Eddie Vedder sings like his life depends on it, but there's only so much anyone could do with such a totally indistinguished composition.
Pearl Jam is beating the (anti) war drums for a big new album release coming May 2 on J Records, after a long association with Epic. Here's the track listing:…
Article comments
— go to most recent comments126 - Labyrinth
You wannabe Blender magazine writer reject
127 - RogerMDillon
"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 because PJ was selling loads of albums not because they invented something new. Since so many boy bands came after The Backstreet Boys, are you trying to say no one sounded like them before the late '90s? You don't even understand how the music business works. If it was just about signing bands that sounded unique, then the market would have been flooded by Devo rip-offs.
"Furthermore, Coca-Cola didn't ask Jack to sell one of his songs to them, they ASKED him to write one, jackass."
No shit; that's what I said when I previously wrote "He's creating a new one". And it is a huge limb because even his fans aren't thrilled that he took the gig.
You had to go back 35 years to find a Stones album. Wow! I see why you didn't want to mention "Tattoo You" becase everyone would be reminded of the Windows commercial when they SOLD OUT, but why didn't you want to compare "Bridges to Babylon" or "Steel Wheels"?
You must not read what you write, Einstein, because you constantly write the dumbest fuckin' things about music ever.
At least with Al, we know he's missing the rock gene (as an aside, Al, you should check out The Little Willies debut. I'll make you a money-back guarantee you'll fall in love with it), but your ignorance knows no bounds. I know people who have been deaf since birth who have a better grasp of music than you.
People like you make Harrison Ford hate the Internet and it's easy to see why.
128 - Al Barger
Labyrinth, honey baby, when you get ol' Roger McDillon to supporting me, you're definitely out there on your own. McCready better than Chuck Berry? Weee!
And why are you so obsessed with blenders? I myself enjoy a delicious smoothie after an invigorating walk, but then I don't give them another thought.
Maybe the noise of the blender has damaged your hearing. That might explain why Pearl Jam sounds so good to you, while the nuances of Jack White writing actual melodies is lost on you.
That's just a theory. I could be wrong.
129 - Christopher Rose
Roger, sweetie, just cos people don't have the same taste as you doesn't make them an ignoramus.
I think my opinion of the lameass White Stripes and the unoriginal and tedious pretension they share with Pearl Jam is incredibly well-informed and based on a lifetime's love of thrilling music.
Maybe you need to step out of the comfort zone of lazy pretention and take that snarky attitude into the world of awe-inspiring, original and simply thrilling music.
Or not!
130 - Al Barger
Christopher, how do you get tedious or pretentious out of, say, "Hello Operator" or "My Doorbell"?
131 - Christopher Rose
If "My Doorbell" is the song I think it is, it's rather more irritating than Black Eyed Peas "My Humps" and performed by people significantly less pleasant to look at!
"I've got a doorbell and I'm gonna ring it" repeated ad insanitum y ad nauseum. Yeah, mighty untedious.
I really don't understand how a chap as normally tasteful as you can fall so profoundly for these lame one trick ponies.
132 - DJRadiohead
Labyrinth, you have shown your true colors by getting all demeaning and insulting and oversensitive on the subject.
What this all comes down to is integrity in your little universe where sometimes it is OK to take the money and sometimes it is not and you are the final arbiter of integrity and it is based solely on whether or not you like an artist.
Example: Jack's guitar work has no passion because you don't like it or TWS but Mike McCready's guitar work comes from his soul and makes everyone feel it because you do. You don't think White Stripes fans get those same sorts of feelings when they see Jack in concert? Of course they do. But you don't like them. So it can't be the same. Mike McCready is better because you like him. Fine. Just because that's the way the world works on your side of the street doesn't mean it looks that way to the rest of us and sure as hell doesn't mean its right. You act as though you have proven something simply by declaring your feelings and opinions. Your opinion isn't tantamount to proof.
And dude, just because someone does not respond to every word of every overly-long post you write doesn't mean you have proven your point so don't fling that at me because it's just silly. And at this point, I am done on this thread because it passed the point of silliness a long time ago. I am going to be doing a review of the CD when my advance arrives. I am sure I will be hearing from you again soon enough.
133 - kremfresch
I'd say anyone who considers the White Stripes to be "The greatest band in the world" isn't really qualified to review music.
