Gigaton’s MVP

[Oh, Jimmy]

he is excellent top to bottom

Other than the first two or three minutes of Retrograde, yes.

And the diarrhea fit in SBWM

[Anders]

he is excellent top to bottom

Other than the first two or three minutes of Retrograde, yes.

I agree.

[96583UP]

maybe we needed the first few minutes of Retrograde at the end to provide contrast and remind how great the rest of the album is

like adding salt to chocolate to enhance the flavor

the first 2 mins of Retrograde remind us of how we got here and how we never ever want to go back to that place again

Evans as usual -> Genius

100% pure west

[Moshimistic]

I remember that Ed played Unthought Known a few times at his solo shows before it was brought to the band for Backspacer and (from memory) it seemed a little less anthemic, a bit more wayward. It makes me wonder how that song, and others like it, might've turned out with a less regimented, commercially-focused mindset at the helm

Here’s a solo performance of “Unthought Known” a few days after it was written.

[Anders]

I remember that Ed played Unthought Known a few times at his solo shows before it was brought to the band for Backspacer and (from memory) it seemed a little less anthemic, a bit more wayward. It makes me wonder how that song, and others like it, might've turned out with a less regimented, commercially-focused mindset at the helm

Here’s a solo performance of “Unthought Known” a few days after it was written.

[evenslow]

great fucking performance.

[lowlight79]

Just finished my 2 or 22nd listen, I'm really not sure of times or days anymore. I will say this, it's their best sounding and produced record they have every made. Josh Evans clearly was able to get the band sounding at their best. After the 2018 tour, it seemed IMO the band was playing the best they ever had been while Ed's voice went belly up during that tour really bad. It sounds refershing to hear the band play more loose than the last few albums. Ed sings with his range and doesn't strain to hit notes he clearly can't hit. To me it does give me a similar feeling to when they released Avocado. The one thing that gets me is it seems the album ends as a band on buckle up and the rest of record really becomes an Ed solo album. MVP to me is clearly Quick Escape. Pearl Jam mastered the mid tempo rocker early and then scattered great ones through out their albums. To me this is one of the best songs they have ever put out.

[burl jam]

Jeff and Josh, but kudos to Ed for a mature performance.

[Norah]

listening to the good copy of this all the way through really shows how mr. ed completely delivers throughout this record. he varies his style and embodies each song in a different way, always staying within the song's demands. it's a mature, professional approach that suits a 55 year old dude.

I agree, which is all the more surprising given I've usually felt Ed's vocals and lyrics to be a weak point on the band's recent work

Yeah one of the most surprising things about this album for me is how Ed isn't ruining it. Exceptions being Alright and Seven O'Clock.

[Birds in Hell]

listening to the good copy of this all the way through really shows how mr. ed completely delivers throughout this record. he varies his style and embodies each song in a different way, always staying within the song's demands. it's a mature, professional approach that suits a 55 year old dude.

I agree, which is all the more surprising given I've usually felt Ed's vocals and lyrics to be a weak point on the band's recent work

Yeah one of the most surprising things about this album for me is how Ed isn't ruining it. Exceptions being Alright and Seven O'Clock.

Alright is so good, I hope that one sounds better to you as time goes on.

I'm still not sure how I feel about 7 O'Clock.

[Norah]

listening to the good copy of this all the way through really shows how mr. ed completely delivers throughout this record. he varies his style and embodies each song in a different way, always staying within the song's demands. it's a mature, professional approach that suits a 55 year old dude.

I agree, which is all the more surprising given I've usually felt Ed's vocals and lyrics to be a weak point on the band's recent work

Yeah one of the most surprising things about this album for me is how Ed isn't ruining it. Exceptions being Alright and Seven O'Clock.

Alright is so good, I hope that one sounds better to you as time goes on.

It's gotten worse. I started on the fence about it, now here we are.

[RAG319]

Jeff and Josh are the biggest MVPs.

But I also learned from the Variety article that Stone does those crazy robot licks in Take the Long Way and the first solo in Quick Escape, so maybe Stone is MVP jr.

[Kevin Davis]

listening to the good copy of this all the way through really shows how mr. ed completely delivers throughout this record. he varies his style and embodies each song in a different way, always staying within the song's demands. it's a mature, professional approach that suits a 55 year old dude.

I agree, which is all the more surprising given I've usually felt Ed's vocals and lyrics to be a weak point on the band's recent work

Yeah one of the most surprising things about this album for me is how Ed isn't ruining it. Exceptions being Alright and Seven O'Clock.

Alright is so good, I hope that one sounds better to you as time goes on.

It's gotten worse. I started on the fence about it, now here we are.

"Alright" is the one song on this album that really seems like it's in a musical language I would normally like, but just doesn't speak to me. The ingredients just don't jell in a way that's satisfying to my ears. I feel like it's this album's "Pendulum."

[evenslow]

the other part of ed deserving consideration for mvp of this thing is the lyrics. he found his way to a mature read on his usual themes that fit the times to a T.

[VinylGuy]

oh yeah, the lyrics are so good here. I missed this Ed.

[pappas]

Josh Evans, Jeff & Ed all MVPs

[smallest_oceans]

Jeff and Josh are the biggest MVPs.

But I also learned from the Variety article that Stone does those crazy robot licks in Take the Long Way and the first solo in Quick Escape, so maybe Stone is MVP jr.

I thought this as well- now I pay closer attention to guitar licks throughout the album. Lots for stone to be proud of between that, DOTC and BU. Still, Jeff and Josh and Ed have done some great work here. Matt's never sounded better in PJ either.

[VinylGuy]

yeah, the band is all in top notch mode. Every one of them as a moment or more to shine.

[reconstruction_ seeds]

Dotc and 7 o clock have shared credits but the other track commonly considered one of the best is an ed tune.

WHO EVER SAID
Words: Eddie Vedder
Music: Eddie Vedder

[Anders]

Surely Seven O’Clock is not considered one of the best? Who Ever Said not in the top three either.