Okay so I haven't blogged in like forever, but since Pearl Jam's new album was released on Sunday, 20-September 2009. Available at your nearest Target store. I feel the need to review the album and give my thoughts on this album. So here you go, enjoy!
First off, I didn't pre-order a copy of the CD from 10Club, not that I didn't want to but I wasn't really sure if the 10Club version would get to me before the 20th, well it did and I might just order the book bound version from 10Club. But right now I have the Target version.
I've always liked that Pearl Jam goes against the norm and does cardboard type cases and not jewel cases. This one is even sweeter because the middle picture of the Tom Tomorrow album cover is cut out. The picture which is the brain in the jar is actually behind the cutout and on the CD sleeve.
Once you pull the CD sleeve out, you see a enlarged picture of all the members of pearl jam, cartoonized and they are hooked up via two wires to the brain. Wow, who knew pearl jam was run by MOTHER BRAIN.
Before placing the CD into the stereo lets go over the artwork. I like it, it's something different usually we have artwork done by Jeff Ament, his brother, or Eddie himself. This time they had an outside artist do the work.
Out of the 9 pictures from the front cover I can see symbolism of 5 of the 11 tracks of the album, maybe there is more or maybe it's just a coincidence in the pictures. The two obvious ones are Amongst The Waves, where a figure is lying amongst the waves, and Johnny Guitar, where a man sitting on a tricycle under women legs.
Now on to the name of the album and the way the letters of Pearl Jam are spelt out. We all know going back all the way to the Vitalogy days that Eddie has a thing for old school typewriters, if the lyrics aren't handwritten in the liner notes they are usually shown as typed from a typewriter; plus, we even have a hidden song called "Writer's Block" that is just the sounds of typewriter keys.
So having an album titled Backspacer pays homage to the past, and I think it goes even deeper where the sound that comes from this album goes back to the days of No Code, Yield and Binaural. So before we enter into my reviews of the songs: If you like those three albums I feel you'll love this album, it's like the missing link of Yield and Binaural.
Okay so enough about the coverart, let's get to the music.
Gonna See My Friend - Music & Lyrics, Eddie Vedder.
This song just jumpstarts this album, it tells you right up front that this is a Rock song and you are listening to pearl jam. And it keeps it upbeat and uptempo throughout the song and connects with the next 3 songs and if you don't take a break after getting ROCKED OUT to after the 4th song then you need to re listen to the first four tracks and make yourself get blown away.
I am not going to give stars or thumbsup to invidual songs what I will do will rank my love at the moment to all eleven of the tracks.
Up next,
Got Some - Music, Eddie Vedder & Lyrics, Jeff Ament
This song was the first song that we ever got to hear new by pearl jam this year, as they played this on the first ever episode of Conan O'Brien Tonight Show. This is one of the new songs that I can't wait to here live, it just has one of those great LIVE show atmosphere beat going. I feel like jumping rhythmically up and down and shaking my rock fingers in the air when this song starts playing.
My opinion this should have been the first single from this album, but that's just me.
The Fixer - Music, Matt Cameron/Mike McCready/Stone Gossard & Lyrics, Eddie Vedder
The first single off this album and it's pretty silly if you ask me, the music is great but coming from a lyrical point of view it's just silly. The rhymes and just set up is just ridiculous almost in the style of Wishlist, but worse. The music should stay but change the lyrics, change the lyrics and you'll get a new song that probably goes in the exact opposite direction.
The direction that the Fixer goes in could be constructed as a political one and one that copycats Obama's Change. But really that's not it, I don't see any political messages in this album what's so ever, if you want political then listen to Riot Act and Avocado.
I feel that this sentiment is just life plans and changes, I like that you you don't like something you should see what you can do to fix it. But it's not just a government sentiment is just life in general and the choices you do and do not make that should be FIXED.
Johnny Guitar - Music, Matt Cameron/Stone Gossard & Lyrics, Eddie Vedder
I like it and it keeps with the rockin' first part of this album. The only thing I have to say bad about this work is that it's pretty wordy and a pretty wordy song with a fast uptempo beat just doesn't gel well for me. And for that reason I don't see this song being a concert staple for more than just the Backspacer Tour.