134 - Kremfresch
I want to ammend my comment to say that I like the White Stripes, I think the second album is strong, as strong as the first. I also think they have at LEAST 10 more years of proving themselves before earning anything even aproaching "greatest" status. On the other hand, the way the media treats them, you'd think they were the Rolling Stones or Led Zep. In a world filled with crap like Jet, The Strokes, The Hives, The ____es, The ______es and The ____es, it's easy to look good. If you treat a mediocre rocker like Jesus, who can blame him if he starts believing he can walk on water!
135 - Al Barger
Kremfresch, I don't think I've said that the White Stripes are the greatest band in the world, but they are near the top of the list for currently greatest bands going.
I'm one of Jack's bigger fans, but even I am not saying that they're better than the Rolling Stones in their whole career. I dig Jack, but I'm not delusional. I would say, though, that in 2006 I'd be much more interested in seeing the White Stripes play live than the Stones.
136 - zingzing
i know that pearl jam fans are pretty rabid... if they weren't, how could pearl jam put out 30 something live albums from the same damn tour?... but come on... they're a pretty straight ahead rock group responsible (through influence) for some of the worst popular music to ever play over the mall's sound system. they are (have been since the start) pretty mediocre. vs. and a few other albums had interesting points... they can play their stuff really well, but most of the songwriting is dull... meh... nothing special.
that said, i don't really like white stripes either.
pearl jam fans, you need to back off of the personal attacks and concentrate on the music. calling al names is kind of stupid... this isn't politics... this is music. it's a pretty lame single. well, not lame. it's just... nothing.
137 - Mroz
Once again Al has proven that he's out of touch with modern music and that he can not objectivly review anything.
138 - Al Barger
Mroz, Pearl Jam is not "modern music," or only so in the mere sense of chronology, that this is a newly released song. But stylistically, this song could have come out 20 or 30 years ago. There's nothing the least bit experimental or cutting edge artistically.
139 - zingzing
pearl jam is out of touch with modern music. they once were something (albiet, a rather watered-down version of that something), but now they are pretty damn m.o.r. bland.
140 - Labyrinth
It seems as though since my last post most of you puppies have backed off making any new points out of realization that you can't win an argument against me... However I'll still play along
In response to Roger's comments
___________________________________________
"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. "
You beat yourself. You have beat your own record in writing the dumbest thing I've ever read.
So according to you, since the Ramones were 4 guys.. They didn't have a revolutionary sound. According to you, since Jimi Hendrix was a guitar player & there were tons before him, he didn't have a revolutionary sound. According to you, tons of bands mustve sounded like Pink floyd before Pink Floyd, because they had 2 guitar players, a bassist & a drummer.
Well I don't need to go deeper considering everyone who reads that, even Alf, knows it's one of the dumbest things theyve ever read.
"You had to go back 35 years to find a Stones album. Wow! I see why you didn't want to mention "Tattoo You" becase everyone would be reminded of the Windows commercial when they SOLD OUT, but why didn't you want to compare "Bridges to Babylon" or "Steel Wheels"? "
What does it matter what year or album? If the Rolling Stones are still around it doesn't matter if I go back 35 years.. They're still the same band that made those albums that are still better than any White Stripes album.. Which is exactly why the White Stripes aren't the best band in the world. Alf is looking at music in the moment instead of an entire impressive career from a band, which is foolish.
________________________________________
In response to Alf
"Kremfresch, I don't think I've said that the White Stripes are the greatest band in the world,"
Hey jackass, scroll to the top where you wrote specifically the White Stripes were the greatest band in the world in the review for WWS with a link to a page for them. Are you so slow that you can't even remember your own review? You blender magazine writer wannabe reject
"Mroz, Pearl Jam is not "modern music," or only so in the mere sense of chronology, that this is a newly released song. But stylistically, this song could have come out 20 or 30 years ago. There's nothing the least bit experimental or cutting edge artistically"
Hahahahaha, the irony is you're bitching about Chuck Berry when the songs from the White Stripes you're praising stylistically could of come out 50 years ago. It looks like Pearl Jam would still have 20-30 years on the White Stripes then. With that said, 'Binaural', Pearl Jam's 6th album is one of the most futuristic albums I've ever heard in my life.. & I own over 500 albums. Once again you fail to look at a bands work as a whole.
"Christopher, how do you get tedious or pretentious out of, say, "Hello Operator" or "My Doorbell"?"
Pretentious & tedious, maybe not.. However if all Jack White has to say is "I've been waiting for my doorbell, when you gonna ring it".. Then thank god we have people like Eddie Vedder left in the world who write lyrics that make people think. Which you aren't a fan of.
