Backspacer: Official Album Thread

[darthvedder81]

This album is a bit of a hollow Easter Egg for me. Chocolate on the outside...Nothing on the inside.

Love the artwork.
If only the band had put as much dedication and passion into the music as Tom Tomorrow put into the artwork, then we'd have a real shit kicker on our hands...But Backsapcer just falls flat for me.

I haven't listened to this one front to back in at least 4 years....and that's saying something.

So you haven't listened to it since before it came out?

I like your PJ O'Rourke quote btw.

[joostone]

I've been listening to this the last couple of days. Eventhough it's my least favorite PJ record, it does have it's moments.

My three fav songs are (and they have been for quite some time now) :

1-Got Some
2-Speed of Sound
3-GSMF

And if Olé was on this one it would probably be #4.....

Interesting thing to see in the anticipation toward 'Lightning Bolt' is that I remember that when 'backspacer' came out, my favorite tracks were; 'the end', 'unthought known', 'amongst the waves'. And I think I liked those better at that time than I like MYM now...

soo..what can I learn?? Absolutely nothing.......

[dimejinky99]

Force of nature. Great song. And I can't love anyone who does not love it.

[harmless]

I *like* aspects of every song on this album except for Supersonic. The lyrics on that one ruin it, because they're not just bad in places, the entire concept and theme of the song is terrible. Every other song is passable and enjoyable, just hampered by various things. No song goes from good to great, because something lets it down. The only song I think they got nearly 100% right is Johnny Guitar.

[dimejinky99]

C'mon. Pj aren't allowed have a little throwaway fun?

[harmless]

I didn't say they weren't. They did, and I did nothing to stop them.

[harmless]

Listening to Backspacer again. GSMF is still pretty cool.

[harmless]

OK, songs I think miss the mark, for various reasons:

The Fixer (I used to like this a lot more and today realised I didn't much. The music is entertaining and well-produced, but those lyrics should be better; I've been making excuses for them.)
Unthought Known (This song wasn't finished, and doesn't really fit on this album either way.)
Supersonic (The only song I feel real hatred for. Again, the music is OK but the best bits sound like Mankind and we already have Mankind.)

All the other songs are fine by me.

[harmless]

Force of Nature is also kind of dull.

[stip]

i will continue to stand by the lyrics of The Fixer as being good (not just passable, but good), especially in the context of that song.

[harmless]

i will continue to stand by the lyrics of The Fixer as being good (not just passable, but good), especially in the context of that song.

I want to agree and for a long time I did. I feel bad, stip, don't make this harder for me.

[stip]

it's not a question of wanting to agree or disagree. It's just truth.

[harmless]

[E.H. Ruddock]

I find it funny with the 5 different threads about the new album and all the talk of how crappy Inside Job is that the Backspacer thread is even on the first page of this forum.

[EJ]

In and of itself, I'd say it was successful in its intended purpose.

This album wouldn't get such a bad rap had another proper (aka meatier) album followed it up shortly afterwards. The long wait, plus other dog and pony show things the band and fan club have done in the interim have made this album much less appealing.

[harmless]

In and of itself, I'd say it was successful in its intended purpose.

This album wouldn't get such a bad rap had another proper (aka meatier) album followed it up shortly afterwards. The long wait, plus other dog and pony show things the band and fan club have done in the interim have made this album much less appealing.

I can go with most of that. Backspacer has its flaws, even in terms of what it was attempting. But they're made worse by the fact that the band seemed to disappear off the radar for years afterwards, to be replaced by 10C robots.

[LetMeSleep]

I *like* aspects of every song on this album except for Supersonic. The lyrics on that one ruin it, because they're not just bad in places, the entire concept and theme of the song is terrible. Every other song is passable and enjoyable, just hampered by various things. No song goes from good to great, because something lets it down. The only song I think they got nearly 100% right is Johnny Guitar.

Wow, I agree with you. Although I think JB is a good enough Ed song (albeit one I don't like), it's a terrible PJ song.

[LetMeSleep]

i will continue to stand by the lyrics of The Fixer as being good (not just passable, but good), especially in the context of that song.

They are good. Very effective and a nice approach from Ed.

[harmless]

I *like* aspects of every song on this album except for Supersonic. The lyrics on that one ruin it, because they're not just bad in places, the entire concept and theme of the song is terrible. Every other song is passable and enjoyable, just hampered by various things. No song goes from good to great, because something lets it down. The only song I think they got nearly 100% right is Johnny Guitar.

Wow, I agree with you. Although I think JB is a good enough Ed song (albeit one I don't like), it's a terrible PJ song.

I never understood this mentality really. We only say stuff like that because he released solo albums. If he hadn't, we'd be thinking his acoustic songs were just acoustic PJ songs. Like Elderly Woman, or Indifference, both of which would've been called Ed solo songs if they were written now.

[LetMeSleep]

I *like* aspects of every song on this album except for Supersonic. The lyrics on that one ruin it, because they're not just bad in places, the entire concept and theme of the song is terrible. Every other song is passable and enjoyable, just hampered by various things. No song goes from good to great, because something lets it down. The only song I think they got nearly 100% right is Johnny Guitar.

Wow, I agree with you. Although I think JB is a good enough Ed song (albeit one I don't like), it's a terrible PJ song.

I never understood this mentality really. We only say stuff like that because he released solo albums. If he hadn't, we'd be thinking his acoustic songs were just acoustic PJ songs. Like Elderly Woman, or Indifference, both of which would've been called Ed solo songs if they were written now.

Maybe agree with Small Town but not Indifference. With JB the band bought nothing to the table and their performances are rudimentary. Any session guys would have produced a better track. In fact just Ed would have been better. IMHO - failed experiment. Though as I have said before, their catalogue is richer for it.