Red Mosquito

dsb1218 wrote:I'm going with Rearviewmirror (nostalgic, but in tact). The Ten through Binaural run not only soundtracked my junior high through grad school years, but had a higher success rate - song for song - than any one band should have realistically had. Everything since has been much more hit or miss. At this point, I look at any new studio music that I like as icing on the cake. As a touring band, although they're not the emotional tour de force they were in the early to mid 90's or the tight live musicians they were in (take your pick of 1998/2000/2003 and the numerous other threads devoted to that topic), I'll take being a fan of 2013 Pearl Jam that I can still see live over a band that only exists in my memory.

Sometimes I like to think about what the odds are of any talented band staying together 20+ years...especially one that's gone through what this one has. And of the very few bands that can say that, that it would be a band that has given me this many great musical memories...I feel like I've more than gotten my money's worth. So for now I am much more fascinated in what keeps the band going, in what motivates the various decisions that go into keeping the machine up and running.

warehouse wrote:

harmless wrote:

warehouse wrote:

cutuphalfdead wrote:Also they haven't been a consistently good live band in about 7 years.

and this point has been exaggerated to death here

Every point is exaggerated to death here!

not like this one though

warehouse wrote:

harmless wrote:

warehouse wrote:

cutuphalfdead wrote:Also they haven't been a consistently good live band in about 7 years.

and this point has been exaggerated to death here

Every point is exaggerated to death here!

not like this one though

warehouse wrote:

BurtReynolds wrote:thing about live shows is that every new album you don't like kinda dilutes the experience.

i dont really agree with this. for me, some of the songs i dont like on an album i enjoy in a live setting (UK).

BurtReynolds wrote:

warehouse wrote:

BurtReynolds wrote:thing about live shows is that every new album you don't like kinda dilutes the experience.

i dont really agree with this. for me, some of the songs i dont like on an album i enjoy in a live setting (UK).

YMMV. I was really disappointed by BS live. Songs on flawed albums like riot act and avocado came alive at a show. Songs like Half Full, You Are, and Severed Hand were infused with energy and embellishment . BS songs sounded essentially the same as they did on the cd to me. I was bored. the only consolation was that they were short.

philpritchard wrote:I like both Backspacer and S/T. The reason I didn't vote for the top category is because everything from Ten-Riot Act just blew my mind, so the latest two have been a bit of a let down in that way. At different times, in different situations, I'll have urges for one of the first seven albums and I'll play one for a week straight and love every second of it. It's not the same way with Backspacer and S/T. They each have their high points for me, but they're not as consistently good. Right now I have an urge to listen to S/T, but it's not because I'm excited to hear it again, it's out of curiosity. Maybe a light will go on some day and I'll realize something I've been missing, but I'm not so sure because everything else has hit me right away with this band.

Having said that, most of what we know about Lightning Bolt has me thinking this one may be more in line with my feelings for the earlier stuff. I'm trying to temper my expectations, but I have high hopes.

Dr. Van Nostrand wrote:And though i seem to be one of the few that like it, FD is definitely not what i was hoping for on the new album, so that is already one small knock on the album

philpritchard wrote:

Dr. Van Nostrand wrote:And though i seem to be one of the few that like it, FD is definitely not what i was hoping for on the new album, so that is already one small knock on the album

I think what I want the most is for the album to be interesting. There was very little on the last two albums that drew me in. This may not make a whole lot of sense, but I feel like there were enough interesting songs that captured my attention on most of their albums that it elevated my initial enjoyment of some of the more standard, less exciting songs.

harmless wrote:

philpritchard wrote:

Dr. Van Nostrand wrote:And though i seem to be one of the few that like it, FD is definitely not what i was hoping for on the new album, so that is already one small knock on the album

I think what I want the most is for the album to be interesting. There was very little on the last two albums that drew me in. This may not make a whole lot of sense, but I feel like there were enough interesting songs that captured my attention on most of their albums that it elevated my initial enjoyment of some of the more standard, less exciting songs.

Yeah, this is true. They always did plain old rock songs, but they were filler. Recently, it's a choice between good plain-old-rock-songs and mediocre ones. It doesn't feel like they're interested in challenging anyone.

digster wrote:When it comes specifically to Lightning Bolt (the album), I think I'd be more excited about it if I hadn't heard Lightning Bolt and Future Days. I like Mind Your Manners, I like the overall aesthetic of the art, I like most of what I've read about it. But knowing that 2 of the 3 songs we've heard landed with a relative thud for me tempers my expectations quite a bit.

stupidmop wrote:

digster wrote:When it comes specifically to Lightning Bolt (the album), I think I'd be more excited about it if I hadn't heard Lightning Bolt and Future Days. I like Mind Your Manners, I like the overall aesthetic of the art, I like most of what I've read about it. But knowing that 2 of the 3 songs we've heard landed with a relative thud for me tempers my expectations quite a bit.

Same.

I am excited enough however, to be excited about a listening party I'm not even going to. Which is a pretty sad level of excitement.


I hope we hear good things...

harmless wrote:

stupidmop wrote:

digster wrote:When it comes specifically to Lightning Bolt (the album), I think I'd be more excited about it if I hadn't heard Lightning Bolt and Future Days. I like Mind Your Manners, I like the overall aesthetic of the art, I like most of what I've read about it. But knowing that 2 of the 3 songs we've heard landed with a relative thud for me tempers my expectations quite a bit.

Same.

I am excited enough however, to be excited about a listening party I'm not even going to. Which is a pretty sad level of excitement.


I hope we hear good things...

Berlin is just an hour ahead of me. What are the chances of having someone come on here and write a response that night? I might not sleep.

Mike wrote:

harmless wrote:

stupidmop wrote:

digster wrote:When it comes specifically to Lightning Bolt (the album), I think I'd be more excited about it if I hadn't heard Lightning Bolt and Future Days. I like Mind Your Manners, I like the overall aesthetic of the art, I like most of what I've read about it. But knowing that 2 of the 3 songs we've heard landed with a relative thud for me tempers my expectations quite a bit.

Same.

I am excited enough however, to be excited about a listening party I'm not even going to. Which is a pretty sad level of excitement.


I hope we hear good things...

Berlin is just an hour ahead of me. What are the chances of having someone come on here and write a response that night? I might not sleep.

One of my best friends lives in Berlin. I should tell her to sneak in there and report back to.

Ledbetterdays wrote:Lightning Bolt will probably tip the scale one way or the other for me. I have been a fan since '94. This year will be my 20th show and it has really been a downhill slide since Binaural. I miss Pearl Jam the rock band. I miss riffs and solos and anthems and choruses. I have liked songs from all of the modern albums but few even crack my top 30. I love them live but as was said earlier weak albums dilute the live show and all you are there for is nostalgia. I want so much more for them than that but I am not sure they care enough to be anything more than that.