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Rating: "Binaural": sound recording method aimed at optimizing headphone listening, reproducing as faithfully as possible the perceptions of a listener situated in the original environment.
Sometimes we all seek a warm haven, a station in the soul where the train of our lives continues its journey on tracks of hope. Because living amidst the rogue waves of a storm is a bad joke, an arbitrary fate at the Russian roulette of the "dices of god." We are victims and architects of an imponderable fate, like small boats in the ocean navigating in search of the safe harbor. "Binaural" by Pearl Jam is the distant gaze in the astral nebula of the cover, cold and impartial on human miseries. A corollary to man's odyssey on earth, who nullifies himself in the futility of wars, kills and annihilates others out of greed and selfishness, denies the past to lie in the present. Wealth, power, control in a false and abused mirror, distortion that reproduces a grotesque, alienated world where nothing is as it truly seems. Light years away from the truth, a global village soaked in cynical lies and desolate landscapes.
Produced by Tchad Blake, with the stable entry of former Soundgarden Matt Cameron on drums, "Binaural" will be released in May 2000, revealing itself as the most reflective and twilight album of the five knights of Seattle. Some evident references to certain late-Pink Floyd psychedelia, from Mike McCready's mesmerizing solo in the evocative single "Nothing As It Seems," to the sudden heartstrings of the sharp stop-and-go of Gossard-McCready drum and guitar interplay in the emotional "Insignificance." One of Eddie Vedder's best vocal performances on record, who in the thirteen tracks of this work literally invades the air around the listener with an angry, melancholic, tenacious, and never resigned timbre. An extraordinary warmth, Eddie's voice ascends and captivates in the eternal farewell to a departed friend (the poignant ballad "Light Years").
The initial triptych composed of "Breakerfall" ("Only love can prevent the end"), "God's Dice," and the neurotic tempo changes in "Evacuation" demonstrate once again, if ever there was a need, how Pearl Jam are a joyful, fast, and well-oiled rock and roll machine. The atmosphere often softens exasperated and harsh tones: in the sentimentality of the soft folk melody of "Thin Air," enhanced by Jeff Ament's pulsing bass, in the interlaces of the dreamy blues "Of The Girl" and the existence deviated by the skillful hand of the psychedelic ballad "Sleight Of Hand." Politics and the bloody events of the WTO in Seattle burst into the words of "Grievance" ("Great man, great eyes watching me. I must imagine what they see. Progress fastened with ramifications. Freedom was punched. Push the innocent from a crowd, raise the sticks and bring them down if they don't obey."), "Rival" is a drunken chant supported by the dirty hard-bluesy guitar interplays. And while in "Soon Forget," a short tale with Vedder on the ukulele, "..the sun is setting.." on the sad days of a man soon to be forgotten, sacrificed at the superficial cult of the god of money, the solemn finale of the splendid "Parting Ways" marks the definitive separation of two drifting lovers, aware that their paths will divide, that their future will "burn" as they drift apart forever. End of the games, a melancholy goodbye amidst the strings and drums of a secular prayer.
"Binaural" remains the last incisive and noteworthy work by Pearl Jam, after the glories of "Ten," "Vs," "Vitalogy," and "No Code"; an underrated title that encompasses the mercurial and dark side of their music. Immediately after will come the tragedy of Roskilde, damned and malignant guilt. But the survivors of the flannel shirts of the Nineties will manage to get back on their feet with strength and broad shoulders, riding the impetuous wave of these years with pride and sincere spirit. Despite everything, the PJ train continues to travel on infinite tracks.
"Your lights now reflected, reflected from afar. We were but stones. Your lights made us stars. With heavy breath, awakened regrets. Old pages and days that could have been shared, but we were miles apart. Every meter between us now turns into light years.."
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Breakerfall (02:19)
There's a girl on a ledge she's got nowhere to turn,
cause all the love that she had was just wood that she burned,
now her life is on fire, it's no one's concern,
she can blame the world or prey till dawn
But only love can break her fall,
break her fall,
yeah, only love can break her fall, fall.
It's like she lost her invitation to the party on earth,
and she's standing outside hating everyone here,
yeah, she's her own disease, crying to her doll,
But only love can break her fall,
break her fall,
only love can break her fall. Yeah.
Yeah fall, the world is her fall, break her fall,
love, love, love can break her fall,
now only love can break her fall,
love, love, love can break her fall, fall,
love, love can break her fall,
only love can break her.
02 Gods' Dice (02:26)
It's out of my hands making your hands meet.
