The Best Moment in Backspacer

[LoathedVermin72]

The only song I have heard from this album is "The Fixer". I like it.

[Jorge]

Does anyone else think GSMF might have resulted from playing "The Real Me" a bunch of times live and thinking "hey, this song is fun. We should write one like that"?

Not a critique of GSMF, which I quite like.

[Kevin Davis]

Doubtful -- I think "Backspacer" was about three weeks away from release when "The Real Me" started finding its way into regular set lists.

[Strat]

Doubtful -- I think "Backspacer" was about three weeks away from release when "The Real Me" started finding its way into regular set lists.

They did do The Real Me at the VH1 Honors long before backspacer

[Kevin Davis]

They did, I was just speaking to Jorge's wonder if them playing it "a bunch of times live" led them to write "GSMF."

[stip]

I like to think of GSMF as the party that the girl from breakerfall was standing outside of

[Jessica Fletcher]

What kind of state the fan base was or is in should be the last thing this band or any fan thinks about when it comes to new music. That's a problem with Backspacer, though I'll argue it's not a big problem. Most if not all of the songs would've been written and released regardless of any change in intent by the band.
The major problem is the way it appears to have been recorded, which takes all the energy out of a band performance that was so engaging in all of their previous records (S/T to a lesser extent). It was described earlier in this thread as calculation, which I agree with.
One thing I loved about Pearl Jam's artwork was that they always included photos of the band in the studio...together. You could see and hear them playing together. It's not like they kept everything live or didnt go back and fix mistakes, but there was a live feel that came from guys playing together in a room. You can't see or hear that anymore, because it either doesn't happen or the sound has a whole has been scooped out and compressed to hell. That's my biggest gripe with this record and Lightning Bolt.

[Norah]

I like to think of GSMF as the party that the girl from breakerfall was standing outside of

shut up

[Birds in Hell]

I think I'll give Backspacer a listen later, it's been a good while.

I ended up giving both Backspacer and Lightning Bolt a spin this afternoon while driving around doing a few things. Upending my expectations to an extent, Backspacer was actually pretty breezy and enjoyable while Lightning Bolt felt pretty unrewarding with few real high points. That stretch of songs from Gonna See My Friend through to Amongst the Waves was particularly satisfying.

I have much the same complaints about Unthought Known that have already been voiced in this thread, it feels like a humble musical idea awkwardly playing the role of a chest-beating anthem. The pacing in the second-half of the album is seriously wonky too. Those issues aside, as well as a few production niggles, it's a better record than I've often given it credit for - I'll have to move it up a notch in my album rankings, Lightning Bolt is clearly the wooden spoon winner of the bunch for me.