there is no east rutherford, new hampshire.

Reading this review was a waste of three minutes of my life.

It is an awesome song from an awesome band...the lyrics are meaningful and well written, unlike the review. Although the reviewer also takes a swipe at U2 so clearly pearl jam must be doing something right...it must be a good thing to be vriticised by this reviewer.

doesnt seem like a very objective review.......the writer admits to not liking the band

I would love -- LOVE -- to know what you like - lol.

you're an idiot.

You have no friends

im a HUGE pj fan. but i will be the first from the camp to defend ur review as a very fair if not accurate one.

This blog is a waste of bandwidth, diskspace, an IP address and a record in a DNS Server.

I am now stupider for having read this pile of dung.

huh...

yea pearl jam sucks this song is filthy and sloppy. sounds like they want to be the MC5 but are failing badly. yea vedder should kill himself fucking sellout

Nothing like bashing an incredible band to generate attention. Well done.

My experience is that people with no intelligence tend to bash such an insightful band as Pearl Jam, if you don't like the band, why do a blog on it, that was pretty idiotic, World Wide Suicide is Pearl Jam through and through true blue! Very moving and powerful...

Howdy, gang. Come and in and bash away at me. I'm a no-goodnik, and I gots it coming.

However, merely saying that I suck and I'm stupid means nothing. Why would anyone care about your arbitrary emotional response?

Review my review. Point out some of what I'm missing. Is there some particularly cool unique key change or chord progression that I'm missing? Is there in fact a melodic line in this song with significantly more than three notes. Don't just say that I suck, but show how I'm sucking.

If you can show me something that I'm missing or not giving account for, I'll give you credit. I've done it before. Look, I've got humility in spades. I will admit to being backed down a step by some of Mariah Carey's lambs, and end up giving her at least a little bit of credit.

Then again, I'd listen to Mimi over this any day.

Howdy Jonbenke. In answer to comment 5, I like a lot of things. Go HERE to find out. Among other things, I loves me some White Stripes, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Beatles, Rolling Stones, my hero Elvis Costello, and definitely a lot of classic Prince.

Not far behind those I will put the Who. They're particularly relevant to my distaste for Pearl Jam. I just can't imagine why I would ever, ever listen to Pearl Jam when I could just as easily be spinning vintage Who. Similar range of hard guitar rock, only based on really good SONGS.

Shahril, thank you for your understanding. You represent well for Pearl Jam fans, as opposed to some of the more childish displays here.

Eddie covers Pete's Blue, Red & Gray, you should look it up. You might like it, you might hate it. I love it.

4/12/03 Orlando, FL www.pearljamlive.com

to each their own

Well Shart, that might be worth hearing. Pearl Jam's strong suit is performance and not composition. I could imagine PJ doing something worthwhile with that.

How about giving props to a band for writing a song with lyrics like it has at least and for putting it out as a single. Your f'in' country has been sitting with its thumb up its ass for the last 3 years while thousands of your youth have been dying in a godforsaken part of the world for no good reason other than that your elected leader and his henchmen can't admit when they've made a mistake.

Bands like Pearl Jam, in their own small way at least, try to not "play it safe", which all too often is what everyone else in America seems to be doing these days. Kudos to Pearl Jam for not shying away from controversy.

In any case, music reviews and music reviewers are about two of the most useless things on this planet ....... to each their own. So suck on that!

pearl jam is the only arena band left that started during your lifetime is still creative, fun and controversial...go to a live show is all i can advise....but after reading your two qualifications for a good song (having hooks and a melody to that of U2)...there may be no hope

The problem with Blogs is that it gives any psuedo wanna be rock journalist a platform to spew half-bright,ill-informed opinions all over the internet. The last thing the world needs is more rock critics...especially water-heads with a grudge.

Obviously the song is not very complex in it's composition...World Wide Suicide is straight up rock'n'roll. If you want complex... Go pull out a Yes record and drool over Rick Wakeman's synth.
I'd expect more from an Elvis Costello fan...but then again you do like Prince and Dolly Parton...Ye Gods !!
The song is currently the most requested song on the Modern Rock Radio Format. For a band to sound this fresh, energized, and current after 15 years is a treasure to behold.

Oh well...enjoy the soundtrack to Mimi
To each his own I guess

Sela.

I haven't heard the song yet but I think Al was actually more than fair. There are a lot of critics or reviewers who would not admit to disliking an artist they were reviewing and would rip them behind a cloak of "objectivity." If you want to dismiss Al's opinions because he is not a fan you can do that. I think it's a little dishonest to only take the word of fellow fans but you have that right.

The teenage, jackass response of "You suck" and "You're stupid" (with most of these insults typed incorrectly) say more about the commenter than the reviewer.

ok then, it's this line, hinted at in the 'review':

I just can't imagine why I would ever, ever listen to Pearl Jam when I could just as easily be spinning vintage Who.

it's this sort of zero sum game approach to evaluating things that to me is absolutely pointless.

I agree with you, Saleski.

I can see that statement being more of a literary device than an honest expression of his feelings, though.

Re: the Who vs Pearl Jam. The "when you could be listening to..." sentence stem is usually, yes, primarily a rhetorical device- but not here.

For starters, it IS to some extent a zero-sum game. You get only so many hours in a day and in a life. There's 24 hours and literally millions of things you could listen to- or videos to watch, or even actual live people to talk to. If you're listening to Pearl Jam, you're not listening to Prince.

Still, I listen to a lot of stuff, and it's not entirely a hierarchical structure of "best." Mood enters into it. Often, I listen to stuff perhaps less utterly perfect than an Elvis Costello or James Brown classic. Granted, Duran Duran ain't in a league with Dylan, but they've got a different sound and things going on with "A View to a Kill" that you can't quite get anywhere else. A little of that is just the thing somedays. The Beatles are the big Kahuna, but somedays a man needs to hear the Monkees. In my father's house there are many mansions.

But re: Pearl Jam vs the Who, I see no such consideration. The Who are totally superior on every level, and I don't hear anything substantive in PJ that I can't get a lot better from the Who. Pearl Jam have mediocre songwriting at best, past Ten anyway. They're a fairly good band as players- but they seem significantly overrated, and obviously the Who blow them away.

Why should I listen to this mediocrity when I could be listening to something stylistically similar, but really good?

Something Insightful (comment #17), try to avoid wrenching your shoulder out of joint while you pat yourself on the back for getting the deep profundity of Pearl Jam. That PJ lyrical shit is so incredibly, ridiculously shallow as to boggle the mind of even a moderately literate person seeing how such things are taken. Some of Mariah Carey's lambs talk almost as foolish about how deep her lyrics are because she writes lyrics about how there's a hero inside everyone of us and so forth. People, crack a book once in a while, please. Or perhaps study some classic Ira Gershwin or Smokey Robinson lyric sheets, even.

For starters, most of their lyrics are just shit as pop songcraft. In terms of imagination, of putting together memorable turns of phrase, creating unique poetic metaphors or having anything even simply, merely coherent to say, it's shit. It's just not skillful or insightful or worthwhile at all.

You're confusing (a very low rent version of) morality with art. You seem to be arguing that because PJ are willing to say that Bush sucks, that makes what they're saying artistically meaningful. It does not. Nor am I impressed with the great bravery of denouncing the president, as if BusHitler were going to throw Eddie in the gulag for speaking truth to power. Please. That's a different issue, though.

But note that I said nearly nothing in the review about the lyric of the song, cause it didn't matter. Even if it had been a better lyric, it wouldn't have mattered much because a lyric is not a song. A MELODY and chords and rhythms - MUSIC - make a song. "World Wide Suicide" has no distinctive melodic components whatsoever, so I'm just not going to care about the supposed profundity of the words.

Brian (comment #4) and others who criticize me for supposed lack of objectivity have it all exactly backwards. I AM an objective reviewer here, as much as one can be. My lack of fandom for Pearl Jam isn't prejudice, a pre-judgment based on extraneous factors. It's a considered judgment based on having listened to numerous Pearl Jam albums. Regardless of general personality factors or fashion statements or politics, the actual records they've made mostly don't sound like anything at all memorable.

What he's actually saying is that I'm not objective because I'm not a fan and thus bending over backwards to make myself like whatever crap they put out. To qualify as an "objective" reviewer to a rabid fan, I would need to start from the premise that the new Pearl Jam is GREAT. Then I should listen to it and work backwards to justify my pre-formed opinion of their majesty.

If you want to question my objectivity as a reviewer, it would be a much better test to look at the stuff I write about my favorite artists. Can I bring myself to speak negatively about the lesser works of my idol Elvis Costello? Or can I say anything critical about the work of my much beloved Sinead O'Connor? You might look up my reviews for North and Throw Down Your Arms respectively on this count.