Just Breathe - Music & Lyrics, Eddie Vedder
Now time to switch gears let's drop down into the solemn slow gear and get a little and in the case of this song and for me A LOT emotional.
A week before this album was released my grandmother died, and I had already told my self that I wasn't going to listen to any songs before the release of this album. But this song and the prying of all my internet friends almost made me break my self holdout. This song is just beautiful and would have been a great song to play all day on Tuesday the day of my grandmother's funeral.
There aren't that many songs in the pearl jam discography that brings a tear to my eye, but this is one of two that does it (the other being Off He Goes).
Now if you weren't ROCKED OUT from the first 4 tracks of the album, then you'll be EMOTIONALLY BROKEN by the end of this song and the next two that follow. Wow can you say sway of emotions caused by just one pearl jam album? Damn you pearl jam quit playing with my emotions, *shakes fist*.
Amongst The Waves - Music, Stone Gossard & Lyrics, Eddie Vedder
Okay so after I get done bawling my eyes out after Just Breathe, I get this song which just takes my frown and turns it upside down and makes me think of all the good things of my present life. I smile not to forget about the past (Just Breathe) but to just focus more with the present of this song. With the hustle of everyday life it's pretty hard just to sit back "amongst the waves" and just see things for what they are, more than not we all should do this and release that our life's and the world isn't that bad.
Unthought Known - Music & Lyrics, Eddie Vedder
This song ends the emotional trifecta for me, I've self dubbed this three songs the LIFE TRILOGY. In which the first two were Past and Present, and this song the Future. Just as you're laying up looking at the Unknown of the universe on a cool fall night, you can just dive into your mind and think that your life isn't as Unknown as the universe you can make the future anything that you want it to be. All you have to do is get up and do it to reach the "distant shores awaiting your arrival".
Supersonic - Music, Stone Gossard & Lyrics, Eddie Vedder
You'll be.... going out with radio, Going out with disco,. . .
Oh wait that's the other Stone Gossard guitar riff and vocals for
Mankind off of No Code.
But I guess Stone liked the music so much that he wanted to play it more but didn't want to have to sing, he's kind of shy behind the microphone. So he probably told Eddie to make new lyrics for the same riffs.
And as you can see Supersonic is just so much better than Mankind. (female pearl jam fans, might disagree with this).
Speed of Sound - Music & Lyrics, Eddie Vedder
I don't know how to read this song at all, I'm not sure what I'm feeling with it I mean it's pretty much an end of the album song. It could grow on me, we'll wait and see. but after being ROCKED OUT and EMOTIONALLY DRAINED from the first 7 songs and then brought back to life with the Mankind (part 2). I don't know if this is not the right song to place here or on the album.
We'll wait and see.
Force of Nature - Music, Mike McCready & Lyrics, Eddie Vedder
Okay I thought that this was just going to be a continuation of a bad bottom of the album song. But it really builds up just like all the forces of nature and just hits you with a ton of bricks by the middle to end of the song and you remember your listening to a rock album and that you're listening to one of the best guitarists Mike McCready. Put an extended guitar solo in this.
The End - Music & Lyrics, Eddie Vedder
One of the best Album Closers, second to none. This song could translate well to a set closer, encore opener, or concert ender. This works so beautifully to play with your emotions one last time especially after being rocked out in LIVE form.
Now for the song rank from this album: (I've been listening to this album pretty much nonstop since Sunday at 11:00am.) It could change but here is my list:
1. Got Some
2. Just Breathe
3. Amongst The Waves
4. Unthought Known
5. Gonna See My Friend
6. The End
7. Supersonic
8. The Fixer
9. Johnny Guitar
10. Force of Nature
11. Speed of Sound
And as an Album here is where it ranks with the others:
1. Vitalogy
2. No Code
3. Yield
4. Backspacer
5. Binaural
6. Ten
7. Vs.
8. Avocado
9. Riot Act
QB: Dave Krieg
