Again Today

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[LetMeSleep]

Guys, this is fine.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[Birds in Hell]

Do we know if Brendan produced this?

It has some of the hallmarks of his work on the last two records but I can't imagine he runs cheap, I doubt they'd call him up for a random compilation track unless they were working on other things at the same time. Who knows, I guess.

Brett Eliason did Better Things and, not coincidentally, I think it's their best sounding recording in recent years.

[Kevin Davis]

But a 'lets sound like X' approach is just musical shorthand

Absolutely -- it's a common point of reference that can communicate ideas clearer and more efficiently than trying to explain that you want the song to be fast and punky and immediate while trying to tactfully dance around the idea that dozens of artists already make music that sounds like that. It's a nice idea that all bands would approach every studio session with the goal of creating something totally original and unique, but "totally original and unique" is one of those things that could mean anything and therefore ultimately ends up meaning nothing. Those common reference points help steer the ship. And sometimes it's just fun to emulate your heroes.

[Birds in Hell]

I know Jeff talked about Dave Abbruzzese's lack of shared musical touchstones as one of the reasons they found it hard to work with him, using the example of wanting a song to have a Buzzcocks feel and Dave having no idea what that meant.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[stip]

I've enjoyed this one more each time I've heard it. It's a nice unexpected surprise on a rainy april day.

[Kevin Davis]

I only just now realized that this was a cover of Brandi and not Belinda Carlisle.

[Jorge]

Also, I'm pretty sure they've done it before. I can't think of specific examples but I'm sure I've heard them describe the process of writing or arranging older songs with "we were going for a (older artist) thing".

They've totally and for other artists sounds before! Neil young, Pink Floyd, etc. but their aim was never so unwavering and precise to the extent that their idiosyncrasies and unique personalities were completely stifled. But this attempt at a Ramones song sounds nothing to me like the band I fell in love with; it sounds like a bunch of studio musicians who never met before, with an aging eddie vender on the mic. And in this instance, eddies the best part about it

I certainly didn't hear ramones when I first heard this song. A faster 'punkish' style, but it hardly makes sense to reduce that entire genre to the ramones

It's Ramones-y in that it's a fast punky song played with all (or mostly) downstrums on overdriven barre chords, but that's it. The chord slides around "who's gonna break my fall" in the chorus are the Ramonesiest part of the song. But it doesn't really sound like a Ramones song because it goes to some melodic places that the Ramones stayed away from.

[LetMeSleep]

It's more Lone Justice than Ramones.

[stip]

Also, I'm pretty sure they've done it before. I can't think of specific examples but I'm sure I've heard them describe the process of writing or arranging older songs with "we were going for a (older artist) thing".

They've totally and for other artists sounds before! Neil young, Pink Floyd, etc. but their aim was never so unwavering and precise to the extent that their idiosyncrasies and unique personalities were completely stifled. But this attempt at a Ramones song sounds nothing to me like the band I fell in love with; it sounds like a bunch of studio musicians who never met before, with an aging eddie vender on the mic. And in this instance, eddies the best part about it

I certainly didn't hear ramones when I first heard this song. A faster 'punkish' style, but it hardly makes sense to reduce that entire genre to the ramones

It's Ramones-y in that it's a fast punky song played with all (or mostly) downstrums on overdriven barre chords, but that's it. The chord slides around "who's gonna break my fall" in the chorus are the Ramonesiest part of the song. But it doesn't really sound like a Ramones song because it goes to some melodic places that the Ramones stayed away from.

I'm listening to this on headphones and it sounds like there are a lot of parts I wish I could hear more clearly. I wonder what the quality on the youtube video is.

[Norah]

Weird reverb choice here, though it's not all bad because it obscures much of Ed's modern awfulness.

[VinylGuy]

yeah, i thought more The Strokes or something along than vein than Ramones..but, ey its cool.

I like it more and more with each listen....i dont agree with Matt and Jeff sounding boring, the whole band is pretty tight....even if Ed´s delivery is far from perfect, he sounds very into it as well.

Its a pretty cool cover.

[TremorJam]

I enjoy it for what it is. It's better than I expected. I was initially confused about the Belinda/Brandi thing until I saw a picture of her. I was like "Wow! The Go-Go's singer hasn't aged a bit!" Just makes me hope they're secretly working on album #11. Maybe they recorded something for the Christmas Single at the same time? Hurry up, PJ!! Maybe Lost Dogs II later this year?? It's been 13 years and they could sell the Wrigley Blu-Ray along with it like they did MSG I and Lost Dogs in 2003?? It woulld fit the current business model..

[VinylGuy]

But ey, i just listen to Backspacer and fucking loved it...i mean, really loved it.

Man, GSMF-GOT SOME- THE FIXER is such a fucking great line of songs.

[Strat]

Guys - saying no code is their Neil young influence is simplifying the matter
And. It remotely a thing. No code is a varied record of many styles.

It is not the same as bearing to death their by the numbers pop punk songs as they have for the last 10 years.

Musically speaking - pumping outa ramones style song would take them all of 5 minutes to piece together.

[Norah]

Mirrorball is their Neil Young record.

[Norah]

You know, the one where they play Neil Young songs. With Neil Young.

[stip]

Guys - saying no code is their Neil young influence is simplifying the matter
And. It remotely a thing. No code is a varied record of many styles.

It is not the same as bearing to death their by the numbers pop punk songs as they have for the last 10 years.

Musically speaking - pumping outa ramones style song would take them all of 5 minutes to piece together.

How many by the numbers pop punk songs have they actually written, Strat? Supersonic? Ole? One album track and one b-side?