Red Mosquito

I get the impulse to want to compare every album to all the albums that came before it, and every song to every song that came before it. I really do. But honestly, this doesn't sound like any of Pearl Jam's other albums to me. It sounds like what it is.

And I'll add that, while the narrative is that DoC is the most 'out-there' song on the record, after hearing it I think that take is superficial. There are a number of songs from 'Alright' to 'Seven O'Clock' to 'Retrograde' (I don't hear the Lightning Bolt comparisons here, sorry) that sound to me like songwriting, performance, and production leaps to me.

This album is, to me, its own beast.

hey guys would someone send me the link as well

Not too hot on Seven O'Clock.

It's like if they did Sirens in 2002.

cutuphalfdead wrote:Not too hot on Seven O'Clock.

I find the cadence of the singing over the music really odd, but I like the effort and expect it will grow on me.

Tsuga wrote:

cutuphalfdead wrote:Not too hot on Seven O'Clock.

I find the cadence of the singing over the music really odd, but I like the effort and expect it will grow on me.

The first 15-30 seems weird but it clicks in for me after that.

Ok, told myself I'd buckle up and wait until the 27th, but who am I fooling? Who can share?

Never Destination is ok. It's very much a Pearl Jam song.

OK, so here are my first impressions:

Who Ever Said: this one really didn’t do anything for me on first listen. It just felt kind of static. That part where things drop back a bit halfway through seemed promising but the band didn’t take it anywhere interesting, kind of just haphazardly plodded along back to where they started.

Superblood Woflmoon: I didn’t like this song before and it’s definitely not improved by hearing it coming right after another lumpy Vedder-penned thump rocker. These two songs paired together make for a really poor introduction to the record, which is a shame.

Dance of the Clairvoyants: First time I’ve heard this one in a few weeks and thankfully it still sounds fantastic, what a contrast to the previous two songs.

Quick Escape: I feel as though the leak is obscuring some of the detail in the mix of this one. Nonetheless, I still found it pretty enjoyable. I wouldn’t say I’m quite as gaga about it as many others on RM but it’s definitely an improvement on the opening songs.

Alright: Now this is more like it, I loved it on first listen. Lots of interesting musical flourishes, almost edging into an 80s Peter Gabriel vibe in parts, which of course hits a very specific sweet spot for me (and Jeff, I expect). The clear standout for me so far.

Seven O’Clock: Wow, I quite liked this one too, and its transition from Alright. Just a great, slowly-unfurling groove, at least up until the bridge/outro with the hee-hees where I feel like it went off-track.

Never Destination: I definitely understand the BRY equivalencies mentioned already. I like this one better that the opening two Vedder rockers, partially because it feels breezier and less weighty, it’s not trying quite so hard and I think it’s just a better-written song than either. Not bad.

Take the Long Way: An off-kilter Matt Cameron rocker? No surprises, I love it. They’re never going to be able to pull this one off live.

Buckle Up: This was lovely, one of the high points. Another song where I wish the quality of the rip allowed all of the detail in the mix to come through. Going to close my eyes and imagine a version of Pearl Jam that just makes songs like this and Alright now.

Comes Then Goes: This didn’t do much for me on first listen, and it also felt like it went on and on and on and on. A low point after a very strong middle section.

Retrograde: I thought this one would be terrible based on the early impressions but I was pleasantly surprised. I really didn’t mind this one at all.

River Cross: This was a very nice closer. I like the sound of Matt’s drums, really feeling that mid 80s progressive pop (Peter Gabriel, Talk Talk, etc.) vibe, which permeates the record in all of its strongest moments.

Overall I liked it but those first two songs are such a misleading introduction to what is otherwise quite an interesting, and sonically explorative, album. Vedder's songs are clearly the weakest link, it would be a much stronger album without most of them.

Yeah Take The Long Way is pretty good.

cutuphalfdead wrote:

Birds in Hell wrote:

B wrote:

santos l halper wrote:sooo...if you are sharing links that you shouldn't be sharing you will be flagged and your future ten club participation will be in jeopardy. That's the nice version. Ask anyone who's been caught, it doesn't go well for them. This is your only warning...and yes, your fellow 10c members are more than happy to let us know who's sharing. Don't be lame.

and if your presale order is late, you can thank the leakers for taking me off the line.

Who in their right mind would want to be in the 10C after reading that?

Oh no, fans are excited and sharing our music! Shut it down, shut it all down!

Fuck this band.

Look there are nicer ways to say that, but I can't blame the guy. I'm sure this is frustrating for the band. We're just at cross purposes here.

I don't get the Superblood Wolfmoon hate. That song slaps.

for an album recorded in Dolby Atmos seeing so many comments about issues in the leaked mix totally justifies my laziness in seeking this out and instead listening to it for real when it comes out in a week

but for the rest enjoy

Tsuga wrote:I don't get the Superblood Wolfmoon hate. That song slaps.

Yup

Welp, I'll try to gather my first thoughts.

