Gigaton: Official album thread

[liebzz]

Some people have noticed that, over the years, when a new Pearl Jam comes out, opinion on the last one tends to shift towards the positive. So, when LB came out, a bunch of people were like "hey, Backspacer wasn't that bad," and same with Avocado when Backspacer came out.

Interesting that Gigaton seems to be having the opposite effect on Lightning Bolt.

I think the reason for that is everyone kind of assumed a slow and steady decline for some from Yield others Riot Act on the same downward trajectory. Here, we have an album that I think blows away each of their last 4 albums. It’s hopefully not a slow trajectory but for me a two album dip.

[VinylGuy]

I mean, they arent even in the same universe.

What an amazing album this is.

Agreed. Look at any critical discussion of Pearl Jam worth its salt and earnestness comes up as a huge part of their value proposition. As such, you would assume that they are always trying to be the best version of themselves, to push what they are capable of. For my part, I naturally assumed that their capabilities and boundaries had diminished somewhat over the years, such that LB represented what they were capable of when it came out. Gigaton upends that completely! Oh, Matt could drum like that? Oh, Mike could incorporate those styles of play into studio songs? Clearly there was some kind of inhibiting factor before. THIS is what they sound like, with it removed.

I never thought for a second they were drained creatively. I mean i saw them live in 2018 and it was one of my favorites shows. And i love the fact that they were all the time creating and writing and doing stuff.

I blame LB choices on Brendan.

[stip]

Some people have noticed that, over the years, when a new Pearl Jam comes out, opinion on the last one tends to shift towards the positive. So, when LB came out, a bunch of people were like "hey, Backspacer wasn't that bad," and same with Avocado when Backspacer came out.

Interesting that Gigaton seems to be having the opposite effect on Lightning Bolt.

I think the reason for that is everyone kind of assumed a slow and steady decline for some from Yield others Riot Act on the same downward trajectory. Here, we have an album that I think blows away each of their last 4 albums. It’s hopefully not a slow trajectory but for me a two album dip.

the same phenomenon happened here with binaural and riot act too. every post yield album

[Ms Harmless]

Some people have noticed that, over the years, when a new Pearl Jam comes out, opinion on the last one tends to shift towards the positive. So, when LB came out, a bunch of people were like "hey, Backspacer wasn't that bad," and same with Avocado when Backspacer came out.

Interesting that Gigaton seems to be having the opposite effect on Lightning Bolt.

yep

[VinylGuy]

And it also happened with No Code.

Remember the backlash with that one!! yeeesh.

[Monkey_Driven]

I mean, they arent even in the same universe.

What an amazing album this is.

Agreed. Look at any critical discussion of Pearl Jam worth its salt and earnestness comes up as a huge part of their value proposition. As such, you would assume that they are always trying to be the best version of themselves, to push what they are capable of. For my part, I naturally assumed that their capabilities and boundaries had diminished somewhat over the years, such that LB represented what they were capable of when it came out. Gigaton upends that completely! Oh, Matt could drum like that? Oh, Mike could incorporate those styles of play into studio songs? Clearly there was some kind of inhibiting factor before. THIS is what they sound like, with it removed.

I never thought for a second they were drained creatively. I mean i saw them live in 2018 and it was one of my favorites shows. And i love the fact that they were all the time creating and writing and doing stuff.

I blame LB choices on Brendan.

I agree about the 2018 shows.

[digster]

That reappraisal of past records seems to have happened with S/T (I'm one of those who have changed their tune over time on that record), but has that really happened with Backspacer? Speaking personally, it's been a mixed bag; there's one or two songs I've grown to like, and some I liked at the outset that have cratered over time (mainly that Waves/Unthought one-two punch.

[VinylGuy]

Backspacer is a very liked album outside RM. Lots of friends who didnt cared about the since ever bought the album

I was kinda surprised.

[stip]

That reappraisal of past records seems to have happened with S/T (I'm one of those who have changed their tune over time on that record), but has that really happened with Backspacer? Speaking personally, it's been a mixed bag; there's one or two songs I've grown to like, and some I liked at the outset that have cratered over time (mainly that Waves/Unthought one-two punch.

not nearly to the same degree but I think it is coming

[digster]

Backspacer is a very liked album outside RM. Lots of friends who didnt cared about the since ever bought the album

I was kinda surprised.

I feel like it's very hard for me to peg, even anecdotally, how people feel about PJ's career arc, mainly because I never really meet or speak to anyone that has any opinion on them outside of their 90s work. That goes for records I like and don't like; I never really see anyone talking about Backspacer, but I never really see anyone talking about Binaural, either.

