Pearl Jam's Backspacer

I haven't reviewed anything in a while, but this past week I have been listening to the newest release from one of my favorite bands, Pearl Jam. The new record, titled Backspacer, is the first since their self titled effort in 2006.

I didn't really embrace the 2006 disc, but I'm not sure if I didn't like it, or if I just didn't listen to it enough. Pearl Jam sometimes requires a few spins before it really starts to grow on me. I often go from liking to loving a lot of their music.

However, I found Backspacer to have more of an instant effect on me compared to any of Pearl Jam's other releases with the exception of some of their earliest efforts. The songs are a little more melodic and may be easier to take to for those who do not usually embrace alternative bands and perfer straight up rock and roll.

Having said that, I don't want to be misleading. This is still very much a Pearl Jam record and a great one at that. Eddie Vedder is unmistakable as always. He may be one of my favorite vocalists. I have always loved Eddie's haunting vocals on slower and, well, haunting Peal Jam tracks. There are a few of those on here too including Just Breathe and The End.

And of course there are plenty of straight up in your face rock tracks including a great opening number called Gonna See My Friend, as well as The Fixer, Supersonic and others. It's a very solid rock record that I enjoyed on the first listen that should also have some staying power with me too.

Grade A. Favorite tracks: Gonna See My Friend, Supersonic, Just Breathe.

As an aside, I have always listed my favorite tracks when reviewing a CD. I am not sure if I should do that because it often changes. However, the tracks listed are certainly those that are striking me as favorites at the moment.

Have a great week!!

My Favorite Ballads

I found this list difficult to put together. I am not a huge fan of ballads, and I think I may be cheating a little here. So someone can feel free to set me straight. Some of the songs on my list may not be true ballads. In rock and roll circles ballads, other than being slowed down, usually have themes of relationships and romance. Some of these songs do not fit that criteria, but there are many definitions of ballads out there. In any event, these are slower songs by rock bands and here are 5 of my favorites.

5. Ride On, ACDC. Question for you. Has ACDC ever recorded another slow song? I love this one. It's unmistakably ACDC, but still so different than most everything else they ever recorded. This slow song perfectly suits the mood if you are tired, wore out, haggard, and just want to crash out for a while.

4. Every Rose Has its Throne, Poison. An eighties classic ballad. I can’t count how many parties I have been at where someone strummed this one out on an acoustic guitar and everyone sang along. Pretty simple stuff too, I’ve seen non-guitar players learn this one in no time. My favorite memory of this song is from the movie Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey. When Bill and Ted were asked the meaning of life, they looked at each dumbfounded for a moment and then proclaimed “Every rose has its throne, just like every night has its dawn…..”. Their answer was deemed acceptable. This song was a huge hit for Poison and reached number one. It seemed for a while the thing to do for a hard rock band in the eighties was to release an acoustically driven ballad. Many of them didn’t work for me, but for some reason this one did.

3. Wanted Dead or Alive, Bon Jovi. First question I will ask put forth to you all is this considered a ballad? It’s a slow rocker, but not a romantic one. It’s actually one of my all time favorite songs. Back in the day I loved the video and the lyrics. I still think the song is great.

2. Wheat Kings, The Tragically Hip. The Tragically Hip are known for their hard rock alternative music, but they have put out a few slower numbers that I have enjoyed (Long Time Running, Fiddler’s Green, Pigeon Camera, Scared, Ahead By a Century), but this one tops my list. It tells the true story of a man wrongfully convicted of murder. After twenty years in jail the verdict was overturned and he was released. As a teacher of English, I have often used this one with my students for an example of narrative poetry and the imagery throughout.

1. Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town, Pearl Jam. And the award for the longest song title goes to….Pearl Jam. As a side note does anyone know a song title longer than this one? I lost interest in many of the alternative bands that burst onto the scene in the early nineties, but I did stick with Pearl Jam. From their second release comes this slow haunting acoustic track about….well, an elderly women behind the counter of a small town. Every now and again a song hits you and you can instantly relate to it. Growing up in a smaller town as a child I often visited a small convenience store to buy candy, hockey cards, etc. The same lady served me for years until I left town for the big city and college life. Years later I returned as an adult, only to find the same person serving me. We stared at each other, but didn’t really talk. This song describes that moment to me.

I have put forth a few questions throughout this post, please feel free to answer any of them or share your favorite ballads.

Time to reflect on some concert experiences

I have seen a lot of concerts from small acts-small venues to larger names-larger arenas. As many that I have seen there are still more that I have not and still hope to get the opportunity. To me a rock concert is a special experience, almost holy in a way. After you have seen many concerts over the years, there are different reasons why some stand out over others. Maybe it’s a just an all time favorite artist, or a band that simply came out and rocked you, or just the opposite – one that stunk the place out. Although there are many I may eventually write about, here are just three that stood out to me for different reasons.

Platinum Blonde
I am sure this one is surprising you. Either you are saying a) your kidding??!!!? or b) who’s Platinum Blonde? Just in case you selected b, if you grew up in Canada the early 80s, you knew this band well. For a few years they were superstars and they were my first rock concert. This was the first time I was ever crammed into an arena with 10 000 other people and witnessed the big stage, the lights, the explosives and at the time, the stardom of the band. I often joke that it was a life changing experience for me. From that night on there was no turning back and I have been hooked on the experience ever since. As for Platinum Blonde, well, their star faded a few years later. However, I still say their first album, Standing in the Dark, is a great listen. It was produced by David Tickle, who also worked with Prince, The Police, Sheryl Crow and others. Unfortunately Platinum Blonde’s other efforts do not stand up. No matter what they were, or were not, the magic of that first concert will live on for me.

Def Leppard
As a teenager, I worshipped Def Leppard. I was immediately hooked on the sounds of Pyromania and shortly after had their first two releases, On Through the Night and High on Dry, in my possession. I had a bit of a wait for the next release, but it was well worth it when Hysteria finally hit the shelves. I didn’t get to see the band during any of their tours supporting these records, but when they hit the stage after the release of Andrenalize I got my chance. I was obviously very excited as I anticipated this show. Because I was such a big fan, it was one of those concerts where the band probably couldn’t have done anything wrong for me, I was just so glad to be seeing my teenage idols perform (front row too I may add). I am happy to say that they did not disappoint anyone in the audience that night. A lively crowd sang along to all their hits and the boys gave it everything they had. It is always special when you see anyone you have been such a big fan of for a long time, and even more special when the artist gives such a great performance. In less than a month I will be seeing Def Leppard in concert for the second time and it will no doubt be somewhat of a different experience for me. But I must admit the anticipation is building again to levels that it did first time around. Stay tuned for a review of the show.

Pearl Jam
The night I saw Pearl Jam play all the stars aligned to make another truly magical experience. I have never been in an arena where you could sense such a high level of anticipation and excitement from the audience while waiting for the band. The place was obviously full of people who felt the same way about Pearl Jam as I did about Def Leppard. As I sat and waited, I wondered why type of set list the band might play. I had my own dream set list for the concert, but had no idea what to expect. When the lights went down, and after the loudest ovation I ever heard from a crowd occurred, the band broke into one song after another that I wanted to hear. After the first 10 or 12 songs, the band had me hooked, and did play some material I wasn’t overly familiar with. But as I said, I was hooked by then and into the show. The crowd tremendously continued to show their appreciation and enthusiasm. Later in the show, they played more familiar material, some cover songs, and Eddie Vedder entertained us with some funny antidotes and stories. Also the in total length of the show was not quite three hours, but close. An awesome night all round!

As always feel free to send along some of yours. What was your favorite concert? What was your worst?