Here's why it's so hard to take your criticisms of lyrics seriously.

"James Blunt just SO totally kicks ass with Back to Bedlam. This sumbitch is a real songwriter."

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.
You're beautiful, it's true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don't know what to do,
'Cause I'll never be with you.

but you find PJ ridiculously shallow?! Puh-leeeze!

There's plenty of poetic lines in songs like Corduroy, Present Tense, Do The Evolution, Breakerfall, Save You.

please al, you don't agree with Pearl Jam's politics, and find a way to say they're shallow.

just fes up to it.

Well NO Mr Saleski, that is not correct. I make a point of distinguishing between politics and musical values, and you should understand that by now. I listen to and praise all kinds of music by left wing types. It would be petty and shallow to conflate things like that.

Being a reviewer is exactly about breaking things apart, and making the relevant distinctions. This one has a good voice, but the arrangements are weak. That one has a good tune, but the singer isn't competent to carry it.

Relative to Pearl Jam, for example, I'm all about classic Clash records- and they're about 10 fold more annoyingly pinko than Pearl Jam.

If I've got beef with their politics, I'll address it straight up. But they're not saying anything interesting or specific enough even to merit an answer. In the field of liberal celebrity dumbasses, Eddie actually rates very low on the annoyance scale with me. He's a little silly, but he's certainly no Michael Moore.

I care not a whit what some illiterate teenage idiot comes in blathering about me, but my itty bitty feelings are a bit hurt that YOU would so disparage the honesty of my writing and thinking. I've earned better than that.

I'm sorry did you just call the white stripes the greatest band in the world? Are you on crack? Have you heard them live? Well if you haven't then grab a drum stick, bang on one drum with an occasional cymbal and step on a cats tail and you've got the white stripes.

al, it's not so much in the review as the commentary. if you can say things like:

"You're confusing (a very low rent version of) morality with art. You seem to be arguing that because PJ are willing to say that Bush sucks, that makes what they're saying artistically meaningful."

...but still remain 'objective' about the actual music, then...well...good for you.

as far as being 'objective' about reviewing music, you and i will have to agree to disagree because i just don't think it's possible. at all.

ps. there really is no east rutherford, new hampshire.

p.p.s where the hell is the review of the latest Elvis Costello?!

People who are not educated and don't want anything out of music except a momentary state of satisfaction usually don't like PJ's music. Their music is meaningful, introspective, and endearing. It doesn't matter if it's a ballad or a rocker.........there's usually a message being sent that means something.

#32: not educated and don't want anything out of music except for a momentary state of satisfaction?

come on now, to use al's words: that's just plain silly.

Mark, re: comment 29. Notice that my comments there are not about Pearl Jam at all, but about our commenter.

Yes, I can hold an opinion about politics different than a musician or actor, yet listen to their work and judge it on it's merits. I can also give a fair listen to a song written by a Christian, though I am a non-believer- and yet not spend the whole time I'm listening to a U2 record saying "They are Christians, this music must suck." Indeed, I've been listening to the Birmingham Sunlights a lot lately, and other gospel music.

Why is this idea hard for you to accept?

Cody, re: comment 29, in the White Stripes Nation, the Generalissimo will brook no foolishness. We have an enemies list, and you're liable to find yourself on it if you cross the Generalissimo. Don't do it.

Oh, and Brandon- licking up spewed pinko boilerplate like PJ lyrics does not constitute proof of depth or education. An educated person would more likely be listening to, well anything else really, but let's say Miles Davis or Elvis Costello.

By the way Mark, I just got the Elvis album yesterday. I'll have to stew on it for at least a few days before I can really render any fair judgment. Sounds pretty good so far, though. I'm really digging the mambo version of "Clubland" in particular.

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Al had a relationship go bad with someone who loved Pearl Jam and he takes his own non-performance with his ex out on the band. How childish.

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youre obviously not a pearl jam fan, but not only that, you re obviously not a good rock music fan, you have no ears, no taste, you should be writting on classical music. get a life.

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youre an elvis costello fan..oh i get it now. i saw him live last year. i almost fell asleep at his show. you wanna impress us with 80s jewels? talk to me about joy division, p.i.l., iggy pop (he opened for pearl jam in 98 you know?), the replacements, etc. then you can fill your mouth with pearl jam. oyu dont know what the hell youre talking about. go back to dolly parton & costello

I have to disagree with many of your opinions about Pearl Jam. You obviously are not a generation Xer. If you were, maybe the music would mean more to you. Spin magazine rates the album "Ten" as one of the top 20 greatest albums of all time and VS in the top 50, but I guess they don't know what they're talking about right? Have you ever listened to "Yield" all the way through? That album is an absolute triumph. Have you ever heard the song Rear View Mirror, Nothing Man, Thumbing My Way etc? To say Eddie is not a great lyricist is ridiculous. He has more depth as a song writer than anyone I know. Example....

Routine was the theme. He'd wake up wash and pour himself into uniform.
Something he hadn't imagined being.
As the merging traffic passed he found himself staring down at his own hands.
Not remembering the change. Not recalling the plan. Was it?

He was okay but wondering about wandering.
Was his age by consequence or was he moved by sleight of hand?

Mondays were made to fall. Lost on a road he knew by heart.
It was like a book he read in his sleep. Endlessly.
Sometimes he hid in the radio watching other pull into their homes.
While he was drifting.

On a line of his own. Off the line of the side. Bye the by.
As dirt turned to sand. As if moved by sleight of hand.

When he reached the shore of his clip on world he resurfaced to the norm.
Organized his few things. His coat and keys.
And he knew realizations would have to wait.
Till he had more time. More time.

A time to dream to himself. He waves goodbye to his self.
I'll see you on the other side.
Another man moved by slight of hand.

Lets see The Who come up with anything thought provoking like that. I can't think of one Who song that goes into depth. Can you? Talk about my g g g g generation. I'll pass. And what's with that "Don't tread on me crap" on your URL? Are you a marine? I'm sure if I had a lobotomy and a shitty haircut, I'd write this shit too.

Yeah, you motards can type my name to attach it to your idiocy, but no one is fooled by this nonsense because you can't fake my writing skill and style. You'd have to have a brain for that, wouldn't you?

As to using "big words" like "eponymously," I do apologize profusely for having a vocabulary. I know better than using words with more than four letters in discussions with illiterate Pearl Jam fans. I swear to Ayn Rand that even the silly Pretty Ricky fans are better behaved and more thoughtful than some of y'all.

John, perhaps this is lack of objectivity, but to me you look a might bit silly dissing artists of the stature of Elvis Costello and Dolly Parton in favor of not just so-so Pearl Jam, but absolute worthless crap like Iggy Pop and PIL. They might have the cool virtue of being more obscure, but if you think PIL is the shit and Dolly Parton ain't nothin', then there's no other way to say it but that you don't a goddamn thing about music. And as Samuel Jackson's Senor Love Daddy would say, that's the truth, Ruth.

You sir are obviously not a rock fan. Go listen to Avril Lavigne or something!

Better yet, stick your thesaurus up your ass. Maybe it can help you can spew out some more $0.50 words.

Steve M, you started to actually say something, but didn't quite get there. Hint: the more specific you can be, the better. Thus, it was good that you came up with a specific PJ lyric to offer as an example of a good lyric. But you didn't really do anything to explain why it was great.

Like your comments, the lyric almost sounded like it was going to be about something, but doesn't quite seem to get there. Having read the lyric, I don't know what the point was. There's no striking visual image or resonant metaphor or anything. I mean, what's the point that's supposed to be so profound here? What thoughts does this supposedly provoke? Again, Mariah Carey writes songs about how there's a hero inside every one of us. That seems at least as profound as this Pearl Jam lyric.

As to a good Who lyric, for a simple one you might start with "Who Are You?" This portrait of Pete's alienation and self-loathing comes out of clear dramatic scenes. Contrast the opening scene of the big-shot rock star fronting and "preaching from my chair" to the reality of being just another dumbass drunk passed out in a doorway for the cops to have to sweep up.

But again, that good lyric wouldn't mean much if it weren't attached to an outstanding and memorable tune, and those throbbing synthesizers whipping around like a brutal hangover.

The "Don't Tread on Me" on my home site is part of the American Revolution era flag of the Maryland Culpepper Militia. It's a libertarian thing.

Also, that little blast of gratuitous hatefulness at the end detracted rather than added to your case.

