Backspacer: Official Album Thread

[stip]

It definitely holds some of the songs back a bit, which is too bad since I think this is one of their strongest groups of core songs.

[Lament]

There's a difference between your albums fitting a similar formula because at the end of the day you're a pretty (sonically) conservative rock band and there actually isn't a wide variety of things you're comfortable doing/do well vs. realizing there's a formula that your albums seem to fit and actively just trying to tick off the various check marks to assemble an "album." I know a lot of people here feel like Lightning Bolt is a case of the latter.

But like I said earlier, my problems all lie in the execution. I just don't think they're writing very good songs these days. I'm probably the only person on this board who doesn't think there's blame to be placed at BO'B's feet for the album. It's all on the band in my eyes.

[bodysnatcher]

i agree with Lament here. BoB doesn't help the cause, but he's doesn't deserve all the criticism. it's hard to believe that it took the band that long to come up with that group of songs.

just kidding, it took them 2 weeks, and that's totally believable.

[stip]

They recorded them in two weeks. It sounds like the songs were largely written first

[dimejinky99]

BOB does take on the tradtional producer role and suggests(pushes for) different arrangements among other things. That we know. We also know he's got a severe radio friendly unit shifter bent to his agenda. And worse, the band listens to him and trust him. Their words.

So i think a lot of the 'blame' can be laid there.

[stip]

There's a difference between your albums fitting a similar formula because at the end of the day you're a pretty (sonically) conservative rock band and there actually isn't a wide variety of things you're comfortable doing/do well vs. realizing there's a formula that your albums seem to fit and actively just trying to tick off the various check marks to assemble an "album." I know a lot of people here feel like Lightning Bolt is a case of the latter.

But like I said earlier, my problems all lie in the execution. I just don't think they're writing very good songs these days. I'm probably the only person on this board who doesn't think there's blame to be placed at BO'B's feet for the album. It's all on the band in my eyes.

A lot of people do. I just think it's a case of not liking the sonic feel/production of the songs and reading this other stuff back into it

Then again, I think the songs are strong

[stip]

BOB does take on the tradtional producer ole and suggests(pushes for) different arrangements among other things. That we know. We also know he's got a severe radio friendly unit shifter bent to his agenda. And worse, the band listens to him and trust him. Their words.

So i think a lot of the 'blame' can be laid there.

Yup, although the band has to shoulder responsibility for the final product

[bodysnatcher]

BOB does take on the tradtional producer role and suggests(pushes for) different arrangements among other things. That we know. We also know he's got a severe radio friendly unit shifter bent to his agenda. And worse, the band listens to him and trust him. Their words.

So i think a lot of the 'blame' can be laid there.

this is for sure. in the grand scheme of things, BOB is a producer who needs a good name to keep drumming up more business for himself. he wants to make as much as he can, i'm sure. and how do you do that? have your name tied to radio hits that bring in more money. help create more success = help create more business

[Lament]

Yup, although the band has to shoulder responsibility for the final product

Yeah, Brendan O'Brien doesn't decide it's time for a new Pearl Jam record and he's gonna produce it. Pearl Jam decides it's time and decides that he's the guy they want to produce it.

Also, I really don't have the same issue with the sonic decisions made on Lightning Bolt that everyone else seems to. It sounds like a rock record by a rock band. It doesn't have the unique production personality that an album like Vitalogy or Yield has, but it's not S/T either. The production doesn't bring a unique aura/feel to the proceedings in either direction; The songs are almost entirely presented on their own merits.

[stip]

Yup, although the band has to shoulder responsibility for the final product

Yeah, Brendan O'Brien doesn't decide it's time for a new Pearl Jam record and he's gonna produce it. Pearl Jam decides it's time and decides that he's the guy they want to produce it.

Also, I really don't have the same issue with the sonic decisions made on Lightning Bolt that everyone else seems to. It sounds like a rock record by a rock band. It doesn't have the unique production personality that an album like Vitalogy or Yield has, but it's not S/T either. The production doesn't bring a unique aura/feel to the proceedings in either direction; The songs are almost entirely presented on their own merits.

there's almost always an element of each song (which feels more like a production element than a problem with the core song) that I wish was different. That's unusual, at least for me. Normally if I don't like a song it's because of something structural within the song itself.

[Lament]

I would imagine at some point you've posted what each of these elements are. Where can I find this post?

[stip]

I'm not sure if I have. Or if so, maybe not together.

Briefly

Getaway--the tone of the song is too clean. I like the bounce in the bass, but the guitars feel a bit plain--a little too placeholdery. There is this great nails on a chalkboard tone to them during the 'love like a lizard' verse (1:35) . I wish they sounded like that the whole song. I also think the song is a bit too wordy in the chorus, especially since the message isn't that complicated. But that's an issue with the song itself.

Mind Your Manners--The guitars could be a bit more savage (think Comatose)--especially since it would make the juxtaposition with the chorus even stronger. Otherwise i think this song is amazing. Strong lyrics, great outro, nice solo, Eddie sounds great, the 'self realized...' chorus is one of my favorite moments in late era pearl jam.

My Father's Son--This one sounds really good. The only issue i have with it are the terrible opening lyrics. Some of the worst ever.

