Lightning Bolt: the official album thread

[epilogue]

Totally different experience with Vitalogy. Because of Betterman, every regular person I knew got that album. That's when they went from being "my" band to everyone's band.

Yeah, that sounds like an alternate timeline

[epilogue]

I remember the first time I saw PJ live (on the Yield tour) there was a group of dudes hanging out and pre-gaming in the parking lot outside the venue. Maybe like 20 guys. They were all going around saying their favorite PJ album. ONE guy said Vitalogy "because it's so weird" and he was met with groans and laughs.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[epilogue]

I remember the first time I saw PJ live (on the Yield tour) there was a group of dudes hanging out and pre-gaming in the parking lot outside the venue. Maybe like 20 guys. They were all going around saying their favorite PJ album. ONE guy said Vitalogy "because it's so weird" and he was met with groans and laughs.

that was me!

AL

[VinylGuy]

No Code was basically the worst thing they did, even laughable for the fanbase around 1997 or so. It was amazing how much they hated it.

[epilogue]

No Code was basically the worst thing they did, even laughable for the fanbase around 1997 or so. It was amazing how much they hated it.

That's my experience, too. Literally everyone (but me and my guy Winston) in my circles HATED that album. One of my best friends listened to it with me once and said he never wanted to hear it again. And he was the guy that got me into PJ!

[stip]

used cd bins in 1996 were full of Vitalogy and REMs Monster, proof our collective judgment has always been terrible

[VinylGuy]

No Code was basically the worst thing they did, even laughable for the fanbase around 1997 or so. It was amazing how much they hated it.

That's my experience, too. Literally everyone (but me and my guy Winston) in my circles HATED that album. One of my best friends listened to it with me once and said he never wanted to hear it again. And he was the guy that got me into PJ!

I remember i didnt got the album right away because of everyone was hating it, telling me basically there was no ¨grunge¨ there at all. It was seen as if PJ lost it and they were done.

ah 1996 was so intense

[Ms Harmless]

RM digests Pearl Jam albums like the stages of grief.

go on...

Denial - “that’s not the new single, is it!?”

Anger - “I can’t believe they released this piece of garbage, this album sucks!”

Bargaining - “Well, at least we got 5-7 solid albums out of them”

Depression - “They are creatively bankrupt. We just have to understand we’re not getting another gem.”

Acceptance (10 years later): “This is an underrated gem!”

10/10 no notes

[Ms Harmless]

My memory is that IRL, PJ fans talked about Binaural as a dud... "the worst PJ record but still better than most other artist's albums!" But here on RM it was fairly lauded. As far as Riot Act goes, again my memory, is that it was universally bemoaned on RM and IRL.

Not I my RL! I loved Riot Act from day one and it's only gotten better with age.

Some other PJ albums that I now love (No Code and Binaural especially) took some learnin', but Riot Act really spoke to me right out of the gate. Love that album so much.

If memory serves, this was the first thing you and I really bonded over.

And I am happy to continue to bond over it with you, friend

1000% same

I was horribly disappointed with Binaural when it first came out and for a while afterwards; it seemed all just so... midtempo and full of ballads (something I think is a strength now)

at this stage I don't love it as much as Riot Act but it's a close second

[stip]

post yield through ST i decided every new album was my third favorite for about a year

[stip]

now i seem to decide each new album ranks 4th. i just love getting new pearl jam

[VinylGuy]

Gigaton still remains as my 4th since it came out

[stip]

same, but so was backspacer until lbolt which was there until Gigaton

ST’s initial 3 songs remains one of my favorite runs in the catalog

[VinylGuy]

these days

Vs-No Code
Yield
Gigaton
Binaural
Ten
ST
Vitalogy
Riot Act
Backspacer
LB

[Jaeti]

i was totally in a vacuum when Binaural came out -- living in a dorm with no PJ fan friends -- and I loved it. I was a lot more plugged into the jamily when RA came out and it sure seemed like everyone was disappointed.

Likewise.

[Got Some]

Gigaton
Riot Act
Binaural
Backspacer
Avacado
Lightning Bolt

[Bi_3]

Gigaton
Riot Act
Binaural
Backspacer
Avacado
Lightning Bolt

Binaural
Avacado
Gigtaon
Backspacer
LB
Riot Act

[epilogue]

Gigaton
Riot Act
Binaural
Backspacer
Avacado
Lightning Bolt

Binaural
Avacado
Gigtaon
Backspacer
LB
Riot Act

Riot Act
Gigaton
Binaural
S/T
Lightning Bolt
Backspacer

[Tj]

Gigaton
Riot Act
Binaural
Backspacer
Avacado
Lightning Bolt

Binaural
Avacado
Gigtaon
Backspacer
LB
Riot Act

Riot Act
Gigaton
Binaural
S/T
Lightning Bolt
Backspacer

Binaural
Backspacer
S/T
Riot Act
Gigaton
Lightning Bolt