Upper Hand

[RockPusher]

I'm struggling to put into words how much I like this one -- my initial read on DM was that it was probably more consistent but less ambitious in its high points than Gigaton, but this is one of those songs that gives me pause about that conclusion. I'm hanging on every word, every chord change, every turn of phrase, every shift in mood -- it's a universe of music in five minutes.

I put up thoughts on each song after the record store listening party, and my thoughts on this were similar to your last line. This song felt, to me, like a Pearl Jam concert- it has everything, from the atmospheric beginning to the big finish.

[VinylGuy]

The intro is gorgeous...kinda sounds like something Jeff did for that serie´s soundtrack a few years ago.

[Brett]

Every time I listen to this song, my brain keeps expecting there to be a tambourine rattle after Ed sings the final line of the chorus: "...something that I never had is the the upper hand," kinda like you might hear in a Black Crowes song or something. It's not that I really want such a thing, it just feels like it would happen and I'm surprised it doesn't. Anyway, this was an early favorite for me, and it's still riding high even as other songs have started to unveil ways to attach to my psyche.

[Mike]

This was pretty low on my initial ranking but it keeps climbing and climbing

[Farmer John]

The intro is gorgeous...kinda sounds like something Jeff did for that serie´s soundtrack a few years ago.

It feels like they should be playing it Live at Pompeii

[stip]

This was pretty low on my initial ranking but it keeps climbing and climbing

mine too. its not climbing much only because nothing else is moving. this is an album i am going to tier more than rank i think

[dprival78]

josh played a big part in writing upper hand, per stone/jeff on the broken record podcast

[Fattie_Vedder]

I woke up with this one in my head today. This is moving from really like to love territory.

[Fattie_Vedder]

This was pretty low on my initial ranking but it keeps climbing and climbing

mine too. its not climbing much only because nothing else is moving. this is an album i am going to tier more than rank i think

INCONCEIVABLE. EVERYTHING** MUST BE RANKED.











** I too am finding ranking songs on this album particularly difficult and went with tiering.

[Birds in Hell]

josh played a big part in writing upper hand, per stone/jeff on the broken record podcast

This was limited to the ambient intro, which per Jeff was mainly written by Josh and put together by Ed, Jeff and Wotman.

[elliseamos]

This song, wreckage, something special, and setting sun are really great juxtaposed with the rest of this album.

[DeeDee]

5 stars to me.

Astonishingly good.

[Kevin Davis]

5 stars to me.

Astonishingly good.

Yeah, this is the one for me — absolutely love it

[Strat]

This one makes me weep

[Hatfield]

This one makes me weep

That’s the quality of this album that I can read this line from a grown man that I barely know, but have come to respect and my only rational reaction is to nod in knowing agreement.

I don’t have the words yet to describe this song, but I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!

[KurtLeon]

This song is better than sex

[guitar_davey]

This one makes me weep

That’s the quality of this album that I can read this line from a grown man that I barely know, but have come to respect and my only rational reaction is to nod in knowing agreement.

I don’t have the words yet to describe this song, but I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!!

Count me as a member of Team Tears for Upper Hand.

For me, this is going to be one of the most affecting PJ tunes ever.

[RockPusher]

9UP not liking this one is a mystery to me. Out of all the tunes on this album, this seems like the one that *any* fan of this band would enjoy.

[stip]

how do folks interpret the chorus? I don't love my read on it, or at least I'm not totally sold

[VinylGuy]

The whole lyrics are a mystery to me, but i havent been thinking much about it.