Riot Act

5 Responses to “Riot Act”

1. Anonymous
   November 3, 2009 at 2:39 am

   Self-importance is no longer the premium it once was in the music world…PJ is no longer vital, if they ever were. Once their mediocrity filled a void…now it’s just the void itself. It’s sad because they’re true believers.
   Rating: 1 / 5
2. Anonymous
   November 3, 2009 at 5:37 am

   What a disappointment. Yes, Ed Vedder’s patented warble is strong as ever but hints at how good the glory days of the mid-90’s were for this seminal band. Now it seems all the good tunes are being done by bands aping the PJ style while the originals are content to bore everyone else to tears with uninspired garbage like RIOT ACT. I couldn’t wait for it to end. And to think, this from a band whose singer last great work was with the late, great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Dead Man Walking strk). The record label must be counting the albums left on their contract so as to be rid of them. Pearl Jam is to rock what Prince was to funk/soul – dismal failures as the years went on.
   Rating: 1 / 5
3. Anonymous
   November 3, 2009 at 8:14 am

   I have been a Pearl Jam fan from the beginning and lately I’ve been buying their albums with his mindset: “OK so the last album was disappointing, but this one is gonna be their return to greatness.” This is what I’ve been saying ever since Vs. I’m still waiting. They haven’t been great since Vs. and they haven’t even been good since Yeild. Vedder lacks any emotion in his signing, his vocals and especially his lyrics are at best sub-par and all of the songs sound stale. There’s only one or two songs that have hooks that you’ll actually remember. The only thing that makes this album even listenable are Mike’s solos, which Thank God have once again returned.
   Bottomline: If you like this album you either hear things I don’t or are a hopeless diehard who will love anything they put out. It’s probably the later. My advice is to skip this one and wait for their live show, which hopefully hasn’t deteriorated as much as their albums have.
   Rating: 1 / 5
4. Michael
   November 3, 2009 at 8:22 am

   Well, this is the tenth best album that Pearl Jam has released since Binaural (10 out of 73 isn’t that bad). Binaural was pretty much a disappointment on first listen (especially after the surprisingly cohesive Yield), but after many listens with both ears, it has redeemed itself (especially its ballads). So I was expecting Riot Act to be similar. It did not disappoint. The strongest song on here is “I Am Mine,” which isn’t to say that it’s a great song. Certainly it cannot carry a whole album. “Cant Keep” is a usual opener, much like “Once” and “Go” and “Last Exit” and “Brain of J.” but it is a bit weaker than those songs. Track 2 (”Save You”) is probably the other strong song on here, reminding one of the Vitalogy and No Code days. Then it all goes downhill. “Cropduster,” “ghost,” thumbing my way,” et cetera are all weak songs. Most of the stuff here sounds like bad outtakes from the binaural sessions. The only other high note is “Bushleaguer,” a half spoken-word half-singing song, about you guessed who. Surprisingly, this song has Vedder’s best vocals coming through, and the guitar work by gossard is great. Maybe they should have made the whole album a political record. Lastly, the lyrics are really awful on this one (they have gotten worse album by album since Ten, when Vedder was talking to himself, rather than to the whole world)…At least we know that Vedder’s been too busy enjoying his life to sit down and read a book or two. Thanks, Pearl Jam.
   Rating: 3 / 5
5. Erica
   November 3, 2009 at 10:51 am

   it is interesting reading the review talking about how Pearl Jam doesnt chase supermodels,etc.When as soon as the grunge ’sell out’ police faded, both Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell
   
   traded brains for looks and youth (models that they quickly settled down with).And Pearl Jam are clearly a band that wants to make money,choosing to play arenas instead of clubs.Choosing to cash in on old hits with one compilation after another.Not signing with an indie label after Epic dropped them.But the false integrity that some people throw at Pearl Jam is neither here or there.

   I paid for Riot Act because I liked Im Mine.I also was a big fan of them in the early 90’s.But the album was a waist of money.The problem is not that its a political album.Afterall,11 years before on the 11x platinum Ten,Eddie wailed as characters fell victim to pappa Bush’s policies and social indiference.But in Riot Act,Eddie Vedder sounds like a rich rock star trying to relate to the “have nots” but no longer has anything to say.The Bush attacks are so unconvincing,self conscious and self serious they are laughable.Bushleaguer has the worst lyrics of a “political” song I ever heard (the chorus-”I remember when you sang that song about today,now its tomorow and everything has changed”.What?)

   but thous lyrics are better then Eddie Vedder repeating lyrics from past albums (”there aint gonna be a middle anymore”)
   
   or repeating the old Beatles line “all you need is love” over and over like its actually a deep thought instead of a oldies pop lyric.Pure shmaltz.

   I think the great reviewer rating for this awful album is almost laughable.I cant imagine a non-die hard picking this album up and thinking the bored,reheated music and unoriginal,uninspired lyrics are all that great.Or Eddie Vedder’s limp,weak vocals.The album sunk in the charts from bad word of mouth(after a strong debut).Riot Act doesnt get a 5 rating from all thous people who waisted hard earned money on this lifeless self-parody.

   I called this review “Teenage Angst Has Paid Of Well Now We Are Bored and Old”(the old Kurt Cobain line)because it describes Riot Act perfectly.
   
   Rating: 1 / 5