What if you mixed modern NIN with Talking Heads with Eddie's voice?
January 23, 2020 6:29 AM   Subscribe

Pearl Jam: Dance Of The Clairvoyants. New single ahead of a new album. It's unlike anything they've done before. Music video: Dance Of The Clairvoyants (Mach I).

Lyrics included in the music video link.
posted by hippybear (40 comments total) 20 users marked this as a favorite
 
I was skeptical. I love it.
posted by Jacob G at 6:39 AM on January 23, 2020 [2 favorites]


The fuck? You mean they could have been doing this the whole time?
posted by robotmachine at 6:54 AM on January 23, 2020 [17 favorites]


It took a couple of listens, because it's not my kind of thing of thing at all, but I kinda dig it.
posted by Fish Sauce at 7:02 AM on January 23, 2020 [2 favorites]


So wait, we had grunge to kill off hair metal and new wave, and now the grunge band is playing new wave?
posted by nevercalm at 7:05 AM on January 23, 2020 [8 favorites]


grunge wave? sure, I'm in.
posted by seraphine at 7:16 AM on January 23, 2020 [2 favorites]


Wow. No kidding on the David Byrne vibe. Eddie even sounds like him.
Far cry from when I saw them at Lollaplooza II but I'm kinda liking it.
posted by martin q blank at 7:20 AM on January 23, 2020 [3 favorites]


The fuck? You mean they could have been doing this the whole time?

This was my exact reaction too. I am not a Pearl Jam fan by any stretch of the imagination; this is the first song of theirs I've ever heard that I genuinely liked. What a world.
posted by saladin at 7:38 AM on January 23, 2020 [3 favorites]




I liked them fine, except for starting that tenor voice dudebro braying like a donkey with a broken leg trend
posted by thelonius at 7:39 AM on January 23, 2020 [8 favorites]


It's a phenomenal track, but I'm guessing it's a one-off. Apparently, it started with Matt Cameron and a drum machine, but he replaced everything except the hi-hat with sounds from a real kit. Should be a really fun song to hear live, but, sadly, they've left Pennsyltucky off of the first leg of the upcoming tour.
posted by tonycpsu at 7:54 AM on January 23, 2020 [2 favorites]


Oh, this is fantastic. I’ve always kind of respected Pearl Jam’s whole schtick from a distance, but I’d happily pay for a whole album of this.
posted by a box and a stick and a string and a bear at 7:54 AM on January 23, 2020 [2 favorites]


This is right in my wheelhouse.
posted by SonInLawOfSam at 8:19 AM on January 23, 2020 [1 favorite]


I'm actually getting more of a Peter Gabriel circa So vibe from the vocals than David Byrne.
posted by SansPoint at 8:26 AM on January 23, 2020


The video is captivating, elegant, well assembled, hopeful, even in flames. The voice is still all that. Extravagant rhythm, tonic, uplifting!
posted by Oyéah at 9:26 AM on January 23, 2020


As a long time fan, this is the first song in decades that has really got me excited. I like it when long-running bands venture out of their comfort zone.
posted by exolstice at 9:50 AM on January 23, 2020 [1 favorite]


I've found their last few albums pretty meh, but sounds pretty great to me.
posted by Twicketface at 9:55 AM on January 23, 2020


I've been a die-hard fan since my high school days when Ten was released, and I'll be seeing them live this year for the 10th time. I scratched my head a little on my first listen, but it's definitely growing on me and I'm glad they are staying creative and hopefully enjoying the process.
posted by tryniti at 10:09 AM on January 23, 2020 [1 favorite]


For someone who stopped paying attention years ago, I was surprised how quickly Ticketmaster reared its (intrusive, demanding) head when I searched for tour information. Meh.
posted by baseballpajamas at 10:14 AM on January 23, 2020 [1 favorite]


David Byrne did a cover of U2's Exit and sprinkled in some Fascination Street...

I never thought I'd say I dig the new Pearl Jam...but I kinda dig the new Pearl Jam.
posted by Chuffy at 10:15 AM on January 23, 2020 [1 favorite]


I’m very glad they are doing something different. Not sure if I like it yet, but It’s on repeat.
posted by Foaf at 10:33 AM on January 23, 2020 [1 favorite]


Whoa.

That’s some Bowie-level changes in their sound. Not to say it resembles Bowie’s music, just his ability to reinvent himself album to album.

Holy shit.
posted by drivingmenuts at 10:44 AM on January 23, 2020 [3 favorites]


Not to say it resembles Bowie’s music

I thought the melody at the chorus or (maybe the B section, I don't recall if it repeats) was vaguely Bowie-like
posted by thelonius at 10:48 AM on January 23, 2020 [3 favorites]


...just before 1:00
posted by thelonius at 10:50 AM on January 23, 2020


I really don't like this. But I didn't like the Smashing Pumpkins's Adore, and everyone else seems to. I certainly don't think it's poorly done. Just not digging his voice with this soundscape.
posted by es_de_bah at 11:43 AM on January 23, 2020 [1 favorite]


I'm liking quite a bit. Haven't really thought about Pearl Jam for about 20 years now; glad that they're up for reinventing themselves at their age.

