Gigaton: Official album thread

[VinylGuy]

Hell, even Retrograde is warming up now

[dimejinky99]

Im relieved with Come Then Goes, it does sounds very cool. Ed sounds fucking good....he is singing in a very cool low registre, feels like something he would do in 1999 or the 2000 really.

I think the weirder ones like buckle up will be standouts once the Christmas morning of it all has passed.

[Ms Harmless]

I'm still awake and emotional about this whole thing

How did they do this?

I don't know but my whole life is flashing past me

[vedder316]

Quick rating based off a 2nd run through this:

DotC
Quick Escape - they really drop the gd hammer the last 1:30
Buckle Up - just the perfect quirky, fucking, Stone Gossard songwriting I love. Might be #1 before it’s all said and done.
Comes Than Goes - honestly just hit the sweet spot for me, what I really want from acoustic PJ.
Take The Long Way - just a very cool Matt tune.
River Cross - I enjoyed this based off Ed solo, it’s a fine end to the record, they didn’t kill it thankfully.
Superblood Wolfman - I’ll probably drop this further down as I get used to the rest.
Who Ever Said - kind of like the chorus, feels a little flat.
Alright - real different, actually had a no code vibe for me, not entirely sure why. Need more time with this.
Retrograde - i was expecting the worst for the last 1/3 of the record, I actually thought this was ok, thought something cool was happening towards the end, then it just dies.
Seven O’Clock - I quite enjoyed this 1st time through, 2nd time through not so much. Just never goes anywhere.
Never Destination - quite easy for me, weakest track on a pretty strong record.

I actually liked the end of this record more than I thought. I love Buckle Up and CTG, River Cross is a fine ending, Retrograde a little weak with a few moments that shine.
Weakest shit for me was 7:00 into ND, and I’m a little unsure of Alright. So that’s 3 tracks I struggled with in a row, the rest of this is pretty fucking tight.

[VinylGuy]

I'm still awake and emotional about this whole thing

How did they do this?

I don't know but my whole life is flashing past me

Im on the same boat.

[Ms Harmless]

I'm still awake and emotional about this whole thing

How did they do this?

I don't know but my whole life is flashing past me

Im on the same boat.

you need to stop me spewing about my personal life on this fucking board, that never went well for me

[Ms Harmless]

this is just... really fucking bittersweet for me

[WaitingForBluey]

Just finished the 2nd listen and I'm just... I dunno, just so thankful. There are so many special moments. And the timing is kinda creepy. We needed this so bad.

[McParadigm]

In some ways this record reminds me of albums that came out in and were colored by the shadow of 9/11, even though they were recorded well before.

It’s a happy accident without the happy: the little band from Seattle calling out, offering one last bit of song before vanishing into the strangled contractions of the city’s newest epidemic. “I can hear you singing in the distance,” they promise. “I can see you when I close my eyes.”

[daft twat]

In some ways this record reminds me of albums that came out in and were colored by the shadow of 9/11, even thought they were recorded well before.

It’s a happy accident without the happy: the little band from Seattle calling out, offering one last bit of song before vanishing into the strangled contractions of the city’s newest epidemic. “I can hear you singing in the distance,” they promise. “I can see you when I close my eyes.”

I doubt very much there is going to be an anthemic single like Beautiful Day on this, but there is a part of me that thinks this album in the midst of this pandemic could be like All That You Can't Leave Behind was in the post-9/11 world.

[bodysnatcher]

[Ms Harmless]

LMFAO I saved the image

[scrub12]

My rankings right now:

DOTC
Quick Escape
Buckle Up
Who Ever Said
Comes then Goes
River Cross
Seven O'Clock
Alright
Superblood Wolfmoon
Take the Long Way
Never Destination
Retrograde

I'm pretty happy to slide Superblood Wolfmoon in the lower half. I was hoping that would happen when I heard everything else.

DOTC is still elite.

[Jaeti]

In some ways this record reminds me of albums that came out in and were colored by the shadow of 9/11, even though they were recorded well before.

It’s a happy accident without the happy: the little band from Seattle calling out, offering one last bit of song before vanishing into the strangled contractions of the city’s newest epidemic. “I can hear you singing in the distance,” they promise. “I can see you when I close my eyes.”

Someone mentioned Yankee Hotel Foxtrot way, way earlier today, in that sense. And, yeah.

[Jaeti]

There are so many special moments.

[daft twat]

one of the reviews said "this is the album that should have been called Pearl Jam"

and I like the title, but agree with this sentiment; this album is a real showcase of everything latter-day PJ is capable of

That wasn’t a review. That was me. I’m as far as Buckle Up right now and I’m loving everything.

oh, OK

I can't remember why you said that before you'd heard it? was it a prediction based on reviews?

it's basically a standard pearl jam album but with some exploratory flourishes throughout, aka their best since S/T.

