Red Mosquito

Jorge wrote:

Thurman Murman wrote:

Wendy Carlos's Twin wrote:I'm amazed by the reaction that this album has gotten, because to me it just sounds like a (slightly different) continuation of the crap songwriting on their last 3 albums.

But it does make me happy that PJ is getting some love again.

I can certainly appreciate that not everyone is going to love this album, but i have a hard time imagining anyone lumping it in with the prior two albums.

For me, Gigaton answered the question: "if Pearl Jam released an album that sounded like they cared, that showed a level of inspiration and craft beyond the perfunctory nature of the last decade of their career, would my fandom be reactivated?" The answer, as it turns out, is "not really." The first sign was when everyone here was raving about DOTC and I just felt like... "huh." They do just about everything right on Gigaton, but I think their sound and their overall creative identity just doesn't resonate with me anymore. That's cool, it's not Gigaton's fault, I'm just not really in the market for this type of music right now. I don't see myself revisiting the album beyond "Buckle Up" and "Take the Long Way," both of which are fantastic songs that I genuinely enjoy, and both of which kind of don't sound like 2020 Pearl Jam. While there is a lot to admire on the rest of Gigaton, I'm totally cool with appreciating it from a distance, and being glad that it makes other people happy. It's as amicable a breakup as you could have.

RockPusher wrote:Every time I hear "Quick Escape" I think- this makes grunge feel relevant again.

Jorge wrote:

Thurman Murman wrote:

Wendy Carlos's Twin wrote:I'm amazed by the reaction that this album has gotten, because to me it just sounds like a (slightly different) continuation of the crap songwriting on their last 3 albums.

But it does make me happy that PJ is getting some love again.

I can certainly appreciate that not everyone is going to love this album, but i have a hard time imagining anyone lumping it in with the prior two albums.

For me, Gigaton answered the question: "if Pearl Jam released an album that sounded like they cared, that showed a level of inspiration and craft beyond the perfunctory nature of the last decade of their career, would my fandom be reactivated?" The answer, as it turns out, is "not really." The first sign was when everyone here was raving about DOTC and I just felt like... "huh." They do just about everything right on Gigaton, but I think their sound and their overall creative identity just doesn't resonate with me anymore. That's cool, it's not Gigaton's fault, I'm just not really in the market for this type of music right now. I don't see myself revisiting the album beyond "Buckle Up" and "Take the Long Way," both of which are fantastic songs that I genuinely enjoy, and both of which kind of don't sound like 2020 Pearl Jam. While there is a lot to admire on the rest of Gigaton, I'm totally cool with appreciating it from a distance, and being glad that it makes other people happy. It's as amicable a breakup as you could have.

RockPusher wrote:Every time I hear "Quick Escape" I think- this makes grunge feel relevant again.

Jorge wrote:

Thurman Murman wrote:

Wendy Carlos's Twin wrote:I'm amazed by the reaction that this album has gotten, because to me it just sounds like a (slightly different) continuation of the crap songwriting on their last 3 albums.

But it does make me happy that PJ is getting some love again.

I can certainly appreciate that not everyone is going to love this album, but i have a hard time imagining anyone lumping it in with the prior two albums.

For me, Gigaton answered the question: "if Pearl Jam released an album that sounded like they cared, that showed a level of inspiration and craft beyond the perfunctory nature of the last decade of their career, would my fandom be reactivated?" The answer, as it turns out, is "not really." The first sign was when everyone here was raving about DOTC and I just felt like... "huh." They do just about everything right on Gigaton, but I think their sound and their overall creative identity just doesn't resonate with me anymore. That's cool, it's not Gigaton's fault, I'm just not really in the market for this type of music right now. I don't see myself revisiting the album beyond "Buckle Up" and "Take the Long Way," both of which are fantastic songs that I genuinely enjoy, and both of which kind of don't sound like 2020 Pearl Jam. While there is a lot to admire on the rest of Gigaton, I'm totally cool with appreciating it from a distance, and being glad that it makes other people happy. It's as amicable a breakup as you could have.

