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Post by Kensterberg on Dec 20, 2005 16:40:17 GMT -5
I definitely agree that Binaural is an underrated album. While Riot Act didn't really grab me, I don't think it's a bad record by any means. I'm very curious what their next record will sound like.
My current PJ ratings:
1. No Code.
2. Vitalogy.
3. Binaural.
4. Yield.
5. Vs.
6. Riot Act.
6. Ten.
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Post by Paul on Dec 20, 2005 16:48:20 GMT -5
No, No, their one of those bands that I always keep up with, but over the past couple of releases I have been just disappointed. I think they've lost the plot over the last few years. Believe me, the positive things that I can say about the band don't have much to do with their music. They fight for good causes, stopped making videos, fought Ticketmaster (which is amazing and should be done again) and left Sony. Personally, I will always be waiting for Ed to go solo. You'll be waitin a looong time man. Hopefully . .. PJ has just become one of those "American Staples", to me. & I hain't even caught one of their live shows yet *a source of endless personal torment for me, you can imagine* One of these days however, I'm a gunna see my boys in PJ do their thing, straight up. Just waitin on the right opportunity .. . *fingers crossed* Lucky thing for me their sense of integrity as a band is shatterproof; they'll be around for long enough that I should be able to catch em live, I'd imagine. you never know though....The boys are all in their 40's now, and Ed is a recent pappa....For some reason I have a feeling this will be their last album for quite some time. I hope I'm wrong. You should try to see them on their next tour. They should be hitting Europe, then the States. I'm thinking of seeing them on their home turf, I always thought it would be nice to see them in Seattle. |
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Post by Paul on Dec 20, 2005 16:53:12 GMT -5
I definitely agree that Binaural is an underrated album. While Riot Act didn't really grab me, I don't think it's a bad record by any means. I'm very curious what their next record will sound like. My current PJ ratings: 1. No Code. 2. Vitalogy. 3. Binaural. 4. Yield. 5. Vs. 6. Riot Act. 6. Ten. Ken, I didn't know you were a PJ fan. Well, I kinda remember on the old board you talked of them a bit but didn't have a lot of their stuff, or you were just getting into them?? Maybe we even had a discussion about No Code?? Anyway, nice to see you've listened to all the albums. Interesting that we have almost identical rankings. Do you have Lost Dogs? Have you seen them live yet? |
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Post by Kensterberg on Dec 20, 2005 17:01:46 GMT -5
I've got all their studio stuff (except Ten, which leaves me cold), including Lost Dogs (parts are great, parts aren't), and a bunch of the live shows. I like a couple of the live shows more than any of the studio LPs, to be frank. I've never seen 'em live, but I'd love to.
PJ were a band that really baffled me for a quite a while, and as you can see I'm still not real big on their early work (Ten, Vs.). But No Code was really a revelation to my ears, and Vitalogy is nearly as good. Similarly, Yield and Binaural are very, very close in overall quality, though Binaural often gets the nod for sentimental reasons from me (and b/c Light Years just might be my favorite PJ song, ever). After that, I think the rest of the records are erratic. Vs. had some great songs, but is hampered by poor production and an overall unfinished air.
But my most listened PJ discs are still Live on Two Legs and the Milan, Italy, 2000, show. PJ may be hit and miss in the studio, but as a live band they have few peers.
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Post by Paul on Dec 20, 2005 19:35:51 GMT -5
I like that -- "No Code was really a revelation to my ears" -- when I first got the album, I didn't "get" it, but as time went on it became my favorite album from them. This is the album I always tell the naysayers to get or listen to. To this day a lot of people only know PJ for a few songs like "Jeremy", "Betterman" and "Daughter", these same bash PJ, yet have no idea about No Code. I get a kick out of playing songs like "In My Tree" or "Who You Are" for folks like that. Those songs, and No Code in general really showed tremendous growth for PJ from the Ten days. Ten has a few songs near and dear to me however like "Even Flow" and "Oceans".
I really like all their albums for the most part, but rarely listen to Ten, Vs. and Riot Act. The latter includes one of my favorites "Green Disease." The others + Lost Dogs are what I listen to most; I freakin' love "Black Red Yellow", "Sad", "Fatal" and "All Night."
I have that Milan bootleg as well, IMO it has the coolest version I've ever heard of "Given To Fly."
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Post by Kensterberg on Dec 20, 2005 19:42:53 GMT -5
That Milan show is just magical, IMO. I've got several others (all from the Riot Act tour), but none can touch that one. It's also got what is IMHO the definitive version of "Not For You" which is one of my favorite PJ songs. It's funny, I bought the Milan show largely b/c it had "State of Love and Trust" and RITFW, and just fell in love w/the whole thing.
