Red Mosquito

This is not hard, and it's been said before, but I will reiterate it-

The songs on Backspacer are not good on the whole. Thankfully, it's short. There are 3-4 listenable songs and 8-9 that are not, as a result of the song structure, lyrics, and general writing quality. Yes, it was intended to be "fun". It is not.

The songs on LB are good on the whole. It's the methods in which they were produced, recorded, and mixed that makes most of them unlistenable. The songs themselves are, for the most part, pretty good.

Amongst the Waves: This is basically two songs for me. I LOVE the verses. I love what Jeff is playing, and the electric dream current guitars--they don't really have anything else that sounds like this. I think Ed's lyrics are really strong, and as usual the vocal melody is strong.

And here's the chorus. It's not that it's a bad chorus, but it does have a bit of PJ by numbers feel. the lyrics are a bit too chicken soup for the soul for me, but I do like the 'better loud than too late' conclusion. The problem is that there just isn't enough of a differentiation between the verses and the choruses--what is meant to be an epiphany feels like a continuation of the languid thoughts that preceded it.

The little guitar part between the chorus and second verse is a little too reedy, but the music once the verse kicks back in is really interesting. And again the verses is great. 'Survived and you're amongst the fittest. Love aint love until you give it up...' would be an excellent transition into a huge swelling moment, but again nothing happens. Even when the music does crescendo a bit it still has the same feeling of no movement.

Mike's stormy solo ends up feeling a bit out of place, especially since all the drama in the song has already happened in the past. Something a bit brighter, like what he plays at the end of Force of Nature, would feel better here.

The outro is okay. They're really trying to sell the moment, and there are moments I can lose myself in it, but they can't sustain themselves.

Excellent verses--outside of Force of Nature they may be my current Backspacer highlight. But the rest of the song is only okay. It's not bad. Just a bit too familiar, curiously out of place at times, and not sufficiently differentiated from the rest of the song.

hlniv wrote:This is not hard, and it's been said before, but I will reiterate it-

The songs on Backspacer are not good on the whole. Thankfully, it's short. There are 3-4 listenable songs and 8-9 that are not, as a result of the song structure, lyrics, and general writing quality. Yes, it was intended to be "fun". It is not.

The songs on LB are good on the whole. It's the methods in which they were produced, recorded, and mixed that makes most of them unlistenable. The songs themselves are, for the most part, pretty good.

I think the songs on Lightning Bolt are generally stronger, for sure. But Backspacer is not, I think, supposed to be fun. It's meant to be liberated, which is not the same thing. Really supersonic is the only song that is 'fun'. Maybe GSMF and Johnny Guitar as well, but those songs are fun.

Instead Backspacer takes those catharsis moments that appear in other songs, and lives in the spaces that follow them that rarely get explored on the other albums. The problem is that I can see how this can seem unearned on an album with so little darkness--which is largely provided by the 8 records that preceded it.

I listened to a lot of backspacer songs when I was putting together possible mixes for the last song tournament, and quite a few of these songs actually sound much better following some of the older songs. They feel like rewards. You want to root for them in a way that you can't do as easily on Backspacer.

I kind of like Amongst the Waves.

I mean, when I think about it in my head. I haven't played the album version in years. But still.

I don't get fun from Backspacer at all. It has upbeat moments but fun has been a horribly misused term.

Even liberated feels too strong for Backspacer. It's a party that has a weight attached to its ankle. I think it's interesting that, to me, PJ's two worst records (S/T and Backspacer), are the two records that feel the most like they came out of the band's head as opposed to something more instinctual. I would say that S/T definitely was a response both to the more atmospheric Riot Act and the feeling that everyone shared; PJ should make a big angry rock record for a dire time in the U.S. Backspacer feels similar, Bush leaves the office, there's a feeling of optimism in the country, and it seems like the perfect time for PJ to make their 'happy' record. Maybe this is why these records trip up; they're following what they think they should be doing.

