New Pearl Jam album, entitled "Pearl Jam"

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Worth buying, or is ILM too elitist for arena-rock bands such as Pearl Jam?

― Lee is Free (Lee is Free), Sunday, 30 April 2006 13:30 (twenty years ago)

god i haven't listened to them since Yield. What have I missed, really??

― dog latin (dog latin), Sunday, 30 April 2006 13:32 (twenty years ago)

"Worldwide Suicide" is pretty good.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Sunday, 30 April 2006 13:42 (twenty years ago)

something sort of attractive about the avocado posters all round town

― marc h. (marc h.), Sunday, 30 April 2006 13:43 (twenty years ago)

I too haven't paid attention since Yield. Couldn't see myself continuing to pick up albums that have 25% good tunes. Does this one have more than that, or just 2-3 catchy rockers? (Keep in mind, I am not a fan of their acoustic ballads.)

― Matt Carlson (mattsoncarlhew), Sunday, 30 April 2006 13:48 (twenty years ago)

The singer (can't believe I can't remember his name) interviewed Sleater-Kinney last year in some magazine. They had recently toured together and he was very impressed by them and the album. Which makes sense, it's sort of S-K dabbling in classic rock.

Anyway, I figured a little injection of punky indie-rock spirit might stick this time, who knows? I guess the band has always had their hearts in the right place, but could never seem to avoid being boring. I'm rootin' for them.

― Fastnbulbous (Fastnbulbous), Sunday, 30 April 2006 14:07 (twenty years ago)

"Unemployable" and that other song they did on SNL (not "Worldwide Suicide") have sparked my attention.

― billstevejim (billstevejim), Sunday, 30 April 2006 14:12 (twenty years ago)

The song Life Wasted is excellent I kind of lost them after Yield, too. But I have hope for the new one.

What I'd really like is for them to do an all-covers record. They do really great versions of other people's songs. In particular, Eddie Vedder sang X's Poor Girl on a tribute record. It's classic.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Sunday, 30 April 2006 14:21 (twenty years ago)

But not "Last Kiss."

― billstevejim (billstevejim), Sunday, 30 April 2006 14:23 (twenty years ago)

These guys are still putting out records?

― someone let this mitya out! (mitya), Sunday, 30 April 2006 14:24 (twenty years ago)

very few in the last several years.

― billstevejim (billstevejim), Sunday, 30 April 2006 14:25 (twenty years ago)

I'm impressed by their sticktoitiveness. I'd be willing to give their album a chance.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Sunday, 30 April 2006 14:33 (twenty years ago)

their new one is less frozen-lambchop-over-the-head than Nail Yungs..vis a vis col bush and such like ilk..so for that its half a brownie star

― dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Sunday, 30 April 2006 14:45 (twenty years ago)

I didn't care much for the last few but if this is a good un then i'm willing to try.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Sunday, 30 April 2006 15:01 (twenty years ago)

i was extremely unimpressed with whatever it was they played on SNL recently.

― AaronK (AaronK), Sunday, 30 April 2006 15:13 (twenty years ago)

I quite like "World Wide Suicide" and "Comatose." There's a few others that are okay, but there's a lot of duds. It's better than the last album for sure, but that's not much of a statement.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Sunday, 30 April 2006 15:22 (twenty years ago)

that other song they did on SNL (not "Worldwide Suicide")

That song is called "Severed Hand."

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Sunday, 30 April 2006 15:23 (twenty years ago)

They had recently toured together and he was very impressed by them and the album. Which makes sense, it's sort of S-K dabbling in classic rock.

This is sort of unfair - Eddie's been a huge supporter of that band for many years now, going back to around 96/97.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Sunday, 30 April 2006 15:25 (twenty years ago)

I haven't heard the new one yet. Supposedly it should be in my mailbox on monday along with that great 92 New Year's show as a bonus.

― van igloo (van smack), Sunday, 30 April 2006 15:33 (twenty years ago)

Also...Worst album cover in recent years.

― van igloo (van smack), Sunday, 30 April 2006 15:34 (twenty years ago)

i actually thought 'binaural' had some great highlights, 'riot act' did absolutely nothing for me though. completely forgettable. but i liked their SNL performance, so i'm looking fwd to hearing the rest of this. it's been ages since i've listened to them w/ any frequency, but i used to be a huge fan long ago so i'll always have a soft spot for 'em...

― rajeev (rajeev), Sunday, 30 April 2006 15:37 (twenty years ago)

Riot Act should have been an EP. I recall 5 or 6 songs that I liked.