Stumble as it's crumbling out of reach.
It's in the cards of destiny your sanity in tow.
Designate my luck. Uh resignate.
This power has no roots to guide. No role.
Trust me. Rusted minds refuse to go.
Unwillingness is meaningless to walk away in vain.
Designate my will.
Ah, designate my fill.
Ah resignate.
My will is crashing. Synapses flashing slow.
Ah, days like frame by frame. Where do they go?
Ah yeah, why fight? Forget it. Cannot spend it after I go.
Roll them high. Throw them again. All god's dice.
Monkey driven. Call this living? Ha.
Ah, too much thought it's overwrought a hole.
Yeah, minding yours what's mine not yours.
Will finish us off.
Ah, designate my life.
Ah, designate my view.
Ah, resignate my will, my will, my will, I will.
Resignate my god.
03 Evacuation (02:56)
The sirens scream wanton attention.
Time to take heed and change direction.
Time to take stock and make omissions.
Evacuation. Evacuation.
Time to take leave all formal functions.
Time to plant seeds of a reconstruction.
No time this time to feign reluctance.
It's like your waiting for a diamond shore to wash your way.
Bets put aside you're evil. Lets crawl into your face.
A vision vague or not raising a frightful wake you up.
Time for evacuation. Evacuation. Evacuation. Evacuation.
Evacuation. Evacuation.
There was a solemn man. Watched his twilight disappear.
In the sand.
Altered by a falling eagle. A warning sign. Sign.
He sensed that worry could be strength with a plan he said, "Time for evacuation."
Evacuation...
04 Light Years (05:06)
I've used hammers made out of wood.
I have played games with pieces and rules.
I've deciphered tricks at the bar, but now you're gone.
I haven't figured out why.
I've come up with riddles and jokes about war.
I figured out numbers and what they're for.
I've understood feelings and I've understood words
But how could you be taken away?
And wherever you've gone and wherever we might go.
It don't seem fair for days just disappeared.
Your light's reflected now. Reflected from afar.
We were but stones. Your light made us stars.
with heavy breath, awakened regrets.
Back pages and days alone that could have been
spent together but we were miles apart.
Every inch between us becomes light years now.
No time to be void or save up on life.
Oh, you got to spend it all.
And wherever you've gone and wherever we might go.
It don't seem fair. You seem to like it here.
Your light's reflected now. Reflected from afar.
We were but stones. Your light made us stars.
And wherever you've gone and wherever we might go.
It don't seem fair for days just disappeared.
Your light's reflected now. Reflected from afar.
We were but stones. Your light made us stars.
05 Nothing as It Seems (05:22)
Don't feel like home
he's a little out
and all these words alone
is nothing like your poem
Putting in, inputting in
don't feel like methadone
a scratching voice all alone
it's nothing like your baritone
It's nothing as it seems
the little that he needs its home
the little that he sees
is nothing he can sees its home
One uninviting chromosome
a blanket like the ozone
It's nothing as it seems
all that he needs is home
the little that he frees
is nothing he believes
saving it for a sunny day
something maybe two tone
anything of his own
a chip off the corner stone
who's kidding?, rainy day
a one way ticket headstone
an occupation's overthrown
a whisper through a megaphone,
It's nothing as it seems
the little that he needs its home
the little that he sees
is nothing he concedes its home
and all that he frees
a little bittersweet, it's home
it's nothing as it seems
the little that he see its home
06 Thin Air (03:32)
There's a light... when my baby is in my arms...
There's alight... when the window shades are drawn...
Hesitate... when I feel I may do harm to her...
Wash it off... cause this feeling we can share...
And I know she's reached my heart... in thin air...
Byzantine... is reflected in our pond..
There's a cloud... but the water remains calm...
reaching in,... the suns fingers clutch the dawn to pass...
even out... it's a precious thing to bear...
and I know she's reached my heart... in thin air...
yes I know she's reached my heart... in thin air...
It's not in my past to presume...
Love can keep on moving... in both directions...
How to be happy and true...
Is the quest were taking on together...
taking on, on, on, on, on
taking on, on, on, on...
There's a light when my baby's in my arms...
And I know she's reached my heart... in thin air...
and I know she's reached my heart... in thin air...
yes I know she's reached my heart... in thin air...
Yes I know she's reached my heart.