Obviously Alf, you've been driven so stupid by listening to songs such as those, that you can't even remember something you wrote in your own review when it's at the top of the page.
141 - Labyrinth
Also in response to Zing
"pearl jam is out of touch with modern music. they once were something"
It's so amazing how many of you contradict yourselves to such an extreme degree. Zing, if Pearl Jam is so out of touch with modern music.. Again.. WHY IS WORLD WIDE SUICIDE ONE OF THE BIGGEST SONGS IN THE COUNTRY?
Do ANY of you I'm responding to use your brain AT ALL? EVER? EVEN ONCE? Or are you all just barely functional simpletons that know how to do nothing more than eat, shit & sleep?
142 - Labyrinth
JUST ONE MORE THING BEFORE I GO FOR THE DAY, I PROMISE..
Alf - A quote from your review on WWS
"Eddie Vedder sings like his life depends on it"
My question is.. When will people ever get to hear Jack White sing life his life depends on it?
143 - Al Barger
Labyrinth, you're about silly and not very nice. No wonder nobody likes you. Still, in the interest of bending over backwards to be fair, I'll try to give you a point- about the strongest one that could reasonably be made for Pearl Jam over the White Stripes.
Eddie Vedder is a better singer than Jack White, a better vocal performer. For starters, he's just flat got a stronger vocal instrument. IF HE'S GOT A DECENT SONG, Vedder's an outstanding singer.
Jack White is merely adequate as a singer. That's about the least of his musical talents. Songwriting is his top strong suit, followed by guitar playing. But I'd rather listen to a so-so singer with great songs than a great singer with crap for songs.
As to singing like their lives depend on it, that's much more Eddie's style than Jack's- but that doesn't necessarily mean much. Desperation, your life depending on it, is only type of emotional expression, and not necessarily more meaningful than others. There's no sense that Sam Cooke's life depended on his singing of, say, "You Send Me," but he was a lot better singer than Eddie. Note that being said to be a lesser singer than Sam Cooke is no insult.
144 - RogerMDillon
Lab, according to me, you are an idiot. Really, stop while you are way behind. There's no point in making new points because you never prove the original ones. You throw out an adjective, but don't back it up with substance. What makes Binaural futuristic?
You have yet to prove Pearl Jam has a revolutionary sound. Mentioning bands like The Ramones and Pink Floyd doesn't prove your point. Plus, I never said those bands weren't revolutionary nor that my point applied to them, since they weren't part of the discussion.
Want to see how easy it is prove you don't know what you are talking about? The Rolling Stones that put out Exile and Sticky are not the same band as today. Wyman quit years ago and Ron Wood didn't play on those albums.
It's apparent that not only do you not know music. You barely even know how to communicate. You flail around like a fish out of water, grasping at anything. You're pathetic, like a child striving for attention by dropping on the floor and screaming, yet you accomplish nothing except for looking ignorant and soiling yourself.
145 - mike
okay Al, i completely respect your own opinion on the matter of pearl jam and WWS. I am a huge PJ fan and have been since 10 came out, and you saying that they have no deeper meaning behind their songs and not showing any proof that shows us that there is now meaning to any of their songs is inacceptable. You say that Price and the Who have meaning to their songs, where is your proof to that, you say that people posting arent showing proof to PJ having meaning, well guess what your not giving any proof to back anything you have said in your comments.
have you heard the song "Betterman" its a song about an abusive relationship and how the girl is hiding it from others in hopes that he will change his ways, if you ask me thats a pretty meaningful song, and what about "jermey" that song is all about violence in schools and how it effects everybody.
Over the years Pearl Jams writting has evolved in every way possible, they stay current with polotics and news and they write songs about what is happening in the world, like the song "bushleager" is all about George W. Bush and how they feel he is corrupt and how he shouldnt be in power.
Now as for the song WWS, that song is full of well crafted riffs and lyrics. The song its self is very meaningfull it is about the current war and how they think it is unjust and killing off innocent people around the world hence the name of the song "world wide suicide".
As for you being a reviewer you are suppose to be unbiast when doing so since we want an honest opinion of the song and to me since you do not like pearl jam you gave this song a bad review. I have studied the music business my self for 2 years now and have learned that it is not the riffs that sell the song, its the melody, and WWS DOES have a good melody to it. Thats the thing about pearl jam they have a very unique and different form of melody in their songs, this song is deffinatly them (with a little bit of Guided by voices in it as well). So the song WWS is a good song that could only be pulled of by pearl jam.
