Part of the electronic press kit for Pearl Jam’s forthcoming eighth studio album, photographer Danny Clinch authored the following video (click image to play, QuickTime required).
Author: admin
Army Reserve
| How long must she stand Before the ground, it gives way To an endless fall She can feel this War on her face Stars on her pillow She’s folding in darkness Begging for slumber I’m not blind I’m not frantic Her son’s slanted She tells herself I’m not blind I’m not frantic |
 Album: Pearl Jam Artist: Pearl Jam Release Date: 5/2/06 Lyrics: Eddie Vedder, Damien Echols Music: Jeff Ament |
I'm sending out an S.O.S….for frogurt
This episode certainly was jam-packed with….more setup for the end of the season. This was the last new episode until May, so there’s plenty of time to speculate on what’s to come. Judging by the preview for the next new episode, there’s sure to plenty of arguing, gunfire, army-building, and revelations. But that is what’s to come. Tonight’s ep didn’t feature much in the way of any answers to the eternal questions viewers have about the show, but as I said, it provided some needed setup for the home stretch of season two….though that’s pretty much what’s been going on since episode 2×01.
Pearl Jam (2006)
Well, it’s finally leaked. Pearl Jam’s new album, that is. The leaked tracks are all less than CD quality, so this is simply a provisional review until I get the actual album in my hands and have had a chance to endlessly dissect it a thousand times over, but here are my intial track-by-track thoughts:
vocals, guitar: Ed Vedder
guitars: Stone Gossard, Mike McCready
bass: Jeff Ament
drums: Matt Cameron
keyboards: Boom Gaspar
1. Life Wasted (4:12)
Fast, rockin’ opener. The chorus gets a little repetetive and “easy,” but I think this is the band’s way of working the listener into what’s to come. I love the wailing, rapid-fire guitar at the end.
2. World Wide Suicide (3:29)
Obvious lyrics about war and its effects upon the world; all of us heading toward a “worldwide suicide.” This is the first single off the record, and deservedly so. It’s a hard rocker and sounds like it’d be right at home on Vitalogy. I think songs like WWS are what the band was trying to achieve on Riot Act but didn’t quite succeed.
3. Comatose (2:35)
Very raw, very punk. Ed’s weakened voice is the most apparent here, but also the most appropriate. It sounds ragged, raw, and rasping–like he’s on the edge of losing his voice. It’s perfect for Comatose.
4. Severed Hand (4:28)
This is probably my favorite track on the album so far. Great Stone riff driving this song about what I perceive to be a soldier going off to war for the first time and getting in a bit over his head. The first time I heard this, Mike McCready’s solo about 2/3 of the way through the song had me flipping out while driving down the road. I’m sure I looked like a nutjob. This has to be a lock for the 2nd single.
5. Marker In The Sand (4:28)
Blues-tinged rocker that works itself into some lulls throughout. Starts off with a nice, groovy intro, but there are some sections I’m not enamored of, starting right after the intro. The last minute or so doesn’t stand out until Boom’s organ kicks in. I could see this as being much better live, possibly with a different arrangement, but the chorus is great.
6. Parachutes (3:42)
The Beatles comparisons will be fast and frequent upon hearing this, and appropriately so. The most apt tag I could put on this would be a “lullaby.” You could easily put your kids to sleep with it while you sit downstairs in your den smoking a cigar and enjoying a brandy. Alright, that made no sense, but I’m trying to say this is a very low-key song.
7. Unemployable (3:06)
The first time I heard Unemployable, I went from “what the F is this?” to “hmm…” to “YEAH!” in the space of about 30 seconds. It’s about a guy who just got laid off from his job and the emotional and physical toll that can take on a man. If you want to view it in a broader sense, this is the story of one of the faceless statistics that have been affected by Bush’s economic policies. I’m not saying I agree with the political leanings of this, but it works very well in that context. The music itself seems reminiscent of an almost Fleetwood Mac/Rolling Stones/Police track from the early ’80’s.
