Song of the Moment: Getaway

[Release_Me]

Guys, let's all fight about Pearl Jam.

Just shows how much we all need this album to LEAK!!! Or at least Infallible, Pendulum and Yellow Moon. That will keep us satiated for the time being.

[Strat]

Guys, let's all fight about Pearl Jam.

Just shows how much we all need this album to LEAK!!! Or at least Infallible, Pendulum and Yellow Moon. That will keep us satiated for the time being.

I dont think the platypus gives a shit if this album leaks or not, guy.

[Release_Me]

I meant this forum as a whole when I said we. Not anyone specific. Just thought it made sense to quote his post because all we really are doing in the interim is fighting over Pearl Jam.

[Coach]

Getalong.

[harmless]

I find it ironic how the thread for Getway, probably the most favourably received song from LB so far, has culminated into a discussion about PJ's new direction and how it is/isn't right. Most people here actually do like or love the song. And I do too. It plays to the band's strengths which is all I personally want them to do more of.

Irony aside, you can't just reduce this conversation down to the song just because this happens to be the latest song. Some of us have had this conversation after hearing every new song since S/T. And it's not even just about the songs. You don't need to simplify what is a complex thing, and cause for a lot of division in the fanbase in recent years. Whatever side of the fence you're on, nothing needs defending.

[harmless]

LOL, at people who ever thought Pearl Jam created "challenging" music.

It's all relative.

[evenslow]

I find it ironic how the thread for Getway, probably the most favourably received song from LB so far, has culminated into a discussion about PJ's new direction and how it is/isn't right. Most people here actually do like or love the song. And I do too. It plays to the band's strengths which is all I personally want them to do more of.

Irony aside, you can't just reduce this conversation down to the song just because this happens to be the latest song. Some of us have had this conversation after hearing every new song since S/T. And it's not even just about the songs. You don't need to simplify what is a complex thing, and cause for a lot of division in the fanbase in recent years. Whatever side of the fence you're on, nothing needs defending.

We all be thinkin' with our different brains.

[harmless]

Pearl Jam never wanted to have a small audience. They have always been a big arena rock band.

I just don't agree with that, and neither do a lot of people. That's the crux of the matter. They had decades to decide that musical integrity was more important than a giant fanbase. Binaural and Riot Act were the genius culmination of that aesthetic. No Code, and the need to run from a giant fanbase and do something else, might have been the trigger, but they sure as hell stayed on that path for a long time and grew contented with it. By the time S/T came around and they suddenly decided they wanted to be like U2 again, that was very much a surprising decision out of leftfield, and jarring for a lot of fans. They were very suddenly following the opposite trajectory that they'd started following at No Code, and it had been a long time. You can't be surprised that a lot of people weren't prepared to readjust.

I rail about this constantly but I really just don't see where current choices are undermining the musical integrity of the band. Certainly they may care less about producing new music, but that's not the same thing as not caring about the music you produce.

And Binaural and Riot Act remain, easily, the pearl jam sound I am most thankful they have moved away from. For me it is hardly the genius culmination of anything--it represented a sour artistic dead end that systematically alienated their artistic strengths for...I'm not even sure why. I will obviously concede that those records are very important and very impressive to a lot of people, and quite possibly for good reasons, but that does not mean that the current approach represents an artistic dead end. They are writing songs playing to a different set of strengths--ones that, I think, are a much better fit for the band.

If people move away from the band because they aren't writing the kind of music they want to hear that's a no brainer. You can't argue with that. But I would strongly argue with what I see as the implications in your post that the approach they've abandoned was inherently superior/more artistic/etc. Maybe that wasn't your point.

All fair points stip and you argue your feelings well. It's nice to have that other side represented. Ultimately, though, it's that not caring as much about making records as they used to that bothers me. It's down to the new "efficiency" they want to achieve now that makes them cut corners. And it's obvious. So my gripes aren't as much about style as about substance. How hard are they trying? Not very hard, by the looks of it. And part of me says they have every right to relax, record something for a few weeks every four years, whatever. But does that chime with their stated intentions? They're not going to become commercially relevant if that's all the effort they're going to.

that 4 year thing is a little misleading since they sort of announced a break for the PJ 20 year (which did produce a fair amount of stuff). Since then it's been 2 years, right? 3? And they spent 7 weeks working on the actual record over two writing sessions with a shit ton of scheduling commitments in between. How does that 7 week figure, which seems more relevant to me than the 4 years, stack up to past records (genuine question)?