Sirens--The music sounds a bit aneseptic. I think the part Mike wrote is pretty, and Stone's accents are great, but it's a little too scrubbed out. Eddie sounds great, and he's the heart of the song, but it could be even better if the music was elevating him, instead of just hanging out. I think the solo is pretty weak, but that's an issue with the song itself, not the presentation. On the other hand, the ah-ha's at the end sound wonderful, and BoB deserves credit for that one.

Lightning Bolt--you know my thoughts on this one. Musically I think it's just tremendous, and after a rough start I think the lyrics are quite good. But that fucking fade out is the worst thing BoB has ever done. It's too abrupt, especially since the whole song is a pseudo climax. Cutting it off so quickly makes it seem like they just ran out of tape. It doesn't feel like a conclusion or a statement. Eddie is a bit too loud in the beginning (and how he sings it was a bad choice). And I wish some of those great spacey effects Mike is playing were more prominent.

Infallible--this is tricky, because I think the choices that were made work well for the song--the martial, accusatory verses are juxtaposed in a really interesting way with the soaring, even joyfyl 'anything is possible' chorus. So my issue here is kind of a counterfacutal, but it would have been interesting to take the music (which I think is some of the most interesting stuff they've done in a long time) and give it a sandpaper edge--make it a little less like a parade ground and more like a slog through the mud.

Pendulum--Maybe eddie is a bit too loud. Maybe it's a bit too bright. This is one of my very favorite pieces of music by them, but a little more fog, shadw and mystery--more smoke and less dark glass, could have been cool

Swallowed Whole--Eddie's guitar sounds awful (as does the chiming part that encircles it during the intro, and the ddddddrown part is stupid. A more open, expansive, into the wild feel to the verses would have been helpful. But I do think BoB does a nice job with the chorus--there's a lot more subtlety.

LTRP--I wish that sheen wasn't on Eddie's voice. Otherwise I like the dirty playful guitars and the sing along chorus.

Sleeping By Myself-I don't know what I'd change here. It's such an understated song that the glossy production almost makes it seem like it's puffing its chest out, which works well for this brave little trooper of a song. I think BoB did a great job here, overall, and I'm glad he pushed for its inclusion. It's an album highlight. Mike's solos are maybe a little too loud.

Yellow Moon--another one where my issues are somewhat counterfactual, because I think what's here works really well. The song has a stately preciseness to it, like every note is very carefully and deliberately chosen. It gives the whole thing a cinematic sweep, but one where you are clearly watching, rather than directly experiencing. The music in the bridge could be bigger. But I know others have said they wished this was a dustier song and that could work really well. Otherwise there are some nice touches here (like the gentle keening after the vocals in the first chorus), the tasteful keyboard, and Eddie sounds amazing.

Future Days--obviously the piano intros and outros. Otherwise I think most of the production touches here work really well--the song is sparse and not particularly interesting outside of what (I think) is a moving and sincere performance from Eddie. He obviously believes this crap from the bottom of his heart. It's touching because he does. It would be intolerable if he didn't. Maybe replacing the echoey feel of the vocals with something more intimate could have been even better.

[Jorge]

Yup, although the band has to shoulder responsibility for the final product

Yeah, Brendan O'Brien doesn't decide it's time for a new Pearl Jam record and he's gonna produce it. Pearl Jam decides it's time and decides that he's the guy they want to produce it.

Also, I really don't have the same issue with the sonic decisions made on Lightning Bolt that everyone else seems to. It sounds like a rock record by a rock band. It doesn't have the unique production personality that an album like Vitalogy or Yield has, but it's not S/T either. The production doesn't bring a unique aura/feel to the proceedings in either direction; The songs are almost entirely presented on their own merits.

It sounds plasticky to my ears.

[McParadigm]

Eddie sounds great

That's funny, because I often wonder how much of my dislike for this album is influenced by the fact that the guy who used to be my favorite singer is now the singer I find the most excruciating, out of any band I follow, with literally zero exaggeration. The way he sings, not necessarily his tone (which HAS suffered) but the way he delivers/breathes/enunciates/vowel-adds, is just the worst kind of delivery I think I've ever heard.

[stip]

I work under the assumption that at least 90% of everyone's issues with pearl jam these days comes from not liking how Eddie sings.

I don't like the annunciation either. But the rest of the package sounds good enough to me that I don't care--or I can overlook it.

[Lament]

It sounds plasticky to my ears.

I was surprised how organic it sounded compared to the previous two albums. I mean, it's not Riot Act, but it was much better production-wise than I was anticipating. Maybe my expectations were just so low...

[McParadigm]

Maybe your headphones suck.

[McParadigm]

This album may be less compressed, but it's got far more EQ manipulation and effect-laden overdubs than the last record had.

[Jorge]

It sounds plasticky to my ears.

I was surprised how organic it sounded compared to the previous two albums. I mean, it's not Riot Act, but it was much better production-wise than I was anticipating. Maybe my expectations were just so low...

I think it's a better record than Backspacer, but I think Backspacer sounds a lot better. Lightning Bolt just sounds saran wrapped from top to bottom.

[stip]

I think Backspacer sounds great. the issues I have on backspacer are issues with the songs themselves.