― billstevejim (billstevejim), Sunday, 30 April 2006 15:55 (twenty years ago)

"I'm impressed by their sticktoitiveness."

they make a lot of money and they like to play live. and they don't hate each other. and it doesn't seem to matter when they put out records. they are like the dead that way. i wish they were less boring. i like arena rock bands. or i used to. i turned them off mid-song while watching snl cuz they were making me sleepy. they should get someone to write songs for them on the sly.

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 30 April 2006 16:03 (twenty years ago)

the entire album is streaming on the AOL Music site.

― milo z (mlp), Sunday, 30 April 2006 16:25 (twenty years ago)

why did you start this thread?
yes.we are elitists and the record sucks by any standard.
though, in a strange world like the one we live in, pearl jam might be classic band in 20 years from now, when elitists people will say:they are soooo underrated...

― shoe shine, Sunday, 30 April 2006 16:28 (twenty years ago)

A reason to live

― Zwan (miccio), Sunday, 30 April 2006 16:31 (twenty years ago)

In terms of chronology, Pearl Jam should now be at the same stage The Who were at when they were putting out Who Are You (or Pink Floyd during The Wall tour). It certainly would have been a lot cooler if Pearl Jam's last few records weren't as insignificant as they now seem.

― billstevejim (billstevejim), Sunday, 30 April 2006 16:40 (twenty years ago)

I'm one of those losers that will stick up for their later albums as their best stuff -- see Pearl Jam - No Code thread -- but even I can't really defend Riot Act. This might be the first one in a long time that I don't buy on the release date, but maybe later in the week after I get paid I'll pick it up.

― Alex in Baltimore (Alex in Baltimore), Sunday, 30 April 2006 16:48 (twenty years ago)

Riot Act was very much meh. this album is a hell of a lot better, i'd say better even than Binaural.

― i am not a nugget (stevie), Sunday, 30 April 2006 17:08 (twenty years ago)

This new album has a very vibrant, "let's rock" feel. You can sense that the band is having a ball. At this stage I'm not sure about the songwriting, a bit uneven. But the flow is very good and the band is burnin'. A very straight ahead rock'n'roll, the feel of the first few songs remind me of the opening track of the latest Stones album (Gossard and McCready are Keef obsessives.)The songs are not deep by any means but they rock and they rock good.

Riot Act was a return to form after two lacklustre albums (Yield and especially Binaural). I have always liked their experimental side best (I don't think Ten is that a good album, No Code is the best in my opinion). But there is a certain confidence in the these last albums that's refreshing: "We are Pearl Jam, we play what the hell we like, be it experimental or not - and we don't give a shit"

Pearl Jam's greatesrt problem is not the music, certainly not now, but the paradox they are constantly battling. They want to be Fugazi or something but sell a million of records. They rave on a about important, cool underground bands but never seem to want to stray to that direction themselves.

Nevertheless, I admire their honesty and "heart on sleeve" approach, though it can be a bit corny at some times. They have never went down the ironic, postmodern road a la U2, a band that sucks big time nowadays and have done so for a very long time.

Ergo: Pearl Jam are a "good" and always a worthwhile band.

ps. to the elitists: Destroyer's rubies sucks too

― Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen (arnart1802), Sunday, 30 April 2006 17:51 (twenty years ago)

Riot Act was a return to form after two lacklustre albums (Yield and especially Binaural).

That's a ridiculous statement.

Destroyer's rubies sucks too

You've partially redeemed yourself.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Sunday, 30 April 2006 17:59 (twenty years ago)

Pearl Jam's greatest problem is not the music (I actually like the sound of the band from what I've heard), it's having Eddie Vedder write and sing.

― milo z (mlp), Sunday, 30 April 2006 18:00 (twenty years ago)

xxpost: Do you mean Riot Act being their "experimental" side?

― van igloo (van smack), Sunday, 30 April 2006 18:01 (twenty years ago)

I think he means stuff like "Bugs" (AKA the accordion wank track on Vitalogy) or "Push Me Pull Me" (AKA Edward Vedder's spoken-word groovy doovy on Yield) - there's at least one or two WTF detours on any post-Vs. album. This one is as straight-forward as they've been since Vs., and it's good as that, but it bores the pants off of me. Speaking as someone that has a fondness for the warts-and-all "experimental" PJ. Yes, even Riot Act.

― David R. (popshots75`), Sunday, 30 April 2006 18:12 (twenty years ago)

to igloo: no

ten, vs: normal rock
vitalogy, no code: experimental
yield, binaural: boring
riot act, pearl jam: normal rock

― Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen (arnart1802), Sunday, 30 April 2006 18:12 (twenty years ago)

Okay, my bad on misreading what you were saying upthread. I agree with your album breakdown.