So Al I am going to give you a bit of advice here, next time you give a review make sure you are not giving it a biast spin on it because by doing that you are discrediting your self
146 - Al Barger
Mike, unlike most of the PJ fans here, you're actually trying to say something about this record and to give some accounting for why you like it rather than simply saying that I suck and my Mama dresses me funny. Thank you.
However, you're simply wrong to say that I am "biased" against the band and just automatically then give them a bad review. That is simply not true. I have not been impressed with much of their stuff that I've heard after the first album, but this review is not a reflection of prejudice. It is a reflection of me carefully and repeatedly listening to the record. I listened to it repeatedly, and then at least a half dozen more times while I was writing. I wrote a review based on what I heard in this recording, not politics or some general impression of Eddie's personality or even their other records.
Now some of this can no doubt be attributed to legitimate simple differences in taste. If PJ does it for you, then knock yourself out. There are certain emotional tones they hit that suit their people. Maybe there are certain kinds of guitar sounds that just hit your buttons. Great.
In reviewing, I tend to try to emphasize more some of the elements of craft. Those elements are somewhat more objective, and it's generally more meaningful to talk about the construct of the record rather than just saying that it makes me feel good.
Most specifically, I hear no meaningful tune here. By meaningful, I don't mean a cosmic thing about the essence of beauty or something, but a basic level of craft. I hear nothing that would qualify as a hook, let alone hooks developed into memorable extended melodic phrases.
Now, I can get easily enough lost in the chewier end of highbrow jazz, say. I have a pretty good sense that there's all kinds of stuff going on in those John Coltrane records that I'm just not getting yet. The parts that I do get make me want to come back and decipher it, crack some of the code.
But Pearl Jam is a simple, straight ahead rock band descended from the Who and such. I perfectly well hear what they're doing, and I don't think I'm missing much. I get what they're doing- and don't find it worthwhile.
I appreciate what you're saying here, but it reflects a very restricted critical range on the part of PJ fans who are making these arguments. These are SONGS, not literature. They live and die by the MUSIC- particularly the melody. Simply that your song has lyrics about domestic abuse does not automatically make it good art. Any retard could do that.
In general, songs are a poor medium for statements based on words. You get just a relative handful of words, and they have to fit with the melody and such. They are song lyrics, not poetry or novels. If you want to say something socially meaningful about spousal abuse, you should write a novel or a screenplay.
A song might catch some bit of how someone's feeling in a powerful way though, different than storytelling. Check out Elvis Costello's "The Name of This Thing Is Not Love" to get a bit of that from the abuser's side. The few dozen words of the text of the lyrics would be perhaps only marginally memorable on their own, but it's got an indelible TUNE to communicate it. You can viscerally FEEL the frustration welling up and releasing in bursts of violence.
I know I've had the "Betterman" song, and listened to it a few times. But there's nothing catchy about it. I can't remember a damned thing about it now. I'm sure it expresses a proper, righteous sentiment that beating your woman is wrong. But it takes more than that to be good art.
"Jeremy" on the other hand is a classic song. They made their name with this song, and it's good enough to make a name. I don't listen to it much. I don't identify with it emotionally. Personally, I'd like to just shoot the whining bastard my damned self.
But it's a great piece of song craft. That one has hooks, and they go somewhere. I'll remember that refrain about "Jeremy spoke in cla-aass today" the rest of my life. That first album in general and that song in particular are objectively good- even if they're not particularly something that appeals that much to me personally.
147 - mike
fair enough and well put Al as i said i respect your opinion and appretiate you speaking your mind here which is awsome. just one final note on the review though, i know you are not being biase about it but the way you worded made it seem that way for it personaly i think you could have chosen a better way to word your self with out being mistaken for making a biast review
148 - Al Barger
Thanks, Mike. I try to call them like I see them, being a fair umpire, and a Libra. I try to explain as specifically as I can what I'm responding to about a record, or what's missing.
But also, it's good if you get some idea from my review of my general outlook on a band or genre. It wouldn't be right to pretend that I have no opinions about a band when I do. It might be useful to readers to get some idea of how to take things. I'm a huge Elvis Costello fan, for example, so if I give an Elvis album just an ok review- it's probably not much of a record.
On the other hand, if even I am saying that Ten was a fine album, a young person who doesn't know the album might take that as a particularly strong endorsement.