Regarding the bold we are left with two possible options here.

1. Pearl Jam is just the worst band ever at setting out to do what they're trying to do

or

2. It may not be the controlling motive here.


I am more inclined to think that one of the most successful and influential bands of the last 20 years, and a likely first ballot R+R HoF induction, would be so terrible at managing this.

OK, yeah. But you know, I'm just a fan who doesn't care about the huge PJ20 campaign. Me, I still waited 4 years for an album while a bunch of advertising happened on the back of a pop album. It was much larger than it ever had to be. It was executed well, but the film largely ignored the middle period as well.

Anyway, it would be interesting to find out just how long they spent writing and recording each album, if we have that information.

the 4 year wait still sucks, mind you. I am just disputing whether or not you can read the 'not caring' into it to the level that many seem to.

Fair enough. But it wasn't just the wait; it was also pretty much every interview during that period (unless they were talking about their "legacy", at which point they sounded excited).

[Strat]

How's everyone?

[harmless]

How's everyone?

Pretty good man, you?

[Strat]

How's everyone?

Pretty good man, you?

Still recovering from the weekend. Could use a few days off and a good thunderstorm - you know?

[Heathen]

How's everyone?

Well the world is a horrible place but we are fine.

[harmless]

How's everyone?

Well the world is a horrible place but we are fine.

Drones.

[Release_Me]

I find it ironic how the thread for Getway, probably the most favourably received song from LB so far, has culminated into a discussion about PJ's new direction and how it is/isn't right. Most people here actually do like or love the song. And I do too. It plays to the band's strengths which is all I personally want them to do more of.

Irony aside, you can't just reduce this conversation down to the song just because this happens to be the latest song. Some of us have had this conversation after hearing every new song since S/T. And it's not even just about the songs. You don't need to simplify what is a complex thing, and cause for a lot of division in the fanbase in recent years. Whatever side of the fence you're on, nothing needs defending.

We all be thinkin' with our different brains.

Exactly!

[stupidmop]

I don't believe backspacer and most of what we've heard on LB is playing to thier strengths. Or thier roots. Though what you think thier strengths are will be subjective I guess.

They haven't done anything too out there with thier promotion this time. Little YouTube snippets and listening parties seem pearl jam to me. Unlike target-gate.

I don't think they're clawing for money, I think they've just come to enjoy the big party sing along aspect of the live shows more than anything else. They want the excited people jumping around singing along to betterman and black and I'm sure they're hoping, sirens.

that's almost certainly true. They want their music to be a celebration, and so their songs have a more celebratory feel--a solidarity grounded in the world not being an awful place, and being united in joy, rather than a solidarity grounded in the world being a horrible and confusing place, but at least we're not alone in it together.

I think they made their best work with the later perspective. I'm so thankful that music exists. But I'm not sure it's really what I want from them at this point. I think it might feel pretty inauthentic and stale.

Which work does later perspective refer to here?

I don't think it'd feel inauthentic if they were releasing no code - riot act or whatever now, not because they're *the best ones* or someshit, but because the subject matter is pretty broad, at least to me, bar Im sure a few songs. If they were writing shit about rolling models in blood or angery songs for the sake of being angry or 'grungy' yeah that would feel inauthentic.

Not that they have a duty to write about all the wrong doings on the world but let me put a little shine on it, I've got some if you need it etc doesn't sound entirely authentic to me either. There's 'hey we're not as cranky' and ' YOU GUYS WE'RE SO FUCKING HAPPY CAN YOU FEEL IT. GUYS. HAPPY.WHERES THE PROZAC'

And going 'back' to writing more melodies and choruses is fine, they can write all the songs with choruses and hooks and melodies and have them not sound like ass if they wanted to. Sad? Breakerfall? Yield? None of the middle records are all that bizzare or undigestable to me. Hell some of the newer shit is weirder to me, all those non choruses and multiple bridges or whatever.

Not all directed at you stip, I'm On a phone and too lazy to quote more.

[Heathen]

How's everyone?

Well the world is a horrible place but we are fine.

Drones.

I bet the NSA knows how fine we are.

[stupidmop]

How's everyone?