― van igloo (van smack), Sunday, 30 April 2006 18:19 (twenty years ago)

it's a good Pearl Jam record for sure. One of their best.

why the fuck is Eddie Vedder so humorless?

― don weiner (don weiner), Sunday, 30 April 2006 18:22 (twenty years ago)

i kind of liked binaural but only for three tracks: "breakerfall" and "god's dice" set the album on a cool trajectory, but then it just totally falls on its face. and "thin air," though the lyrics are cheese, has a pretty remarkable key change that i wonder who is responsible for writing credit. anyone have liner notes?

― kevinod (odtron5000), Sunday, 30 April 2006 18:42 (twenty years ago)

"thin air" is a stone gossard song, IIRC, and yeah, it's efinitely one of the highlights. though i liked a good chunk of 'binaural' - it's just that it had enough clunkers in the wrong places that i never think of it as a solid album.

not to get into the topic of their best album, but i think they peaked with 'vitalogy' - best combo of the "experimental" side with the straight-up rock. i also think it had the best production of their albums by far. the later ones have seem a little too polished.

i personally think the problem with the recent stuff is partly matt cameron - great drummer w/ soundgarden, not the right fit for PJ. but vedder's vocals and the band's whole style also just doesn't fit into what i like now as much as it did back then...

― rajeev (rajeev), Sunday, 30 April 2006 18:52 (twenty years ago)

(erm, all sorts of grammar problems w/ that post. editing on the fly...)

― rajeev (rajeev), Sunday, 30 April 2006 18:53 (twenty years ago)

Listen to the Beefheartian guitar on "Marker in the sand"

― Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen (arnart1802), Monday, 1 May 2006 07:14 (twenty years ago)

have promos gone out for this?

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Monday, 1 May 2006 10:54 (twenty years ago)

I think so. It has leaked anyway

― Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen (arnart1802), Monday, 1 May 2006 11:36 (twenty years ago)

http://music.aol.com/artist/pearl-jam/5118/main?ncid=AOLMUS00050000000009

― dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Monday, 1 May 2006 11:39 (twenty years ago)

Listen to the Beefheartian guitar on "Marker in the sand"

Someone's gonna be listening for a while...

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 1 May 2006 11:54 (twenty years ago)

It's definitely their best since "Binaural". The songwriting on the whole is maybe a little stronger than on that album, but "Binaural" had nice rich production that gives it a nice hazy, messy vibe.

So far unmentioned standouts: "Army Reserve", Stone Gossard's "Parachutes" and "Inside Job". After many listens I'm still not sure if I like "Come Back" or "Unemployable". "Gone" is definitely the worst thing on it - it coulda been on "Vs.".

But feinitely a strong record, especially compared to "Riot Act". Also it's probably the first one since maybe "Vitalogy" wherein it sounds like EV is having any fun.

― Simon H. (Simon H.), Monday, 1 May 2006 13:27 (twenty years ago)

Oh, and Pitchfork will probably still deem it mediocre at best. Go fuck an Islands, y'all.

― Simon H. (Simon H.), Monday, 1 May 2006 13:29 (twenty years ago)

Oh, and Pitchfork will probably still deem it mediocre at best.

Tee-hee.

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 1 May 2006 13:33 (twenty years ago)

This album represents a first in that I had to fax the publicist -- FAX -- to get a promo copy, which I still haven't gotten even though I faxed her twice.

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Monday, 1 May 2006 13:58 (twenty years ago)

Despite having a godawful cover, the inside album art is kinda cool. Especially the clay/wax decomposing heads on the last page. Eerie.

― van igloo (van smack), Monday, 1 May 2006 22:40 (twenty years ago)

YSI?

― heh-, Wednesday, 3 May 2006 20:54 (twenty years ago)

Despite having a godawful cover, the inside album art is kinda cool. Especially the clay/wax decomposing heads on the last page. Eerie.
-- van igloo (non...), May 1st, 2006 7:40 PM.

haha that stuff is weird, I opened up the packaging and kind of wondered if some panels got mixed up with artwork from the new Tool album at the shipping plant.

I gave it one half-attentive listen today and nothing really jumped out at me except maybe "Inside Job", and the 2nd half sounded way better than the 1st. "Comatose" is terrible.