I was left pretty brutally let down by the end even though I was expecting it. My very first thoughts

Who Ever Said - starts off pretty decent! Im diggin it it sounds kinda old school, Ed sounded good...until he took a weird melodic turn with the vocal line. eh. new wavey solo, ok. The chorus is ok kinda catchy. The bridge was pretty decent into the final chorus. This isn't a raging opener. It's like if Life Wasted had the power and energy of All Those Yesterdays ( that's my first thought for some reason)

SBWM : WAY better in context after the opener. It's a cheesy rock song but you know, a few beers at a show, I can dig it.

DOTC: Solid song. Cool experimentation and nice melodys in the chorus. it's not an all time great but it's cool. Jeff's synth line ignited this.

Quick Escape : now we are talking! pretty fucking good Jeff! great bass line and chorus. Pretty good solo .

Alright : oh my God I absolutely loved this. BEAUTIFUL. AGAIN JEFF. Parting Ways meets Strangest Tribe. Gorgeous melody and vocals. Look at the magic that happens when Jeff writes and Ed shuts the fuck up?? I almost wish they pushed this song further at the end, but overall, success. Song gave me chills.

Seven O Clock : UGHHHH!!! starts ok but the moment Ed starts spittin, holy fuck I can't even do it. Big time Bruce Springsteen vibe meets U2. FUCK THIS SONG! lol. The chorus does have a nice ear worm melody similar to "Ordinary World" by Duran Duran, but overall, yeah fuck this song. Maybe with the lighters up at a live show I'll come around.

Never Destination ; my first thought was "this is dog shit" at the beginning, but I'll say, by the end of it, I kinda dug it. Good solo, decently better than SBWM but, eh, bottom of the barrel.

Take The Long Way: Pretty damn awesome. VERY Soundgarden. great drumming, inventive riffs, cool vocal lines. It's solid. it's not an all time great song, I wish it went to higher heights, but damn solid. The outro is fuckin fantastic.

Buckle Up: MEH. This is all you got Stone? I love Around the Bend and Parachutes, this aint it.

Comes Then Goes : Ed solo track. started off ok but overall pretty fucking horrible. I felt the urge to skip it the entire time.

Retrograde : I had high hopes, but also pretty fucking bad. riff reminded me of Felicity Surprise at one point but the song is very cheesy and boring. At the end it goes full on Into The Wild, which I love and I love Ed's voice here, but it wasn't worth the price of admission . The ending is really great but overall, Fail.

River Cross : its a decent song but also just feels even more boring coming after Retrograde. I like alot of the melodies, but Ed also massively cringed it up with some of his wordiness about the government and shit. Couldn't get into that but it's overall a decent song.

I need to decompress and relisten of course these are just first thoughts. Feeling pretty disappointed but I'm not heart broken at this point. I pretty much expected it. There's at least 4 pretty good songs.

Buckle Up is so good.

stip wrote:

cutuphalfdead wrote:

Birds in Hell wrote:

B wrote:

santos l halper wrote:sooo...if you are sharing links that you shouldn't be sharing you will be flagged and your future ten club participation will be in jeopardy. That's the nice version. Ask anyone who's been caught, it doesn't go well for them. This is your only warning...and yes, your fellow 10c members are more than happy to let us know who's sharing. Don't be lame.

and if your presale order is late, you can thank the leakers for taking me off the line.

Who in their right mind would want to be in the 10C after reading that?

Oh no, fans are excited and sharing our music! Shut it down, shut it all down!

Fuck this band.

Look there are nicer ways to say that, but I can't blame the guy. I'm sure this is frustrating for the band. We're just at cross purposes here.

You can't blame him? For threatening to kick fans out of the 10C for sharing the band's new music, the leaking of which has nothing to do with them?

What's done is done, surely it's wiser to harness that excitement and run with it.

Songs 1-4 are great together. First 9 songs all resonated with me.

Birds in Hell wrote:

stip wrote:

cutuphalfdead wrote:

Birds in Hell wrote:

B wrote:

santos l halper wrote:sooo...if you are sharing links that you shouldn't be sharing you will be flagged and your future ten club participation will be in jeopardy. That's the nice version. Ask anyone who's been caught, it doesn't go well for them. This is your only warning...and yes, your fellow 10c members are more than happy to let us know who's sharing. Don't be lame.

and if your presale order is late, you can thank the leakers for taking me off the line.

Who in their right mind would want to be in the 10C after reading that?

Oh no, fans are excited and sharing our music! Shut it down, shut it all down!

Fuck this band.

Look there are nicer ways to say that, but I can't blame the guy. I'm sure this is frustrating for the band. We're just at cross purposes here.

You can't blame him? For threatening to kick fans out of the 10C for sharing the band's new music, the leaking of which has nothing to do with them?

What's done is done, surely it's wiser to harness that excitement and run with it.

Like I said, there are nicer ways to say that, or possibly even approach it, but they had a roll out planned and wanted to control the way they introduced everyone to the music. It's a giant spoiler of sorts.

I listened, and it's not necessarily how I would handle things, but at a point the guy is doing his job.