Second Chances: Pearl Jam’s Pearl Jam
I am a Pearl Jam fan, but I have not come to terms with last summer’s self-titled release. AMG loved it, but I didn’t. I didn’t hate it, either. The truth is, it did nothing for me.
I listened to it several times straight through and nothing struck me as particularly memorable. I would listen to it and couldn’t remember what I’d just heard. It was just… there. I felt the same way about Stadium Arcadium. Both albums were released to much fanfare in May of last year, and neither one of them actually registered much with me. At least PJ was only one disc of unmemorable. The RHCP album was two discs of nothing.
I got in the Pearl Jam mood this evening and decided to, once again, give PJ a second chance. I’m OK with not liking the album, if that’s how I really feel, but I would hate to miss out on something. There are also loads of instances when my opinion of an album has shifted with the passage of time. There are plenty of records I didn’t like initially, only to have them grow on me later. That’s one of the main reasons I don’t trade CDs in at used CD stores anymore. I’ve bought too many albums more than once because of impatience. I like Pearl Jam enough and enough people/sources like this album that it was worth it to me to investigate it again.
My impressions? I like it more this time than the others, but I’m also trying not to try too hard. There are a couple of songs that have grown on me, and there aren’t any that I don’t like. I still have a hard time remembering any of them after I’ve heard them. It’s good. There is nothing wrong with it. I wish there were more things that were more right about it.
Filed under: Pearl Jam
it can’t be as boring as that RHCP cd. Stadium Arcadium is one of the most boring records ever made. i’m convinced of it!
I agree. I never thought it was as boring, but I was disappointed in both.
I’m less disappointed with the Pearl Jam after last night, but it’s not a great album. It doesn’t bore me, but it doesn’t hook me.
I gave up on RHCP after Californication nothing I heard off of Stadium Arcadium from the radio made me want to rethink that position.
I’m with you on that PJ record too. After a handful of listens I didn’t find anything that has made me want to go back.
I have been giving Guster many a listen this past week though. You should be happy to hear that.
Anyone else getting a weird message after they post a comment? It looks like some kind of spam deterrent telling me to enter in some letters off a picture, but there isn’t any picture. It’s letting me comment, so I don’t know what the deal is.
My SpamKarma2 software is not playing well as of late. I might see if I can get some help from Mr. Winn. Hell, some of MY comments have gotten caught in this.
it’s weird. I have this setup on Mondo and have had almost no problems. I don’t know why this continues to happen.
Oh, and Sir Brewster, I am very pleased to hear you are giving Guster some more love!
I liked Cal and By The Way, but really didn’t enjoy SA.
I love the latest disc. I do this thing, though, especially with Pearl Jam. I listened to ONLY that album for a week. in my truck, it was simply that album over and over.
As a result, it absolutely grew on me. Marker in the Sand (track 5) seques into the beautiful Parachutes (track 6) are just awesome. To me, this is Pearl Jam’s absolute best work since Yield. To me, the last few albums seemed to be ‘phoned in’. This is a bit cliche, but I feel they are finding new legs.
As for that new RHCP, I haven’t bought it. Outside of ‘Californication’, which is pretty great… RHCP haven’t done anything interesting to me since the masterpiece ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magic’.
Lono, welcome to the discussion!
Pearl Jam’s last few albums have been too long and weighted down with some filler mixed in with some really good songs. I like this one more than I did, but only a couple songs have emerged. I’m going to spend some more time with it but I have a feeling this is as good as it might get.
[…] live setting. That self-titled record is one that left me a little empty. I don’t hate it, but it never connected with me. I’m wondering if these songs take on a new life live the way songs so often […]
[…] I am re-revistingPearl Jam. That Gorge box set has temporarily warped my fragile little mind! […]