07 Insignificance (04:28)
All in all, its no ones fault,
excuses turn to carbon wall,
blame it all on chemical intercourse.
the swallowed seeds of arrogance,
breeding in the thoughts of ten.
thousand fools who fight irrelevance.
the full moon is dead skin,
the one down heres wearing thin,
so set up,.. the ten pins.
as the human tide rolls in,
like a ball that's spinning.
Bombs dropping down,..
overhead,.. underground,.
its instilled, to wanna live.
Bombs , dropping down,..
please forgive, our hometown,..
In our insignificance.
Turn the jukebox up, he said,
Dancing in irreverance,
Play C3, let the song protest.
The plates begin to shift,
perfect lefts come rolling in,
I was alone, and far away,
when I heard the band start playing,
on the lip, late take off.
Bombs , dropping down,..
Feel like resonance of distance,
In the blood,.. the iron lies.
Its instilled, to wanna live.
08 Of the Girl (05:07)
Oh, he deals them off, off the top, ties them off
fills it up with his past, gets carried away
oh, half his life, a hand-me-down, wasted away
oh, he fills it up with the love of a girl
Oh, he left it alone, drilled the pain with money to buy
How he makes his getaway
how he makes his getaway
Oh, he chose a path, heavy the fall, quarter to four
fills his mind with the thought of a girl
How he makes his getaway
how he makes his getaway
how he makes his getaway
getaway
09 Grievance (03:14)
Vedder
Have a drink they're buying.
Bottom of bottle of denial.
Big guy. Big eye watching me.
Have to wonder what it sees. sin.
Progress laced with ramifications.
Freedom's big blur. Oh.
Pull the innocent from a crowd.
Raise those sticks them bring them down.
If they fail to obey.
Ah, if they fail to obey. Yeah yeah.
For every tool they lend us a loss of independence.
I pledge my grievance to the flag.
Cause you don't give blood then take it back again.
Oh we're all deserving something more.
Progress taste it invest it all.
Champagne breakfast for everyone. Everyone.
Break the innocent when they're proud.
Raise those stakes then bring them down.
If they fail to obey.
Yeah, ha, if they fail to obey.
Pledge your grievance to the flag.
Cause, don't give blood then take it back again.
Oh, we're all deserving something more.
Have a, have a drink, drink. Have a, have a drink, drink.
I want to breathe part of the scene.
I want to taste everyone I see.
I want to run when I'm up high.
I want to run to the sea.
I want to life to be.
I just want to be.
I will feel alive as long as I am free.
10 Rival (03:38)
All my rivals will see what I have in store. My gun.
I've been harboring fleets in this reservoir. Red sun.
And this nations' about to explode.
You're disciples are riddled with metaphors. Well hung.
Better pony up and bring both your barrels full. Not one.
As we release this unspeakable toll. Woh.
How's our mother to damn these contributors. With mud.
How will the man who made chemicals difficult. Shed blood.
How's our father supposed to be told.
I don't. Woh.
11 Sleight of Hand (04:47)
Routine was the theme
he'd wake up, wash and pour himself into uniform
something he hadn't imagined being
as the merging traffic passed
he found himself staring down
at his own hands
not remembering the change
not recalling the plan
was it?
He was okay
but wondering
about wandering
was it age?
by consequence?
or was he moved by sleight of hand?
Mondays were made to fall
lost on a road he knew by heart
it was like a book he read in his sleep, endlessly
sometimes he hid in his radio
watching others pull into their homes
while he was drifting
On a line
of his own
off the line
off the side
by the by
as dirt turned to sand
as if moved by sleight of hand
When he reached the shore of his clip-on world
he resurfaced to the norm
organized his few things, his coat and keys
any new realizations would have to wait
till he had more time
more time
A time to dream
to himself
he waves goodbye
to himself
I'll see you on the other side
another man moved by sleight of hand
12 Soon Forget (01:46)
Sorry is the fool who trades his soul for a corvette.
Thinks he'll get the girl he'll only get the mechanic.
What's missing? He's living a day he'll soon forget.
That's one more time around. The sun is going down.
The moon is out but he's drunk and shouting.
Putting people down. He's pissing. He's living a day he'll soon forget.
Counts his money every morning. The only thing that keeps him horny.
Locked in a giant house that's alarming.
The townsfolk they all laugh.
Sorry is the fool who trades his love for hi-rise rent.
Seem the more you make equals the loneliness you get.
And it's fitting. He's barley living a day he'll soon forget.
That's one more time around and there is not a sound.
He's lying dead clutching Benjamins. Never put the money down.
He's stiffening. We're all whistling a man we'll soon forget.
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