"absolute worthless crap like Iggy Pop and PIL"!!!!
my gosh!! yeah i get it now!! youre obviously not gonna dig Pearl jam at all.

Aw now Steve M, don't be that way. Do you think that you're making a convincing argument in favor of Pearl Jam in the court of public opinion when curse me for having a vocabulary? Do you really think that you are insulting me when you say "stick your thesaurus up your ass."?

Again with apologies to those to whom it doesn't apply, my experience at Blogcritics leads me not to be surprised to find Pearl Jam fans throwing childish tantrums. If you were in MY family home, you'd be sitting in the time out corner the rest of the day. Obviously you mama's didn't raise y'all right.

Yeah Ignatius, besides a winning people personality you also lack skills of critical musical judgment, based on your comment 24 here.

Just as a lyric, the James Blunt song is pretty good, but not particularly the greatest thing ever. That makes it about 100 times better than the "World Wide Suicide" lyric. Just as a piece of craft, "You're Beautiful" actually says something specific and identifiable. The scene on the subway is quite memorable- much more so than anything PJ has done except maybe "Jeremy."

But screw the lyrics entirely. It's a SONG, and the main point with Blunt is that "You're Beautiful" has perhaps the most beautiful, tender melody of any record put out all year. For starters, there's more melody in the opening guitar statement before you even get to the lyric than in most of the Pearl Jam catalog combined. This is a guy what knows how to write a damned song.

Al, it seems your music criticism skills are as good as your reading comprehension. I made no mention of the lyrics from WWS, but let's talk about it.

I felt the earth on Monday
It moved beneath my feet
In the form of a morning paper
Laid out for me to see
Saw his face in a color picture
I recognized the name
Could not stop staring at the
Face I'd never see again

This tells me a story about a person who lost someone they knew in the war. I know more about this person than the two people in Blunt's song, which reads like a Hallmark card. Tell me one reason from Blunt's song that he finds the woman in the subway beautiful.

Of course, you want to screw the lyrics and move on, because they are lame. They read like a journal entry from a 13-year-old girl, which is what pop music is supposed to be, but please don't act like it's deep and profound, or at least don't tell people you think it is.

So you like pop music and not rock, which is fine, but don't expect anyone to take your opinion about rock seriously. Iggy Pop, especially his work with The Stooges, created some great music. You're not getting it is a reflection on you not them.

I see someone doesn't have a life, so he need to waste his precious time on listening pearl jam. well I hope someday you'll be proud you could even hear a single from pearl jam. go jerking on your 3 minutes...

I was thinking asbout writing a review of a band in Israel, but reading the back and forth on this article has talked me out of it.

No, I don't have any opinions on Pearl Jam. Can't criticize what I haven't heard. But I can comment on what I read.

Guess it takes a special type to be a music reviewer...

Don't you worry about that, Ruvy. Some cowardly loser was pretending to be Mr Barger but their craven remarks have been given the appropriate treatment!

how the hell can you give al grief for using the word "eponymous"? they're revoke your music reviewer permit if you don't use it at least once a year.

;-)

that, and it's a really useful word.

"Do The Evolution"

Woo..
I'm ahead, I'm a man
I'm the first mammal to wear pants, yeah
I'm at peace with my lust
I can kill 'cause in God I trust, yeah
It's evolution, baby

I'm at piece, I'm the man
Buying stocks on the day of the crash
On the loose, I'm a truck
All the rolling hills, I'll flatten 'em out, yeah
It's herd behavior, uh huh
It's evolution, baby

Admire me, admire my home
Admire my son, he's my clone
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
This land is mine, this land is free
I'll do what I want but irresponsibly
It's evolution, baby

I'm a thief, I'm a liar
There's my church, I sing in the choir:
(hallelujah, hallelujah)

Admire me, admire my home
Admire my son, admire my clones
'Cause we know, appetite for a nightly feast
Those ignorant Indians got nothin' on me
Nothin', why?
Because... it's evolution, baby!

I am ahead, I am advanced
I am the first mammal to make plans, yeah
I crawled the earth, but now I'm higher
2010, watch it go to fire
It's evolution, baby
Do the evolution
Come on, come on, come on

Is the song anything like "Spin The Black Circle" off of Vitalogy. "They play guitar real frantic and all..." makes me think so.

If they're similar, It might be the Pearl Jam I've been missing.

"Spin The Black Circle" is my favorite Pearl Jam song. how could it not be? it's about records!

so you want lyrics that say something specific. check this one out

Unemployable, by Pearl Jam

He's got a big gold ring which says "Jesus saves"
And it's dented from the punch thrown at work that day
Where he smashed a metal locker where he kept his things
After the big boss said you'd best be on your way

Oh yeah...
So this life is sacrifice
Oh yeah...
Jumping trains just to survive

Well his wife and kids' asleep but he's still awake
On his brain weighs the curse of thirty bills unpaid
Gets up, lights a cigarette he's grown to hate
Thinkin if he can't sleep, how will he ever dream

Yeah...
So this life is sacrifice
Oh yeah...
To a stranger's bottom line
Oh yeah...
I've seen the light
Ohh ohh ohhh... Ohh ohh ohhhh...
I'm scared of life
Near to death
Ohh ohh ohhh... Ohh ohh ohhhh...
I've seen the light
Scared of life

Yeah...
So this life is sacrifice
Oh yeah...
Was a dream that had to die
Oh yeah...
I've seen the light
Ohh ohh ohhh... Ohh ohh ohhhh...
And I'm scared of life
Near to death
Ohh ohh ohhh... Ohh ohh ohhhh...
I've seen the light
Scared of life
Ohh ohh ohhh... Ohhhhhh Ohhh..
And I'm near to death
Here to die
Scared of life
Near to death
Here to die
Scared of life...

John, that "Unemployable" doesn't strike me as particularly compelling, but it's definitely better than the average Pearl Jam lyric. It's actually about something, and has some specific visual imagery with the locker and the ring. That's at least a passably competent lyric.

The big question though, is there a good melody attached to those words?

yes, Al. check it for yourself. its available for download.

this is no where near as good as the pearl jam iv learn to like and enjoy. Seems like not enought creative spark, and a overall forgettable song. 5/10

I really like World Wide Suicide and can't wait for the album and tour. Sorry you didn't feel anything from this song or for that matter the band. When I hear it I just want to get up and dance!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Frida- if this song works for you, then rock and roll!

As to dance music, maybe I'm a little weird in what does it for me. Other than Prince, I'm liable to go for something like Captain Beefheart singing about the "Tropical Hot Dog Night" (like two flamingos in a FRUUUIT fight).

"zero-sum game." "no there there." "beating the anitwar drums." "go the extra mile."

Is that music criticism or feedback of Neocon cliche?

"The song sounds like a million others."

Please name 20 other songs that sound like it. Let your readers decide if you are correct.

Howdy Freedom Fries. You have grabbed several phrases from my story apparently at random, and then labeled them "Neocon cliche." That pretty much seems like a non-sequitir to me. Other than the phrase "(anti) war drums" having perhaps some passing allusion to the general concept of foreign policy, I don't see any connection.

As to 20 other songs that sound like WWS, I don't have a list of specific songs in mind, largely because all that crowd except for Nirvana pretty well runs together. But WWS could have come from Soundgarden or Alice in Chains or a bunch of other so-so bands.

You could drop this song into the middle of some Soundgarden record and hardly anyone would know the difference, unless maybe they noted some secondary characteristics of the timbre of the singer's voice or something like that.

Who is this guy? While the Pearl Jam song didn't blow me away, you shoudl realy stop commenting because every statemnt you make shoiws you no less and less aboiut music.

Layne, Chris and Eddie's voices sound nothing alike. forget secondary characterisitics, the primary ones aren't the same. If you can't tell the difference, then you should stick to your generic pop miusic

".... because all that crowd except for Nirvana pretty well runs together"

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh ....... man, why didn't Eddie blow his brains out in '95 instead, maybe then PJ would get the "respect" that Nirvana gets today. In Utero you say? In Da Garbage say I! What a piece of shit!

What a fuckin' elitist cliche - 'Nirvana was really deep' Come on Al, aren't you smarter than that. Just because people die young doesn't make their art any more compelling years later.

Then again, you used such phrases like "pinko" earlier on in this thread so maybe I shouldn't expect much.

Let all us PJ fans know when you've had enough buddy.

Thanks for proving my point.