149 - Johnny
Al, I wont type very much for this one..
"Simply that your song has lyrics about domestic abuse does not automatically make it good art. Any retard could do that."
I just can't believe it... you must have written many songs in your day
150 - Johnny
"In general, songs are a poor medium for statements based on words. You get just a relative handful of words, and they have to fit with the melody and such. They are song lyrics, not poetry or novels. If you want to say something socially meaningful about spousal abuse, you should write a novel or a screenplay."
sry my message should have been longer... are you kidding? i really hope your just saying half this stuff because you just dont want to admit Eddie is a great writer. Maybe music doesn't affect you like it affects a million other. Whats the point if its not to tell a story? why do people spend time writing lyrics? i'll keep that in mind next time i wrtie.. maybe i should write about the stain on my carpet! How would music be if thats what John Lennon or Bob Dylan did!!
Maybe im just crazy but.. lyrics mean alot to me, and i think they do to many others also.. saying lyrics arent poetry!
151 - Al Barger
Alrighty then Johnny, I'll show you. I will right a profoundly meaningful song about domestic abuse. It won't have any melody, or chords, as we're typing on the net. But that won't matter because it's a meaningful lyric on an Important Topic. I'll give myself 5 minutes. OK, here comes Meaning:
"Beating Your Woman Is Wrong" by Al Barger
It's wrong, it's wrong
It's wrong as it can be
To hit your woman
Or cap her in the knee
You may think, yes you may think
That you're a big tough man
But you're a friggin' insect
A piece of trash for the cosmic dustpan
I don't care, don't care
How mad you think you are
Why don't you just go out instead
And suck the fumes from the exhaust of your car
=================
And...time There's you three verses. I clock that for about 3:30 to compose. Anyone wants to record it, I can come up with more.
I am now an important songwriter.
152 - OffHeGoes
Regarding melody and songwriting/catchiness apart from "deep lyrics" as the yardstick for good music I offer the following Pearl Jam songs as example.
Off He Goes
Around the Bend
Man of the Hour
Black
Elderly Woman
Low Light
Jeremy
Could Kurt Cobain write better songs than Vedder? Hard to say since Nirvana was pimped all over radio and TV for it's angsty delicate lead singer with the crazy wife while Pearl jam took precisely one album to decide "no more videos" and "very little publicity" would be it's way of doing business. If Black had been released as a single (Vedder felt it was too personal and didn't want it played to death on the radio) we might have seen a different story with Ten perhaps selling millions more copies.
The reason PJ is such a strong obsession is because of what Vedder has decided to make the band. He claims to have attended Who concerts and felt such a connection that it saved him and gave him something to hold on to in rough times. He wanted his music and his band to be the kind that would not have let him down as a kid in the back row "feeling" the lryics and trying to find meaning with his life.
Therefore it becomes more than music. It's a connection with a guy who is trying to do right by his million friends. He doesn't sell "Alive" to Glaxo to sell their latest cancer drug because it may mean something to someone (not to mention I think it actually means something to Vedder). What does "Start Me Up" mean to Mick Jagger? What does music mean to The White Stripes? From what I have seen it's a vehicle for fame, money and advertising deals. Selling Coke (cause of obesity, diabetes, tooth decay, hyperactivity, abuses in South American countries, annoyances at movie theaters, etc.) with your art is just not cool I don't care if it's Dylan, The Beatles or Jesus Christ. It's a lack of integrity if you are claiming your words and lyrics represent you. How can they also represent corporate bigwigs making 200 million per year paying people minimum wage selling fizzy sugar water?
If you don't like PJ that's fine but there are more than a dozen examples off the top of my head of catchy, flwing lyrically compelling songs to vouch for them not being just another forgettable grunge band.
Alive
Jeremy
Daughter
Elderly Woman
Go
Betterman
Nothingman
Tremor Christ
Immortality
Off He Goes
I Got Id
Long Road
Wishlist
Given to Fly
MFC
Thumbing My Way
and on and on and those are just the A+ songs from a few albums.
153 - paul
u2 bonio and the edge? rather than listen to this review i am going to ask my pet cat what he thinks he will probably make more sense. even if this gentlemen doesnt like pearl jam and objective reviewer im sure would have the ability to make some useful points, however and im boring myself not worth the paper its written on
154 - Labyrinth
Well once again I checked back here & no one, not Alf or Roger said anything new or etc.. Just a bunch of name calling & opinions without backing it up with facts.
