Song of the Moment: Swallowed Whole

[Kevin Davis]

I LAL'ed to "Riot Act" a couple days ago and would surmise that the reason "Thumbing My Way" might feel like more of a Pearl Jam song than an Eddie solo song is because it's on a record that has a very "live in the room" presence to it, where you can really pick up on the nuances of what each band member is doing. The individuality of the band members is played down considerably on the last couple records, and most noticeably so on these acoustic EV-penned tracks--in many cases they are simply showcases for the hook and lyrics with accompaniment that could have been played by any number of interchangeable studio musicians. The bassline on "Just Breathe" may be the most inappropriately "non-Jeff"-style bassline in the whole catalog.

That said, I have never struggled with the idea of accepting any of those songs as Pearl Jam songs. There's nothing wrong with not using the band if the song doesn't need the band. I think the hidden implication in comments to that nature is that, since his experiences as a solo artist, Eddie finds himself defaulting increasingly often to songs that have less and less for the band to add to them, which I agree with and find to be an unfortunate signpost along their path from the "Yield"/"Binaural"-era stuff to where they are now.

[harmless]

I LAL'ed to "Riot Act" a couple days ago and would surmise that the reason "Thumbing My Way" might feel like more of a Pearl Jam song than an Eddie solo song is because it's on a record that has a very "live in the room" presence to it, where you can really pick up on the nuances of what each band member is doing. The individuality of the band members is played down considerably on the last couple records, and most noticeably so on these acoustic EV-penned tracks--in many cases they are simply showcases for the hook and lyrics with accompaniment that could have been played by any number of interchangeable studio musicians. The bassline on "Just Breathe" may be the most inappropriately "non-Jeff"-style bassline in the whole catalog.

That said, I have never struggled with the idea of accepting any of those songs as Pearl Jam songs. There's nothing wrong with not using the band if the song doesn't need the band. I think the hidden implication in comments to that nature is that, since his experiences as a solo artist, Eddie finds himself defaulting increasingly often to songs that have less and less for the band to add to them, which I agree with and find to be an unfortunate signpost along their path from the "Yield"/"Binaural"-era stuff to where they are now.

Yep.

Reading this, I can't help but be reminded of the fact that BoB threw everything including the kitchen sink at "Future Days", and almost all of it is alien to Pearl Jam's music, and totally superfluous in itself, when, ironically, I think most of us would've preferred a "less-is-more" arrangement. It doesn't feel like a typical "Ed solo song", but neither does it sound like Pearl Jam had anything to do with it.

[harmless]

I dunno. Sometimes it feels like a person's opinion (on whether a song is "a true band performance" or not) will only depend on whether they really like it.

Well, I like "The End" quite a lot, and I like "Just Breathe" just fine, so I don't know that that applies.

Is "No More" a Pearl Jam song?

I agree, and I don't know

[harmless]

I dunno. Sometimes it feels like a person's opinion (on whether a song is "a true band performance" or not) will only depend on whether they really like it.

Well, I like "The End" quite a lot, and I like "Just Breathe" just fine, so I don't know that that applies.

Is "No More" a Pearl Jam song?

it was listed on itunes as an eddie vedder song, so no.

I happen to like most of the 'ed solo songs', and even Thumbing My Way (which is okay) I feel belongs on Riot Act. I guess I've never felt like these songs weren't proper pearl jam songs. Nightswimming is just half the band, after all I guess that's twice as many as the end, but still.

Is the band doing more on Thumbing My Way than they are in Just Breathe or Future Days? Certainly it's less than SBM.

Is the band doing anything at all on Future Days? Genuine question.

[EJ]

I dunno. Sometimes it feels like a person's opinion (on whether a song is "a true band performance" or not) will only depend on whether they really like it.

Well, I like "The End" quite a lot, and I like "Just Breathe" just fine, so I don't know that that applies.

Is "No More" a Pearl Jam song?

it was listed on itunes as an eddie vedder song, so no.

I happen to like most of the 'ed solo songs', and even Thumbing My Way (which is okay) I feel belongs on Riot Act. I guess I've never felt like these songs weren't proper pearl jam songs. Nightswimming is just half the band, after all I guess that's twice as many as the end, but still.

Is the band doing more on Thumbing My Way than they are in Just Breathe or Future Days? Certainly it's less than SBM.

Is the band doing anything at all on Future Days? Genuine question.

About the same thing Mike McCready was doing for 95% of that Jimmy Fallon performance of Alive. Fake strumming.

[stupidmop]

I dont really have a problem with solo ish sounding songs appearing on an album, that the band isn't as prominent on it is the least of future days problem, but its always nice when the band add something. Man of the hour and off he goes work really well.

The next 'ed should save his songs for into the wild 2' song on a pj record should sound like end of the road, with a 7 minute outro of awesome.

[Mike]

I dunno. Sometimes it feels like a person's opinion (on whether a song is "a true band performance" or not) will only depend on whether they really like it.

Well, I like "The End" quite a lot, and I like "Just Breathe" just fine, so I don't know that that applies.

Is "No More" a Pearl Jam song?

it was listed on itunes as an eddie vedder song, so no.

I happen to like most of the 'ed solo songs', and even Thumbing My Way (which is okay) I feel belongs on Riot Act. I guess I've never felt like these songs weren't proper pearl jam songs. Nightswimming is just half the band, after all I guess that's twice as many as the end, but still.

Is the band doing more on Thumbing My Way than they are in Just Breathe or Future Days? Certainly it's less than SBM.

Is the band doing anything at all on Future Days? Genuine question.

Yeah, I think everyone but Matt is playing. There's bass and guitars apart from Ed's.

