Song of the Moment: Sirens

[Strat]

SOme friends are in town right now. They are crusty PJ fans who - for the most part- can't stand anything they do now. They were all "wow, this is horrible" when they first heard sirens and spent a majority of the last few days mocking the shit out of it A few have listened to it a few more times...

Last night in the car I played the live version...

"Damn, this is actually is a pretty good song"

"Well, wow, thats much better than the studio...ok...."


Hilarious.

[warehouse]

SOme friends are in town right now. They are crusty PJ fans who - for the most part- can't stand anything they do now. They were all "wow, this is horrible" when they first heard sirens and spent a majority of the last few days mocking the shit out of it A few have listened to it a few more times...

Last night in the car I played the live version...

"Damn, this is actually is a pretty good song"

"Well, wow, thats much better than the studio...ok...."


Hilarious.

u should play the leaked tracks and the outtakes from s/t for them

[Strat]

SOme friends are in town right now. They are crusty PJ fans who - for the most part- can't stand anything they do now. They were all "wow, this is horrible" when they first heard sirens and spent a majority of the last few days mocking the shit out of it A few have listened to it a few more times...

Last night in the car I played the live version...

"Damn, this is actually is a pretty good song"

"Well, wow, thats much better than the studio...ok...."


Hilarious.

u should play the leaked tracks and the outtakes from s/t for them

I did, they loved getaway and thought lightning bolt was pretty great except for it being "too glossy".

They thought LTRP was the worst thing to ever hit their ear drums though...

[mastaflatch]

I think the music aside from Eddies vocals is no huge departure but Eddie's vocal melody and the presentation of the song are. The chorus vocals are just totally off-putting at first and it's produced like a top 40 country rock song.

i may be the only one to think that PJ always had a few country influences (Daughter, Smile, Lowlight, I Am Mine...) - most of them come from Mike's guitar style and Eddie's (sometimes) nasal voice.

[Mike]

I think the music aside from Eddies vocals is no huge departure but Eddie's vocal melody and the presentation of the song are. The chorus vocals are just totally off-putting at first and it's produced like a top 40 country rock song.

i may be the only one to think that PJ always had a few country influences (Daughter, Smile, Lowlight, I Am Mine...) - most of them come from Mike's guitar style and Eddie's (sometimes) nasal voice.

No no, I agree. I was just talking about how the production sounds.

[mastaflatch]

I think the music aside from Eddies vocals is no huge departure but Eddie's vocal melody and the presentation of the song are. The chorus vocals are just totally off-putting at first and it's produced like a top 40 country rock song.

i may be the only one to think that PJ always had a few country influences (Daughter, Smile, Lowlight, I Am Mine...) - most of them come from Mike's guitar style and Eddie's (sometimes) nasal voice.

No no, I agree. I was just talking about how the production sounds.

it's surely more polished than the aformentioned songs.

[Ledbetterman10]

After a few listens, I'm starting to think this has a bit of a Page/Plant Walking Into Clarksdale vibe.

[harmless]

I think the music aside from Eddies vocals is no huge departure but Eddie's vocal melody and the presentation of the song are. The chorus vocals are just totally off-putting at first and it's produced like a top 40 country rock song.

i may be the only one to think that PJ always had a few country influences (Daughter, Smile, Lowlight, I Am Mine...) - most of them come from Mike's guitar style and Eddie's (sometimes) nasal voice.

No no, I agree. I was just talking about how the production sounds.

it's surely more polished than the aformentioned songs.

I think that's the point, Mike specifies "top 40 country rock". It's got that polished gloss of a modern radio emotional country ballad, rather than a more "authentic" country song.

[Mike]

I think the music aside from Eddies vocals is no huge departure but Eddie's vocal melody and the presentation of the song are. The chorus vocals are just totally off-putting at first and it's produced like a top 40 country rock song.

i may be the only one to think that PJ always had a few country influences (Daughter, Smile, Lowlight, I Am Mine...) - most of them come from Mike's guitar style and Eddie's (sometimes) nasal voice.

No no, I agree. I was just talking about how the production sounds.

it's surely more polished than the aformentioned songs.

I think that's the point, Mike specifies "top 40 country rock". It's got that polished gloss of a modern radio emotional country ballad, rather than a more "authentic" country song.

Yeah, that's what I was trying to say.

[harmless]

I think the music aside from Eddies vocals is no huge departure but Eddie's vocal melody and the presentation of the song are. The chorus vocals are just totally off-putting at first and it's produced like a top 40 country rock song.

i may be the only one to think that PJ always had a few country influences (Daughter, Smile, Lowlight, I Am Mine...) - most of them come from Mike's guitar style and Eddie's (sometimes) nasal voice.