Anyway, I cannot argue with your tastes, even if they are bad. You like and dislike whatever you want. I am not even arguing that Worldwide Suicide is a good song, but the basis of your argument against the song is wrong. We in the reality-based community like to make informed opinions. When you are unable to name one song that sounds like Worldwide Suicide, you prove your ignorance. I would have given you credit for other Pearl Jam songs, like Do the Evolution. You seem to be too wrapped up in Pearl Jam's politics to give the song a good listen. If you think you backed the wrong war, admit it and stop holding it against bands that point this out to you.

If you can point to one Alice in Chains song that is as fast as Worldwide Suicide or uses a similar vocal phrasing, I'd apreciate it. If you could point to one Soundgarden song that has the same guitar tone or rhythm of Worldwide Suicide, I'd like that, too.

Again, let your readers decide if they are similar.

so al, do you dance to stuff from Trout Mask Replica? that...is a funny mental image!

Pearl Jam is highly overrated. The production on their music sounds like mud. Eddie Vedder sounds like a bleating sheep on quayludes.

shut up yopu nasty bastards!!
"pearl jam suck, pearl jam suck"
haaa
noone is ideal. could you write such a song? i guess no!
HAA!

Mark, I have been known to to be dancing under the full moon to "Moonlight on Vermont." "Gimme that old time religion."

Freedom Fries, I mean the entire vocal timbre of Eddie vs AIC or Soundgarden is a secondary characteristic to the whole recording. That Eddie has an identifiable vocal timbre does not mean that anything that he's actually doing with it is worthwhile. Roger Daltrey or Robert Plant couldn't sell this crappy song.

You have me at a bit of a disadvantage in demanding the names of specific songs from AIC or Soundgarden to which to compare WWS. I can actually remember a couple of songs from each, but the problem is exactly that they're memorable songs.

So then, I could say that WWS sounds stylistically similar to "Rooster." It does, but that's already giving PJ too much credit, because "Rooster" is a pretty good actual SONG. It has some personality to it, which WWS does not. For a proper comparison, I'd need more like a crappy AIC song, some b-side album filler. But of course, I can't remember any of that stuff by name.

Also, some of you people need to get over your politics. Yup, I think Eddie Vedder's politics are dumb and childish- but I don't care. Note that I said nothing in the review about his politics. That's only come up here with me because some of YOU PJ fans are pushing the point.

You seem to lack any ability to make even the most basic distinctions between very different topics and issues. Only someone who agrees with his idiot politics can understand his deep art, or some such. That's just nonsense. I'm a highly knowledgeable connoisseur of American popular music- and not only music made by people whose politics I share.

In your world, it's some childish Lord of the Flies tribal crap. You're for Eddie or against him, and it all goes from there. You seem in the aggregate to be unable to even understand what my argument in this review- or even the basic concept of a music review. Indeed, this thread is largely me trying to teach Music Criticism Principles 101 to what appears to be an audience of hostile, belligerent teenagers too goddamn stupid to even realize how dumb and outclassed they are.

Now, if you try talking respectfully, and make some identifiable effort at actually making reasonable, thoughtful points indicating a search for knowledge and understanding, then I'm the nicest fellow around. But if you insist on acting like ignorant, belligerent punks- well, I simply don't even intend on suffering fools gladly.

Finally, Matt (comment 69). You put up this quote for me which is not anything that I ever said and doesn't reflect my thinking at all. 'Nirvana was really deep'

No, let me explain just briefly Nirvana vs Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam is a much better BAND than Nirvana- which was absolutely the least of all the major grunge bands as instrumentalists. Eddie is certainly ten times the vocalist that Kurt Cobain was.

But Nirvana is a much bigger name, and will be remembered far longer because Cobain wrote much better SONGS. Cobain was barely technically competent as a vocalist at best, but he wrote at least a dozen or fifteen outstanding compositions that will stick around. "Come as You Are" and "Teen Spirit" are superior compositions. To hear what a real singer can do with Nirvana, check out Sinead O'Connor's cover of "All Apologies."

I never mentioned timbre. I mentioned phrasing, as in the way they put words together. I mentioned guitars and their tone.

I have a tip for you: Retake Music Criticism Principles 101. If you do, you'll find that you it's a good practice to know a lot about music and bands, so you can compare bands and sounds and be credible. You may even want to take a music history class to learn about bands that Pearl Jam actually sounds like. You'll learn about the MC5. You'll also learn that Dave Grohl's contemporaries regard him as the best instrumentalist of the major "grunge" bands. Then move on to a class about music theory. That way, you'd know if your argument that Alice in Chains's Rooster is similar to Worldwide Suicide is accurate, because you'll know about chords, tempo, and structure.

Call Pearl Jam punk for dummies, or a poor man's Who, but comparing the band to Soundgarden or Alice in Chains is covered as one of the major faux pas in Music Criticism Principles 101.

That was me by the way. I have a couple more tips for you since you seem so inclined to give them.

When reviewing music, it's better to be specific. You quoted none of the lyrics of Worldwide Suicide. You made no mention of similar-sounding songs. You used the word "indistinguished" when there are better words. It leaves the reader wondering, did the reviewer mean "indistinct" (vague) ? Or did the reviewer make a mistake and should have used "undistinguished" (ordinary).

If you make a simple mistake in your review, people are more likley to dismiss your music criticism even if they are wrong to do so. For example, New Hampshire has no East Rutherford or Continental Airlines Arena. Leaving a mistake like that in a review shows a lack of attention to detail.

"I'm a highly knowledgeable connoisseur of American popular music"

What horseshit! Just because you put that on a t-shirt and wear it around the mall, doesn't mean squat. You're just a guy in love with his own opinion. You think because you like something you are a music critic, yet your posts and comments illustrate that you know very little about the subject. Do yourself a favor and stop responding. You take one step backwards every time you open your trap.

You suck.Pearl Jam rule.

God, some of this tripe reminds of why it's sometimes embarassing to be a Pearl Jam fan. For the record, I like "world wide suicide" a good deal. I particularly like the vocal scat of the pre-chorus. The vocals on the new songs seem to be mixed pretty low, but it sounds like Ed is bringing a little more energy to his performance this time around.

BUT, I have to agree with Al in that Pearl Jam get a lot more credit than they're due (as much as I love them), in terms of their artistry. But I'll probably differ in just what I take exception to (e.g. I think Vitalogy thorugh Yield are their only good records). The last two records, though, were totally flat--a handful of good ed songs on each, but no imagination (and jeff ament should never be allowed to write another lyric--EVER).

Pearl Jam Fucking Owns. This may not be Jeremy, Or Rearviewmirror, but its pearl jam. To be honest, i dont like world wide suicide as much as unemployable, which is a great song, so this album could still turn out fucking amazing.

Hey Al.

Did you listen to Eddie's Who cover? You mentioned it, but it was kind of an insult wrapped in a compliment. :/

There's PJ songs I don't like either, but they're still my favorite band. If you don't like WS then they have softer stuff thats more uh james bluntish (lol) that might suit your tastes. Have you heard their version of 'last kiss' (blech)? Or 'wishlist' I think has lovely lyrics and simple melody like You're Beautiful (lol).

And if you dont like PJ after listening to everything then I don't really care, people should listen to whatever they want and music reviews are idiotic in principle. Keep looking for the next big thing on American Idol or some indie club whatever floats your boat.

Spread the Jam!

This isn't a review, it's an editorial.

Get a grip.
The band themselves states that they don't avoid sounding unpolished. However World Wide Suicide has a few components of prepared, delicate work. I won't spell them out for you. However if you are reasonably familiar with the bands FULL body of work you will know EXACTLY what I mean. They've done what every creative and lasting band does. They have found a way to combine their old sound and a new sound while staying true to the natural soul of the band.

Pay attention! If you want to hear TEN just play it. But don't be critical because a band 15 years after the fact have moved on and you haven't. It's a new songalbum, take it as it is not what you thinkthought it should be.

Hi Al.

Thanks for your review. I'm a big Pearl Jam nut.

After reading all of the comments, I think we could use some concise clarity.

Music is subjective. No good or bad, no right or wrong. You either like or dislike. Like ice cream. I love vanilla - How about you?

My take on WWS: I love the fact that finally a PJ opening single has a hard edge. I play guitar. I seek those interesting riffs, odd chord changes, memorable hooks. WWS has none of these, but it has something previous PJ singles did not - muscle. 'I Am Mine' and 'Nothing As It Seems', as much as I enjoy them, lacked 'ummph', for lack of a better word (ha!). It's as if (and you'll notice why us PJ fans are excited about this) the boys really put their back into it and said let's kick ass with this one. Eddie's voice is great, the guitars blend in well, and the beat doesn't relent. For us in PJ world, that's glorious, truly 'music to our ears'.

