Red Mosquito

mike's solos are probably one of the weaker parts of the record, which is surprising since they were highlights of riot act and S/T. They're not bad or anything, but only L-bolt jumps out as great.

Not that I know much about guitar, but I would've said they're maybe more unassuming than bad?

well I don't think they're bad, and most are placed appropriately. And none of them are jarring at somewhat at odds with the song like supersonic (where it was the best thing going) and amongst the waves (where it was too heavy and bombastic). But they're rarely highlights.

you're right, unassuming is probably the right word. Which is odd for solo.

stip wrote:well I don't think they're bad, and most are placed appropriately. And none of them are jarring at somewhat at odds with the song like supersonic (where it was the best thing going) and amongst the waves (where it was too heavy and bombastic). But they're rarely highlights.

you're right, unassuming is probably the right word. Which is odd for solo.

I can get on board with this. I dont find them bad but i also dont look forward to any of them.

harmless wrote:The keyboards work here in my opinion; they make it more R.E.M or Counting Crows maybe, but PJ has used organ before in this stuff.

My only slight niggle is that this song, along with Pendulum, could have had more work done on the melody. But you know what? It's really fucking great to have a tiny, insignificant complaint about Pearl Jam.

You mean the vocal melodies? Usually I prefer eds er tamer vocal melodies, but I agree with you about pendulum, theres something there keeping it from really blowing my mind, I think its cause the words are so rhymey, but I dont know. With this id probably prefer it if ed was singing ....straighter, with less notes or syllables or whatever, but I like the general melody.

And with the keyboards I dont listen to much rem, or any counting crows lol, theyre just not my thing usually I guess, maybe if they were lower down or something.

Mikes solos are just kinda plain, and theyve got that clean sterile 80s tone...they need some fuzz and some groove

stip wrote:so this seems to be a song about suicide. Not just death

Why do you say that? I don't see that at all in the lyrics.

To me, this is a response to the Neil's song Helpless. In fact, I think the band even said that. The Yellow Moon in that song is something "good". I think it's about death and the tunnel some see or even... say - heaven.

I need help with the lyrics, but this is what I have so far:

Here, far away, one could feel the earth vibrate
Moon, changing shape and shade, as we all do on (?)

Yellow Moon on the rise
Yellow Moon on the rise

Round we go, where we stop here, no one knows
So tonight, the moon, (high glow?)

Yellow Moon on the rise

An echo that rains
A bullet unchained
One life, one grave
Towards the parade

The sky grows dark with falling stars
Who come so far, a headstone and grave
The colors turn grey
The black and white fades

Yellow Moon on the rise

Well, I never looked forward to a solo so I'm good They add texture to a song for me, that's it. Their only job is to sound nice. I only remember a handful of Mike solos throughout their career. "All or None" always springs to mind.

IlluminEddie wrote:

stip wrote:so this seems to be a song about suicide. Not just death

Why do you say that? I don't see that at all in the lyrics.

To me, this is a response to the Neil's song Helpless. In fact, I think the band even said that. The Yellow Moon in that song is something "good". I think it's about death and the tunnel some see or even... say - heaven.

I need help with the lyrics, but this is what I have so far:

Here, far away, one could feel the earth vibrate
Moon, changing shape and shade, as we all do on (?)

Yellow Moon on the rise
Yellow Moon on the rise

Round we go, where we stop here, no one knows
So tonight, the moon, (high glow?)

Yellow Moon on the rise

An echo that rains
A bullet unchained
One life, one grave
Towards the parade

The sky grows dark with falling stars
Who come so far, a headstone and grave
The colors turn grey
The black and white fades

Yellow Moon on the rise

An echo that rains
A bullet unchained
One life, one grave
Towards the parade

The sky grows dark with falling stars
Who come so far, a headstone and grave
The colors turn grey
The black and white fades

It gives me the impression of someone shooting themselves under a yellow moon. Remember the bullet / revolver artwork.

or someone recalling a suicide under a yellow moon

but basically the only lyrics that aren't environmental texture seem to imply suicide, and it fits well with the elegiac nature of the music

harmless wrote:

IlluminEddie wrote:

stip wrote:so this seems to be a song about suicide. Not just death

Why do you say that? I don't see that at all in the lyrics.