Also Eddie Vedder is somehow 55 years old now (a boomer!).
posted by octothorpe at 1:14 PM on January 23, 2020 [1 favorite]


i think the first half of this track is very much just "fine" but the last two minutes go off into the stratosphere and it really works. hopefully there's more stuff like that with the layered vocals on the rest of the LP, pearl jam is a band that i respect but don't enjoy, but i love any and all new-wavey/dance-punky music and really dig this take on that sound.
posted by JimBennett at 2:02 PM on January 23, 2020 [4 favorites]


I'm a die hard Pearl Jam fan and I am so excited about this song and the new album that I'm feeling nearly giddy. Thank you hippybear for sharing!
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:02 PM on January 23, 2020 [1 favorite]


I liked them fine, except for starting that tenor voice dudebro braying like a donkey with a broken leg trend
Jack Endino referred to that as the "yarl." Andy Dwyer does a great yarl on Parks & Rec.

I'm enjoying this too - it's also reminding me of System of a Down, that mix of chant and melodicism. "Album of the Year"-era Faith No More or Tomahawk too. It's really about how tight-mic'd and electronic the rhythm has become. I haven't much paid attention to them for nigh unto 20 years, but the lyrics are reminding me of Rush circa Grace Under Pressure. Maybe it's all the post-mortem Peart catch-up I was doing last week. Less storytelling, more transpersonal musing.

I like that Vedder's trying that rushed Byrne phrasing, but keeps his voice wavery and recognizable. He doesn't go full Psycho Killer. Interested to see what the rest of the album holds.
posted by SoundInhabitant at 4:15 PM on January 23, 2020 [2 favorites]


So wait, we had grunge to kill off hair metal

no

and new wave,

no

and now the grunge band

sigh.

also no

is playing new wave?

Define grunge. Every article I have read about "grunge" in the last 25 years said it was a simple label to put on the amazingly rich Seattle scene.

Who is "we" and why did "we" have to kill off hair metal? Why would "grunge" have to kill new wave?

Why would "grunge" target (or, choose to attack) either hair metal or new wave? All three seem to be distinct sets of music. All want to just play music.

And, boy howdy, to start off with presumptions that are not fully agreed upon... not a good start if one is trying to critique.

I haven't listened to a Pearl Jam album since the avocado one. But. really, I can't understand anyone being upset that any artist decides to stretch their muscles.
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 5:11 PM on January 23, 2020


Jack Endino referred to that as the "yarl."

oh wow, that's the Guitar Tuning Nightmares Explained guy - instant cred!
posted by thelonius at 5:33 PM on January 23, 2020 [2 favorites]


i think the first half of this track is very much just "fine" but the last two minutes go off into the stratosphere and it really works.

One of the things I've always liked about Pearl Jam is their willingness to actually do a jam at the end of their songs. They've done this across their career, where the main song ends and they sort of go off on a related tangent for 2-3 minutes and leave it on the record.

I'm really enjoying this song a lot. I listened to it like 20 times last night, and then came back to it today after work and that little break really allowed it to gel in my head and it's better now than it was when I first heard it.

Just bought tickets to see them in Glendale AZ today. Going with one of my oldest friends who has unbelievably never seen Pearl Jam live at all. I'm pretty giddy about that.
posted by hippybear at 5:39 PM on January 23, 2020 [2 favorites]


that tenor voice dudebro braying like a donkey with a broken leg trend

Tripp Lamkins from The Grifters dubbed this voice and the music that goes with it "goat rock," which describes both the sound of the braying and the inevitable shape of the beards involved.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:20 PM on January 23, 2020 [3 favorites]


"goat rock," which describes both the sound of the braying and the inevitable shape of the beards involved.

Hey, remember the 90s?
posted by Space Coyote at 1:21 AM on January 24, 2020


Turns out of you feed Eddie an E and a steady diet of techno, this is what happens. (https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/new-pearl-jam-song-dance-of-the-clairvoyants-gigaton-941221/)

I wonder was it proper, descended from Detroit, techno? Or just "all electronic music is techno"?

Trying to create music while yet the influence of MDMA can be challenging. Performing it in the other hand is a little easier--just do long as everything goes 100% smooth and you don't need to engage the troubleshooting part of your brain. This is a crapshoot at the best of times if your tools for making music are composed of highly specific or general computers, all connected together.

So I'm told.
posted by jonnay at 6:10 AM on January 24, 2020 [1 favorite]


Just not digging his voice with this soundscape.

I like Pearl Jam and this song as a jam is good, but yeah Eddie's vocal style is a bit incongruent. The music may have changed but Eddie Vedder sounds just like Eddie Vedder.
posted by zardoz at 1:59 PM on January 24, 2020


"I know boys want to grow their dicks and fix and file things" seems to be one of the [unintelligible] sections of the jam section lyrics.
posted by hippybear at 9:19 PM on January 24, 2020


Oh I like this! It's kinda giving me Bowie vibes, as much for the (comfy) experimentation as the (comfy) new wave sound and production. Really re-listenable without being particularly catchy, which I'm digging. That bass sound!

If you need me I'll be spinning the black circle again!
posted by I'm always feeling, Blue at 6:50 PM on January 25, 2020


A little late on this, but a lot of Grunge bands _loved_ New Wave. Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam are definitely fans, and so were Nirvana
posted by SansPoint at 12:15 PM on January 27, 2020 [2 favorites]






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