No Code is still, IMHO, PJ's most mature work. Binaural showed them still traveling in a good direction, but Riot Act just didn't gell, IMHO. Some of the lyrics showed Vedder to be working a bit too hard, and the band didn't seem as locked in as on their other recent work.
But frankly, this is quibling, really. I'd rather hear second tier PJ than most American rock band's best stuff. BTW, you might want to read through the Greatest American Rock and Roll Band, under the Influential Music thread. Voting is (long since) closed, but it was a great discussion, and the results surprised the hell out of me in a lot of ways.
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Post by Paul on Dec 20, 2005 21:21:47 GMT -5
I agree about Riot Act not gelling and Vedder did seem to force some of the lyrics. I don't think it's a bad album, but I've heard much better from Pearl Jam, and at this point expect more from them. IMO they took a step forward w/ Binaural, and a step backwards w/ Riot Act. I think the new album will be on par, if not better than Binaural. From the way the band has talked about it -- epic, aggressive, loud, elements of the Who and Ramones -- maybe we'll get a Vs. meets Binaural kind of album....
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fredrum
Struggling Artist
and I'll burn....like a roman fucking candle
Posts: 152
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Post by fredrum on Jan 3, 2006 22:40:48 GMT -5
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primixed
Streetcorner Musician
Posts: 33
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Post by primixed on Jan 4, 2006 8:30:07 GMT -5
My favourite from Riot Act is Green Disease. Great new wave type song. Others I like are I Am Mine, Loveboat Captain and Thumbing My Way.
Very sub par on the whole though.
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Post by Paul on Jan 5, 2006 13:45:59 GMT -5
I agree, RA is a sub-par album, but I really dig "Green Disease"; that's a killer track. I don't think it's a terrible album, it just IMO sounds a little boring, and the band seems a little bored too....
I'm listening to the 2000 "bootleg" for the Milan, Italy gig....I don't know who here has what live PJ, if any at all, but this would be a great addition to any fans' collection. I know Ken has this one as we've discussed it before, and he seems rather fond of this one as well. In typical PJ fashion, it's a long set list w/ a whopping 29 songs, and really great versions of some classics like "Given To Fly", "Corduroy", "Animal", "Present Tense", and "State of Love and Trust"..."Garden" from Ten also makes a rare appearance, and the Binaural tracks like "Grievance", "God's Dice", and "Insignificance" sound terrific.
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fredrum
Struggling Artist
and I'll burn....like a roman fucking candle
Posts: 152
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Post by fredrum on Jan 5, 2006 18:18:21 GMT -5
personally, my favorite thing about all of those bootlegs: more versions of yellow ledbetter. mccready rules....
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primixed
Streetcorner Musician
Posts: 33
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Post by primixed on Jan 6, 2006 1:15:23 GMT -5
Shit, I have to pick that one up then. Garden is an outstanding song.
I have the Live at Benaroya Hall ones, which are decent enough. There's this hysterical part where McCready fucks up the Thin Air solo. He plays it about 15 times after the song is over.
McCready does rule.
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Post by Thorngrub on Jan 10, 2006 14:11:09 GMT -5
\m/ All Hail The McCready \m/
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Post by Paul on Jan 11, 2006 8:47:16 GMT -5
\m/ All Hail The McCready \m/ ...and Stone too, and Jeff, Ed, and Matt/Dave/Jack. The latter former Chili Pepper is the whole reason Pearl Jam as we know them are together. |
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Post by wayved on Jan 12, 2006 1:41:57 GMT -5
i just listened to Yield. I loved it. I am a pretty hardcore pearl jam fan meself (not so hardcore to have bootlegs or anything--I do have at least 5 of the "official bootlegs") but I have burned through AT LEAST three copies of Vitalogy......(on cassette! lost or stolen two copies on CD as well!) That counts for something in my book....
My Top 5 Pearl Jam songs:
1. Cordorouy (sp)?
2. Footsteps
3. Can't keep
4. Wishlist
5. Nothingman
I guess I need the Benaroya Hall Show too-I love "Thin Air"--
Best Pearl jam Album: Vitalogy--without a doubt. Second runner up is Binaural--serious risks taken on their behalf and it worked. The whole album.
Least Favorite: vs. -- some good songs but it sounded like they were trying too hard! I need to reevaluate --bought it the day it came out (I thought Ten sucked too the first time I heard it that changed a few months after its release)
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