Unthought Known: I was a big fan of the start of this song when I first heard it. It does build nicely, gradually layering on instruments and intensity. Better lyrics would have been welcome (although they're good for most of the rest of the song), but it felt exciting. The bit at 48 seconds when the drums and piano come in, and the the plinking guitars at 1:05 are really nice moments, and then the crashing 'see the sky blanket you with gems and rhinestones' is a great moment. And the follow up lyric is also really nice. But the 'nothing left' bit is a bit deflating. It's not that exciting, and the music starts to feel a bit thin. It worked for a build, but never quite felt like it built into anything--it just kind of stops right before its final shape and hovers there.

I like the 'dream the dreams of other men' part at the end, but its impact is diminished by the fact that its still lingering in the same space. The song has a chance after the bridge to build to something spectacular but ends up being content to stay in the same space. And the come down outro doesn't quite work, because I'm not sure what we're coming down from.

I don't usually make this critique, but this would have been a better choice for an Ed solo album--not because it's mostly Ed (I don't mind The End being here) but because the rest of the band's inclusion ends up promising more than the song delivers, and if it was just Ed what is here would feel bigger

I keep thinking "I should put this on and see if it's how I remember it" but then I think about all of the other thousands of records I could be listening to instead.

stip wrote:

hlniv wrote:This is not hard, and it's been said before, but I will reiterate it-

The songs on Backspacer are not good on the whole. Thankfully, it's short. There are 3-4 listenable songs and 8-9 that are not, as a result of the song structure, lyrics, and general writing quality. Yes, it was intended to be "fun". It is not.

The songs on LB are good on the whole. It's the methods in which they were produced, recorded, and mixed that makes most of them unlistenable. The songs themselves are, for the most part, pretty good.

I think the songs on Lightning Bolt are generally stronger, for sure. But Backspacer is not, I think, supposed to be fun. It's meant to be liberated, which is not the same thing. Really supersonic is the only song that is 'fun'. Maybe GSMF and Johnny Guitar as well, but those songs are fun.

Instead Backspacer takes those catharsis moments that appear in other songs, and lives in the spaces that follow them that rarely get explored on the other albums. The problem is that I can see how this can seem unearned on an album with so little darkness--which is largely provided by the 8 records that preceded it.

I listened to a lot of backspacer songs when I was putting together possible mixes for the last song tournament, and quite a few of these songs actually sound much better following some of the older songs. They feel like rewards. You want to root for them in a way that you can't do as easily on Backspacer.

That is interesting. I need to ponder this for a few days.

I will say this for now- The Fixer certainly is intended to be "fun". Hard to distinguish that song from being written to be "fun" or "liberating". So that's 37% of the album that is easily described as "fun"

digster wrote:Even liberated feels too strong for Backspacer. It's a party that has a weight attached to its ankle. I think it's interesting that, to me, PJ's two worst records (S/T and Backspacer), are the two records that feel the most like they came out of the band's head as opposed to something more instinctual. I would say that S/T definitely was a response both to the more atmospheric Riot Act and the feeling that everyone shared; PJ should make a big angry rock record for a dire time in the U.S. Backspacer feels similar, Bush leaves the office, there's a feeling of optimism in the country, and it seems like the perfect time for PJ to make their 'happy' record. Maybe this is why these records trip up; they're following what they think they should be doing.

I'm not sure. There's this quote from Ed from this period that talks about how much easier everything felt after Bush left office and how it affected his writing (I don't remember exactly). I do think this (and S/T as well) are authentic responses to what's happening around them, rather than an obligation.

If you wanted to say that there's a bit of desperation in the joy that's there I can see that--like you're worried someone is going to take it away from you. But I think that makes it more interesting.

why does stip hate "fun"?

Lament wrote:I keep thinking "I should put this on and see if it's how I remember it" but then I think about all of the other thousands of records I could be listening to instead.

sometimes this board demands you do a little homework

warehouse wrote:why does stip hate "fun"?

I just hate the beatles

hlniv wrote:

stip wrote:

hlniv wrote:This is not hard, and it's been said before, but I will reiterate it-

The songs on Backspacer are not good on the whole. Thankfully, it's short. There are 3-4 listenable songs and 8-9 that are not, as a result of the song structure, lyrics, and general writing quality. Yes, it was intended to be "fun". It is not.

