6 hours

goddamn it stip

i can only lead you to the water

Anyways the answer is Binaural.

the first 3 songs kill binaural for me. always have. to me all 3 are bside quality. drop those 3 and add sad, fatal and in the moonlight then we’re on to something! i loved or at least liked just about every single pj song until binaural. i remember from the very first listen i couldnt believe how weak those songs were. from light years on its great, although not a big fan of rival either. i think this board really overrates binaural.

[Thurman Murman]

Never destination and take the long road are gone. They just break the whole flow up on me. So awful.

I don't hate Never Destination, but i could do without it on this album. I'd appreciate it alot more as a B side to Dance or on the eventual Lost Dogs 2.

But i do agree that these two songs do kind of mess with the flow of the album to me. Actually kind of reminds me of the Cropduster-Ghost run on Riot Act...two OK songs but they've always messed with the momentum of that album for my tastes.

[dimejinky99]

Fever dog

Is


Better

Than


Quick escape






There. It needed saying.