I think I'm done here. I won. Al couldn't hold an argument with me & I embarrassed him in front of everyone, moving on now.
155 - zingzing
hey lab--barry manilow also has one of the biggest albums in the country. is barry manilow in touch with modern music? does he still matter?
156 - RogerMDillon
"opinions without backing it up with facts."
you mean like when you say Binaural is futuristic or that PJ's sound is revolutionary and never follow-up when called out to explain?
There's no need to engage with discourse with you Lab because you don't know what you are talking about. You haven't proven your original points, so please be a man of your word and don't come back. Plus, all one has to do is look at your comments and see name-calling, so please get over yourself.
157 - Johnny
wow Al, you must be joking.. are you really trying to compare Eddie's lyrics to that junk you just came out with? not a way to prove your point, you know lyrics are a big part of a song and now your to far in with your comments to admit it. you've been making comments about imagery and saying it's not important and blah blah blah.. give me a break man. now your not only offending Eddie Vedder your taking a stab at everyone who has ever spent timing writing lyrics. im just curious now.. have you ever attempted a music career.. or played an instrument.. im not trying to get to any foul play its honestly curiosity..
158 - PJ
Al barger writes a review on a band he doesn't like. No wonder the review sucks and bashes the band the whole time. He should tell me some bands he likes and I'll bash them for awhile. I bet I can guess the type of bands he likes, the ones with no emotion, no meaning behind their songs, and just boring all together. He probably likes Coldplay, and U2 and other crappy bands. Al barger stop writing reviews, they are terrible and a waste of my time
159 - Prawn
Look, I feel Al has every right to dislike Pearl Jam and write what he feels about it. The worrying things I see here are:
Al thinks he is being objective when it is impossible.
One of the main reasons Al does not like PJ is because he basically has no regard/feel for lyrics when it comes to music (the fact he feels they must rhyme proves this point). There is nothing wrong with this - there are millions of people who feel the same way, otherwise 'I'm Horny' would not have been a hit.
Some of Labrynth's points had merit but he/she completely discredited him/herself with hiding such points amongst a pile of waffle.
--------------------------------------------
Those PJ fans who were smart enough to realise from the start that there was no point providing their comments on this review as it is written by someone with completely the opposite taste/theory on music - DISTINCTION
For those, like me, who tried to explain the good points of Pearl Jam to Al but ended up banging their head on/hitting a brick wall - CREDIT FOR TRYING.
For those, like Labrynth, who responded with vitriol, name calling, and the general 'How dare you?' sentiment - GET OVER IT - WILL IT MATTER THE NEXT TIME YOU LISTEN TO THE SONG? DOES IT CHANGE THE WAY YOU FEEL?
160 - nick
wow people how can you possibly dislike Pearl Jam man... there's much more than just Jeremy and Even Flow. Pearl Jam is right up there with the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers as the best bands ever.
As far as lyrics go, Pearl Jam destroys any other band.
161 - Om
yea just adding one more comment, well to all those ppl who just dint like the pearljam song "worldwide suicde", well what i'd like to say is yea i dint find that song that great but hey that doesn't mean u go on critising the band , u think they can show u miracles and wonders all the time?, not even the most popular "whoever" can do that. and i am sure u guys know that but don try to be "cool" over here by writing how much pearljam sucks or how much they copy. they've made great music and they'll do more of like these.
162 - Labyrinth
I came back for fun real quick
IN RESPONSE TO ZING
_______________________________________________
"hey lab--barry manilow also has one of the biggest albums in the country. is barry manilow in touch with modern music? does he still matter?"
*************
Well moron, you don't have to like it & neither do I, but that's EXACTLY what it means - Just because YOU didn't buy it or listen to Barry Manilow doesn't mean many others didn't. Step outside YOUR world & realize there are BILLIONS of people in the world - There are latin artists I've never heard of that are huge, that doesn't mean they're not huge in "modern music" kid, just because I personally don't listen to it, kid.
IN RESPONSE TO ROGER
______________________________________________
"you mean like when you say Binaural is futuristic or that PJ's sound is revolutionary and never follow-up when called out to explain?"
*******
Binaural used Binaural recording. Please, by all means, list other albums that have done so released into mainstream music. Furthermore... What made Dark Side of the Moon futuristic? or OK Computer? Or Sgt Peppers? Space is often associated with the future in culture, & Binaural was all about space, aswell as the lyrics telling of the future in 'Insignificance' & 'Sleight of Hand', but since you don't listen to music at all, ever, I don't expect you to notice how obviously futuristic "Binaural" was.