Well the world is a horrible place but we are fine.

Drones.

I bet the NSA knows how fine we are.

I bet they've heard Infallible and pendulum

[mray10]

Pearl Jam never wanted to have a small audience. They have always been a big arena rock band.

I just don't agree with that, and neither do a lot of people. That's the crux of the matter. They had decades to decide that musical integrity was more important than a giant fanbase. Binaural and Riot Act were the genius culmination of that aesthetic. No Code, and the need to run from a giant fanbase and do something else, might have been the trigger, but they sure as hell stayed on that path for a long time and grew contented with it. By the time S/T came around and they suddenly decided they wanted to be like U2 again, that was very much a surprising decision out of leftfield, and jarring for a lot of fans. They were very suddenly following the opposite trajectory that they'd started following at No Code, and it had been a long time. You can't be surprised that a lot of people weren't prepared to readjust.

I rail about this constantly but I really just don't see where current choices are undermining the musical integrity of the band. Certainly they may care less about producing new music, but that's not the same thing as not caring about the music you produce.

And Binaural and Riot Act remain, easily, the pearl jam sound I am most thankful they have moved away from. For me it is hardly the genius culmination of anything--it represented a sour artistic dead end that systematically alienated their artistic strengths for...I'm not even sure why. I will obviously concede that those records are very important and very impressive to a lot of people, and quite possibly for good reasons, but that does not mean that the current approach represents an artistic dead end. They are writing songs playing to a different set of strengths--ones that, I think, are a much better fit for the band.

If people move away from the band because they aren't writing the kind of music they want to hear that's a no brainer. You can't argue with that. But I would strongly argue with what I see as the implications in your post that the approach they've abandoned was inherently superior/more artistic/etc. Maybe that wasn't your point.

All fair points stip and you argue your feelings well. It's nice to have that other side represented. Ultimately, though, it's that not caring as much about making records as they used to that bothers me. It's down to the new "efficiency" they want to achieve now that makes them cut corners. And it's obvious. So my gripes aren't as much about style as about substance. How hard are they trying? Not very hard, by the looks of it. And part of me says they have every right to relax, record something for a few weeks every four years, whatever. But does that chime with their stated intentions? They're not going to become commercially relevant if that's all the effort they're going to.

that 4 year thing is a little misleading since they sort of announced a break for the PJ 20 year (which did produce a fair amount of stuff). Since then it's been 2 years, right? 3? And they spent 7 weeks working on the actual record over two writing sessions with a shit ton of scheduling commitments in between. How does that 7 week figure, which seems more relevant to me than the 4 years, stack up to past records (genuine question)?


Regarding the bold we are left with two possible options here.

1. Pearl Jam is just the worst band ever at setting out to do what they're trying to do

or

2. It may not be the controlling motive here.


I am more inclined to think that one of the most successful and influential bands of the last 20 years, and a likely first ballot R+R HoF induction, would be so terrible at managing this.

OK, yeah. But you know, I'm just a fan who doesn't care about the huge PJ20 campaign. Me, I still waited 4 years for an album while a bunch of advertising happened on the back of a pop album. It was much larger than it ever had to be. It was executed well, but the film largely ignored the middle period as well.

Anyway, it would be interesting to find out just how long they spent writing and recording each album, if we have that information.

the 4 year wait still sucks, mind you. I am just disputing whether or not you can read the 'not caring' into it to the level that many seem to.

It sucks, but those who point to "4 years" between albums as some kind of evidence that the band can't be bothered really are stretching the case. PJ20 was a big deal and an effort from the band. They have played shows in all of these years as well. Ed's injury also seems to have been a big delay, especially in that it led to everyone pushing forward with other projects. It seems like until that injury the intention was to have this album ready around this time last year.

[Walker Bait]

How's everyone?

Well the world is a horrible place but we are fine.

Drones.

I bet the NSA knows how fine we are.

I bet they've heard Infallible and pendulum

I bet they've already heard album 11.

[warehouse]

How's everyone?

im doing great, and honestly part of it is this song. im pretty sure im falling in love w/ pearl jam again, and alot of it has to do w/ this song. i just cant get enough of it. i put it on this morning a soon as i woke up. i know its not really a "happy" song, but hearing pearl jam put their heart and balls into a song again really makes me happy.

its like they found their...whats the word im looking for...agency?