No no, I agree. I was just talking about how the production sounds.

it's surely more polished than the aformentioned songs.

I think that's the point, Mike specifies "top 40 country rock". It's got that polished gloss of a modern radio emotional country ballad, rather than a more "authentic" country song.

Yeah, that's what I was trying to say.

If Yellow Moon is the song on the Vine clip, then it already sounds like it might have a feel more akin to those other country-driven songs, albeit with the added violin. But it was only a couple of seconds so I might be totally wrong.

[Mike]

I hate that with PJ's last 3 records I talk about production just as much as I talk about songs. It's especially frustrating because production is such a concious choice. They wanted their records to sound like this. If a song is bad I can just forget about it and say that they weren't inspired or something.

[Quadrophenia]

I think it's a fantastic song. I get the impression that it is about his daughter though - not necessarily a love song about his wife.

It's not my plan to send you in the arms of another man

Yeah, that'd be a bit weird if so. Probably not, then.

It is still plausible that it's about his daughters. A father is THE man in his daughter's life. It is a relationship that is, of course, different than the one with his wife but there are similarities when it comes to letting go of the person when they are leaving. A daughter leaving home to marry (or whatever reason) is just as dramatic as a wife leaving. I can see how someone would interpret the song as Eddie leaving (by his death) his daughters into the arms of another man to keep them safe.

no its not...thats just creepy

It's creepy that you think it's creepy that a father could have that much love for his daughters. I hope you have sons....or better yet, just cattle

Do you have daughters? One of your biggest worries if you die is shit she's gonna find a man to fill the void? Or to keep them safe cause they can't fend for themselves? And what kind of boyfriend is this that he's filling the position of both boyfriend and father? I'll tell you what, a creepy one.

Not to mention I think his kids are well kids, as in fairly young.

The oooonly way that line could make sense in context with his kids was if it was about him being worried about his wife leaving him marrying another dude and that guy becoming a father to his kids or something. But that would be weirdly possessive and a strange way to word it also. Either that or ed is a creepy asshole.

I see your point, but I still think it is more than just a straightforward love song. Maybe it is about his wife in parts and daughters in other parts?

As far as how good or bad the song is, I've been listening to them since they put an (earlier?) version of "Alive" on a Coca-Cola cassette tape when I was 12. They aren't the same people they were in 1992 or 1994 or whenever during that time. This is an older band who has a cloud of people dependent on them to generate money and keep going. I remember seeing something with Metallica years ago that talked about the same thing. With all that being said as to the context, I think "Sirens" is a beautiful song. I think it is one of the best things they've put out in the last 10 years.

[Mike]

I think the music aside from Eddies vocals is no huge departure but Eddie's vocal melody and the presentation of the song are. The chorus vocals are just totally off-putting at first and it's produced like a top 40 country rock song.

i may be the only one to think that PJ always had a few country influences (Daughter, Smile, Lowlight, I Am Mine...) - most of them come from Mike's guitar style and Eddie's (sometimes) nasal voice.

No no, I agree. I was just talking about how the production sounds.

it's surely more polished than the aformentioned songs.

I think that's the point, Mike specifies "top 40 country rock". It's got that polished gloss of a modern radio emotional country ballad, rather than a more "authentic" country song.

Yeah, that's what I was trying to say.

If Yellow Moon is the song on the Vine clip, then it already sounds like it might have a feel more akin to those other country-driven songs, albeit with the added violin. But it was only a couple of seconds so I might be totally wrong.

That would be lovely. I want the violins to be put to good use so badly.

[harmless]

I hate that with PJ's last 3 records I talk about production just as much as I talk about songs. It's especially frustrating because production is such a concious choice. They wanted their records to sound like this. If a song is bad I can just forget about it and say that they weren't inspired or something.

The only thing I keep telling myself is that if variations on pop rock are what they want now, they're really doing it right with these. It is a little frustrating that if BO'B hadn't put his juice all over this music, it might've risen to the quality of the first seven albums. Musically, I think they may be heading back in the right direction already (whatever that is, and I have no idea anymore) but a new producer next time would be nice. They might've settled with this "happy family" dynamic too much for that.

[harmless]

I think the music aside from Eddies vocals is no huge departure but Eddie's vocal melody and the presentation of the song are. The chorus vocals are just totally off-putting at first and it's produced like a top 40 country rock song.

i may be the only one to think that PJ always had a few country influences (Daughter, Smile, Lowlight, I Am Mine...) - most of them come from Mike's guitar style and Eddie's (sometimes) nasal voice.