Also, about you saying Pearl Jam weren't revolutionary... I hate to say it, but I'm going to use the term anyway... 'Grunge' was thought of as a revolutionary sound & there are 4 main "grunge" bands considered to be the ones who invented this revolutionary sound - Pearl Jam; Alice in Chains; Soundgarden & Nirvana... Everyone knows that, so quit acting like a stupid ass & playing dumb. If that wasn't enough ... NO BANDS SOUNDED LIKE PEARL JAM BEFORE PEARL JAM DID!!!!!
How come bands like Creed & Nickelback & etc.. Are considered Pearl Jam rip-offs IF THERE WAS A BAND THAT SOUNDED LIKE PEARL JAM BEFORE PEARL JAM?! Quit playing DUMB.
In response to nick
___________________________
"As far as lyrics go, Pearl Jam destroys any other band. "
***********
I completely agree.
163 - RogerMDillon
That's right. Nothing says futuristic like 19th century recording techniques. The band gives credit to producer Tchad Blake for employing the binaural process.
"Binaural" is a very good album that has some of PJ's strongest songs even if they aren't popular with the kids or AL, but no one would mistake its sound or engineering for Dark Side, OK Computer or Sgt Pepper's. Try Love and Rockets' "Hot Trip to Heaven" for spacey, trippy-sounding albums.
The lyrics have you confused. They are about the space and emptiness inside us rather than futuristic outer space. The addicts in "Nothing As It Seems" and "Of The Girl", the woman in "Breakerfall" who keeps wasting the love she is given, the man who hasn't "figured out why" he lost his love in "Light Years", the man who has found love in "Thin Air", the man fixated on material things in "Soon Forget", the couple in "Parting Ways" who both know their relationship is over, the man in "Sleight of Hand" disappointed by the routine he's stuck in, and with "Insignificance" the title offers a clue. They aren't about the future; they are about right now.
"there are 4 main 'grunge' bands considered to be the ones who invented this revolutionary sound"
Those bands may be who Blender and People magazine told you, but they were not part of the first wave. Your foursome didn't invent grunge; they capitialzed it. Riding in on the wave doesn't make you revolutionary. You need to do some research and listen to early Sub Pop. Start with Green River, which included Ament and Gossard. There's plenty of other grunge influences from Dinosaur Jr and The Melvins all the way back to The Stooges.
School's out.
164 - Labyrinth
Schools in kid.
"but no one would mistake its sound or engineering for Dark Side, OK Computer or Sgt Pepper's"
And who would mistake OK Computers sound for DSOTM or Sgt Peppers sound for OK Computers? & etc..? What's your point moron?
""They are about the space and emptiness inside us rather than futuristic outer space. "
No shit - I never said ANY of the songs were about space at all. However Binaural recording has a space sound to it, that's the idea of Binaural recording, to feel as if you're hearing the band from ALL SIDES... a "spacey feeling", & that's often associated with futuristic qualities. DEAL WITH IT. What made DSOTM futuristic? SAME DIFFERENCE
"Those bands may be who Blender and People magazine told you, but they were not part of the first wave. Your foursome didn't invent grunge; they capitialzed it. Riding in on the wave doesn't make you revolutionary. You need to do some research and listen to early Sub Pop. Start with Green River, which included Ament and Gossard. There's plenty of other grunge influences from Dinosaur Jr and The Melvins all the way back to The Stooges.
"
Moron - Stone & Jeff were the founding fathers of Pearl Jam... What the hell are you talking about? Even going by what YOU'RE SAYING, ok, Green River invented it, not Pearl Jam...
WHO WERE IN BOTH BANDS?! THE SAME 2 GUYS YOU IDIOT! What does it matter whether or not the *MEMBERS* of a band invented a sound or whether or not a *BAND* did.. There's no difference! What are you on?!
So because Stone & Jeff started Pearl Jam, that takes away from the fact they were in Green River & by your words, invented grunge... How does that take anything away from them? THEY'RE STILL THE SAME MEMBERS MORON!
So if Paul McCartney & Bob Dylan formed a band together, NEITHER OF THEM COULD NO LONGER BE CALLED REVOLUTIONARY? what kind of STUPID insane logic are you going to continue to have?!
Schools out.