In a sense (and I believe this is what causes such heated exchanges) we've come to be disjointed with the rest of the music world; PJ, to us, is its own genre. If we love a PJ song, we love it to death. If we don't, we'll give it enough spins to make it seem at the very least agreeable.

Al, you come from the 'other side'. We're a very tough crowd to please, and we don't take well to criticism. So at the end of the day, no one will ever win.

That said, I enjoyed your commentary. As per the new album, I must say I'm truly excited about listening to a reinvigorated PJ... What will seem absolutely fucking awesome to us might, just might, make a dent with the rest of the non-PJ world. I think PJ themselves have done a disservice to their music by not promoting it as much; there are some real gems on previous albums. My all-time favs are 'Light Years', 'Black' and 'I Got Shit', take a listen, see what you think.

I believe this one's gonna be different; this album, as I've been reading around, was made TOGETHER; The whole 'sitting in a room and busting out music' is reminiscent of Ten and Vs. days, I like that. I also liked the 'let's bring in songs and see what comes of it' process for No Code, Yield and Binaural, Riot Act; it gave way to less fluid albums, where songs literally sounded as if they were being performed by a different group each time, with its respective highs and lows, yet it also gave us some great music nonetheless.

Now, with 'Pearl Jam', I think we're in for the nice flowing cooperative feel; Where decisions were made in unison, and music was grinded out the hard way (in my opinion the better way). 'Unemployable' is a fabulous song, it's got its jagged edges, yet remains melodic. And the lyrics ring true to everyday life, which I like. I've gotten sick of excessively hearing about waves and captains, thank God it's not here. The chorus is fabulous, and there's great work on the backing vocals.

PJ'ammers get frustrated when people cannot share their love for PJ music; like, how can you NOT like vanilla ice cream? Seems second nature to us. But I tell you this much Al - go out on a limb and buy the album come May. You never know, you might be pleasantly surprised. As for us, it's a foregone conclusion.

Cheers.

Well Said "Lust".
I've found that Pearl Jam isn't love or hate, but get it or don't. Few can be swayed, but for some reason they are a very tough sale. To mainstream for some and to off the radar for others.
It's a very big niche (odd as that sounds), but non the less they are a niche band in a lot of ways.

Al, the fact you couldn't work out what "Sleight Of Hand" was about and the comments you made afterwards made me realise that you either:

a/ Want lyrics to be simple enough for you to understand without having to think about them too much, or

b/ Are just are not capable of working them out, or

c/ For some reason (conscious or sub-conscious)you just do not like Pearl Jam and therefore, no matter how hard you try, are unable to spend the mental energy needed to connect with the lyrics and music. This happens to everybody (although some do not like to admit it) and, unlike other PJ 'fans' on here, I can live with it.

Now, from what I have read you seem to be a fairly intelligent sort of person so I would think you fall into category c/.

The beauty of Pearl Jam's lyrics is that a lot of them cannot be understood straight away. There are some Pearl Jam songs that I have listened to 2 or 3 years later and suddenly find it all fits like a glove. Even the ones you think you have worked out can speak to you years later when you are finally in 'the right frame of mind' to hear it.

I do not doubt that you listen to music that does the same thing for you and many others. I whole-heartedly agree with your comments on there being 'not enough time in the day' - this is a fact.

Most people get into particular bands or artists because they have what they are looking for at the time. For someone like me, who was 15 when Ten came out and have grown with the band, this could not be more true. If I was 20 or older at the time I probably would be talking about The Who with you. This is where section c/ above comes into play.

However, this is a PJ thread. One of Pearl Jam's greatest assets is that they have the amazing ability to make music that fits the words perfectly - see 'I got ID' for a classic example.

The fact that other people here cannot, or do not, want to comprehend is this is a Pearl Jam thread written by a non-Pearl Jam fan trying hard to connect. I commend you for trying but realise you do not have the hours to spend doing so.

I feel compelled to try and help you make the unlikely leap of faith - here are three Pearl Jam songs with (dare I say) simple but brilliant lyrics.

Let us know what you think.

I have put a little explanation in for bugs as, for some reason, even some PJ fans themselves don't get it. If you want an explanation after reading the others, let me know.

LIGHT YEARS

I've used hammers made out of wood
I have played games with pieces and rules..
I've deciphered tricks at the bar...
But now you're gone,... I haven't figured out why...
I've come up with riddles... and jokes about war...
I've figured out numbers and what they're for...
I've understood feelings.. and I've understood words...
But how could you be taken away?...

And wherever you've gone...and wherever we might go...
It don't seem fair...today just disappeared...
Your light's reflected now,... reflected from afar...
We were but stones,... your light made us stars

With heavy breath,... awakened regrets...
Back pages and days alone that could have been spent,
Together... but we were... miles apar...t
Every inch between us becomes light years now...
No need to be void,... or save up on life...
You got to spend it all.....

And wherever you've gone... and wherever we might go...
It don't seem fair...you seemed to like it here...
Your light's reflected now,... reflected from afar
We were but stones,... your light made us stars

And wherever you've gone... and wherever we might go...
It don't seem fair...today just disappeared...
Your light's reflected now,... reflected from afar...
We were but stones,... your light made us stars


BUGS (Brilliant to listen to when you feel everything is becoming too much for you. Looks and sounds simple yet is a deceptively deep song. Comes into its own when the music and words are combined. I believe it is the rock that holds up 'Vitalogy')

(All these...)
I got bugs
I got bugs in my room
Bugs in my bed
Bugs in my ears
Their eggs in my head
Bugs in my pockets
Bugs in my shoes
Bugs in the way, I feel about you
Bugs on my window
Trying to get in
They don't go nowhere
Waiting, waiting...
Bugs on my ceiling
Crowded the floor
Standing, sitting, kneeling...
A few block the door
And now the question's:
Do I kill them?
Become their friend?
Do I eat them?
Raw or well done?
Do I trick them?
I don't think they're that dumb
Do I join them?
Looks like that's the one
I got bugs on my skin
Tickle my nausea
I let it happen again
They're always takin' over
I see they surround me, I see...
See them deciding my fate
Oh, that which was once...was once up to me...
Now it's too late
I got bugs in my room...one on one
That's when I had a chance
I'll just stop now
I'll become naked
And with them...I'll become one


PRESENT TENSE

Do you see the way that tree bends?
Does it inspire?
Leaning out to catch the sun's rays
A lesson to be applied
Are you getting something out of this all-encompassing trip?

You can spend your time alone, re-digesting past regrets, oh
Or you can come to terms and realize
You're the only one who can't forgive yourself, oh
Makes much more sense, to live in the present tense

Have you ideas on how this life ends?
Checked your hands and studied the lines
Have you the belief that the road ahead, ascends off into the light?
Seems that needlessly it's getting harder
To find an approach and a way to live
Are we getting something out of this all-encompassing trip?

You can spend your time alone re-digesting past regrets, oh
Or you can come to terms and realize
You're the only one who cannot forgive yourself, oh
Makes much more sense, to live in the present tense

Al, I respect your comments, but I don't agree. Like U2's Vertigo, Worldwide Suicide rocks!! Both have great hooks. I see you're not interested in grunge music at all (Nirvana's Nevermind is #93 on your top 100 list???), so please don't act like you are some kind of music connoisseur. Stick to writing about what you know like Elvis Costello and stop hating on music genres and bands you obviously are not interested in and don't know anything about.

Personally, I like all kinds of music, I don't care about the source only the sounds.

Pearl Jam seem to attract a very loyal following who seem to have persuaded themselves that the group is particularly intellectual or something.

I'll grant that their lyrics are a little different to many more generic bands but I still find them incredibly naive and nerdy to my taste. They simply don't have the chops to support the idolatry.

This war on PJ goes back fourteen years when they started selling so many records. Before that, anyone who heard them in the indie community was behind them. Then they sold a zillion albums and they were forsaken. But I defy anyone on this blog who call them sell outs to point to one moment in their career when they cateered to the thundering herd. They've made ONE video in thirteen years for chrissakes. No one, I mean NO ONE has gone to such lengths NOT to sell out.

The only people who throw around that term "sell out" has never paid their own rent and usually under the age of 25.

MR. BARGER...

Exactly how long has your love affair w/ Miss Dolly been going on? My guess is since Jack White produced her album.

