12th album rumors and speculation

[Strat]

i would hope that any artist would feel their latest work is their best work ever. Thats kind of how it should go. Why would they spend time and energy writing, recording, promoting if they didnt believe in the work they were doing? Its also fresh and exciting to them. Them listening to/playing given to fly for the 1,000th time is probably not very exciting to them anymore.

So, yea, i believe them.

If we ask Ed to rank his PJ albums in 10 years - i would imagine it would look different

[bodysnatcher]

Never believe a word Mike says. He’s the lecherouslittlestump of Pearl Jam

[Ms Harmless]

I should've said I didn't agree with him instead of that I didn't believe him; I believe he was always sincere to a fault so I believe he believes what he's saying, I just balk when he balks at some of what I think is actually his best work

[Ms Harmless]

maybe it's not true that they don't speak about their own work, but I do think it's true that they rarely say anything interesting or insightful about it

[DDWJMUVW]

I think publicly saying it's your best b/c you want to promote, appear excited (which you probably are in the early stages), are most connected with your recent work.....that all makes sense.

Then there's a retrospective look at that work years down the road, in the context of your entire catalogue. I have definitely heard stone and Jeff talk about songs they were hyped about right as an album released eventually not connecting with the fanbase, and being surprised at the ones which did. Same could be said for records as a whole.

I would expect them all to be excited about DM, but calling it "their best work" AND doubling down by saying "no hyperbole".......?

[Ms Harmless]

I think publicly saying it's your best b/c you want to promote, appear excited (which you probably are in the early stages), are most connected with your recent work.....that all makes sense.

Then there's a retrospective look at that work years down the road, in the context of your entire catalogue. I have definitely heard stone and Jeff talk about songs they were hyped about right as an album released eventually not connecting with the fanbase, and being surprised at the ones which did. Same could be said for records as a whole.

I would expect them all to be excited about DM, but calling it "their best work" AND doubling down by saying "no hyperbole".......?

BINGO, that is what I think is different this time; it feels like a calculated and considered statement instead of a whimsical pull quote

[DDWJMUVW]

I think publicly saying it's your best b/c you want to promote, appear excited (which you probably are in the early stages), are most connected with your recent work.....that all makes sense.

Then there's a retrospective look at that work years down the road, in the context of your entire catalogue. I have definitely heard stone and Jeff talk about songs they were hyped about right as an album released eventually not connecting with the fanbase, and being surprised at the ones which did. Same could be said for records as a whole.

I would expect them all to be excited about DM, but calling it "their best work" AND doubling down by saying "no hyperbole".......?

BINGO, that is what I think is different this time; it feels like a calculated and considered statement instead of a whimsical pull quote

Fair - I think that's a valid assessment.

One caveat, "best" is highly subjective and I'd say, also, open to interpretation as to definition. Best in what way? did he feel the collaboration was the best? Did he enjoy the process the most? That's a loaded word and I'm curious to see how he unpacks this in the months ahead (if he does).

[Ledbetterdays]

It's the hard thing about Pearl Jam. Believing they have the potential and talent to do something that could be their best work, but knowing factually it won't happen.

I would like just one more song out of them that was relevant as something from Foo Fighters, Green Day or RHCP or even their own past work. It won't happen.

You can argue they are more experimental now, less rock, less blues-influenced, but their experiments are pretty boring for the most part. DOTC was about as weird as they have gotten in awhile.

I don't mind them being one of the most niche rock bands in the world but realistically it's been since Last Kiss since they dented anything close to culturally impactful. You can argue the use of songs in video games, shows, or whatever, but that's really sad to me that Last Kiss is the only thing some people know them for from the last 20 years.

They are The Who, Neil Young, The Grateful Dead rolled into one with a spritzy, schmaltzy 60-year-old lead singer.

All that said, I still choose their live show over any of their peers--mostly because of Mike. Mike goes hard.

[Ms Harmless]

I think publicly saying it's your best b/c you want to promote, appear excited (which you probably are in the early stages), are most connected with your recent work.....that all makes sense.

Then there's a retrospective look at that work years down the road, in the context of your entire catalogue. I have definitely heard stone and Jeff talk about songs they were hyped about right as an album released eventually not connecting with the fanbase, and being surprised at the ones which did. Same could be said for records as a whole.

I would expect them all to be excited about DM, but calling it "their best work" AND doubling down by saying "no hyperbole".......?

BINGO, that is what I think is different this time; it feels like a calculated and considered statement instead of a whimsical pull quote

Fair - I think that's a valid assessment.