8. Big Wave (3:02)
An obvious cousin to Gremmie Out of Control (found on Lost Dogs), this is another riff-happy surf song, though it’s got some evolutionary influences. It’s a good, upbeat change of pace for the album with some nice solos from McCready. There’s not a whole lot more to say about it than that.
GotmeabigwaveridemeabigwavegotmeabigWAAAAVE!
9. Gone (4:14)
The demo version from the X-mas single, with just Ed and his guitar, was a stark, almost-haunting rendition that packed a real emotional punch. That same simplicity is evident in the full band version, but it’s much fuller-sounding and seems like the kind of song you’d hear over the closing credits of a movie. I don’t think it packs the same, stark chord the demo did, but that isn’t to say that the full band version is any less great. Beautiful.
10. Wasted Reprise (0:59)
Just Boom and Ed on this one, a reprise of the album opener. Very strange-sounding in a Pearl Jam context. It feels like I’m in church and Vedder suddenly made his way in front of the altar and started singing. This’ll take some getting used to.
11. Army Reserve (3:49)
The beginning sounds almost (I stress almost) like Coldplay. That gives way to a low-key rocker with a bluesy feel at times. Great bassline by Jeff Ament. High, wailing guitar from McCready. This is one of the standout tracks. Ed sounds almost strangled at times, but again, it’s all very approriate to the song and subject matter (about the impact a man’s going off to war has on his family).
12. Come Back (5:31)
Very retro-sounding. I read someone make an Elvis comparison while listening to this, and I couldn’t agree more. Lots of organ and real basic guitar and drum work here. It really soars at the end, with some wailing guitars and Vedder raising his voice an octave. Very cool.
13. Inside Job (7:10)
Two minutes of subdued instrumental before a soft-spoken Vedder comes in. Sounds a little–dare I say it?–Pink Floyd-ish. Lots of sustain on the guitar; nice piano accents throughout. As the song picks up, I hesitate to say this, but it sounds very “country” at specific points. I hate country, but I don’t mean that as a dig on it; it all feels very appropriate. There’s a nice, little outro that may be part of this song or just another hidden track.
As a whole, I think the album is great, but I think Ed’s voice is noticeably weaker than in years past. That being said, I liken his performance here to an aging pitcher. He may not be able to bring the “high heat,” but he can get it done just as well with a different approach–a nasty curve, if you will. This album is also different from anything the band has done before, but at the same time, it feels like a natural evolution of everything that’s come before. I’m no music expert, but I can see why this album took so long to make. They’ve really worked on making each song consist of sound guitar work and vocals. It’s almost indescribable at times, trying to put my reaction to this into words. I need more time and a few live performances of these before I can come to a conclusion as to where this ranks among the seven other albums.
I’ll be interested to see how the mainstream music populace will react to this. World Wide Suicide is already a radio and commercial hit, so that should at least get some people turning their attention to this. It’s definitely more radio-friendly than 2002’s Riot Act, and normally I’d mean that as an insult based on what’s on MTV these days, but I think this is radio-friendly because it’s just so damn good. The band has aged well. May 9th in Toronto can’t get here soon enough.
Trust Falls
TV networks can be a real pain-in-the-ass sometimes, and nowhere is this more evident then in the scheduling of their shows. TiVo exists so I can fast forward through all those crappy commercials about home cleaning products and the latest cure for “restless leg syndrome” (the Jimmy legs) and enjoy my TV shows (or, as I call them, my “stories”) uninterrupted. But, of course, when the last minute of the show gets cut off because ABC likes to eff with their viewers, I get upset. And when Jeff gets upset, Jeff gets angry…and you wouldn’t like Jeff when he’s angry…
I FEEL GRRRREAAAT!!!
