Backspacer: Official Album Thread

[McParadigm]

I think Backspacer sounds great. the issues I have on backspacer are issues with the songs themselves.

Yup. It's warm and inviting, a little syrupy but not overly sweet. Just Breathe came up on random play on my way back to work at lunch today, and although I only bothered with about 7 seconds it was still enough that I appreciated the ear tickling quality that they got out of those tones.

[digster]

There's more songs on Lightning Bolt than in their past records (barring maybe S/T) that have a good song wrapped in a very substandard presentation. Yellow Moon is easily the biggest missed opportunity (there's a really great song in there drowned in antiseptic), but there are other examples throughout. I don't lay this at the feet of BoB; though I don't necessarily think he's the best producer for the band, it's on the band to make the decisions about their own album. If they're signing off on the production style, then it's their responsibility, and if they're not, and just letting the producer do whatever he wants, then it's on them to get off their ass and make the album they want to make.

More than this, any issues with Lightning Bolt stem moreso from songwriting deficiencies than deficiencies in production, like the last two albums. There have been plenty of great albums with bad production, but I can't think of any that had bad songs and great production that I'd consider a great album as a piece.

[Strat]

The album is frustrating. I get minor insights into what Pearl Jam is capable of but fail to deliver to the extent that they once were able to. I do blame BOB in the sense that (other than production choices) he pushes the band in a direction that I dont think they do particularly well. That is - complacency. They dont speak highly about the writing and recording of Binaural -> s/t and that, i feel, is because they didnt enjoy the producers pushing them out of their comfort zone. IT shows on Lightning Bolt. Glaringly obvious. Its hard to state in a single sentiment but it is just something you can feel when you listen. I enjoy the album because im a fanboi but it also certainly frustrates me because I can feel the band doesn't enjoy putting in the effort they once did. Or maybe I have this romantic idea of a band struggling during the recording process to produce more inspiring results.

[dimejinky99]

I listened to this a few weeks ago on headphones for the first time in a long time and I enjoyed it immensely.

It flows far better than LB and just has more songs that I find enjoyable than LB.
Maybe it's the law of diminishing returns/ever decreasing circles or whatever but I hope not. I hope I can enjoy LB like this, further down the road.

[stip]

I'd like to see them work with someone else for variety's sake, but BoB produced 5 strong sounding albums with them. I'd need to see two albums in a row where the production was a problem before I gave up on him.

And for a certain type of sound L-bolt is produced very well. It's just not what any of us particularly want. And that's on the band. I'm sure if they gave him different marching orders he could have done something different

[dimejinky99]

An awful lot of Springsteen fans have problems with what he did with Bruce's albums too.

[PryTo]

The album is frustrating. I get minor insights into what Pearl Jam is capable of but fail to deliver to the extent that they once were able to. I do blame BOB in the sense that (other than production choices) he pushes the band in a direction that I dont think they do particularly well. That is - complacency. They dont speak highly about the writing and recording of Binaural -> s/t and that, i feel, is because they didnt enjoy the producers pushing them out of their comfort zone. IT shows on Lightning Bolt. Glaringly obvious. Its hard to state in a single sentiment but it is just something you can feel when you listen. I enjoy the album because im a fanboi but it also certainly frustrates me because I can feel the band doesn't enjoy putting in the effort they once did. Or maybe I have this romantic idea of a band struggling during the recording process to produce more inspiring results.

Here's an interesting quote from EV circa Binaural:

DJ: And I know you've been through this a million times too, but I'm gonna go ahead and ask you anyway. I mean, is this the same reasoning behind not really doing any videos to speak of? That you're afraid it would ...

EV: It really has more to do with quality product to be honest and it does take a certain amount of time and effort and uh ya know sacrifice of personal life to put your all into the records and after that it seems like you might need to just relax or even take a minute before you go on tour to organize your own personal stuff and that stuff, to be honest in a practical sense, is really time consuming. Again, if you want to make a quality product. So rather than put out stuff that's kinda shite, you'd rather than just abstain from it if you can. We've been able to sustain ourselves artistically and as a band without it and that has a lot to do with the listeners and people that still come to the shows where we were still in their face on TV and we've been afforded the opportunity to not do it and hopefully not too much.

I don't get the sense that PJ sacrifices much of their personal lives or puts their all into making records any more. Why that changed is up for debate, but we'll probably never really know. If I had tens of millions of dollars in the bank, I probably would be pretty complacent, too.

[stip]

I blame the kids more than the money, but I see everything through that filter these days

[PryTo]

I think it's a combination of getting older, having kids, and having cash. All of these (hopefully) change ones perspective and priorities. The money gives them the freedom to do whatever they want, including spend time with the kiddos. There are lots of folks who have kids, but not that kind of cash, who still have to invest themselves wholly into careers/putting food on the table.

[bodysnatcher]

No Way popped up on my shuffle on my headphones on my way to work, which was followed by Getaway. It was absolutely stunning the difference in the production style of those two songs. I hadn't listened to No Way on headphones in a long time and forgot just how layered that song is. After that, listening to Getaway felt like I was rollerblading across a shiny plastic surface.

[stip]

That's not a great comparison, though, because getaway is a much simpler song (less interesting as well). Compare no way to pendulum or another song where more is going on. Not that you won't still see a difference...

[hlniv]

Yeah guys. Stop being so mean to Backspacer and Lightning Bolt.

Jeez.

[McParadigm]

listening to Getaway felt like I was rollerblading across a shiny plastic surface.

Hearing this has really made me appreciate the studio version a whole lot more.

[Evvo]

listening to Getaway felt like I was rollerblading across a shiny plastic surface.

Hearing this has really made me appreciate the studio version a whole lot more.

That's awful. It sounds like a piss poor PJ tribute act.

[McParadigm]

It seems like every time I hear a recent performance of any song, I end up wishing they'd let someone else sing it.

[bodysnatcher]

listening to Getaway felt like I was rollerblading across a shiny plastic surface.

Hearing this has really made me appreciate the studio version a whole lot more.

that's what is going through a dog's head when it leaves the vet's office after getting neutered.

[mastaflatch]

It seems like every time I hear a recent performance of any song, I end up wishing they'd let someone else sing it.

his time has come.

[bodysnatcher]

[bodysnatcher]

guys, Boom was the turning point for this band, just so you know.

[Jorge]

listening to Getaway felt like I was rollerblading across a shiny plastic surface.

Hearing this has really made me appreciate the studio version a whole lot more.

Fuck this is shitty shitty shitty