Ehhhh wrote:So, first of all, Hi everybody!!
I've been a long (really long) time lurker on this board and only now I felt like contributing. This is going to be very long so feel free to skip ahead.
I can't help but feel very apprehensive about the new record and what better place to vent that out than here? We have very little information available (from a reliable source that is) but the hints being circulated do not excite me at all. The only exciting thing is that BO'B is out. Which is like finally. A change is desperately needed. But everything else considered, I'm not feeling it. The album title, the album art, the single title, the climate change topic, the synth?, jeff being in charge, all do not work for me. I should clarify that climate change is a very important issue and it must be discussed but I don't think PJ is the one for that. I think this could end up being really bad, like really really bad. I know you guys hate that song 'No More', ya well this could be way worse. It's a very heavy topic and i don't expect it to be handled well by a rock band. But then again, they've had a few successful attempts discussing heavy topics. Insignificance comes to mind. But still, I hope this serves for a great surprise on my part. I want to be wowed.
TL;DR Pearl Jam: Gigton Me: Eh
Welcome to the board! Everything you are hesitant about is all conjecture at this point other than the artwork and title of the album. We have no idea if Jeff is charge, we have no idea if its actually a concept album about climate change (i suspect ed will touch on lots of relevant topics throughout the album), and an indication of a synth could mean a bunch of things.
I will be happy if Ed cools his Ego on this one. I want a relaxed, moody, almost barely there Ed. Something like Maynard's performance on the new Tool, but calmer. I'm so sick of his big fat ego front and center all the time. Maybe even sing on the back of the stage, behind the guitarist like Maynard does.
darth_vedder wrote:So will this album be a logical extension of Riot Act?
Please...
Let's just pretend the midlife crisis albums never happened.
Does that include Binaural and Riot Act, or PRAMG?
PRAMG. With Binaural and Riot act it seemed like pearl jam were going to age with dignity, then along came Avocado and dignity was abandoned.
I like S/T, but it's a step down from what came before, but not like a massive drop for me. BS and LB though, they drove off the cliff. I haven't listened to LB in 6 years.
JuanHamm wrote:Avocado has some pretty good songs, but they're buried under that awful production.
My main problem with the album is Eddie trying to reclaim his youth. He sounds absolutely ridiculous on some of those songs.
For sure, the album is very flawed, starting first with the sound. You're right though, the mixing / mastering just sounds bad. It's PJ's worst sounding album, but I still like a good solid half the album nonetheless. With BS and LB I can barely make a mix of the two and fill it with songs I enjoy.
Well, if Steamed Hams is one of the song titles, yeah, this is going to be something special.
I also agree with tree. Would love to hear a more subdued Ed, with some good sporadic bursts of emotion. BOB had him way too front and center on most of the songs.
EJ wrote:Well, if Steamed Hams is one of the song titles, yeah, this is going to be something special.
I also agree with tree. Would love to hear a more subdued Ed, with some good sporadic bursts of emotion. BOB had him way too front and center on most of the songs.
Totally. That may have worked for '98 Ed, but 2009 and beyond Ed, not so much. I think the band should be the focal point. Based on the TOTD shows I heard, those 4 definitely have it in them.
Considering the cover art, title, and previous themes and ideas explored by the band I think this album could cover some intriguing areas:
- The loss of a material good/relationship/person/idea/natural phenomenon you have taken for granted. How do you cope? Who/what is left when it is gone?
- The finite nature of the world. What's the point?
- Corporate/business machinations that lead to destruction/corruption. Revisiting some of the ground explored in Riot Act, but with a contemporary spin. The world itself is much more important than money.
- Crumbling of long defined, established institutions (government, democracy, bipartisanship, ice caps). What replaces them?
- How do we fight back? What community can be formed to make a meaningful change? Who is there for us when the weight of the world overwhelms us?
I'm not saying this album will tackle any of this with eloquence or tact, but I'm excited to hear more.
EJ wrote:Well, if Steamed Hams is one of the song titles, yeah, this is going to be something special.
I also agree with tree. Would love to hear a more subdued Ed, with some good sporadic bursts of emotion. BOB had him way too front and center on most of the songs.
Totally. That may have worked for '98 Ed, but 2009 and beyond Ed, not so much. I think the band should be the focal point. Based on the TOTD shows I heard, those 4 definitely have it in them.
I always felt one of the great achievements in Binaural was putting the band front and center. Ed’s not in the background but he’s also not the main focal point either.
evenslow wrote:Lightning Bolt has always been a terrible title.
It’s also named after a song on the album which has always felt very non-Pearl Jammy to me. I hope there isn’t a song called “Gigaton”. Can we confirm that yet?
Cannot agree more with the "the less Eddie the better" on this record. I'm sick is his ego and sound dominating the records. And from some of the interviews with Mike and Jeff over the last several years, this absurd 7 year gap seems to be on his shoulders as well. I want to hear the band. It's enough at this point.
finally. A change is desperately needed. But everything else considered, I'm not feeling it. The album title, the album art, the single title, the climate change topic, the synth?, jeff being in charge, all do not work for me. I should clarify that climate change is a very important issue and it must be discussed but I don't think PJ is the one for that. I think this could end up being really bad, like really really bad. I know you guys hate that song 'No More', ya well this could be way worse. It's a very heavy topic and i don't expect it to be handled well by a rock band. But then again, they've had a few successful attempts discussing heavy topics. Insignificance comes to mind. But still, I hope this serves for a great surprise on my part. I want to be wowed.