Around the bend…
Some random Pearl Jam news items:
Pearl Jam will be appearing on Saturday Night Live on April 15th, with host Lindsay Lohan. Unfortunate hosting choice, but maybe her utter lack of talent will result in more time for a 3rd song performance by the band. This is the first time since 1994 the band’s been on the show. This appearance seems to signal a more conscious effort by the band to achieve some mainstream commercial success. Two songs were released on iTunes in the past couple of weeks, and rumors of a forthcoming music video are rampant. That’s all well and good, but if I see the band on TRL, it may be time to reevaluate my devotion to them.- More tour dates have been announced:
Apr-20 London, UK The Astoria
NORTH AMERICA LEG ONE
May-9 Toronto Ontario Air Canada Centre
May-10 Toronto Ontario Air Canada Centre
May-12 Albany New York Pepsi Arena
May-13 Hartford Connecticut New England Dodge Music Arena
May-16 Chicago Illinois United Center
May-17 Chicago Illinois United Center
May-19 Grand Rapids Michigan Van Andel Arena
May-20 Cleveland Ohio Quicken Loans Arena
May-22 Detroit Michigan Palace of Auburn Hills
May-24 Boston Massachusetts TD Banknorth Garden
May-25 Boston Massachusetts TD Banknorth Garden
May-27 Camden New Jersey Tweeter Center at the Waterfront
May-28 Camden New Jersey Tweeter Center at the Waterfront
May-30 Washington DC Verizon Center (formerly MCI Center)
Jun-1 E. Rutherford New Jersey Continental Airlines Arena
Jun-3 E. Rutherford New Jersey Continental Airlines ArenaNORTH AMERICA LEG TWO
Jul-9 Los Angeles California The Forum
Jul-10 Los Angeles California The Forum
Jun-23 Pittsburgh, PA Mellon Arena
Jun-24 Cincinnati, OH US Bank Arena
Jun-26* St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
Jun-27* St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center
Jul-2* Denver, CO Pepsi Center
Jul-3* Denver, CO Pepsi Center
Jul-6 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena
Jul-7 San Diego, CA Cox Arena
Jul-13 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
Jul-16 San Francisco, CA BG Civic Auditorium
Jul-18 San Francisco, CA BG Civic Auditorium
Jul-22 George, WA Gorge AmphitheaterAug-25 Leeds, UK Leeds Festival
Aug-27 Reading, UK Reading FestivalThe band will be playing with Tom Petty on the *’ed dates. Of particular note is the lack of a show in Buffalo. Lame, considering the 2003 Buffalo show was among the three best on the Riot Act tour.
- A six-track promo CD meant for the ears of record executives leaked on the web recently, including Life Wasted, Severed Hand, Parachutes, and Comatose (in addition to the already-released Worldwide Suicide and Unemployable). I’ll wait until the album comes out on May 2nd to review them, but I like the direction I’m hearing in these tracks.
Pearl Jam will be appearing on Letterman on May 4th. Letterman’s the only late-night talk show the band’s ever done, so this comes as no surprise. Their first full-band appearance after No Code’s release in 1996 was aired commercial-free in a nod to the band’s commercial-conscious stance against large corporations like TicketMaster at the time, and the band was slated to play two songs. Unfortunately, because “Bob Borden’s 4-state Burrito Bonanza” took up far too much air time, the band’s second song, Leaving Here, was cut off about halfway through as the show ended.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | A-
director: Garth Jennings
starring: Martin Freeman, Mos Def, Sam Rockwell, Zooey Deschanel, Alan Rickman
At once confusing, hilarious, baffling, and altogether obnoxious, the movie adaptation of Douglas Adams’ classic novel embodies the same spirit that made the book so popular, and does it well. Numerous attempts have been made to make the book into a movie over the years, and I’m sure there was widespread sentiment that it would never get done. The project went through numerous writers and directors, eventually settling on virtual unknown Garth Jennings. Not exactly a past track record that would indicate future success. Despite the odds, Jennings pulled it off (with the help of co-screenwriter Adams, of course) and made a film that does the novel proud and works pretty damn well as a sci-fi comedy.