[VinylGuy]

Yeah Binaural was hard. Nobody seemed to pay attention to it on my school. I had a Binaural t shirt and a few guys came over to talk about the album at a Sonic Youth concert. That was cool.

Also i knew a guy who liked them and we talked about it on a trip. But that was about it.

Backspacer was different. ST was different. After PJ came for the first time to Arg, it became kinda cool to "like" them. And they paid attention to that new stuff, not albums like RA or Binaural.

Also, BS was way more accesible.

[Thurman Murman]

Some people have noticed that, over the years, when a new Pearl Jam comes out, opinion on the last one tends to shift towards the positive. So, when LB came out, a bunch of people were like "hey, Backspacer wasn't that bad," and same with Avocado when Backspacer came out.

Interesting that Gigaton seems to be having the opposite effect on Lightning Bolt.

I think its safe to say Pearl Jam has never released a new album that was so significantly better than the last one...until now.

[Thurman Murman]

Backspacer is a very liked album outside RM. Lots of friends who didnt cared about the since ever bought the album

I was kinda surprised.

My wife who is a casual fan at best but has always enjoyed the live shows LOVES Backspacer.

[VinylGuy]

Backspacer is a very liked album outside RM. Lots of friends who didnt cared about the since ever bought the album

I was kinda surprised.

My wife who is a casual fan at best but has always enjoyed the live shows LOVES Backspacer.

yeah, i have a friend who never really cared about pj and had that album on his car. " Its very good" he said to me serious.

[RockPusher]

Some people have noticed that, over the years, when a new Pearl Jam comes out, opinion on the last one tends to shift towards the positive. So, when LB came out, a bunch of people were like "hey, Backspacer wasn't that bad," and same with Avocado when Backspacer came out.

Interesting that Gigaton seems to be having the opposite effect on Lightning Bolt.

I think its safe to say Pearl Jam has never released a new album that was so significantly better than the last one...until now.

Reasonable take

[Jorge]

That reappraisal of past records seems to have happened with S/T (I'm one of those who have changed their tune over time on that record), but has that really happened with Backspacer? Speaking personally, it's been a mixed bag; there's one or two songs I've grown to like, and some I liked at the outset that have cratered over time (mainly that Waves/Unthought one-two punch.

I distinctly recall a few posts here from around when LB came out where people were listening back to Backspacer and contrasting its strengths to LB's weaknesses

[Thurman Murman]

Backspacer is a very liked album outside RM. Lots of friends who didnt cared about the since ever bought the album

I was kinda surprised.

My wife who is a casual fan at best but has always enjoyed the live shows LOVES Backspacer.

yeah, i have a friend who never really cared about pj and had that album on his car. " Its very good" he said to me serious.

Its a very nice, accessible album....i think it really lends itself to being listened to in a casual manner. Its biggest fault may have been that it was the only album the band released during a 7 year window.

[PHATJ]

Some people have noticed that, over the years, when a new Pearl Jam comes out, opinion on the last one tends to shift towards the positive. So, when LB came out, a bunch of people were like "hey, Backspacer wasn't that bad," and same with Avocado when Backspacer came out.

Interesting that Gigaton seems to be having the opposite effect on Lightning Bolt.

I think its safe to say Pearl Jam has never released a new album that was so significantly better than the last one...until now.

Reasonable take

Exactly

[stip]

Some people have noticed that, over the years, when a new Pearl Jam comes out, opinion on the last one tends to shift towards the positive. So, when LB came out, a bunch of people were like "hey, Backspacer wasn't that bad," and same with Avocado when Backspacer came out.

Interesting that Gigaton seems to be having the opposite effect on Lightning Bolt.

I think its safe to say Pearl Jam has never released a new album that was so significantly better than the last one...until now.

Reasonable take

probably. though I think Yield and ST are a fair bit better than No Code and Riot Act

[evenslow]

Some people have noticed that, over the years, when a new Pearl Jam comes out, opinion on the last one tends to shift towards the positive. So, when LB came out, a bunch of people were like "hey, Backspacer wasn't that bad," and same with Avocado when Backspacer came out.

Interesting that Gigaton seems to be having the opposite effect on Lightning Bolt.

It is. The gigaton album bounce may help Backspacer, but not sure about Lightning Bolt (which I think is related to my production theory. If we some day get a lightning bolt remix/remaster that will put that to the test)

No. Unfortunately, almost all the songs on LB are out of ideas. Production would only marginally improve. Gigaton is exploratory and rewarding AND THEN you add Mr. Josh. Head and shoulders above.