2 posts tagged “pearl jam”
Better known to many by the title "Teenage Wasteland," this is one of the most often mistaken song titles.
Upon hearing the synthesizer intro, whose ears don't immediately perk up. It conveys an energy, nay, exuberance which keys the listener into the song, the ridiculous pace of the notes work like body shots from a boxer; a build up to the big one.
Then comes the enormous-sounding piano. Contrasting with the synthesized sounds, playing deliberate chords on the 1-, 4- and 1-beats. The drums kick in, and together with the piano lend an amazing power to the 3-chord song.
Roger Daltrey's voice takes hold of the listener, clean and at the forefront. There's a blue collar feeling to the first verse. Pete Townshend's simple and effective phrasing adds to the overall power of the recording.
Interestingly, this song doesn't feature a guitar until nearly 40% of its runtime has eclipsed. The song was written by a man who's known for his guitar! It's not self-defeating, it's humble. And it's the mark of a man who cares about his craft, letting the programmed synth take the reigns and drive the sled.
Back, now, to the famous lines, "Don't cry // Don't raise your eye // It's only teenage wasteland." Daltrey's vocal melody carries the audience to a new plateau. And sometimes I mist up when I hear it. I'm not going to lie. Roger and Pete get together to say, "Hey, it's all gonna be cool, alright. Forget all that bullshit, it doesn't matter."
Wait, verse two? It's a love song? Really? "Sally, take my hand...//...Let's get together // Before we get much older" Hey, that sounds like a good idea. Live for the now! Wasteland be damned. And conventioni be damned too! We'll include a violin solo during the outro!
Yowza!
So, what inspired today's selection? Twenties are the new teens. People say kids are growing up so fast, but if that's the case, I'd expect not to see my peers acting ultimately hedonistic. Acting without consideration for the outcome of their actions, if you will. In a land devoid of ultimate responsibility, id rules.
I did stupid shit in high school. People I know did stupid shit in high school. That's being young and learning.
People in their early- to mid-20's are doing the same stupid shit, only on a slightly more legal and mature level. Only slightly though.
Making out furiously in a parking lot, getting wasted on a Tuesday night, spending all your money on shit you don't need (guilty, not guilty, guilty). Just three examples that I saw on one day this week! The future of America is doing everything it can to prolong its inevitable need to replace those ahead of us. I'm guilty of it as well, but I'm really enjoying the ride.
The "teenage wasteland" is no longer just teens! Twenty-somethings, please embrace your new anthem.
You're all wasted.
Mull that shit over.
Something I didn't know: This is the title song for CSI: New York. This kinda pisses me off.
Something else I didn't know: Uber-attractive wakeboarder Shaun Murray's session on Counterfeit This featured this song. I'm totally okay with this.
Something I did know: Pearl Jam covers this all the time. Fucking fun.
Love,
Hoffie
[Pearl Jam - "State Of Love And Trust" - Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
You're seeing this correctly. It [was] a link to a file.
Ones and zeros.
You can download it and experience it.
I'm going to make a valiant effort to do this every day until we've hit 10,000.
The rules are like so:
1. I'll post a song daily. It will be a song of my choosing; a favorite song of mine. The goal being that I'll end up posting my top 10,000 songs of all time. *Sigh* and whew.
2. You, the reader, can take my suggestion and the song.
3. Songs will only be available for a limited time, so check early and check often.
4. I'm the driver.
This record is to Hoffie what "Desperado" was to Elaine's Fardman-loving beau, Brett, on Seinfeld. Stop the world, I want to get lost for the next 3:46.
I would have a difficult time describing exactly why I love this song as I do, but I know it has something to do with the absolutely RAW feeling that I get from listening to it. It's calming, exciting, angering and saddening at the same time. The lines "And I listen // For the voice inside my head // Nothing // I'll do this one myself" are hauntingly beautiful and ultimately relatable. Uncertainty and conflict seem to be major themes or feelings conveyed by this record.
The heavily distorted, screeching power chord intro, bridge featuring a simple bass riff by Jeff Ament and, at times, punishing drums, courtesy Dave Abbruzzese, fit Eddie's gutteral wails to a tee. McCready scorches the solos, adding ad libbed material under the verses as well. A five-piece band should never sound so incredibly full.
After listening once or twice, imagine if you will what the recording session for this track must have been like. Keep in mind that, at this point in their careers, Ed was known to get so into a show that he would stage dive from lighting rigs, speakers, and whatever other fifteen foot structures he could find.
"State Of Love And Trust" makes me feel as though I'm proceeding appropriately in my pursuit of the human experience.
Love,
Hoffie
