Pearl Jam (self titled): Official Album Thread

[VinylGuy]

Hearing Severed Hand last night was so great. And they nailed it. The crowd seemed to love it as well. More from this album, please.

yeah, thats a banger live. Wish they did it more often. I would love for them to also play Life Wasted, Unemployable and at least Inside Job on a regular basis.

[dimejinky99]

They had some good things going for them in this period, but ultimately, the album was a disappointment.

It just didn’t work did it? All felt so forced and contrived.

[liebzz]

It might have felt forced and contrived because it was the biggest departure from their trajectory over the course of 15 years, but I disagree that the album was a disappointment. The biggest problem with the album is that the sound always seemed off to me - these heavy songs that sounded like they were in a tin can or something. This needed a heavier mix, if that makes sense.

[VinylGuy]

yeah, the only issue i have is the production. Everything else, i love it. The album, the tour cycle, the fucking press!! they did rolling stone, snl, letterman were they played a whole set, Aol sessions, Jolls Holland...magic.

[wease]

It might have felt forced and contrived because it was the biggest departure from their trajectory over the course of 15 years, but I disagree that the album was a disappointment. The biggest problem with the album is that the sound always seemed off to me - these heavy songs that sounded like they were in a tin can or something. This needed a heavier mix, if that makes sense.

Heavier but brighter, perhaps. Instead of tin can, I’ve always thought cardboard box. There’s no real ambiance to it at all.

[liebzz]

It might have felt forced and contrived because it was the biggest departure from their trajectory over the course of 15 years, but I disagree that the album was a disappointment. The biggest problem with the album is that the sound always seemed off to me - these heavy songs that sounded like they were in a tin can or something. This needed a heavier mix, if that makes sense.

Heavier but brighter, perhaps. Instead of tin can, I’ve always thought cardboard box. There’s no real ambiance to it at all.

I think we have similar thoughts here. If it had a little character, be it the warm sound of No Code, the abrasive sound of Vitalogy, or even the murkiness of Riot Act, it would have a feeling to it rather than seemingly antiseptic which the album is definitely not going for in substance.

[wease]

It might have felt forced and contrived because it was the biggest departure from their trajectory over the course of 15 years, but I disagree that the album was a disappointment. The biggest problem with the album is that the sound always seemed off to me - these heavy songs that sounded like they were in a tin can or something. This needed a heavier mix, if that makes sense.

Heavier but brighter, perhaps. Instead of tin can, I’ve always thought cardboard box. There’s no real ambiance to it at all.

I think we have similar thoughts here. If it had a little character, be it the warm sound of No Code, the abrasive sound of Vitalogy, or even the murkiness of Riot Act, it would have a feeling to it rather than seemingly antiseptic which the album is definitely not going for in substance.

Yeah. Comes across like a flat thud.

I still love most of the tunes tho.

[E.H. Ruddock]

It is a shame because all of the ST songs I've seen live have always been fun and incredible. Such a huge difference between the album and live. Also, I wish they'd bring Comatose back!

[stip]

Inside Job in particular is a song that is just fine on the record and kills live

[stip]

in fact Inside Job may be the single song most elevated in a live setting.

that or Unthought Known

[VinylGuy]

It is a shame because all of the ST songs I've seen live have always been fun and incredible. Such a huge difference between the album and live. Also, I wish they'd bring Comatose back!

yeah, thats another one i would love to have it live...Big Wave too.

[Kevin Davis]

I think every S/T song is better live (or at least, was better live in 2006). I'm not sure that any other PJ studio record has been so completely displaced by live recordings for me.

[wease]

I think every S/T song is better live (or at least, was better live in 2006). I'm not sure that any other PJ studio record has been so completely displaced by live recordings for me.

Binaural is up there for me too

[stip]

I think every S/T song is better live (or at least, was better live in 2006). I'm not sure that any other PJ studio record has been so completely displaced by live recordings for me.

even parachutes?

[Kevin Davis]

I think every S/T song is better live (or at least, was better live in 2006). I'm not sure that any other PJ studio record has been so completely displaced by live recordings for me.

even parachutes?

Hmmm, good call...coin toss, but I think so. Listening to the studio version now (whatever mix is on YouTube), and I am not sure I'd ever realized that Ed's vocals were double-tracked throughout the song. The instrumental embellishments come across really nice on the studio recording, but I think I still prefer the more organic feel of a good live take (if memory serves, Torino '06 is the one to take to the bank).

Binaural is up there for me too

For sure. Though, with Binaural, I do think the studio record and the live takes offer very different experiences. With S/T, for most of the songs, the live versions just deliver in full something that the record only delivers about 80% of.

I'm with you, though. The 2000 bootlegs really opened up my fondness for the Binaural songs in a big way.

[wease]

Binaural is up there for me too

For sure. Though, with Binaural, I do think the studio record and the live takes offer very different experiences. With S/T, for most of the songs, the live versions just deliver in full something that the record only delivers about 80% of.

I'm with you, though. The 2000 bootlegs really opened up my fondness for the Binaural songs in a big way.

Yeah. Except for Insignificance, which I loved from first listen as the b-side of NAIS, I wasn’t very keen on much else from the studio. Then those boots started coming out and more and more I started really getting into the tunes. And now I consider it a masterpiece.

Interestingly, Sad was a tune I didn’t care one way or the other about until I saw it live for the first time at the Gorge in ‘05. After that, it moved up into top 10 and possibly top 5 for me. I don’t know why I seem to connect with things on a seemingly different level with live performances vs studio cuts.

[liebzz]

Binaural is up there for me too

For sure. Though, with Binaural, I do think the studio record and the live takes offer very different experiences. With S/T, for most of the songs, the live versions just deliver in full something that the record only delivers about 80% of.

I'm with you, though. The 2000 bootlegs really opened up my fondness for the Binaural songs in a big way.

Yeah. Except for Insignificance, which I loved from first listen as the b-side of NAIS, I wasn’t very keen on much else from the studio. Then those boots started coming out and more and more I started really getting into the tunes. And now I consider it a masterpiece.

Interestingly, Sad was a tune I didn’t care one way or the other about until I saw it live for the first time at the Gorge in ‘05. After that, it moved up into top 10 and possibly top 5 for me. I don’t know why I seem to connect with things on a seemingly different level with live performances vs studio cuts.

Yeah that’s completely normal to me. I didn’t care either way about Bruce Springsteen and went to see him because of his live reputation. Walked out of that show a huge fan for life.

[McParadigm]

That’s funny. I went to see Springsteen on the reunion tour, and left thinking “huh, I wonder what people get out of that.” Then one day I was on a CD buying binge and I bought The River.

[Happy Trees]

I don’t know why I seem to connect with things on a seemingly different level with live performances vs studio cuts.

It's because the production on the studio album sucked. And it has never sucked worse than it sucks right now.

[liebzz]

That’s funny. I went to see Springsteen on the reunion tour, and left thinking “huh, I wonder what people get out of that.” Then one day I was on a CD buying binge and I bought The River.

Good ol’ Columbia House.