Monkey_Driven wrote:

Jorge wrote:

Thurman Murman wrote:

Wendy Carlos's Twin wrote:I'm amazed by the reaction that this album has gotten, because to me it just sounds like a (slightly different) continuation of the crap songwriting on their last 3 albums.

But it does make me happy that PJ is getting some love again.

I can certainly appreciate that not everyone is going to love this album, but i have a hard time imagining anyone lumping it in with the prior two albums.

For me, Gigaton answered the question: "if Pearl Jam released an album that sounded like they cared, that showed a level of inspiration and craft beyond the perfunctory nature of the last decade of their career, would my fandom be reactivated?" The answer, as it turns out, is "not really." The first sign was when everyone here was raving about DOTC and I just felt like... "huh." They do just about everything right on Gigaton, but I think their sound and their overall creative identity just doesn't resonate with me anymore. That's cool, it's not Gigaton's fault, I'm just not really in the market for this type of music right now. I don't see myself revisiting the album beyond "Buckle Up" and "Take the Long Way," both of which are fantastic songs that I genuinely enjoy, and both of which kind of don't sound like 2020 Pearl Jam. While there is a lot to admire on the rest of Gigaton, I'm totally cool with appreciating it from a distance, and being glad that it makes other people happy. It's as amicable a breakup as you could have.

Good perspective

Leatherhead wrote:

Monkey_Driven wrote:

Jorge wrote:

Thurman Murman wrote:

Wendy Carlos's Twin wrote:I'm amazed by the reaction that this album has gotten, because to me it just sounds like a (slightly different) continuation of the crap songwriting on their last 3 albums.

But it does make me happy that PJ is getting some love again.

I can certainly appreciate that not everyone is going to love this album, but i have a hard time imagining anyone lumping it in with the prior two albums.

For me, Gigaton answered the question: "if Pearl Jam released an album that sounded like they cared, that showed a level of inspiration and craft beyond the perfunctory nature of the last decade of their career, would my fandom be reactivated?" The answer, as it turns out, is "not really." The first sign was when everyone here was raving about DOTC and I just felt like... "huh." They do just about everything right on Gigaton, but I think their sound and their overall creative identity just doesn't resonate with me anymore. That's cool, it's not Gigaton's fault, I'm just not really in the market for this type of music right now. I don't see myself revisiting the album beyond "Buckle Up" and "Take the Long Way," both of which are fantastic songs that I genuinely enjoy, and both of which kind of don't sound like 2020 Pearl Jam. While there is a lot to admire on the rest of Gigaton, I'm totally cool with appreciating it from a distance, and being glad that it makes other people happy. It's as amicable a breakup as you could have.

Good perspective

I think I feel like this with the new TOOL album, but I still intend on really digging into that album at some point. TOOL was probably my favorite band before Pearl Jam, but the connection was never as strong. I mean WES has almost brought tears to my eyes on occasion.

stip wrote:its okay to not like a band anymore. Tool is a great example for me - used to be my third favorite band and now I find even the stuff they are doing right just doesnt speak to what I am looking for right now

VinylGuy wrote:I always expect to be in love with a pj album. Except for LB, it always happened. Gigaton, exceeded my own expectations with how good and great it sounds.

durdencommatyler wrote:

VinylGuy wrote:I always expect to be in love with a pj album. Except for LB, it always happened. Gigaton, exceeded my own expectations with how good and great it sounds.

Sure. I expect to love a new Pearl Jam album, too, in that way that fans love things. That's why I'm still a fan and I keep buying their shit. But I don't expect to be moved the way I used to. At this point in there career, I expect a decent enough record with two or three songs that I adore and maybe one that I don't care for at all. Gigaton far exceeded my wildest expectations for what a new Pearl Jam album, at this point in their careers, could be/do.