165 - Eve
I think it's just amazing that Pearl Jam are still around and getting radio air-play! Nirvana - gone. Alice In Chains - gone. Incredible. Pearl Jam are like cockroaches surviving a nuclear blast - still around!
166 - Labyrinth
that's right eve
And one more thing to Roger
It's psychological you moron, it's in your subconscious - The idea of space or anything that sounds "spacey" is associated with the future by everyone, and THAT was how it was recorded. So it's actually FACT Binaural is futuristic in its qualities & sound, not opinion. And if you think Binaural isnt futuristic, then as far as you're concerned, what makes ANY album futuristic? What could possibly pass for futuristic if Binaural can't? No album can. Don't try to "school" me again on Pearl Jam's biography you fucking retard - Pearl Jam were my favorite band when you were listening to Hootie & the Blowfish.
167 - Prawn
*yawn*
168 - manicmailman
hey.. yeah al i dont entirely agree with your review... mainly because the idea of 'hooks' and 'melodies' are subjective... everyone has a different idea of what a hook is... likewise.. everyone has a different idea of what makes a lyric 'meaningful'... i am a pearl jam fan... and hooks to me are not catchy courses as performed by nickelback... frankly.. they are killing moderate rock by abusing the format... ANYWHO... as a pearl jam fan... let me give you some insight about how to have a proper song experience...
it is simple.. if you have a blast singing along with the song... then its a pearl jam song... you said yourself... it would be interesting live.. thats because thats what pj does best... right now there is no better song to sing along with on the radio... the verses are catchy... the chorus and pre-chorus take some time.... but they take up a different meaning when you are given'er singin 'its a world wide suicide!!!!'....
anyway.. like i said... sorry you dont find the song 'hooky'.. im not one who puts the value of a song on melody... otherwise nick drake would be s.o.l.... and i love nick drake...
i think its a good song... keywords being 'i think'.... sorry you dont agree...
169 - cbx129
Not gonna get into personal bashing but as far as 90's musicians/writers go Eddy Vedder has my vote as probably the most gifted. As far as humanity in entertainment industry goes you'd be hard pressed to find anyone better. In this day of whining about internet downloads/piracy goes PJ is the least selfish band I know of. Remember please that true musicians make music FOR THE PEOPLE. I have bought almost all of PJ's albums because Eddy writes as well as FEELS his music. Bands like Metallica need to reflect on who has put money in their pockets and realign their fury at the record labels that rape them not WE THE PEOPLE.
170 - Crazymary
"Personal attacks are not allowed."
I am going to step over the line here and violate this policy but Labyrinth, stop talking out of your ass! You're embarrassing me and the majority of PJ fans out there.
171 - pearljammer
"'Grunge' was thought of as a revolutionary sound & there are 4 main "grunge" bands considered to be the ones who invented this revolutionary sound - Pearl Jam; Alice in Chains; Soundgarden & Nirvana..."
How old are you? 15? You sound very naive and it seems your reading consists only "heavier than heaven" and "five against one". You forgot a little somebody named Neil Young. Neil was the Godfather of grunge. Revolutionary sound? far from it. Nirvana borrowed from the pixies and even stole a riff or two. Pearl Jam is along the lines of The Who (by no means I am saying they're the same quality, nor that one is better than the other) Soundgarden? Alice in Chains borrowed from heavy metal. Are you kidding me?
172 - Prawn
An assignment for anybody who wishes to accept it:
Define what grunge is in 25 word or less.
173 - CrazyMary
"I think it's just amazing that Pearl Jam are still around and getting radio air-play! Nirvana - gone. Alice In Chains - gone. Incredible. Pearl Jam are like cockroaches surviving a nuclear blast - still around! "
It's not amazing. Both lead singers of those bands are dead. duh.
As a pearl jam fan, I'd say pj may not be the most technical perfect band but I love them nevertheless.
As for grunge, there is no such thing as 'grunge'. IN my opinion it was basically a way to market the so called 'seattle sound'. Grunge is nothing but 70's classic rock with distorted guitars. Nothing out of the ordinary about that.
174 - Tanner
PJ is my favorite band and i love all there music from ten to riot act but i have to admit that worldwide suicide does nothing for me. I listened to it many times hoping it would grow on me but i just dont like it. There is no melody at all. Its the best music thats out right now but its the worst ive heard from pj. I havent heard much of the new album ecept for severed hand on snl but im hoping that theres some better songs on it.
175 - Bah
Wasted 2 minutes of my life here... Poor reading