― Alex in Baltimore (Alex in Baltimore), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 22:50 (twenty years ago)

I think the album's pretty strong. The guitars in particular remind me of (of all things) Fugazi and the Minutemen, in a sort of kamikaze way. Maybe that's why the guy above cited Beefheart. As a whole the disc reminds me of early major label REM, like 'Green' with bigger riffs, I guess. Anyway, the band's become such a reliable live act that I'm always curious to hear how the stuff goes over. They throw in so many album tracks and b-sides, even from "bad" albums, but they never seem to hurt the pace.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 23:59 (twenty years ago)

i keep nearly buying this. Do I? I do like avocado.

― dog latin (dog latin), Thursday, 4 May 2006 00:01 (twenty years ago)

Is it just my wooden ears, or do the opening riffs for "Unemployable" harken to Bachman Turner Overdrive's "Drivers Seat"? I like it!

The last few albums weren't great in and of themselves -- the problem was that the material didn't really get fleshed out until they toured. "You Are" off Riot Act is a case in point...the song hardly registers on the album, but was a showstopper on tour.

Anyhoo, to me this album is a return to form, as far as studio albums go. I can listen to this and not say "Well, maybe it'll sound better live". Or listen to it once & shove it back on the shelf. This will get a few rotations. They're not overthinking everything quite as much this time. I'm interested in the fact that it's almost a concept album, since all the songs seem have a 'war' theme to them. But it's not overdone like Bushleaguer, which is a good thing.

The cover bothers me. I mean, I love avocados but WTF? And is it just me or is it lame to have a self-titled album this far down the track?

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 4 May 2006 02:15 (twenty years ago)

The Beatles - The beatles. 1968. :)

― Darren Skuja, Thursday, 4 May 2006 03:03 (twenty years ago)

Doh.

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 4 May 2006 04:08 (twenty years ago)

Blur - Blur

― dog latin (dog latin), Thursday, 4 May 2006 08:20 (twenty years ago)

The problem with you people is that you arent even that big of fans. Pick up there later stuff, listen to it, give it a chance. Personally, i really enjoyed their later stuff more than their earlier stuff. But hey, i guess you people dont like any change in a band. Oh, and the new album is frickin sweet, and for that guy who hates the ballads, i hope you will be happy, there arent any, except maybe 1 or 2. Maybe if you people were real fans instead of people who just jump on the bandwagon, you would actually listen to their stuff.

― WAAAA, Friday, 5 May 2006 20:15 (twenty years ago)

Ballads on the new Pearl Jam album:

Parachutes
Gone
Come Back
Inside Job

4/13!

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Friday, 5 May 2006 20:18 (twenty years ago)

Wasted Reprise too, 5/13!

The pacing of the sequence is weird, it's pretty spirited for most of side A, then it just shifts into a mid-tempo haze for the most part.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Friday, 5 May 2006 20:20 (twenty years ago)

I've been around ILM since 2002 and I've never seen a Pearl Jam bandwagon come through. Maybe I missed that day.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Friday, 5 May 2006 20:22 (twenty years ago)

By the way, I am totally mystified why so many people like "Inside Job." The last two songs on the album are just crazy dull.

xpost Johnny is right about the "bandwagon" remark just being hilariously off the mark. UTM?

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Friday, 5 May 2006 20:25 (twenty years ago)

no way i remember when everybody was shitting their pants abt pearl jam! "man have you heard these guys? it's like timbaland meets the hold steady w/the dude from talk talk singing!" stuff like that....there were shit ton of YSI threads for leaks of those Juan Maclean remixes of stuff off No Code...

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 5 May 2006 20:59 (twenty years ago)

"this eddie vedder guy could very well be the mike skinner of the pacific northwest"

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 5 May 2006 20:59 (twenty years ago)

"this new temple of the dog reissue is the best thing LTM has put out since the stockholm monsters singles comp...still i think i like the screwed and chopped version better"

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 5 May 2006 21:02 (twenty years ago)

T/S: Mike Jones vs. Mike McCready

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 5 May 2006 21:04 (twenty years ago)

Pearl Jam is destined to become a band that hipsters briefly embrace sometime around 2042.

― erklie (erklie), Friday, 5 May 2006 21:21 (twenty years ago)

thirteen years pass...

listening to this rn, the 2017 Brendan O'Brien remix version. this is a very good album!

― omar little, Thursday, 23 January 2020 07:06 (six years ago)

22 years early mate

― an incoherent crustacean (MatthewK), Thursday, 23 January 2020 08:02 (six years ago)

i'm a man ahead of my time, except i respond late to posts once in awhile

― omar little, Friday, 24 January 2020 21:41 (six years ago)

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