Red Mosquito

you guys are insane

Just looking at the tracklists of all their albums helps me decide Gigaton is indeed better than most albums PJ have put out. I don't see any album except the first 3 with as high a proportion of very good to great songs or as low a proportion of skippable ones as Gigaton. It's as simple as that. Whether the album sounds like 90s PJ or not doesn't really matter as long as the songs are great. There were some less than great songs in the 90s albums too so sounding like that era doesn't necessarily make it better, though Quick Escape is the obvious example of them sounding like early PJ and actually making a great song.

To say that Gigaton is top 3 is a bit too much. I don't see how it can exceed the first 3 but every other album is fair game. At best, it could tie for the 3rd spot in a few years' time. That means it would rank alongside Vs which is my number 3. Not there yet but I don't rule that out. Ten and Vitalogy are solidly top 2 (in no particular order).

None of the first three albums are in my top three.

Yes, I understand RM is an alternate reality where that can happen.

That's insulting. It has nothing to do with RM.

Honestly, when I first started posting here, I couldn't believe some of the favourites people had on this forum (albums and songs). A bit like Stip, I guess. Not to insult anyone but I couldn't wrap my head around it for a long time. I have learnt to accept that some people just have different tastes in PJ. It's all good. If we were to do a poll outside the forum (hypothetical; I know we can't really do one), I'd put money on most listeners (casual included) putting the first 3 albums in their top 3 or 4 PJ albums.

Mike wrote:S/T slays Gigaton

ride me a big wave!

I see it more as mid-era Pearl Jam being sadly underrated, when they were in fact making the best music in the world at the time. It annoyed me in the late-90s, but it''s such a long time ago. Nowadays I'm lucky if I meet someone that know who Pearl Jam are.

Release_Me wrote:Honestly, when I first started posting here, I couldn't believe some of the favourites people had on this forum (albums and songs). A bit like Stip, I guess. Not to insult anyone but I couldn't wrap my head around it for a long time. I have learnt to accept that some people just have different tastes in PJ. It's all good. If we were to do a poll outside the forum (hypothetical; I know we can't really do one), I'd put money on most listeners (casual included) putting the first 3 albums in their top 3 or 4 PJ albums.

You're really going out on a limb with that brave bet

Most people would prefer the band's most popular work?!? I just don't believe it!

As far as popularity, that's a terrible way to rate quality. Just look at the Billboard 100 tournament. Certainly not the 100 best songs ever.

Vitalogy is my number one

Can't this be discussed in one of the 80 gigaton threads or rank your album threads? I'm thinking the rank your albums thread, but am open to suggestions. Thanks.

E.H. Ruddock wrote:Can't this be discussed in one of the 80 gigaton threads or rank your album threads? I'm thinking the rank your albums thread, but am open to suggestions. Thanks.

So, how long?

Ms Harmless wrote:

E.H. Ruddock wrote:Can't this be discussed in one of the 80 gigaton threads or rank your album threads? I'm thinking the rank your albums thread, but am open to suggestions. Thanks.

So, how long?

Ruddo's easily 9 or 10 inches.

Sgt. Crackpot wrote:

Ms Harmless wrote:

E.H. Ruddock wrote:Can't this be discussed in one of the 80 gigaton threads or rank your album threads? I'm thinking the rank your albums thread, but am open to suggestions. Thanks.

So, how long?

Ruddo's easily 9 or 10 inches.

That's a very long nose.

theplatypus wrote:

Release_Me wrote:Honestly, when I first started posting here, I couldn't believe some of the favourites people had on this forum (albums and songs). A bit like Stip, I guess. Not to insult anyone but I couldn't wrap my head around it for a long time. I have learnt to accept that some people just have different tastes in PJ. It's all good. If we were to do a poll outside the forum (hypothetical; I know we can't really do one), I'd put money on most listeners (casual included) putting the first 3 albums in their top 3 or 4 PJ albums.

You're really going out on a limb with that brave bet

Most people would prefer the band's most popular work?!? I just don't believe it!

My point, exactly. It is the minority opinion to not think of their most popular albums as also their best. Otherwise, the popular opinion wouldn't be what it is. RM is not a representative sample in that respect. Not that it's bad to have a different opinion from the rest of the world but there is a significant disparity in what is considered their best work here and outside.

I think you'll find similar in all major Pearl Jam forums.

Certainly Ten is the most famous, but it's been 30 years. Casual fans have moved on 25 years ago. Just this week I saw someone post on facebook ten albums that have shaped them, and they posted Ten. Another friend of mine agreed in the comments. I know both well, and neither listen to Pearl Jam anymore.

They could possibly buy tickets to a show if they came to their city, and would wait all evening for Even Flow, Alive, Jeremy, YL etc.

Release_Me wrote:

theplatypus wrote:

Release_Me wrote:Honestly, when I first started posting here, I couldn't believe some of the favourites people had on this forum (albums and songs). A bit like Stip, I guess. Not to insult anyone but I couldn't wrap my head around it for a long time. I have learnt to accept that some people just have different tastes in PJ. It's all good. If we were to do a poll outside the forum (hypothetical; I know we can't really do one), I'd put money on most listeners (casual included) putting the first 3 albums in their top 3 or 4 PJ albums.

You're really going out on a limb with that brave bet

Most people would prefer the band's most popular work?!? I just don't believe it!

My point, exactly. It is the minority opinion to not think of their most popular albums as also their best. Otherwise, the popular opinion wouldn't be what it is. RM is not a representative sample in that respect. Not that it's bad to have a different opinion from the rest of the world but there is a significant disparity in what is considered their best work here and outside.

I’m fine having a different opinion than a “casual listener”

I'm talking rock music fans in general, not specifically the people found on PJ forums. But yeah, even on most PJ forums, when asked to rank the best albums (not the ones you most listen to today), I'd still expect the majority to rate the first 3 very highly. This is not just about their impact which obviously plays a role but because those early albums really are that good.