The songs on LB are good on the whole. It's the methods in which they were produced, recorded, and mixed that makes most of them unlistenable. The songs themselves are, for the most part, pretty good.

I think the songs on Lightning Bolt are generally stronger, for sure. But Backspacer is not, I think, supposed to be fun. It's meant to be liberated, which is not the same thing. Really supersonic is the only song that is 'fun'. Maybe GSMF and Johnny Guitar as well, but those songs are fun.

Instead Backspacer takes those catharsis moments that appear in other songs, and lives in the spaces that follow them that rarely get explored on the other albums. The problem is that I can see how this can seem unearned on an album with so little darkness--which is largely provided by the 8 records that preceded it.

I listened to a lot of backspacer songs when I was putting together possible mixes for the last song tournament, and quite a few of these songs actually sound much better following some of the older songs. They feel like rewards. You want to root for them in a way that you can't do as easily on Backspacer.

That is interesting. I need to ponder this for a few days.

I will say this for now- The Fixer certainly is intended to be "fun". Hard to distinguish that song from being written to be "fun" or "liberating". So that's 37% of the album that is easily described as "fun"

I'm at least 40% sure I've thought about Backspacer more than anyone else on the planet.

Aside from Supersonic, with possibly GSMF and JG, the album isn't really "fun" at all. And, I don't believe its meant to be either. It is, however, easily digestible - which was one of the driving forces behind its creation. Somehow people confuse that for "fun."

Supersonic: I hate when Eddie sounds like this. And the lyrics are dumb. And the riff reminds me in places of Mankind, which is not a song I particularly like. Of all of Eddie's songs about how great it is to listen to music this one is the worst. It reminds me of a Ramones song. I hate them too.


At least it's pretty gamely played. And I do like the solo, although it has no business being in this song.


Like Big Wave, if they had tried to make this about something weightier, I can see myself maybe enjoying this one a bit more.

EJ wrote:Aside from Supersonic, with possibly GSMF and JG, the album isn't really "fun" at all. And, I believe its meant to be either. It is, however, easily digestible - which was one of the driving forces behind its creation. Somehow people confuse that for "fun."

stip wrote:
I'm not sure. There's this quote from Ed from this period that talks about how much easier everything felt after Bush left office and how it affected his writing (I don't remember exactly). I do think this (and S/T as well) are authentic responses to what's happening around them, rather than an obligation.

If you wanted to say that there's a bit of desperation in the joy that's there I can see that--like you're worried someone is going to take it away from you. But I think that makes it more interesting.

I'm not saying they didn't really feel that way; I have no way of knowing that. But Stone had an interesting quote in one of those recent 'Lightning Bolt' interviews, where he said that it was difficult for him to understand how bands could sit down and figure out what they wanted their next record to be before even writing it. But it did seem like PJ was doing that to a degree for these records; I remember that S/T was the 'rock' album, and Backspacer was the 'poppy new wave' album probably years before they came out, in terms of how the band discussed them.

I don't know if I'd go as far as fun, but this seems clearly meant to be PJ's optimistic 'pop' album, for lack of a better term. I think it's very inconsistent in trying to be that, but that does seem to be the intent.

digster wrote:

stip wrote:
I'm not sure. There's this quote from Ed from this period that talks about how much easier everything felt after Bush left office and how it affected his writing (I don't remember exactly). I do think this (and S/T as well) are authentic responses to what's happening around them, rather than an obligation.

If you wanted to say that there's a bit of desperation in the joy that's there I can see that--like you're worried someone is going to take it away from you. But I think that makes it more interesting.

I'm not saying they didn't really feel that way; I have no way of knowing that. But Stone had an interesting quote in one of those recent 'Lightning Bolt' interviews, where he said that it was difficult for him to understand how bands could sit down and figure out what they wanted their next record to be before even writing it. But it did seem like PJ was doing that to a degree for these records; I remember that S/T was the 'rock' album, and Backspacer was the 'poppy new wave' album probably years before they came out, in terms of how the band discussed them.

but that would make sense if they were already writing songs, wouldn't it? they're accurate descriptions.