To me, this is a response to the Neil's song Helpless. In fact, I think the band even said that. The Yellow Moon in that song is something "good". I think it's about death and the tunnel some see or even... say - heaven.

I need help with the lyrics, but this is what I have so far:

Here, far away, one could feel the earth vibrate
Moon, changing shape and shade, as we all do on (?)

Yellow Moon on the rise
Yellow Moon on the rise

Round we go, where we stop here, no one knows
So tonight, the moon, (high glow?)

Yellow Moon on the rise

An echo that rains
A bullet unchained
One life, one grave
Towards the parade

The sky grows dark with falling stars
Who come so far, a headstone and grave
The colors turn grey
The black and white fades

Yellow Moon on the rise

An echo that rains
A bullet unchained
One life, one grave
Towards the parade

The sky grows dark with falling stars
Who come so far, a headstone and grave
The colors turn grey
The black and white fades

It gives me the impression of someone shooting themselves under a yellow moon. Remember the bullet / revolver artwork.

Why "shooting themselves"? Even if the bullet line is literal, there's nothing there at all to make one think that they hold the gun. The suicide thing doesn't add up to me.

oh, it's an echo that rings, according to the liner notes

okay, I guess it could be about a murder underneath a yellow moon, but that would lead me to expect a more sinister song

stip wrote:or someone recalling a suicide under a yellow moon

but basically the only lyrics that aren't environmental texture seem to imply suicide, and it fits well with the elegiac nature of the music

But, honestly, why do you think the main character (who's also dying) is pulling the trigger? I don't read that in the words, unless I'm missing something.

also it's 'one life, one grave/joins the parade'

stip wrote:oh, it's an echo that rings, according to the liner notes

For some reason I still read it as rings... makes sense.

stip wrote:mike's solos are probably one of the weaker parts of the record, which is surprising since they were highlights of riot act and S/T. They're not bad or anything, but only L-bolt jumps out as great.

The solo in LB absolutely makes the song though, I doubt I could take it seriously without his contribution. I also really dig the simplicity of the MYM solo, some wicked noises going on there

IlluminEddie wrote:

stip wrote:or someone recalling a suicide under a yellow moon

but basically the only lyrics that aren't environmental texture seem to imply suicide, and it fits well with the elegiac nature of the music

But, honestly, why do you think the main character (who's also dying) is pulling the trigger? I don't read that in the words, unless I'm missing something.

The verse lyrics are contemplating mortality, and so someone could be dying. they could also be suicidal. But the bullet imagery makes no sense to include unless it is playing a role in the story, and the death lyrics in the bridge are all in the present tense.

fishbob wrote:

stip wrote:mike's solos are probably one of the weaker parts of the record, which is surprising since they were highlights of riot act and S/T. They're not bad or anything, but only L-bolt jumps out as great.

The solo in LB absolutely makes the song though, I doubt I could take it seriously without his contribution. I also really dig the simplicity of the MYM solo, some wicked noises going on there

those are the two best, for sure. I like both of those a lot. The L-bolt solo may be my single favorite moment on the record.

IlluminEddie wrote:

stip wrote:or someone recalling a suicide under a yellow moon

but basically the only lyrics that aren't environmental texture seem to imply suicide, and it fits well with the elegiac nature of the music

But, honestly, why do you think the main character (who's also dying) is pulling the trigger? I don't read that in the words, unless I'm missing something.

Do we have to know why? It just looks like that's what's happening, and I like that it's not explained. There are clues as to why he might be committing suicide in other songs, if you want to go the "album narrative" route.

So tonight, to the moon I go. He is releasing himself unto the universe, or something.

Reminds me of theres a trapdoor in the sun.