This was released 2 days ago. Anyone into them? Usually it takes me many listens to get into PJ releases but I love this album already. Every song is a potential single, which hasn't happened since their debut. One thing I didn't like much about PJ circa 1996-2006 was Eddie's self-conscious vocals. He's really loosened up this time and sounds relaxed and really confident like he did on Vs. It's still melancholic and personal music but the ego's gone and they're not the centre of the universe anymore, which is great to hear. This would be a great road trip album, very liberating and free. I liked the Self-Titled and it was a good comeback but there are no boring songs here like there were on that one, it's all killer stuff. Favorite song so far is Just Breathe, fantastic and searingly emotional ballad.

Eddie's vocal's are still a hummable delight. I'll be buying this sometime.

I'm not a Pearl Jam fan, and even less of one after hearing them almost constantly on WAAF for a two hour ride as a passenger.

I like the song "Black" a lot, but as of now nothing else.

I was going to buy it on the day it came out, but money's tight lately, and there are some CDs I'd rather buy before that one. Besides, it'll probably be on sale prior to Christmas, so I'm holding out for that. I was even tempted to preorder it from the Pearl Jam Ten Club to get the deluxe book-cover version, since it's 'exclusive', and looks pretty nice.

Yeah I'll give it a listen. I have no excitement for it whatsoever though.

I could listen to Ten over and over again though. Goddamn album's phenomenal. Everything after that, whether it was good or not, could not compare at all to their debut.

For some reason, I quite like "Vitalogy", though it's not without dull moments. "Ten" is a pretty unoriginal rock album whose appeal wore out for me and "Vs", while containingg what might be my favourite "mellow" Pearl Jam songs, seems to flirt with bad 90s radio rock tendencies,, especially with the singles, naturally. I recently checked out some later stuff and wasn't too impressed. Maybe I'll give this one a try, though. The last thing that moved me was that little EP they ddid with Neil Young.."The Long Road" is one hell of an emotional song.

From one of the singles I've heard on the radio it sounds nothing like Ten, which is a shame.

I agree - Ten was the most accessible they had - it's unusual for a band to start off with their most commercial album, then get more experimental but stay popular in the mainstream. The singles have always been poorly chosen, my favorites were usually their least known songs. Even Lost Dogs, the collection of rarities and B-sides would have been their best album if they condensed it into a single album instead of a double. I also think they've been stronger writing ballads than the rockier stuff for the last couple of albums, and its strange that the new album is probably their rockiest they've ever done considering they're getting old and all. If you liked Merkin Ball, have you heard Mirror Ball? it's also great, if you like Neil Young's singing. I wish they would do another collaboration together.

I intended to write "Vitalogy" in my opening sentence above. ...and "Inifference" is my favourite of the softer numbers from the old albums, and I think its' a form they've always been pretty good at. I did hear "Mirrorball" years ago but don't remember it all that well. I'm certainly not the world's biggest Neil Young fan by a long way, but there was definitely something about that EP..my guess is that they collaborated on the songwriting process and what came out was something really magical. The facct that people "in the mainstream" know the band because of that dull song "Daughter" and other inane crap like "Better Man" is pretty unfortunate.

I'll most likely check it out. Have had a hard time getting into Riot Act and S/T though. I enjoy the 90's material enough, but most of the albums have filler. VS remains their best i think.

Its growing on me. The only song I dont like so far is Gonna See My Friend.

I started listening to PJ about 2 months ago, however I only have 2 of the albums so which songs off backspacer would you recommend me checking out?

Well from what I've heard so far, the main single, "The Fixer" sounds like it would fit in their self-titled album perfectly, which is one of their best records, in my opinion. I've also heard that "Gonna See My Friend" is pretty similar to their "Don't Give Me No Lip", in that it's a pretty straight-forward song that draws a lot of inspiration from Proto-punk bands.

I think Amongst the Waves sounds like a lot like its off the S/T. Got Some sounds a bit like World Wide Suicide. Unthought Known reminds me of Dark Tranquillity's Haven album for some reason, might be the piano.

I have the second album on cassette, but it's titled "Five Against One" instead of "Vs" This was one of the earliest prints, before the band decided to change the name of the album.

Is it valuable?

It'd say so because i've never seen or heard of it.

After doing a bit of research, it appears that a million or so cassettes were printed with "Five Against One" printed on the actual cassette, and no title on the sleeve. It's apparently not rare at all, though I wonder if PJ is simply trying to discourage people from ebaying them.

Thanks! I listend to a few songs and really liked them. I also read that you get two free downloads of bootleg concerts for free with the album, so now it is almost a sure buy for me!

I've been a big Pearl Jam fan since about 5th grade (maybe around the time Vitalogy came out or so) and they were my favorite band for a long time. I kind of lost touch with Riot Act, though. Granted Binaural was a pretty mixed bag in terms of songwriting, the production on that album was just so damn interesting it was hard to stop listening to. Riot Act, on the other hand...it was just too damn preachy. The self-titled was a pretty good return to form but by that time I was so far removed from being into that kind of music that it didn't get very many plays. Kind of a shame I guess since it was a decent album. I've heard good things about the newest, too, but I haven't listened to it yet. I'll probably go through a Pearl Jam phase again sometime in the future so the s/t and Backspacer will finally get the plays they deserve.

Ive loved Pearl Jam since i was a toddler, and have stuck by them ever since. Backspacer is a good album, but it still has that "Riot Act" and "Pearl Jam" sound which i find a little disappointing. Im part of the Ten Club and have recieved rare merch and the Ten Deluxe box set. Ive bought tickets to see them for the 7th time in september too. Everybody is freaking out about "Ten" but i personally think "Vs." had better material. I prefer their 1990-1994 period where they still had the grunge sound and people moshed... and im still waiting for that era to return.

Hell yes. Still haven't heard it yet, but I'm totally digging the artwork.

Sodom>Pearl Jam

two different styles of music, you cant compare. in rock: pearl jam>sodom. in metal: sodom>pearl jam. and you made no contribution to the thread

In rock Pearl Jam is better than Sodom, but in metal Sodom is better than Pearl Jam? What does that mean?

I assume he means you can't compare to separate genres of music to one another. This still doesn't discount the statement "Sodom > Pearl Jam" as opinions cross over genres. w/e.


it's dumb.

bitw, I like the new album, always was a Pearl Jam fan though, remind me of being a kid.

Great album! Been listening to it a lot lately. I am a bit disappointed by Ament's work though, sometimes it can be very boring but that's just cause I am very picky when it comes to bass lines, specially when a bass stands out as much as on this album.

Overall, great stuff. They have proven that cliches can be a very good thing!

I also think Vedder's voice is getting better as time goes by.

why hasn't this thread been locked yet? nothing against pearl jam, but its just... not metal. theres nothing brutal about it.

It's called The Tavern for a reason.

Seeing them in roughly a month, at a football oval in the city so I am currently skeptical as to whether it will be a good show or not. Nonetheless, a great band that I have always loved. New album kicks some ass.

yeh its at etihad stadium. im gonna be standing in the moshpit thanks to my ten club status

Because this isn't 'metal discussion.' And since when did brutal = metal anyway? Iron Maiden aren't brutal, I suppose they aren't metal to you, then?


Just listened to 'The Fixer' and I quite like it, never really checked Pearl Jam out before but I might pick this album up when I've got a bit of cash.