I would be thrilled to get this.

Me too, but I think it will be better than Avocado.
The general public will remember Pearl Jam for the singles on Ten plus daughter, elderly woman, and better man. The fan base that has stuck with them for 30 years will have a different view. I think that most of that group would agree that Yield is the best overall representation of what Pearl Jam was in the 90s. I have no doubt that Binaural will be remembered as their best album of this century, but I think Gigaton will be the album that best captures who Pearl Jam is and has been in the 21st century. It will have the experimentation of Binaural, the political commentary of Riot Act, the meat and potatoes cookie cutter rock of Avocado, the pop sensibilities of Backspacer, and the safe laziness of LB all in one. This will be the album that should have been called Pearl Jam.

[Fattie_Vedder]

I might add to this tomorrow, or just wish I never wrote it instead. One or the other. Or neither. But this is something I like about the record.

This is an album about surviving past the end. It’s an unexpectedly appropriate subject for this day and age, and Pearl Jam is a uniquely authentic musical voice for it. They are capable of capturing, without fetishistic assumption or romanticism, the real experience of survival. They know what it means to live with losses that you can’t outlive. They know it’s not always going to feel like it was worth it.

So save your predictions, and burn your assumptions. But the band also wants you to feel the natural jubilance of the phrase “there’s much to be done.” Its reaction to the bitter end isn’t trademark fury, but just the same I’m still alive, different day.

The inspirations were clearly (primarily) Trump and climate change, but the band’s empathetic fixation on surviving hardships (both physically and spiritually) make this the ideal album to carry into uncertain quarantine. It’s an album that wants you to feel less alone. First, do no harm. Then: buckle up.

Even the president, lazily disparaged, is then immediately sympathized with in terms the band cannot help but understand. “His best days gone, hard to admit,” and here the smugly-strutting song becomes a mother’s hug. “Angry punches, with nothing to hit.” It’s like a Riot Act song all grown up...still furious for all of the denied and powerless, but now able to find its own reflection in the failures of the powerful.

Pearl Jam used to make albums about surviving the moment. Then, for a while there, they sort of made albums about remembering what it was like to be surviving the moment. Now, they’re finally ready to talk about you do next. Which in its way is just another kind of promise to survive. Whoever said it’s all been said gave up on satisfaction.

I could very well end up humiliated by how much I like this. I’ll live with it. Because whether or not this is a great record, it hits me right now because I’m pretty scared but hoping, and a hope dies last.

That's the McParadigm in the aforementioned post

Fuckin A this is a beautiful post. I love how quickly you tied the themes of the album to lyrics that embody them. Pretty writing with astute observations.

This resonates with me: “ the band’s empathetic fixation on surviving hardships (both physically and spiritually) make this the ideal album to carry into uncertain quarantine. It’s an album that wants you to feel less alone. First, do no harm. Then: buckle up.“

[Ms Harmless]

one of the reviews said "this is the album that should have been called Pearl Jam"

and I like the title, but agree with this sentiment; this album is a real showcase of everything latter-day PJ is capable of

That wasn’t a review. That was me. I’m as far as Buckle Up right now and I’m loving everything.

oh, OK

I can't remember why you said that before you'd heard it? was it a prediction based on reviews?

it's basically a standard pearl jam album but with some exploratory flourishes throughout, aka their best since S/T.

I would be thrilled to get this.

Me too, but I think it will be better than Avocado.
The general public will remember Pearl Jam for the singles on Ten plus daughter, elderly woman, and better man. The fan base that has stuck with them for 30 years will have a different view. I think that most of that group would agree that Yield is the best overall representation of what Pearl Jam was in the 90s. I have no doubt that Binaural will be remembered as their best album of this century, but I think Gigaton will be the album that best captures who Pearl Jam is and has been in the 21st century. It will have the experimentation of Binaural, the political commentary of Riot Act, the meat and potatoes cookie cutter rock of Avocado, the pop sensibilities of Backspacer, and the safe laziness of LB all in one. This will be the album that should have been called Pearl Jam.

turns out you were pretty spot on

[dimejinky99]

evenslow wrote:
it's basically a standard pearl jam album but with some exploratory flourishes throughout, aka their best since S/T.

Exactly what I said only phrased better.

It’s clever and at least pushes against boundaries but it’s afraid to just break the wall down when it really needs to.

Some great songs but mostly safe experimental/won’t blow ourselves up let’s just do a little bit.

Take the long way and never destination
Should not be on this fucking record.

They drag all of it down and they’re right in the middle of it.

Did they even re-record them?

They’re just leftovers from avocado ffs

[Monkey_Driven]

Take the Long way is better than half of this album!