This whole thing is much ado about nothing. If you like a song, and are the only person in the whole world who buys the record...what difference does it make what anybody else thinks about it as long as you can relate to it.

pearl jam once a great band, seems again to be struggling to capture their success of albums such as ten . vs, vitalogy, the new song seems to be an inditement of this vedder doesnt have the hallowing vocal ability as he did as a youth and the geniuses in the band have topped out such as microsft stock. Vedder should move to vegas be a lounge singer and the others should buy the supersonics keep them in town and play at halftime with the likes of chris beluw from pot usa

This is a pointless argument. Some people like this kind of music, others don't. Me personally, I find older pj much more intriguing and interesting to listen to. Favorite albums are Yeild and Vitalogy. While this single isn't nearly as compositionally interesting as older pj, I can still see why people enjoy it. The same goes for punk. No wait...punk sucks. Har har. For anyone who really likes music like nothing they've ever heard before, YOU MUST LISTEN TO The MARS VOLTA. And don't judge them based on their single The Widow, because that song is the worst example of who the mars volta is. I'm afraid I've strayed a bit off topic, but then, this is just a blog. Music reviews are pointless when they just give opinions. Music analysis is where it's at, baby. It's time to LEARN!

yea Mars Volta has some pretty interesting stuff. Good, complicated changes and sound experimentation. I don't even want to give the new Pearl Jam a try. Sounds typical. They suck now. I prefer VS. to any other albums.

Thank you, Prawn for comment #86! Absolutely my favorite comment on this whole thread. Finally, someone objective who actually put some thought into what they were saying and looked at the subject from MULTIPLE angles.

#86 makes a facinating point with samples. While I don't find these lyrics nerdy #89 , I can see why someone would find them intellectual and many people define intellectuals as nerds.

I suppose the song writer would be pleased with the comparison. He appears to understand words.

I found this to be powerful

"I've come up with riddles... and jokes about war...
I've figured out numbers and what they're for...
I've understood feelings.. and I've understood words...
But how could you be taken away?...

And wherever you've gone...and wherever we might go...
It don't seem fair...today just disappeared...
Your light's reflected now,... reflected from afar...
We were but stones,... your light made us stars"

Does the writer use ellipses (dots) or is that your typing? It's an odd affectation and throws the reader off of what is apparently a poem.

I haven't heard World Wide Suicide, but I'm going to have to download it. This is brilliant

I felt the earth on Monday
It moved beneath my feet
In the form of a morning paper
Laid out for me to see
Saw his face in a color picture
I recognized the name
Could not stop staring at the
Face I'd never see again

Whoever this is, he's quite an impressive writer.

Al, you cannot be serious in attacking this writer as lacking, and while I agree that James Blunt is wonderful, I'm not certain he brings the same observational skills to the table as an artist compared to the Pearl Jam writer.

He's young though and writing about his feelings more then the Pearl Jam lyricist who writes about life. You can read the Pearl Jam fellow as poetry and come away with insights. With Blunt, I come away with knowing how he feels.

This material is on another level entirely. When I purchase poetry, I'm more interested in reading this:

Routine was the theme.
He'd wake up, wash and pour himself into uniform,
something he hadn't imagined being.

As the merging traffic passed,
he found himself staring down at his own hands
not remembering the change,
not recalling the plan.

The writer's formatting is terrible (if that's how he presented it) and he could use some editorial input in that regard, but the words he uses in presenting the concept of a person lost within their own life, is brilliant and unique

wash, and pour himself into uniform???

That's an unusual phrase and very visual. Also, while we know what uniform means in the usual sense, does the writer intend more then one meaning with the word?

Uniform the attire or/and uniform as a single shape, and/or uniform as having an expected "normal" consistency, being like all the others - a mindless drone?

The more I think about this poem, the more impressed I become and I've never read it before.

Facinating.

So is the writer Eddie Vedder? I did a search.

Yosky, I took my lyrics straight from the Pearl Jam website - however, i don't know whether this is how the writer (yes, I'm fairly certain they are all E.Vedder) presented them.

The lyrics in Pearl Jam albums are usually handwritten (or typed) by Ed himself. I checked 'Light Years' for you and found the ellipses are indeed there, however, with a comma before them.

There are also errors such as 'PIE CES AND RULESS' which is not uncommon and believe they are left (or even put in on purpose) to show the vulnerability of the writer.

You need breath freshener. You talk shit. You probably love the plastic pop shit we have to listen to these days. Thank God for Pearl Jam, and [Edited]

Oh Al Barger, i find you 2 be a very funny person. For someone who hates Pearl Jam ever so much, i seem to find you on every site that has anything to do with them!! Listen i respect your view on music and think at times you know quite abit.. except for your completely bias views on Eddie Vedder and the Band of course. Well i just think maybe your approach of stating your opinion needs alittle help. Your probably now going to respond with a very rude and obnoxious answer but it's ok.. its up to you

Serious lyrics that clearly missed this reviewer. Maybe he should stick with something a little easier on the simple mind. I heard Clay Aiken might be releasing a new single soon. Stay tuned!

Wick (comments 90)- My love affair with Dolly goes back to the late 60s, being a little boy having funny feelings watching Dolly on the Porter Wagoner show. Likewise for my fandom of Loretta Lynn. She's the one Jack White produced an album for, not Dolly. Van Lear Rose is a GREAT record, by the way.

Johnny 99, I have no desire to respond to you in a rude or obnoxious manner. Your comment is perfectly friendly and sociable. I don't know what other website you've seen me writing about PJ though. I only recall having ever written one article about the band, linked in this story.

Also, I'm not biased against the band. I listened carefully and repeatedly to this song and THEN formed an opinion based on what I heard. That is the basis for these comments, not a pre-judgment.

Wendi, Pearl Jam certainly have Very Serious Lyrics indeed. So does Mariah Carey. (Did you know that there's a hero inside every one of us?) They're just not any good.

Me (#98)- Guessing at what current records you might call "plastic pop shit," I'm pretty big on the new Pink single. I'll absolutely take "Stupid Girls" over this tuneless PJ crap any day of the week.

people, he is just winding you all up...dont fall for it.

if you like it, cool

if you dont, turn it off

MUSICAL TASTES ARE SUBJECTIVE. No matter how 'objective' a critic claims to be, it is impossible to fully achieve this task. I love Pearl Jam, Al does not. Simple. In his review of Worldwide Suicide, he gives credit where he feels credit is due by saying the song would probably sound compelling live (I would have to agree, as is all their music...I humbly suggest Mr. Barger check them out live). I can accept that. But let's be honest, no rational human being can expect a die hard Who fan to fully embrace Pearl Jam, just as no respectable Pearl Jam fan can seriously appreciate Creed (albeit The Who are merely a PJ influence, whereas Creed blatantly rip off PJ). Maybe someday artificial intelligences will articulate empirical, unbiased reviews of music and art for all of us. Until then, we must allow for a modicum of personal interpretation. So what if the guy doesn't get Eddie's lyrics? I get them, and that's all that matters to me. I don't get the White Stipes, but apparently those recycled two-chord blues riffs are AMAZING. Amazing enough for Rolling Stone to call Jack White the 12th greatest guitar player ever (just a friendly jab there Al). Who cares?

Oh yeah, PEARL JAM KICKS ASS!!!

Al, I hope I pronounced your name right last night on S2D. I promoted your review here.

DJ Radiohead, thanks for the plug buddy.

You can't really pronounce my name wrong. By rights, it should be bar-gur, from the German. But by this point, we usually say bar-jur - as opposed to someone who would knock before they come in. That idea suits me, of course.

You actually think those *SELLOUTS* The White Stripes who recently wrote a song for a COCA-COLA commercial are better than the legendary Pearl Jam who defined the voice of a generation like no other?

The White Stripes came out with a couple decent albums, however even the worst Pearl Jam albums are still head-above-shoulders in comparison to the BEST White Stripes albums, give me a break.

World Wide Suicide happens to be one of the highest ranking rock songs in the country right now kiddo... The White Stripes are nothing more than a foot note in rock history.. Pearl Jam have proven time & time again they're legendary & this might just be the album that will make people who know nothing about music, such as you, proven incorrect.

oh, & above where someone wrote Kurt Cobain wrote better songs than Pearl Jam... No he didn't.. You actually think Heart Shaped Box is better than Black? Or Lithium is better than Immortality? What a joke... the reason Nirvana is a bigger name is for one reason, Kurt is dead, Eddie isn't.

Al, you're nothing more than a wannabe Blender magazine writer reject, go get a real job.

Pearl Jam is the greatest band of my generation. Of any generation.

Jack White = Johnny Depp wannabe who wishes his best lyrics were as good as Eddie Vedder's worst lyrics.

Jay and Labrynth...
Step back now. I am a Pearl Jam fan, too, although I have yet to hear this song. The attacks on Jack are way off base and just plain wrong.

