Lets Actually Listen to the Album: Backspacer

[Leatherhead]

I think Backspacer will be fondly remembered. Perhaps some revisionist history there, but in the grand scheme of things, it will be written about by journalists and perceived by the non fanboys as one of their better latter-day efforts. And right or wrong, "Just Breathe" will be considered an all-time classic by the fans and the band.

This quote makes me think of the future, when Pearl Jam is finished. Either all of them are dead, or most of them are dead. Pearl Jam's legacy long after it's all said and done. It's kind of a weird thought.

[hlniv]

I think Backspacer will be fondly remembered. Perhaps some revisionist history there, but in the grand scheme of things, it will be written about by journalists and perceived by the non fanboys as one of their better latter-day efforts. And right or wrong, "Just Breathe" will be considered an all-time classic by the fans and the band.

I can't imagine that any of this will be true. Just Breathe an "all-time" classic? God , I hope not. At least for the sake of my children

[hlniv]

I think Backspacer will be fondly remembered. Perhaps some revisionist history there, but in the grand scheme of things, it will be written about by journalists and perceived by the non fanboys as one of their better latter-day efforts. And right or wrong, "Just Breathe" will be considered an all-time classic by the fans and the band.

This quote makes me think of the future, when Pearl Jam is finished. Either all of them are dead, or most of them are dead. Pearl Jam's legacy long after it's all said and done. It's kind of a weird thought.

This quote makes me think you are pretty morbid. Jumping to the death of band members, and using the word "dead" twice. There might be some underlying issues there, man

[Leatherhead]

I think Backspacer will be fondly remembered. Perhaps some revisionist history there, but in the grand scheme of things, it will be written about by journalists and perceived by the non fanboys as one of their better latter-day efforts. And right or wrong, "Just Breathe" will be considered an all-time classic by the fans and the band.

This quote makes me think of the future, when Pearl Jam is finished. Either all of them are dead, or most of them are dead. Pearl Jam's legacy long after it's all said and done. It's kind of a weird thought.

This quote makes me think you are pretty morbid. Jumping to the death of band members, and using the word "dead" twice. There might be some underlying issues there, man

This quote makes me think of my underlying morbidity issues.

[hlniv]

I think Backspacer will be fondly remembered. Perhaps some revisionist history there, but in the grand scheme of things, it will be written about by journalists and perceived by the non fanboys as one of their better latter-day efforts. And right or wrong, "Just Breathe" will be considered an all-time classic by the fans and the band.

This quote makes me think of the future, when Pearl Jam is finished. Either all of them are dead, or most of them are dead. Pearl Jam's legacy long after it's all said and done. It's kind of a weird thought.

This quote makes me think you are pretty morbid. Jumping to the death of band members, and using the word "dead" twice. There might be some underlying issues there, man

This quote makes me think of my underlying morbidity issues.

This quote makes me think I am in a strange repeat-o world, and makes me re-read the quote before it

[Huell]

Backspacer is better that LB, its concept and execution...Here's a few points for you

LB Spectrum : Trying to sound like punk - turgid PJ cover songs - crass and/or boring reinterpretations of old songs, done with passion of Scott Stamp and/or a teabag

Future Days?

Ed's quality control on lyrics has slid to down the side of the bed, whereas BS he has crafted 2-dimensionals lyric sheets where appropriate... on LB he does it

B'OB's contributions are much integrated in BS with colour and piano he adds...

I will admit Speed of Sound being the prototype of 'Let's give B'OB a song on the album' which followed through to Sleeping By Myself. Backspacer is a superior album to LB, and S/T for that matter

In conclusion RA > BS/Binaural > S/T > LB

[Thejambi]

Backspacer is better that LB, its concept and execution...Here's a few points for you

LB Spectrum : Trying to sound like punk - turgid PJ cover songs - crass and/or boring reinterpretations of old songs, done with passion of Scott Stamp and/or a teabag

Future Days?

Ed's quality control on lyrics has slid to down the side of the bed, whereas BS he has crafted 2-dimensionals lyric sheets where appropriate... on LB he does it

B'OB's contributions are much integrated in BS with colour and piano he adds...

I will admit Speed of Sound being the prototype of 'Let's give B'OB a song on the album' which followed through to Sleeping By Myself. Backspacer is a superior album to LB, and S/T for that matter

In conclusion RA > BS/Binaural > S/T > LB

Nah.

