What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Binaural

[bodysnatcher]

I've always loved Binaural. Given that, I like McP's description of its flaws.

For me personally, the biggest song flaw is Light Years. Just bores me to death.

Biggest overall flaw is not sticking with Tchad through the whole process. Bringing in Brendan introduced two completely different aesthetics to the album which gives it an inconsistent feeling. Falling back on BoB brought in a safety net on an album that seemingly didn't want one. Staying with Tchad may have been extremely frustrating, but sometimes those obstacles create fantastic results.

[stip]

who did which songs?

[bodysnatcher]

Blake produced the whole thing, but I know BoB was brought in to mix the "heavier" songs. Not sure exactly which ones though

[hlniv]

Pacing is a huge flaw on this album. Stip is correct on that point.

But Breakerfall and Evacuation are great Pearl Jam songs.
And the atmosphere of this recording is not only not a flaw, but it is the album's greatest strength. IT's what sets it apart from all other PJ albums.

binaural with headphones is sonic bliss

binaural re-tracked with the b-sides, driftin/strangest tribe, and the TB2000 instrumentals is extra special sonic bliss

[knee tunes]

That was awesome, platypus,the

[hlniv]

Blake produced the whole thing, but I know BoB was brought in to mix the "heavier" songs. Not sure exactly which ones though

I think the * songs in the liner notes indicate songs that were mixed by Blake and the others were mixed by BOB

Blake mixed:
NAIS
Of The Girl
Rival
Sleight of Hand
Soon Forget

BOB mixed:
Breakerfall
God's Dice
Evacuation
Light Years
Thin Air
Insignificance
Grievance
Parting Ways

The Blake mixed Insignificance was released on the NAIS single

Spoiler: show

[stip]

thanks

[digster]

I'm probably somewhat in the minority on this, but I don't find the original tracklisting to be superior. I think grouping all the slow songs together actually would diminish their power somewhat, Insignificance comes way too early, and closing with Education doesn't really make any sense to me.

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

Binaural's major flaw is that PJ fans are arena rock fans.

[Rangi Guy]

The Blake mixed Insignificance was released on the NAIS single

I didn't realise this - will give both mixes a listen when I get home from work tonight

[bodysnatcher]

Binaural's major flaw is that PJ fans are arena rock fans.

Yeah this gets my vote

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

The Blake mixed Insignificance was released on the NAIS single

I didn't realise this - will give both mixes a listen when I get home from work tonight

Also, the Blake mixes of "Sad" and "Hitchhiker" are on the "Anything In Between" promo.

[Rangi Guy]

The Blake mixed Insignificance was released on the NAIS single

I didn't realise this - will give both mixes a listen when I get home from work tonight

Pretty sure I prefer the BOB mix

[Huell]

The absolute biggest flaw is track order, ignoring what they left off and dealing with the 13 songs that are there. Love breakerfall as an opener, gods dice and evacuation should be spread out from each other. Love light years but its just ruins the pacing, strangely enough the same sort of issue with track 4 on Lightning Bolt... but a lot of shuffling around is needed.

I personally really like Binaural and as I have gotten older I go back to this era more than anything else they have done. Thats not to say its an A+ album, but is a vibe album (some will see that as excusing filler) I can see Stip's view that its muddy but I like that the edges are blurred. Songs like God's Dice are just like riff-o-rama exercises without a strong tune, rival is ok but I think the stage the band was at Riot Act would have pulled off that swing better. I dont like Soon Forget, a novelty song that is ripped from the Who with a trite message about materialism. The album could really have channeled a millennial angst, with spooky atmospherics on Nothing As It Seems and Insignificance, Ed's lyrics more looking outward and much more in the 3rd person meant he had moved on from his internal demons... this could have been the equivalent of their OK Computer

I suppose in retrospect its the sound of a band pulling in different directions, punky tunes without momentum, rote acoustic tunes they nailed previously (Thin Air vs Off He Goes)... they just dont align them to make a cohesive listening experience as they are arranged. Mix up the tracklist a bit and sit back, its not a visceral listen but a vibe to absorb a bit

[darth_vedder]

@ platy. Well done sir. Hell of a post.

[darth_vedder]

I think I kinda agree with stip, except the sound of the album. I love it. McP's post are pretty spot on too.

I'm in the group that is just frustrated by this album. This one had potential to top my precious (No Code), but it just didn't get there. Leaving off "Sad" was a mistake. Didn't they say it was too "poppy"? That seems stupid considering this band gave us The Fixer and the crapfest that is Backspacer years later.

Fatal, Education, and In The Moonlight should have been there too. This had double album written all over it, and they pussed out. There is such brilliance on this album, but the execution is shit. The flow kinda sucks, especially for those of us that don't love Breakerfall or Evacuation, or Light Years. It's a hard album to get into because of the clunky start.

The lack of really letting go on songs like Rival, Of The Girl and Parting Ways (all really good songs) is disappointing too. All should have "gone out there" a little more. Rival needed to be about 20 seconds longer to expand the jam at the end. Of The Girl and especially Parting Ways should have channeled a Sonic Youth type sound a bit more (calm chaos, wall of sound, etc...).

[hlniv]

@ platy. Well done sir. Hell of a post.

Malkovich
Malkovich malkovich malkovich

Malkovich-malkovich
Malkovich
Malkovich, malkovich, malkovich

[harmless]

That this band ever said anything was "too poppy" is extremely annoying, if only because at one point they were good at it.

[McParadigm]

That this band ever said anything was "too poppy" is extremely annoying, if only because at one point they were good at it.

[Coach]

I'd say its major flaw is Soon Forget. Not a fan of the uke in general and really not a fan of the lyrics to this one.