Labyrinth, I completely don't care if this WWS song is #1 on some-and-such chart. Mariah Carey is ten times more popular than Pearl Jam, so is she 10x better than them. Arguably, but it's not because of sales charts.

Your ranting about Jack White writing a Coke commercial is just meaningless left-wing political blather that says nothing whatsoever about how good or bad they are.

Also, you might make an argument for the playing of PJ as a band over the White Stripes. They have a bigger band making more notes. But I would argue that Jack White is playing generally FAR more memorable guitar licks than anything coming out of Pearl Jam. Jack White is a better guitar player than your PJ hotshot for the same reasons that Chuck Berry is a better guitar player than Yngwe Malmsteen.

And if you can't see why, say, "Seven Nation Army" is a far better and more memorable piece of SONGWRITING than this WWS, then I don't know where to start explaining.

My responses to AL

1) "Mariah Carey is ten times more popular than Pearl Jam, so is she 10x better than them."

Wow, keep showing how much you DON'T know about music, because I am a cat, & you're the mouse.. This could ONLY be fun for me - Mariah Carey is *NOT* more popular than Pearl Jam, Pearl Jam is MORE popular than Mariah Carey... How so? You ask? Because Pearl Jam has credibility

There are 10x more people that HATE Mariah Carey than people who hate Pearl Jam.. Go on, walk out on the street & ask somebody who hates BOTH Pearl Jam & Mariah Carey who they hate MORE.. They'll say Mariah Carey, therefore Pearl Jam *ARE* more popular even if they're selling less albums... For the same reason the Ramones are more popular than NSYNC - So you're wrong, just like your opinions are wrong & your taste is wrong & everything about you has always been wrong.

2) "I would argue that Jack White is playing generally FAR more memorable guitar licks than anything coming out of Pearl Jam"

Oh he is? Then why is World Wide Suicide more successful than any song off Get Behind Me Satan? You certainly can't argue it's because of commercial reasons, if anything the White Stripes are way more commercial than Pearl Jam.. Shabby 1960's production aside.. The White Stripes make music thats as easy to listen to as Coldplay

3) "And if you can't see why, say, "Seven Nation Army" is a far better and more memorable piece of SONGWRITING than this WWS, then I don't know where to start explaining. "

So you use by far the most popular White Stripes song to compare to an average single by Pearl Jam standards... Then let's be fair about it.. If you want to compare the most popular White Stripes song to a Pearl Jam song, then likewise compare it to one of the most memorable Pearl Jam songs, say... Alive? & That song is 10x more memorable & heard than Seven Nation Army - Make no mistake... Jack White in 5 albums combined hasn't written guitar riffs as memorable as Pearl Jam's first album alone.

The White Stripes are one trick ponies & it's getting old... the "garage rock" sound, the cutesy school boy lyrics, the phony red & white colors... The amount of evolution they've gone through has been very puny in comparison to Pearl Jam who have reinvented themselves on every album

You still have yet to name any Pearl Jam songs that sound like 'World Wide Suicide'.. The only Pearl Jam song I can think of to compare it to is Do the Evolution.. Which was also bigger than any White Stripes song aside from Seven Nation Army.


You're in a losing argument... You're comparing a trendy hip band like the White Stripes, to legends who have proven themselves time & time again dating long before the White Stripes arrived. Not only are they in different playing fields.. they're on completely different planets. In truth, very few bands are as legendary as Pearl Jam.. & The White Stripes certainly come no where close. I understand that you've jumped on the bandwagon & think of yourself controversial in saying the White Stripes are better, but in the overall picture society laughs at the very thought of that ever becoming accepted.

Deal with it.

Oh yeah...

"Your ranting about Jack White writing a Coke commercial is just meaningless left-wing political blather that says nothing whatsoever about how good or bad they are."


It says a lot about his integrity, & why would I listen to anyone who's going to sell his soul for a check? I'd rather listen to a crap band that I know is coming from a real place in their hearts, than some mainstream sellout whore like Jack White... Only in this case it's a win-win situation, because Pearl Jam's music is way way better aswell as more honest.

Actually, both the White Stripes and Pearl Jam suck massively. Dull, derivative schlock for the intellectually challenged or pretentious.

Neither band has contributed anything new to the body of our culture because they are so desperately uninspired.

I really don't understand the fuss about two of the least interesting bands ever!

Labyrinth, in what way is doing a Coke commercial "dishonest" and to what idea that Jack White espouses does it indicate any lack of integrity?

Where can I get a copy of your rules about rock star integrity? Does this mean that any singer that does a commercial has sold out to the man, and is to be shunned. Would that include Ray Charles? Have you seen THIS?

Mr Rose, you know that your conterrevolutionary rhetoric marks you as an enemy of The People, as we have discussed before. When our Jack White junta is swept into power, you're the first one up against the wall, buddy. But you knew that.

Just bring it, Al; if ya got it, lol!

;-)

Personally, Alf, whatever your name is.. I don't care about Ray Charles.. OH NO, is it blasphemous to call him a sellout just because there was a movie made about this overrated second rate Stevie Wonder?

If YOU can't see what's wrong with Jack White writing a song for a Coca-Cola commercial, then I feel sorry for you. Jack White just did it because he was hoping people don't respect integrity as much anymore to give a shit if he did. If he's writing a song for Cola for a big fat pay check... What makes you think every song hes writing nowadays is nothing more than a way to get a big fat pay check? Like I said, at least I know Pearl Jam are the real thing. There's a difference between making money off your music, & prostituting it.

There's no challenge for him in writing a Coca-Cola song, only money.. He got greedy, he sold out. He has no integrity. I can't believe any honesty in his voice or lyrics anymore because of it.

If you loved music like I do Alf, you'd understand.

By the way, funny how after all I wrote that was all you responded with...You're weak.

Labyrinth, this integrity thing you have gotten yourself locked into is a dangerous game. In the end, unless you are a band playing in a garage for free beer you have essentially sold out. Pearl Jam is a "for profit" band just like everyone else. They have lawyers, managers, label reps, etc. These guys are not the beacons of virtue you would have us believe. What all of this amounts to is you drank the Pearl Jam Kool-Aid.

For all of Pearl Jam's alleged integrity they went back to working with TicketMaster. Faced with the choices of playing clubs for peanuts or headlining major tours again, they went back to TicketMaster. How is that for integrity?

You will probably have some convoluted reason why none of that counts and writing a song for a commercial is tantamount to treason. So then this boils down to bands having to fit in to Labyrinth's version of integrity in which it is OK to take the money some of the time but not others. That seems a bit random to me. If I were Jack White I would not worry too much about it.

Yes, I am a Pearl Jam fan. I am also a White Stripes fan. I have no problem with either of them. Would I have preferred JW not do the Coke commercial? Honestly, yes. Does it diminish the great albums he has made? Not in the least. Do I blame Pearl Jam for working with TicketMaster again? Not really. They made their point and now they want to make music. Good for them. The music matters a hell of a lot more than some contrived sense of subjective integrity.

Wow Labyrinth, I can't believe you went there with Ray Charles. A second rate Stevie Wonder?

But then, this is about the level of musical knowledge and taste I would expect from a Pearl Jam fan.

this is why comparisons between unlike musics is a complete waste of time.

is Ray Charles "better" than Stevie wonder?

is Pearl Jam "better" than Ray Charles?

pointless comparisons.

it's like asking if my collection of beat writer books is better than my hollow body jazz guitar.

First in response to Radiohead's comments

"For all of Pearl Jam's alleged integrity they went back to working with TicketMaster. Faced with the choices of playing clubs for peanuts or headlining major tours again, they went back to TicketMaster. How is that for integrity?"

How's that for integrity? It's hard for me to calmly point out the stupidity in your comments because there is so much of it... Pearl Jam did something no one else did... Not Radiohead, Not Ray Charles, & certainly not the Green Stripes... Pearl Jam took Ticketmaster to court in order to get them to lower the ticket prices for their fans... Pearl Jam got too NOT greedy - Pearl Jam lost... In turn, they COULD either play small clubs, OR they could keep playing with Ticketmaster. Considering they were fighting for their fans in the first place, it wouldn't make sense to play small venues after losing because much less of their fans would get to see them... Seriously Radiohead, use your brain & think before you write.

"this integrity thing you have gotten yourself locked into is a dangerous game. In the end, unless you are a band playing in a garage for free beer you have essentially sold out"

There's absolutely NOTHING wrong with wanting to get your music heard, it's HOW you do it that matters. If you want your music to be heard by a big audience, there's nothing wrong with that.. And the record company won't promote you for free. There's a difference between THAT & writing a song for a Coca Cola commercial to get money you don't need. Maybe you don't have the mental capacity to understand such a simple concept Radiohead.

