Just hought I'd let you know. I got my Backspacer in the mail
today...just seconds ago actually...I'll post a review after a listen
or 2.
ok, Lastexit99's offical review....
Album art work...
In some ways its classic Pearl Jam. Black backgrounds with light
colored lettering, and lettering that's typed. The artwork to me is
mostly a miss however. I will say though that the last picture in the
albums of all the guys connected with the shocked look on their face,
is funny. To certain degree I miss the hand "scribbled" lyric sheets
we used to get...but like I said the typing in clasic. I also wish
there was an actual group picture of the band.
On to the music....
gonna see my friend - This is a pretty good album opener. I get the
feeling that "friend" shoudl be in quotes in this song. Its a song
that I find hard tolisten to without doing the rock and roll head bob
thing. Got a great chorus that I can only imagine would be fun to
sing live.
got some - When I heard this song on Conan, I wasn't impressed at
first. The beginning of this song seems like a mess, to be honest.
Then it just takes off like a runaway train only slowing down at the
bridge, like lots of Pearl Jam songs, before becoming that train
again. As far as I can see this is the only song on the album with
any political overtones at all. I like the fact that is almost seems
like the boys are racing to see who can get to the end first. There
is an urgency (that's what I'll call it anyway) on this song that I
totally dig.
the fixer - This song is so catchy it isn't even funny. There was a
time in my life when I felt like "the Fixer". I was the guy in my
gorup on friends that made sure everyone was happy. The lyrics are a
pretty simple formula, and the bridge kind of sneaks up on you with a
pretty decent point.
johnny guitar - This song is the head scratcher of the album to me.
I've listened to it several times. I just don't get it. This is only
song on Backspacer that I truly miss the potenial of those 6 other
songs Mike talked about. The guitar work and musical side of this
song is fine, and I can kind of feel the groove, but the vocals just
don't go. It's almost like they had this music and Eddie had written
these words and they were determined to make them feet. Even if they
don't. Oh well, 3 for four isn't bad so far.
just breathe - Anyone who things Eddie can't do it anymore needs to
hear this song. Beautiful song, just beautiful. I wondered a little
bit at first if the cadence of the vocals would get old fast, but I've
listened to it several times and I still jus think it's beautiful. It
makes my heart happy, well done boys.
amongst the wave - When i read the title of this song, I was pretty
sure I was going to like it. Anytime Edie can wax poetic about the
ocean, it usually ends up in a song I like. My boy, Stone, came
through with some great and classic "Stone" here. Quiet when it needs
to be, and loud when it shoud be also. A surprisingly uplifting
song. It's hard to be in a bad mood after listening to this one.
unthought known - If the lyric sheets were Classic looking, then this
song is Classic music written by Eddie. Starting out quiet and muting
the only guiltar playing. Slowly building up the volume and the
insturments, building to the crescendo, but that isn't the important
part, it's what comes right after word when everything is really quiet
again. Bravo guys.
supersonic - This maybe the most interesting song on Backspacer. It
is a classic "I love Rock -n- Roll", but Pearl Jam isn't the classic
"I love Rock -n- Roll" band. It's so weird to Eddie sing lines like,
" I wanna live my life with the volume full". Again Stone, did I
mention I like his songs a lot, brings a great riff and the bridge and
guitar solo are very cool.
speed of sound - Ah, speed of sound. I don't think i've both loved
and hated a song so much simultaneously as I do this song. I love the
lyrics and the melody. There is just too much going on in this song.
Perhaps this song suffers from being the one song that we get to hear
the "demo" of. Its like with all the stuff going on in this song, you
miss how emotional and stark the lyrics are. Laurie and I do not
usually agree on Pearl Jam's music, other than our love for it. I,
however, couldn't agree with her more on this one. This song should
be an 8 or 9 out of ten. Instead it's potenially a skipper.
force of nature - Mike came through big time here. This is a pretty
typical Pearl Jam song, and I mean this in a good way. It's a rocker,
but a little slower than the others on here, and it gives Eddie a
vehicle to shine. It's also a character driven song that is also
typical Pearl Jam, and again, typical in a good way. I mean after all
we love this band for a reason, right?
the end - When I saw this song title, I thougth, "are peopel going to
freaking out like they did with 'parting ways'"? As much as I have
been going on about how this is a classic Pearl Jam album, this is a
classic closer. I have always loved the great album closers from
Pearl Jam. Release, Indifference, Immortality...just to name a few,
are all great songs that close off their respective album perfectly.
The end, measures up to this high standard very well. This song, and
the way it was handled is everything that Speed of sound should have
been. The band members, and possibly others, got out of the way of
the song and let it be great. Perhaps that is why so much tinkering
was doen to Speed of sound, if this song is goign to close the album,
then we can't have another stripped down bare minimum type song. I
don't know I'm grasping at sraws. I love the sudden ending.
Over all feelings...
This maybe the one album where the rockers are better than the slow
stuff. Usually, for my taste, Pearl Jam's "homeruns" are there slower
works, but this album mabe the exception. Although with a better
version of Speed of sound, the slower songs would all be very strong.
The album is short but I don't feel in any way like I didn't get my
money's worth. I remember there beign alot of talk about the last few
albums needing to be heard live to really appreciate the songs. That
is not the case with Backspacer though. Don't get me wrong, the songs
here will be great live, and I can't wait to hear them...but they are
also great on the disc.
Backspacer is the most uplifting and easily acsessible album the boys
have done in a while, maybe ever. I am past the point of caring how
many people hear Pearl jam's music. I do feel like this album could
be a hit, if people give it even one listen.
So no surprise a life long Pearl Jam fan, loves the new Pearl Jam
album. I do think the boys stepped it up a notch, and I'll never
complain too loudly about 2 out of 11 songs not being great. If I had
to pick my favorites here they are...just brethe, amongstt he waves,
unthought known, force of nature. Everything else, expect the 2 I
will probably skip more often than not, is solid and I can't wait to
hear them all live.
I did not proof read this, because when I do I have a tendancy to over-
edit...so please except my apologies for mis-spellings and such.