Red Mosquito

1. Brother the Cloud
2. Invincible
3. The Dark
4. Rose of Jerico
5. Fallout Today
6. Long Way
7. Try
8. Mrs Mills
9. On My Way
10. Good and Evil
11. Power of Right
12. The Haves
13. Picture

I think Brother gets the #1 spot partially due to familiarity...could easily see it dropping a few spots as the entire album settles in. The bottom two are a pretty easy call. Really pleasantly surprised by this one!

Where I'm at right now:

PJ tier:

1 Fallout Today
2 Power Of Right
3 Brother The Cloud
4 On My Way
5 Rose Of Jericho

I like it a lot:

6 Invincible
7 Mrs. Mills
8 Long Way
9 The Dark

Mixed feelings:

10 Try
11 Good and Evil
12 The Haves
13 Picture

Fallout Today is great.

bruce says the haves reminds him of peter gabriels never give up

lol. Ed didnt know which elton track was on this album

Anders wrote:Fallout Today is great.

It is. The way his voice winds "no escape" down into that guitar part coming out of the first verse is my current favorite moment.

1. Invincible - I loved it. It is like if Springsteen and Byrne had a baby. I love the talking and I love the high point/chorus. Ed's voice sounds fantastic on this one. I hope he can hit it live.

2. Power of Right - Enjoyed it. I could see full band PJ playing this. I was scared of the vocals in the first verse, but Ed cleaned it up. Love the guitar and "clapping".

3. Long Way - It is ok. Middle of the road EV for me. Kind of sounds like he's been working on it for a while and finally just said "fuck it, this is how it will sound". So obviously Petty that it is weird. The way he sings "Freeeeewaaaay" almost makes me think it is a Petty cover song. Missing something but I don't know what. But I can see myself driving across the wide open lands of NM, TX, and OK listening to this.

4. Brother in the Cloud - This was fun. Started out I thought it might be boring but then it switches into that Talking Heads/Clash vibe in the middle.

5. Fallout Today - This was ok. I love the bassline in this. I can feel Eddie wanting to get breathy in this. Not that he did much, but live I bet will be another story. I think it is a great song title, though.

6. - The Dark - Good middle of the road rocker. Sounded like a Pearl Jam song to me, which isn't the case for the others so far. I wouldn't skip it though.

7. The Haves - Meh. I really don't like this song.

8. Good & Evil - Well, I love that Eddie loves punk rock. And in some earlier attempts on punk songs with PJ, he pulls it off. But these little punkers just don't do it for me anymore with him.

9. Rose of Jericho - See now this is better. Up tempo but not trying to be speedy punk. Good job Eddie. I like the pacing of this one. This is what SBWM should sound like but he put too many words in that one. I really like this, but the song title is not great.

10. Try - I would love to hear this song without a harmonica. The rest of the music and the vocals are great. And this isn't a knock on the song at all, I'm just not a fan of the harmonica. It is like scratching a chalkboard to me.

11. Picture - Hoo boy I love me some Elton and Eddie together. Sounds like they are having fun on a fun song. I'll listen to this a bunch.

12. Mrs. Mills - I love Ed when he is in Beatles mode. Maybe it is because I'm on a Beatles high after that documentary, but I love this. Best song on the album.

13. On My Way - Loved it. Nice little closer. Reminds me of someone else but can't place it.


I really enjoyed this album. After one listen the standout favorites for me are Mrs. Mills, Invincible, Brother in the Cloud, Rose of Jericho, and Picture. Well done Ed and the Earthlings!

RockPusher wrote:Where I'm at right now:

PJ tier:

Fallout Today
Power Of Right
Brother The Cloud
On My Way
Rose Of Jericho

I like it a lot:

Invincible
Mrs. Mills
Long Way
The Dark

Mixed feelings:

Try
Good and Evil
The Haves
Picture

My PJ Tier — Invincible, Brother the Cloud, Fallout Today, The Dark, On My Way

Ed sounds great on this. They share DNA of course but several of the songs are definitely not Pearl Jam.
Those going to the west coast shows are at an advantage of hearing the studio material. I would think it would be a much more fun vibe.

E.H. Ruddock wrote:I really enjoyed this album. After one listen the standout favorites for me are Mrs. Mills, Invincible, Brother in the Cloud, Rose of Jericho, and Picture. Well done Ed and the Earthlings!

Our takes on these songs are largely very similar, Ruddo.

Surprisingly good album, but other than BTC and Power Of Right, there's not much that reminds me of Pearl Jam. That's not a bad thing. Love the opener and closer, Good/Evil, BTC, Power..., and nothing here is bad to me except The Haves.

3rd Listen impressions and updates:

Good and Evil: liking it more now. I see what y'all are saying about that bridge. It's awesome. I actually really dig the sound of the guitars in that part. That bridge sneaks up on you.

Try: ridiculous, stupid fun. Kinda love it. Why did they bring in a random 8 year old child to yell "1,2,3,4" at the beginning of the song? Also, around 1:10 mark of the song, at the end of the first chorus, where Eddie sings "The only word I have an issue with is goodbye..." sounds EXACTLY like the breakdown before the chorus for Far Behind. Listen to it.

Power of Right: Really liking this one now once I get past the initial annoying sound of the guitars.

The Dark: Ed almost ruins it by pronouncing Dark as Dork. But if you imagine he's singing about a literal whale's penis, then the song is even more entertaining.

Rose Of Jericho: my favorite of the spritzy punkers/punky spritzers/spritzy punky brewsters.

Picture: I find it annoying. Not bad. Just... kind of annoying.

Mrs. Mills: Ed almost ruins this at the end when he pronounces it "MEEEEEEE UUUHHHLLSSS". Still like it a lot.

Fallout Today: I'm really going to enjoy listening to this on a mellow, late afternoon or sunset drive.

That’s Stevie wonder counting off try

Strat wrote:That’s Stevie wonder counting off try

Probably autotuned.

Fattie_Vedder wrote: Try: Also, around 1:10 mark of the song, at the end of the first chorus, where Eddie sings "The only word I have an issue with is goodbye..." sounds EXACTLY like the breakdown before the chorus for Far Behind. Listen to it.

Heard that too! 100%

E.H. Ruddock wrote:13. On My Way - Loved it. Nice little closer. Reminds me of someone else but can't place it.

This has OK Computer atmospherics for me, I think?

I've given it 4 or 5 spins and folks, this is pretty good.

I didn't expect this in a million years after the first two singles.

Jaeti wrote:

tragabigzanda wrote:

Strat wrote:The Haves - Oh boy. Okay ive settled on my feelings with this one. Lyrics are absolute shit. However, i guess im a sucker for the melody and its a reasonable good and tender performance by Ed. I would never share this song and be like "hey look at this beautiful love song ed wrote!" but i have found myself humming along to it during album play.

Still not good though.

I’m getting here too

Had it stuck in my head yesterday.

I've got stuck in my head the 'unconditional love' part for a while now. It's still a dull song.