Gigaton: Official album thread

[Leatherhead]

the 'standard' pearl jam record every four years still sounds really good to me

I know I'm in the minority here, but I usually find myself agreeing with Stip on many things. Cheers!

Of course I'd like more, but yea, I think I'm okay with this. I just don't expect to really enjoy new albums in their entirety, but instead will be picking out the best songs and probably making mixes of newer material, like mixing together Backspacer and Lightning Bolt.

But really, lately I've been thinking Backspacer ain't too bad, and if that's the case then perhaps it's not fair judging the near and distant future of Pearl Jam so harshly quite yet.

[PHATJ]

the 'standard' pearl jam record every four years still sounds really good to me

I know I'm in the minority here, but I usually find myself agreeing with Stip on many things. Cheers!

Of course I'd like more, but yea, I think I'm okay with this. I just don't expect to really enjoy new albums in their entirety, but instead will be picking out the best songs and probably making mixes of newer material, like mixing together Backspacer and Lightning Bolt.

But really, lately I've been thinking Backspacer ain't too bad, and if that's the case then perhaps it's not fair judging the near and distant future of Pearl Jam so harshly quite yet.

Backspacer is garbage. Lightning Bolt is pretty good.

[littlecomment]

(edit - x2 post)

[littlecomment]

Here's a blast from the past:

"It's true that we're always aspiring to be better; we're never content," says the 34-year-old Gossard, who still calls Seattle home. "And from my perspective we're not there yet. The new Radiohead record - that's the kind of thing to aspire to. And we always go into each record thinking this could be the best."

http://www.oocities.org/tg_clown/a1.html

[bune]

Lighting Bolt reviews did have a few comments about the album feeling safe

They have reached that special combination of long-lived and consistently unremarkable which always produces perfunctorily positive reviews. There aren't high expectations enough to warrant critical disappointment, there isn't interest enough to want creative growth, and the band has survived long enough to get a distinctly uninterested kind of respect. In the end, every review has to remind us that they are mostly a touring band. Half the reviews might as well say "I don't really care and neither do you, but boy do they have some fans."

They are Jimmy Buffett.

You say that, but they don't sound nearly as tired as JB on that Zac Brown song. I mean, he even looks soulless there.



Also they haven't done the country-crossover album either (thank goodness).

[joostone]

In that December SiriusXM interview with Mike it seemed that the band has no plans yet to record anytime soon.

So far it seems that Jeff's (see vice interviews some time ago) the only one who wants this band to record and release more. He will convince the others on that april tour. They will demo some stuff in the summer. They will start recording after the shows. So in september at the earliest, probably they will use the winter 2017 as well.

My prediction: LP11 will be released September 2017! A good 4 years after LB.


But perhaps later..it will also depends on the RNDM, Soundgarden en Ed solo touring schedules. Since it could very well be that all those acts will have new records out before PJ does...

[McParadigm]

"If their next album is anything like Lightning Bolt, they can take all the time in the world on it as far as I'm concerned."
- Felonious Punk, some news article comment section guy who should probably be posting here.

[pnjguy]

The band has nothing to lose at this point, makes it frustrating. As a band who admire Neil Young, they haven't learned anything from him.

[McParadigm]

The band has nothing to lose at this point, makes it frustrating. As a band who admire Neil Young, they haven't learned anything from him.

Oh, I think they learned it, tried it, and decided it wasn't for them.

In the 4 1/2 years after Vs they made 3 very distinctly personalitied Pearl Jam records, one Neil Young record, and a handful of albums worth of material through various side projects. Then they decided to try for a reinvention that failed/they abandoned, went through a very understandable existential crisis, and found peace in the idea of Bruce Springsteen-level legacy building.

Which is good for your reputation, but far better for crapping out very boring records.

[WaitingForBluey]

Uncle Neil tore shit up in the '70's, put out some clunkers in the '80's, then came back strong in the '90's. Why can't PJ follow suit?

[Strat]

Uncle Neil tore shit up in the '70's, put out some clunkers in the '80's, then came back strong in the '90's. Why can't PJ follow suit?

because pearl jam gives too many shits about their goddamn legacy.

Neil young doesnt give a shit about any of his fans. God bless him.

[McParadigm]

Uncle Neil tore shit up in the '70's, put out some clunkers in the '80's, then came back strong in the '90's. Why can't PJ follow suit?

Because he never stopped pushing against walls, writing more songs, tearing old things down, and taking artistic risks. Pearl Jam isn't doing any of that.

Plus, they'd have to follow it up. Even as great as something like Ragged Glory is, by itself it would not have stood out as a complete artistic revival. Imagine a release schedule that was solely:

1986 Landing on Water
1990 Ragged Glory
1995 Dead Man

Without that larger narrative around it, it would have been one of those asterisked "later day classics" that other 70's artists sometimes saw...the ones that blip on the radar, but get tucked away over time in favor of the "exciting years" from their peak.

[WaitingForBluey]

No, PJ isn't doing any of that right now for sure. But when I listen to the unreleased demos from the Avocado sessions I can't help but feel like that band could still be alive and kicking in there somewhere. For some reason, they made an intentional choice to go the "lets make more mainstream accessible/stadium-ready music" route for the past 3 albums. But all things run their course. Eventually they could get bored with that and try something completely different.

[Strat]

No, PJ isn't doing any of that right now for sure. But when I listen to the unreleased demos from the Avocado sessions I can't help but feel like that band could still be alive and kicking in there somewhere. For some reason, they made an intentional choice to go the "lets make more mainstream accessible/stadium-ready music" route for the past 3 albums. But all things run their course. Eventually they could get bored with that and try something completely different.

I hope you are right, friend. I really hope so. I dont see any light at the end of the tunnel though.

[E.H. Ruddock]

No, PJ isn't doing any of that right now for sure. But when I listen to the unreleased demos from the Avocado sessions I can't help but feel like that band could still be alive and kicking in there somewhere. For some reason, they made an intentional choice to go the "lets make more mainstream accessible/stadium-ready music" route for the past 3 albums. But all things run their course. Eventually they could get bored with that and try something completely different.

I hope you are right, friend. I really hope so. I dont see any light at the end of the tunnel though.

[bune]

I was listening to Mirror Ball recently and I remembered that the album really rocks in places. I almost wish they'd make Neil get off his political kick and do another album with them. They could both use the kick in the pants, that's for sure.

[Strat]

I was listening to Mirror Ball recently and I remembered that the album really rocks in places. I almost wish they'd make Neil get off his political kick and do another album with them. They could both use the kick in the pants, that's for sure.

Wouldnt be as good without Jack. Fuck he was great on those songs. What a great fit for neil.

[LoathedVermin72]

i've never heard mirror ball

[bodysnatcher]

i've never heard mirror ball

yeezus christ get on it

[bune]

i've never heard mirror ball

(I didn't know there even was a video.)