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Now In response to Alf's comments

"Wow Labyrinth, I can't believe you went there with Ray Charles. A second rate Stevie Wonder?

But then, this is about the level of musical knowledge and taste I would expect from a Pearl Jam fan. "

Well considering you're just another not respected teeny bopper reject Blender wannabe journalist, it's no surprise that you worship Ray Charles, afterall, it's "cool" to do that now since he had a movie about him...

OH! I'm SO sure you were sucking him off this much BEFORE the movie came out... Right? No, you weren't. You actually think the White Stripes are the best band on earth when bands like Pearl Jam, Radiohead, The Rolling Stones & the Cure & countless others have a fanbase & crediblity that murders the White Stripes, & you expect your opinion on that to be respected? Saying it so matter-of-factly...

If Ray Charles is so goddamn incredible, how come he has jack shit worth of classic, memorable songs? Don't even try to argue... How many memorable songs does Dylan have? Cash? Young? Tons... Charles? A couple. He combined gospel with R&B... wow, taking R&B & preaching Jesus, wow how much talent that mustve taken, wow really how impressive, wow wow wow.

YOU HAVE YET TO NAME ANY PEARL JAM SONGS THAT SOUND LIKE WORLDWIDE SUICIDE, OR GET INTO ANY SLEIGHT DEEPER CONVERSATION ON THE POINTS IVE MADE


You make an insignificant point & run - You don't want to get into an actual discussion because YOU know you're not smart & will lose, so you're like a little child who yells at his mommy from his room & crosses his arms pouting


I don't worship every songwriter who has a movie made about them like you do. I guess I like what I know I like & not what I'm told or influenced to like..

Try it sometime you phony.

Oh Labyrinth, you so crazy! Your horizons don't seem to get much past this Blender thing that you're apparently all taken with. Your devotion to your idols is SO cute.

But you really look silly jabbering against Brother Ray. Dude had a BUNCH of hits over several decades. I've had my humble Ray Charles Is God page for most of a decade now, but perhaps YOU only heard of him when the movie came out.

Well Al, I remember an article that you responded to about Pearl Jam a little while ago. I'm not sure if you were the author but it was about George Bush. I have an understanding that you are a massive Who fan as am I. I just wanted to say that although you might deny it, Pete Townshend has great respect for Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam, as do many artists in the music industry. They have worked with a never-ending list of credible people.

Oh yes one other thing, I have been playing the guitar for about 19 or so years now and you can not seriously try to tell me that Jack White is better than Mike McCready. Come on, no offense but I really think that was a little far fetched. And from a Pearl Jam fan, I have incredible respect for Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder!!!

Wow, Labyrinth, you come off like a real musical ignoramus and that's saying something after Mr. Rose's comments.

Ray Charles isn't a second rate Stevie Wonder, which you would know if you knew anything about music other than what you read in the free alternative paper. Ray invented soul music plays gospel and country while Stevie plays R&B. Say what you want about PJ, and the more you say the more embarrassed I become to admit I'm a fan of theirs, but they didn't create a new musical genre. I was a fan of Ray's before the movie, which was just okay.

Jack White isn't selling one of his songs. He's creating a new one, stepping out on a huge limb to take a challenge and invent a commercial jingle that sticks in people's minds and the public consciousness. It is a challenge because he already has bitter, no-nothing, music fans to deal with. Do you know what he did with the money from Coca-Cola? Most likely not.

If Pearl Jam wasn't trying to make money off their music, then why bother selling albums and playing concerts. They already have enough dough and could play free in the park. Your idea of not being able to play small venues is false because they could play it more than once to meet demand. By the way, The White Stripes played a small, 750 person club in Pomona before their four nights at the Greek theatre in LA, so it can be done.

You really shouldn't mention The Rolling Stones and have a conversation about integrity. Their prices are outrageous and the've sold out plenty of times.

I'd ask you to keep your mouth shut about things you don't know about, but then you'd have nothing to say, which isn't that bad of an idea the more I think aout it.

P.S. I disagree with Al and enjoy this song, but your utter stupidity compelled me to respond.

Johnny, it's all good. It's tempting to invoke this silly Labyrinth person to mock all Pearl Jam fans, but I know that's not right. I know there are some perfectly thoughtful, intelligent people who - for reasons unknown to me - dig Pearl Jam. I know that ol' Pete digs PJ- and obviously that's a pretty high recommendation. But I can only call 'em as I see 'em.

You guy McCready, I can see how someone might think he's a hotshot who might be seen to make Jack White look a bit crude or simplistic in some kind of technical sense. But Jack White comes up with generally much more catchy, memorable, effective lines. Again, as a point of comparison, would you say that this McCready is a better guitarist than Chuck Berry?

Ha-ha, well I do agree that Mr. White does come up with quite a few catchy riffs, but I still wouldn't say he is better than McCready!! And to answer your question, no I don't think that he is better than Chuck Berry but I also don't believe that his talent should be denied.

P.S when I first heard WWS I hated it, I felt disappointed. It took a couple of hard listens but now, I really enjoy it! but i can see why people may not like it.

In response to Roger's comments

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"Say what you want about PJ, and the more you say the more embarrassed I become to admit I'm a fan of theirs, but they didn't create a new musical genre."

Oh they didn't? Then how come no one sounded like Pearl Jam before Pearl Jam did? How come bands such as Creed, Lifehouse, Nickelback & countless others are dubbed 'Pearl Jam rip-offs' by the general public if there was a band that sounded like Pearl Jam before Pearl Jam? Seriously, am I one of the only people here who uses their brain?

"Jack White isn't selling one of his songs. He's creating a new one, stepping out on a huge limb to take a challenge and invent a commercial jingle that sticks in people's minds and the public consciousness."

Oh please, don't try to fool yourself to make yourself feel better. Look at it for exactly what it is, he want's money, that's it. Furthermore, Coca-Cola didn't ask Jack to sell one of his songs to them, they ASKED him to write one, jackass. There's no "huge limb" to take - Corny lyrics about Coke is as far from risky as you can get. QUIT FOOLING YOURSELF

"If Pearl Jam wasn't trying to make money off their music, then why bother selling albums and playing concerts. They already have enough dough and could play free in the park."


& the award for quite possibly the dumbest thing I've ever read in my life goes to Roger

1) WHAT PARK?! what in the HELL are you talking about?! WHAT PARK is going to let Pearl Jam play their for free in every city? Are you forgetting the fact that Pearl Jam don't do everything alone & need stage men & sound men & security? Roger that is seriously the dumbest thing I've ever read in my life. You are the most simple-minded person on earth. Water has more calories than your brain has IQ points.

"You really shouldn't mention The Rolling Stones and have a conversation about integrity. Their prices are outrageous and the've sold out plenty of times."

Oh I know the Rolling Stones are sellouts, but if the White Stripes are also sellouts & going head-to-head with the Rolling Stones, who's the better band in the world? 'Exile On Main Street' & 'Sticky Fingers' are better than every White Stripes album combined.


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Now in response to Alf

"Jack White comes up with generally much more catchy, memorable, effective lines. Again, as a point of comparison, would you say that this McCready is a better guitarist than Chuck Berry?"

That's the problem with your argument Alf, he *DOESN'T* what part are you NOT understanding? If Jack White's "lines" are so "effective", how come when denial twist was released everyone said it SUCKED & Pearl Jam currently have one of the top rock songs? You're a walking contradiction.

And YES Mike McCready IS a better guitarist than Chuck Berry - You don't get it, maybe you've never seen Pearl Jam live... When Mike McCready plays guitar, he hits every note perfect.. every note is played with every portion of his soul, he makes everyone in that fucking concert feel every note. I like Chuck Berry, he's certainly better than Jack White - But in preference I DO like McCready better.

Jack White isn't better than McCready for the same reason Chuck Berry is better than Yngwie...

Mike McCready is better than Jack White for the same reason Jimi Hendrix was better than the lead guitarist for The Monkees. Mike plays with more passion than Jack AND with more technical ability.

You wannabe Blender magazine writer reject

"Then how come no one sounded like Pearl Jam before Pearl Jam did? How come bands such as Creed, Lifehouse, Nickelback & countless others are dubbed 'Pearl Jam rip-offs' by the general public if there was a band that sounded like Pearl Jam before Pearl Jam?"

Yeah, no one ever thought of two guitars, bass, drums, and a singer before. Are you kidding? Pearl Jam is a simple, straightforward rock band, and that's not an insult.

Were there bands that were signed because they sounded like Pearl Jam? Absolutely, but that's be