Song of the Moment: Swallowed Whole

[harmless]

For me, it's also the sense that you're not really hearing Pearl Jam so much as Pearl Jam as refracted through the Brendan O'Brien hit machine.

That isn't to say that I think the band wasn't entirely on-board with the production decisions he's made on the last two albums, I presume they were, but after listening to their work for a long time (both inside and outside of Pearl Jam) I think I have some sense of what kind of sounds and textures these guys usually default to and there's a lot of things I hear on those records that don't seem to fit with that aesthetic.

S/T has some blatant, and well-discussed, production issues but it at least it feels more like a Pearl Jam record (just one that sounds really bad). With the last two, there's been an extra voice in the room which has clearly had a significant impact on the end result.

IMO there being an extra voice isn't as much of an issue. I don't think so many of us would be bothered with it if the end results didn't sound as forced. O'Brien seems to take away from them to make room for himself instead of bringing the best out of them in the 1st place.

I agree. I'd really like to know how much "keys" BoB really played, and if it was everything, why Boom is in the liner notes. Other than that, I think you're right, we wouldn't be complaining about someone else in the room if that person had an ear which was sympathetic to Pearl Jam and their style and aesthetic.

[stupidmop]

What's weird to me is stone I think saying they made sure it wasn't too glossy or over produced or something, and I don't hear much of that at all. It's not crazy pop levels or anything, but its not an album that sounds like there was effort to keep it gritty or whatever.

[LetMeSleep]

For a live band it seems odd that the last 2 albums have felt so 'tracked'. Bo'b seems to want to get a pristine, clean, immaculate recording. Maybe the band are happy striving for that too. I want a bit more sweat and stink, a bit of guitar string buzz and the odd drum mis-hit or stick noise. Some breaths and some air. I'm currently listening to the Philly 22/12 show and LB and MYM sound so suffocating.

And a bit less of Ed all over the record. Let some instrumental sections take the song where it goes. LB sounds like it was written 2 minutes longer but was edited to avoid the listener possibly getting bored. And to address the thread track, I'd have loved another 5seconds of intsrumental break at 2:05.

[harmless]

What's weird to me is stone I think saying they made sure it wasn't too glossy or over produced or something, and I don't hear much of that at all. It's not crazy pop levels or anything, but its not an album that sounds like there was effort to keep it gritty or whatever.

Yeah, I noticed that too and found it odd, even a bit annoying. But he seemed a little bit shy about that statement to me, as if, in the back of his mind he was thinking but it is still a bit shiny. All he meant was probably that it could've been worse and they tried to keep it from getting worse (but he said that in the most diplomatic way possible).

[digster]

Their definitions of what is and is not raw might just have changed over time, also.

[Kevin Davis]

Chud and Spenno have done a good job explaining what I meant by my original comment. I'm not enough of a production guy to know where to draw what lines, but I really like a lot of the architectural choices on the record, arrangements and placements of certain flourishes and whatnot; my main issue is on the engineering side, just layers and layers of filtration and processing until the band members' various identities are all but lost in a splatter of indiscriminate digital sparkle, like when the sun shines so brightly off a pane of glass that the glare ends up obscuring all that's on the other side. Even on "Backspacer," I feel like the best moments, though pristine, at least accurately reflect what the band is doing, and what it feels like to hear those five guys playing together; the one time I listened to "Backspacer" since "LB" came out, I was stunned at how ferocious ""GSMF" felt by comparison, how tempestuous the drums and how mean the guitars sounded when played back to back with "LB." The whole record doesn't sustain that same quality, and it is definitely in the same ballpark, but I don't know--I guess it just feels like "LB" is one step too far over the threshold for me.

[Norah]

Digital sparkle is a perfect way to put it.

[harmless]

Stop breakin' my balls, guys.

[epilogue]

I think LB sounds better than Backspacer. That's all I've got.

Also, Swallowed Whole still isn't getting my juices flowing the way I want it to. I like the song a fair amount, but it's probably still my least favorite track on the album.

[evenslow]

That's really odd. When all is said and done, SW may emerge victorious for evenslow's favorite track on LB. Not small potatoes.

[stip]

I think LB sounds better than Backspacer. That's all I've got.

Also, Swallowed Whole still isn't getting my juices flowing the way I want it to. I like the song a fair amount, but it's probably still my least favorite track on the album.

number 2 from the bottom for me, which is odd, because this should, on paper be right at the top.

[Mike]

I don't enjoy this song very much right now even though I liked it quite a bit at first. Let's see where it ends up in my esteem later. Ed is the weak link here right now. The bridge is still very nice, though.

[epilogue]

I think LB sounds better than Backspacer. That's all I've got.

Also, Swallowed Whole still isn't getting my juices flowing the way I want it to. I like the song a fair amount, but it's probably still my least favorite track on the album.

number 2 from the bottom for me, which is odd, because this should, on paper be right at the top.

Word.

What's your last place?

[stip]

LTRP

[epilogue]

LTRP

I get that. But I think that song's so much fun. Why do you hate Stone Gossard so much, Stip? Did he run over your dog or something?

[stip]

LTRP

I get that. But I think that song's so much fun. Why do you hate Stone Gossard so much, Stip? Did he run over your dog or something?

He did. Thanks for bringing it up

[stip]

Aldo I think Ltrp is still a good song. This album is like vs in that I think well of every song

[epilogue]

Aldo I think Ltrp is still a good song. This album is like vs in that I think well of every song

Totally agree. I don't dislike a single song. But one of them has to be at the bottom. Just the way it goes. Sorry about your dog.

[harmless]

LTRP

I get that. But I think that song's so much fun. Why do you hate Stone Gossard so much, Stip? Did he run over your dog or something?

I think LTRP is OK, but it's hardly an example of Stone at the top of his game.

[stip]

Won't argue that either