One wouldn’t think that a novel about an Englishman and his friend hitchhiking through the galaxy after Earth is blown up and that features singing dolphins, a two-headed President of the Galaxy, a clinically-depressed robot and a guide that advocates having a towel at all times could translate into a conherent film. Well, maybe it doesn’t need to be coherent, as that goes counter to the whole spirit of the story. The movie works on every level the book did, and I highly recommend seeing it (and read the book if you haven’t already). I leave you with the lyrics to “So Long and Thanks For All the Fish,” sung by dolphins, the 2nd most intelligent species on Earth (behind only mice, which are actually a race of hyper-intelligent pan-dimensional beings), just before they escape Earth:
So long and thanks for all the fish
So sad that it should come to this
We tried to warn you all but oh dear?You may not share our intellect
Which might explain your disrespect
For all the natural wonders that
grow around youSo long, so long and thanks
for all the fishThe world’s about to be destroyed
There’s no point getting all annoyed
Lie back and let the planet dissolveDespite those nets of tuna fleets
We thought that most of you were sweet
Especially tiny tots and your
pregnant womenSo long, so long, so long, so long, so long
So long, so long, so long, so long, so longSo long, so long and thanks
for all the fish(yeah)
So long and thanks for all the fish
So sad that it should come to this
We tried to warn you all but oh dear?(oh dear)
Despite those nets of tuna fleets
We thought that most of you were sweet
Especially tiny tots and your
pregnant womenSo long, so long, so long, so long, so long
So long, so long, so long, so long, so longSo long, so long and thanks
for all the fish
Lights
Well, there’s a lot of little, thematic stuff we can analyze this week, like the references to fan theories such as the time loop and purgatory (Time Loop Theory: Hurley makes references to “the loop” repeatedly, Jack says “there is no loop”; Purgatory Theory: Helen reading the obituaries and saying “no one ever says anything mean about people once they’re dead”), and the continued foreshadowing of the inevitable battle between Sawyer and Jack–but who cares about that stuff when you’ve got a huge, fluorescent door mural to analyze?!
click to enlarge
Doom | C
director: Andrzej Bartkowiak
starring: Karl Urban, The Rock, Rosamund Pike
Aliens came out in 1986. 20 years later, evidence of the movie’s impact is still readily apparent in film today. The old Hollywood precept of milking a good idea for all it’s worth holds true in movies like Doom. The film centers on an elite group of Marines–commissioned by a multi-national conglomerate–sent to an inhospitable planet to rescue scientists and retrieve important scientific data. Along the way, things don’t exactly go as planned and our heroes are confronted with unspeakable horrors as they fight their way out of “hell.” More or less the same plot as Aliens, yes? The main difference is that Aliens is an original, finely-crafted film classic (at least, it is to me) and Doom is a poorly-conceived retread that fails to realize what made Aliens work: the characters.
In Doom, we’ve got the one-dimensional stereotypes filmgoers have become accustomed to: the tough guy leader who’s seen it all (The Rock), the conflicted hero (Urban), the scared kid on his first mission, the big dude with the big gun, some nameless cannon fodder, and the crazy guy you can’t rely on. That’s pretty much the formula these days, though it may be too much to ask for some decent characters in a movie based on a videogame.
Original Genius
Unoriginal Crap
So I’ve essentially taken two paragraphs to say that Doom is “meh.” The production values are pretty good, and the direction is decent. The acting is passable, though The Rock’s performance is more befitting the wrestling ring than celluloid. But what starts out as a relatively interesting plot (thanks to Aliens) in the first half of the movie rapidly turns into a cliche-ridden music video once the proverbial shit hits the fan. Fans of the videogame will no doubt be tickled with some of the direct references to the game (the BFG, the FPS sequence, etc.), and Doom has its moments. Me? I’ll file it under the “wait to watch on cable TV” category. I’d like to note that the “multi-national conglomerate” in the movie appears to be AOL. I guess they’ve been up to more than just dumbing down the world’s Internet-goers. Who knew?