One caveat, "best" is highly subjective and I'd say, also, open to interpretation as to definition. Best in what way? did he feel the collaboration was the best? Did he enjoy the process the most? That's a loaded word and I'm curious to see how he unpacks this in the months ahead (if he does).

very much so

[Ms Harmless]

I just have this feeling that we have a lot of "it was awesome to work together and the recording process was fun and new" from them, and not as much "we really actually put some great music on this thing"

[liebzz]

Present Tense in the Jordan thing.

[Ms Harmless]

It's the hard thing about Pearl Jam. Believing they have the potential and talent to do something that could be their best work, but knowing factually it won't happen.

I would like just one more song out of them that was relevant as something from Foo Fighters, Green Day or RHCP or even their own past work. It won't happen.

You can argue they are more experimental now, less rock, less blues-influenced, but their experiments are pretty boring for the most part. DOTC was about as weird as they have gotten in awhile.

I don't mind them being one of the most niche rock bands in the world but realistically it's been since Last Kiss since they dented anything close to culturally impactful. You can argue the use of songs in video games, shows, or whatever, but that's really sad to me that Last Kiss is the only thing some people know them for from the last 20 years.

They are The Who, Neil Young, The Grateful Dead rolled into one with a spritzy, schmaltzy 60-year-old lead singer.

All that said, I still choose their live show over any of their peers--mostly because of Mike. Mike goes hard.

I think I've stopped caring about cultural relevance, and I couldn't care less about the Foos, RHCP or Green Day

my other favourite band were this weird obscure English pop-metal-indie band and I enjoyed them more or less on my own until they became "the next big TikTok thing" quite by accident last year

[Ms Harmless]

I still love them even though they're big now, but I can't imagine ever putting that on my list of *why* I like anything

[RockPusher]

Yeah, my metric for what makes them great is how much their music impacts ME. Cultural significance I couldn't care less about. Slap a Thinking Fellers Union Local 282 record on the turntable and it may do big things for me. Anyone else? Who cares and why should they?

[RockPusher]

Of course, since I am a hypocritical human being, if I end up loving this album and others don't, I will take it personally. Idiots, the lot of us.

[lecherouslittlestump]

Never believe a word Mike says. He’s the lecherouslittlestump of Pearl Jam

I believe I am more akin to the cool and collected Stone, or the quiet intelligence of Jeff.

[lecherouslittlestump]

It's the hard thing about Pearl Jam. Believing they have the potential and talent to do something that could be their best work, but knowing factually it won't happen.

I would like just one more song out of them that was relevant as something from Foo Fighters, Green Day or RHCP or even their own past work. It won't happen.

You can argue they are more experimental now, less rock, less blues-influenced, but their experiments are pretty boring for the most part. DOTC was about as weird as they have gotten in awhile.

I don't mind them being one of the most niche rock bands in the world but realistically it's been since Last Kiss since they dented anything close to culturally impactful. You can argue the use of songs in video games, shows, or whatever, but that's really sad to me that Last Kiss is the only thing some people know them for from the last 20 years.

They are The Who, Neil Young, The Grateful Dead rolled into one with a spritzy, schmaltzy 60-year-old lead singer.

All that said, I still choose their live show over any of their peers--mostly because of Mike. Mike goes hard.

I think I've stopped caring about cultural relevance, and I couldn't care less about the Foos, RHCP or Green Day

my other favourite band were this weird obscure English pop-metal-indie band and I enjoyed them more or less on my own until they became "the next big TikTok thing" quite by accident last year

Sleep Token?

[scrub12]

My phone might be messing with me, but the newsletter today is just black with text that says…

The mysterious stuff that fills the universe but no one has ever seen.

Yeah, we know.

They should have hidden “We wouldn’t want you to miss anything” in there somewhere.

[delanoche]

My phone might be messing with me, but the newsletter today is just black with text that says…

The mysterious stuff that fills the universe but no one has ever seen.

Yeah, we know.

They should have hidden “We wouldn’t want you to miss anything” in there somewhere.

If you click through, it takes you here: https://live.umusic.com/pearl-jam

And if you highlight the black text it says "Pearl Jam New Album Presave on Spotify or Apple Music"

[Oversize]

My phone might be messing with me, but the newsletter today is just black with text that says…

The mysterious stuff that fills the universe but no one has ever seen.

Yeah, we know.

They should have hidden “We wouldn’t want you to miss anything” in there somewhere.

If you click through, it takes you here: https://live.umusic.com/pearl-jam

And if you highlight the black text it says "Pearl Jam New Album Presave on Spotify or Apple Music"

Already a contender for best newsletter ever.