What is Each Album's Major Flaw?: Binaural

[stip]

As my free hours to listen to albums in full become fewer, I find myself caring less and less about things like flow and sequencing. I don't know that "jarring transitions" and such are things that have ever really registered with me when listening to an album. At some point it's just a collection of tunes that either do it for you or not, know what I mean?

Have your read the Chuck Klosterman piece in which he realizes he no longer cares passionately about music? I wish I could remember the band he used as the example, but it's something along the lines of "My co-worker put on a Blink-182 song, and I didn't feel angry, or much of anything. I realized I no longer cared about music enough to "hate" a band and have negative feelings about them."

It's a great read, I wish I could remember where I saw it.

I have!
http://www.ew.com/article/2013/06/20/bo ... klosterman

that was great. I loved the year by year comments

[stip]

The opening round of fast songs are pretty weak, and some of the mood pieces are just slightly overly precious, but I also have a hard time swallowing despondent pearl jam

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

The problem with this album is that they tried successfully to be creative. That's a no-no in the world of butt rock.

[Mine]

I don't think that anything on Binaural would be considered that creative in 2000. It's creative for the sake of being creative but not good enough at it to be generally considered much of an accomplishment in that direction. The sessions for this record produced some of the best material they ever did, but they didn't compile the best album (or 2) that material would allow them too. But this is Pearl Jam, somewhat idiotic artistic choices is what they do best.
It has an odd flow. A lot of the songs work better on their own than they do in the context of the album. The seasons however are arguably their artistic peak.

[lecherouslittlestump]

binaurals 'major flaw' is that it's complete garbage

you want to 'retrack' it? throw it all in the trash

pj died with yield

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

binaurals 'major flaw' is that it's complete garbage

Are you mentally retarded or just an average idiot?

[LoathedVermin72]

[PHATJ]

binaurals 'major flaw' is that it's complete garbage

Are you mentally retarded or just an average idiot?

Clearly a full blown retard.

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

binaurals 'major flaw' is that it's complete garbage

Are you mentally retarded or just an average idiot?

Clearly a full blown retard.

He's doubling down on the retard.

[PHATJ]

binaurals 'major flaw' is that it's complete garbage

Are you mentally retarded or just an average idiot?

Clearly a full blown retard.

He's doubling down on the retard.

With cause.

[alvarojam]

Binaural is one of my favourites PJ albums. In fact, is the first one I bought with my own money, in cassette (still got it) when I was 16. Of course it can´t be compared to Ten or VS, but that doesn´t mean that is a bad album. The only problem I have with it is Eddie´s voice. 2000 year was the year (at least for me) that Eddie was trying to find his ¨new voice¨, which was working better during Riot Act, and seemed to be found on Avocado onwards. His voice is too forced, like if he was sick. Is not powerfull at all, and during that tour I felt like he killed a lot of songs which was based on the force of it (SOLAT, Animal, Go, Black... and a lot more).

The sound of Binaural is just beautiful. Every time I listen to the album, especially with earphones, it captures me. It is so different from what they were doing until that point, and that´s the special thing of that record. Riot Act was the transition to their ¨currently sound¨, the sound they´ve been stuck at since Avocado. (BTW: Riot Act, was, for me, their last great record).

Binaural was an experiment. I don´t think they made the album to sell millions of copies. It was just something they needed to do at the time. It was their last big risk (musically speaking).

After that, it came Riot Act (great record), and then:
Avocado, Backspacer and LB.
Well, I feel like you could choose songs from the least 3 records and mixed them and you could not notice the difference. The sound is so similar and the style of songs are the same (with a few exceptions, of course).

And, by far, their worst record is Backspacer. Even the artwork is awful. The songs are too short and very, very basic. There´s 2 or 3 songs that are good compared to the rest of their catalogue: Unthought Known, Amongst the Waves and mmmmmm, ok: just two songs. The rest are average. Plus that, Eddie thought it was a good idea to include songs that he should leave for his solo records, and with almost no participation from the rest of the band. Awful.

Compare the songs on Binaural and Backspacer. NAIS, Insignificance, Parting Ways, Light Years, Grievance, Rival... to Johnny guitar, Supersonic (their actual worst song), The End, Just Breathe (maybe their most cheese song, up there with Yellow Ledbetter).

Binaural is different, but not bad. Is like (in a way) No Code. Not everyone like it, but that doesn´t make it a bad album at all.

Regarding the B-Sides and leaked songs, some could have been in the album, but they didn´t make it. Too bad, but there´s nothing to do with it. It was the band´s choice.
People started to question the tracklist once the demos, B-Sides and not included songs started to see the day of light.

For me, Hard to Imagine in Vitalogy would be perfect. Breath, Alone and SOLAT in Ten, Dirty Frank after Rats in VS, All Night in No Code. But there´s nothing to do with it.

I just can´t believe that Hard to Imagine wasn´t even a B-side (too good to be a b-side??), and Supersonic, Future Days, Father´s Son and Just Breathe made it to an album. How do you explain that???

[Norah]

I love Ed's voice on Binaural.

[Leatherhead]

I love Ed's voice on Binaural.

Agreed.

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

I just can´t believe that Hard to Imagine wasn´t even a B-side (too good to be a b-side??)

It was released on a soundtrack album like "State Of Love And Trust" and "Breath", but not until it had been re-recorded a couple of times. The version on "Lost Dogs" is a different, earlier version.

[alvarojam]

I just can´t believe that Hard to Imagine wasn´t even a B-side (too good to be a b-side??)

It was released on a soundtrack album like "State Of Love And Trust" and "Breath", but not until it had been re-recorded a couple of times. The version on "Lost Dogs" is a different, earlier version.

A soundtrack really doesn´t count as an album per se (except for the Singles soundtrack maybe, that one is great). My point is that is a really good song, a fan favourite, and waaaaay better than others they included in their albums... Of course, after Vitalogy, there was no room for it on the next albums (I think the version with Dave is the definitive, with Jack it would have been different, no talk about Matt)... If it didn´t fit in an album, they could have included it on a single at least... or a X-Mas single (we got Ramblings instead)...

[bada]

As my free hours to listen to albums in full become fewer, I find myself caring less and less about things like flow and sequencing. I don't know that "jarring transitions" and such are things that have ever really registered with me when listening to an album. At some point it's just a collection of tunes that either do it for you or not, know what I mean?

Have your read the Chuck Klosterman piece in which he realizes he no longer cares passionately about music? I wish I could remember the band he used as the example, but it's something along the lines of "My co-worker put on a Blink-182 song, and I didn't feel angry, or much of anything. I realized I no longer cared about music enough to "hate" a band and have negative feelings about them."

It's a great read, I wish I could remember where I saw it.

I have!
http://www.ew.com/article/2013/06/20/bo ... klosterman

that was great. I loved the year by year comments

I loved reading this again. The entire piece is summer up in this one sentence, and should resonate with the majority of RM:

I no longer possessed the capacity to hate rock bands.

Anthony Kiedis runs along the Los Angeles River in slow motion. His arms cross his body; he had terrible running form.

[mikejasond]

One major flaw is that if you compiled the best live version of each song on this album onto an album you’d have a much better album

[Strat]

One major flaw is that if you compiled the best live version of each song on this album onto an album you’d have a much better album

No

JA