No no, I agree. I was just talking about how the production sounds.

it's surely more polished than the aformentioned songs.

I think that's the point, Mike specifies "top 40 country rock". It's got that polished gloss of a modern radio emotional country ballad, rather than a more "authentic" country song.

Yeah, that's what I was trying to say.

If Yellow Moon is the song on the Vine clip, then it already sounds like it might have a feel more akin to those other country-driven songs, albeit with the added violin. But it was only a couple of seconds so I might be totally wrong.

That would be lovely. I want the violins to be put to good use so badly.

Well, assuming it's the Incubus guy's girlfriend who played the part, I know I'm stereotyping but I've got a feeling that a female player is going to play it more sensitively than yet another ego-driven man.

[Mike]

I hate that with PJ's last 3 records I talk about production just as much as I talk about songs. It's especially frustrating because production is such a concious choice. They wanted their records to sound like this. If a song is bad I can just forget about it and say that they weren't inspired or something.

The only thing I keep telling myself is that if variations on pop rock are what they want now, they're really doing it right with these. It is a little frustrating that if BO'B hadn't put his juice all over this music, it might've risen to the quality of the first seven albums. Musically, I think they may be heading back in the right direction already (whatever that is, and I have no idea anymore) but a new producer next time would be nice. They might've settled with this "happy family" dynamic too much for that.

Yeah, I like all these songs. They're not the most inspired pieces but they range from mediocre (Future Days, LTRP) to very good (Getaway, Swallowed Whole) for me. It's just that they have potential to be even better. They can make poprock songs that still sound good and like a band in a room without making Ed superloud and on top of everything.

[harmless]

I hate that with PJ's last 3 records I talk about production just as much as I talk about songs. It's especially frustrating because production is such a concious choice. They wanted their records to sound like this. If a song is bad I can just forget about it and say that they weren't inspired or something.

The only thing I keep telling myself is that if variations on pop rock are what they want now, they're really doing it right with these. It is a little frustrating that if BO'B hadn't put his juice all over this music, it might've risen to the quality of the first seven albums. Musically, I think they may be heading back in the right direction already (whatever that is, and I have no idea anymore) but a new producer next time would be nice. They might've settled with this "happy family" dynamic too much for that.

Yeah, I like all these songs. They're not the most inspired pieces but they range from mediocre (Future Days, LTRP) to very good (Getaway, Swallowed Whole) for me. It's just that they have potential to be even better. They can make poprock songs that still sound good and like a band in a room without making Ed superloud and on top of everything.

I agree. BO'B is a cheesy guy who thinks too much about demographic and commercial appeal (as if that's in a vacuum) instead of just letting Pearl Jam be Pearl Jam. I don't think it's the first time I've felt that Pearl Jam did slightly less than the best they could have, though.

[stip]

MFS is going to have to do *a lot* to reduce the cheesy impact of this song so soon after MYM.

One day you're loving the song, the next day you're conflicted by it, or something like that You have a long way to go until 10/14 bro! Hang in there.

Yeah, this song is playing havoc with my brain.

Don't think too much about it, its just music

Seriously, why analyze every little detail, if you like it then great, if not then its not that big of a deal

Some people really care about music and enjoy dissecting its minutiae. It's never "just music" for me.

Same here. What kind of doctor are you, doc?!

[dimejinky99]

Can some kind soul point me in the direction of the link for the sirens video mp3 download please?

[stip]

I don't want to debate this again, but I think it does signal an aesthetic, attitudinal departure for the band. It's not "just a song" in the sense that it signals a massive change of direction. After you've written a song like this, the sky is probably the limit as far as what you might try in the future.

We must be listening to different songs, Mark. I really don't see this as a massive change of direction at all. It's an emotional rock ballad from a band that's famous for making emotional rock ballads. I agree the style is dissimilar to what they've done in the past, but to my ears it's within a standard deviation of rock music. I would like to hear a radical left turn, but I don't think this is it.

It isn't breaking new ground in the grand scheme of music, and there is a lot here that was always latent in the music, but there was always an effort to hide it, to run away from it, to transform it. It was never nakedly present before. It was never embraced. And this is a big deal because Pearl Jam's early identity was that they (and their fans) stood against this kind of music even though there was always probably a part of them that wanted to embrace it but were too embarrassed to do so because so much of it was mind numbing schlocky crap.

you could not have asked for a better song to create an existential crisis for people who have an opinion about pearl jam. The Fixer was also a departure from what was expected, but it wasn't going to touch a raw nerve in the way this might because it was, in so many ways, a departure. So you went along for the ride or you didn't. In some ways this song is a confrontation.