[harmless]

I dont really have a problem with solo ish sounding songs appearing on an album, that the band isn't as prominent on it is the least of future days problem, but its always nice when the band add something. Man of the hour and off he goes work really well.

The next 'ed should save his songs for into the wild 2' song on a pj record should sound like end of the road, with a 7 minute outro of awesome.

I hope there aren't any more. I mean, they seem to be the songs BoB is most tempted to fuck up, and if there's none on the next album, we're less likely to get another FD. None of BoB's other decisions on LB annoy me as much as that one.

[epilogue]

Solid 4 star song.
Everyone keeps talking about an Into The Wild feel to this, but much of Vedders "solo", "acoustic" etc. songs can fit this mold. If "Small Town" was written today, many would be connecting that song to that movie, I reckon..

I agree. Or "Off He Goes", "Long Road", etc. etc. Everything with Ed and an acoustic guitar apparently doesn't belong on a Pearl Jam album now.

I can't speak for anyone else, but that's not at all what I'm saying. None of those songs sound like ITW songs. This goes beyond "Ed" and "acoustic." I'm also not saying Swallowed Whole doesn't belong on a PJ album. It does. There it is. I'm just saying that it's my least favorite song on this PJ album. And part of the reason for that is that it immediately reminds me of better songs. Down being one of them.

[epilogue]

Solid 4 star song.
Everyone keeps talking about an Into The Wild feel to this, but much of Vedders "solo", "acoustic" etc. songs can fit this mold. If "Small Town" was written today, many would be connecting that song to that movie, I reckon..

I agree. Or "Off He Goes", "Long Road", etc. etc. Everything with Ed and an acoustic guitar apparently doesn't belong on a Pearl Jam album now.

Swallowed Whole is a lot less incongruous than Just Breathe, The End or Future Days.

I agree, if what we're talking about is "doesn't belong on a PJ album." Those songs fit that much better than Swallowed Whole, I think.

[epilogue]

But, really, I have to agree with the camp that doesn't really think of the songs in those terms.

[harmless]

Yeah, sorry, my post wasn't in response to yours durden, just a general point in response to the people who moan about songs that sound like "Ed solo songs" not belonging on albums. Thing is, they would have an argument if they didn't often reel off different lists; their lists reflect their own taste, and usually ignore "Ed solo songs" they like.

[darth_vedder]

Solid 4 star song.
Everyone keeps talking about an Into The Wild feel to this, but much of Vedders "solo", "acoustic" etc. songs can fit this mold. If "Small Town" was written today, many would be connecting that song to that movie, I reckon..

I agree. Or "Off He Goes", "Long Road", etc. etc. Everything with Ed and an acoustic guitar apparently doesn't belong on a Pearl Jam album now.

I can't speak for anyone else, but that's not at all what I'm saying. None of those songs sound like ITW songs. This goes beyond "Ed" and "acoustic." I'm also not saying Swallowed Whole doesn't belong on a PJ album. It does. There it is. I'm just saying that it's my least favorite song on this PJ album. And part of the reason for that is that it immediately reminds me of better songs. Down being one of them.

I agree with the bolded part. Off He Goes is absolutely nothing close to SW. Off He Goes sounds like Pearl Jam to these ears. SW sounds like a quick number Ed threw together, and has a very similar vibe to the ITW stuff.

I think we dislike it for other reasons...It doesn't really remind me of Down or anything like that, I just kinda think the song sucks. I'm pretty surprised by the love it's getting around here. I think it's one of the low points on LB.

[dimejinky99]

Solid 4 star song.
Everyone keeps talking about an Into The Wild feel to this, but much of Vedders "solo", "acoustic" etc. songs can fit this mold. If "Small Town" was written today, many would be connecting that song to that movie, I reckon..

I agree. Or "Off He Goes", "Long Road", etc. etc. Everything with Ed and an acoustic guitar apparently doesn't belong on a Pearl Jam album now.

I can't speak for anyone else, but that's not at all what I'm saying. None of those songs sound like ITW songs. This goes beyond "Ed" and "acoustic." I'm also not saying Swallowed Whole doesn't belong on a PJ album. It does. There it is. I'm just saying that it's my least favorite song on this PJ album. And part of the reason for that is that it immediately reminds me of better songs. Down being one of them.

I agree with the bolded part. Off He Goes is absolutely nothing close to SW. Off He Goes sounds like Pearl Jam to these ears. SW sounds like a quick number Ed threw together, and has a very similar vibe to the ITW stuff.

I think we dislike it for other reasons...It doesn't really remind me of Down or anything like that, I just kinda think the song sucks. I'm pretty surprised by the love it's getting around here. I think it's one of the low points on LB.

I'm baffled by the love its getting here. I'm beginning to think its a bit of an in joke/Schtick thing like the LB demo rickroll debacle.

All the main characters seem to be involved.

It's a piss poor song. There's no other reason for it. And it's robbing me of the ability to believe anything I read about other songs.

[Jorge]

What's "piss-poor" about it? I think it's pretty great.

[darth_vedder]

What's "piss-poor" about it? I think it's pretty great.

I may be being a bit harsh on it. I mean, it's not terrible, it's just kind of bland to me.

[EJ]

Its a good song. And, probably has the best "coming right out of a bridge music" on the whole album.

[dimejinky99]

What's "piss-poor" about it? I think it's pretty great.

It's just very uninspired, ed has done this before and done it better and the band so nothing to lift it. I think it's lyrically and musically a big failure.
I get that others like it. Fair play. But it's a skip track for me.

[harmless]

Dime, you keep saying he's "done this better"? When? What song has he done before that sounds like this?

[dimejinky99]

Pick anything off ITW.
It's from that realm but jizzed up a bit for radio.
It's got this contrived old grey whistle test vibe around it.
I just don't buy it.