[McParadigm]

I would absolutely call Backspacer a better record than Lightning Bolt, and that's not exactly because I adore Backspacer. The thing is, 'spacer at least has loose, rollicking playfulness...where the Bolt has mathematical control and mechanical exactness. The guitars on harder Back songs sound like they're being played by people who really fucking love playing their guitars, und ze parts on ze Lightning sound like they were developed and performed by people who really fucking love getting paid for playing their guitars. Syrupy moments on Backspacer feel like over-intellectualized productions of genuinely produced works. The syrup on Lightning Bolton always feels either brutally contrived, monumentally lazy, or simply like a decent cover of a song that doesn't remotely sound like it was written or ever felt by the people doing the performing. In short, Backspacer sounds like it wants to be the fun, spontaneous, easy lay of the Pearl Jam catalog. Lightning Bolt sounds like it was built by a demographics committee that spent 16 horrible, horrible months tooling around the band's official forum.

[---]

Lightning Bolt sounds like it was built by a demographics committee that spent 16 horrible, horrible months tooling around the band's official forum.

what do you think it would have sounded like if it was built by a demographics committee that spent 16 months tooling around RM?

[guitar_davey]

This is a tedious thread.

[EJ]

Lightning Bolt sounds like it was built by a demographics committee that spent 16 horrible, horrible months tooling around the band's official forum.

what do you think it would have sounded like if it was built by a demographics committee that spent 16 months tooling around RM?

Star Wars

[---]

Lightning Bolt sounds like it was built by a demographics committee that spent 16 horrible, horrible months tooling around the band's official forum.

what do you think it would have sounded like if it was built by a demographics committee that spent 16 months tooling around RM?

Star Wars

i don't get it

[stip]

I would absolutely call Backspacer a better record than Lightning Bolt, and that's not exactly because I adore Backspacer. The thing is, 'spacer at least has loose, rollicking playfulness...where the Bolt has mathematical control and mechanical exactness. The guitars on harder Back songs sound like they're being played by people who really fucking love playing their guitars, und ze parts on ze Lightning sound like they were developed and performed by people who really fucking love getting paid for playing their guitars. Syrupy moments on Backspacer feel like over-intellectualized productions of genuinely produced works. The syrup on Lightning Bolton always feels either brutally contrived, monumentally lazy, or simply like a decent cover of a song that doesn't remotely sound like it was written or ever felt by the people doing the performing. In short, Backspacer sounds like it wants to be the fun, spontaneous, easy lay of the Pearl Jam catalog. Lightning Bolt sounds like it was built by a demographics committee that spent 16 horrible, horrible months tooling around the band's official forum.

I think this is a fair critique, even though I like Lightning Bolt more

[LetMeSleep]

I would absolutely call Backspacer a better record than Lightning Bolt, and that's not exactly because I adore Backspacer. The thing is, 'spacer at least has loose, rollicking playfulness...where the Bolt has mathematical control and mechanical exactness. The guitars on harder Back songs sound like they're being played by people who really fucking love playing their guitars, und ze parts on ze Lightning sound like they were developed and performed by people who really fucking love getting paid for playing their guitars. Syrupy moments on Backspacer feel like over-intellectualized productions of genuinely produced works. The syrup on Lightning Bolton always feels either brutally contrived, monumentally lazy, or simply like a decent cover of a song that doesn't remotely sound like it was written or ever felt by the people doing the performing. In short, Backspacer sounds like it wants to be the fun, spontaneous, easy lay of the Pearl Jam catalog. Lightning Bolt sounds like it was built by a demographics committee that spent 16 horrible, horrible months tooling around the band's official forum.

Man I agree with you here. Backspacer has room. Room sounds and room to move. LB has moment s but it really does feel like it was written to a brief.

[stip]

LBolt feels more processed in the studio. The writing doesn't feel any less organic to me (and generally stronger), and the studio processing doesn't bother me much. I'd prefer it not be there, but Riot Act doesn't move up from the bottom of my pile for its production either.

[bodysnatcher]

Backspacer was the benchmark of studio overtweaking for me. Until Lightning Bolt.

[digster]

One of my issues with Backspacer is the way in which it tries so hard to be the "fun" PJ record. On stuff like The Fixer it feels most apparent. It's meant to feel carefree and loose, but it just feels like it's waving it's arms up and down, saying "we're having FUN! Get it? Look at how much fun we're having!" The result sounds anything but.

[stip]

I hear that more in the fixer than I used to. I think it's really the overly processed initial vocals. I do think there is supposed to be an edge in that song though. There's a lot more at stake in The Fixer than, say, supersonic

[digster]

I did use The Fixer as an example, but it really seems to pervade to the whole record. I don't know if there's an 'edge' to The Fixer that keeps it from feeling that way for me. I guess it's just more that the record isn't as fun as they seem to want us to think it is.

[stip]

I think it's meant to feel liberated more than fun, which suits the songs better. Ole is mean to be 'fun'.