Red Mosquito

Backspacers biggest failure is the disconnect of musical tone and underlying themes. I find Backspacer to be full of apprehension , appreciation for what you have now and a foreshadowing of the inevitable loss of those things. The poppy style works well in terms of the happiness/fun aspect but it fails to augment the deeper levels of the songs.

If Just Breathe was dialed down a bit and Speed of Sound was less cacophonous it would have helped.

that foreshadowing element is important. I am entirely speculating, but I am predicting that Lightning Bolt is going to continue this narrative--preserving what you are afraid of losing in a world that seems to be falling apart around you. And lashing out at the assholes you think are responsible.

stip wrote:that foreshadowing element is important. I am entirely speculating, but I am predicting that Lightning Bolt is going to continue this narrative--preserving what you are afraid of losing in a world that seems to be falling apart around you. And lashing out at the assholes you think are responsible.

An aspect I think was missing from Backspacer.

I think it probably would have been out of place there. But it's time.

I agree about JB and SoS. I also think The End needed to be a bigger song to anchor the album.

it sounds really big though. I think it works. certainly more than the other two.

I think Backspacer was trying very hard to be a 'fun' album, or at least fun in contrast to the rest of PJ's catalog. Lyrically, it feels very self-conscious about going in a different direction in comparison to the previous records they'd been writing, and the music fits that shift.

digster wrote:I think Backspacer was trying very hard to be a 'fun' album, or at least fun in contrast to the rest of PJ's catalog.

that's a pretty low bar.

stip wrote:it sounds really big though. I think it works. certainly more than the other two.

I do love it as is. I think a more parting ways style would help it. Maybe I don't like it at the end. It gets a little too lost for me for how heavy and important I think it is.

stip wrote:

digster wrote:I think Backspacer was trying very hard to be a 'fun' album, or at least fun in contrast to the rest of PJ's catalog.

that's a pretty low bar.

The ironic part of it is that to me it sounds far less fun and far more labored for doing so. I never heard 'care free' or lightness in Backspacer, the way others seem to.

Not sure where to post,

got a couple of questions - who's playing intro of album version of lukin, i'm assuming it is not eddie,

and 2nd - heyfoxymop - its just eddie/jeff/jack - no mike/stone? amirite?

I think Lukin is Eddie, with someone else (Mike or Stone) hitting some harmonics, possibly. I know he plays the chords live.

Its eddie with stone playing that high note.

Strat wrote:Its eddie with stone playing that high note.

It's very strange as album intro of lukin differs from any live version, there's just no that dirty guitar sound

I like this vid


and live

Wow, the comparison between the drumming by Jack in the intro of the album version vs. Matt's awkward plod in that live video is just depressing.

what the heck happened to this Eddie Vedder?

taffer wrote:

Strat wrote:Its eddie with stone playing that high note.

It's very strange as album intro of lukin differs from any live version, there's just no that dirty guitar sound

I like this vid


and live

Yeah, and nothing will change between live and studio versions! PJ play their live songs very accurately! Right guys?

That's actually pretty accurate. They didn't rework the song.

The best version of Lukin:



Tight and that bass line in the chorus is fucking great.