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Plaidsurfshorts
04-11-2001, 11:41 PM
According to our nice little Synergy Rumor Pit archives, today is the one-year anniversary of when "Nothing As It Seems" hit radio airwaves.

I remember the first time I heard it, how I was intrigued at how much of a "departure" it seemed for the band, sonically speaking. I caught it on tape and listened to it over and over that night, soaking it in. As April 11th passed into April 12th, I wrapped the song around me like a blanket and have since, never let it go. Musically, I love everything about it -- all its layers and different sounds; How everytime I hear it, I seem to find a new aspect of the instrumentation to appreciate.

Now, I know a lot of you know that I love this song because a certain someone I'm quite fond of wrote it, but really there's so much more than that. To discuss the Jeff aspect, what I love about this song is that it showed a "darker" side to his writiing that I had never seen before. When I read that Jeff had penned the music and lyrics to the first Binaural single, I was honestly expecting something possibly along the lines of a more "souped-up" "Low Light", and really when I heard "Nothing As It Seems", I was intrigued. I felt as much -- dare I say it -- empathy for the author as I do when I listen to anything Eddie does lyrically. When I saw Jeff discuss the possible inspirations behind the song on MTV.com, it just amplified those feelings even more.

It came at just the right time for me. To get personal about it, I must be completely frank and say that I don't know if I'd be sitting here typing this if it weren't for "Nothing As It Seems". I was in a low and scary place the night I first heard it, and since, it has really been a song which has helped me get through some rough times, if only because it shows me I'm not alone in some of the things I am feeling. One moment sticks out in particular. One day during the summer, I came home and switched on the song, and when I went to sing, "she"'s and "her"'s came out in place of singing in third person about a guy. This wasn't a conscious gender switch on my part, it really just happened... But I realized I was singing it about myself completely. I just remember as the song ebbed and flowed that one time how I just lay there in the middle of my bedroom sobbing while I sang -- letting everything out. I guess that was my quintessential "NAIS" moment, which is to say nothing of how incredible it was for me to have it unfold live at the Toronto show.

So, pardon me for getting a little bit nostalgic here tonight, but this song is right up there with my absolute favourite PJ tunes. It's one of the my "Extra Special" songs I identify with the most, Methinks I owe Jeff and the guys a huge "thank you."

(((PJ/JA/"NAIS")))

Thanks for reading this, Jamily,
Sincerely,
PSS/Sarah

"What is a million people...listening...to your music?" - JA, "SVT".

vitolochica
04-12-2001, 12:20 AM
(((((Sarah))))) that was beautiful...NAIS holds a special place in my heart too...especially last Halloween's NAIS... :)

y para ser más franca nadie piensa en ti como lo hago yo aunque te dé lo mismo...

mtgirl
04-12-2001, 01:43 AM
(imagine hand gestures) 'what is...helping a wonderful toronto girl... get through life... with our music?' rock on girlfriend.
((((((((sarita))))))))

cute boys make me sigh

panther-girl
04-12-2001, 08:43 AM
that was so sweet mtgirl... :)
I love the song ...love it...but I haven't had that sort of personal connection with it.
But i've read a few accounts of friends that have.
it's so amazing ... that shared emotion.
well, I'm glad you're here sarah...!!
xx p-girl

Just_Jam_Please
04-12-2001, 12:01 PM
Your post has made 'Binaural' the album of the day today. Great post /images/smile.gif

Just hand me the coffee and everything will be okay. Fuckin' hand it over damn it!!!/images/smile.gif

jamijams
04-12-2001, 12:27 PM
PSS, I think that you must be, without doubt, one of the most in tune, honest, well spoken, intelligent "young" people I have encountered in a long time, its funny, I was actually thinking about you on my drive to work today...which may sound a bit strange since I only know you from what youve written here and at synergy in the last six months or so ive been around...specifically, I was thinking about you writing that you would keep your scars...scars that I do not know about, but I could not help thinking what a strong statement that was, furthering my ideal of you as a really special person. So, you were on my mind this morning miss PSS, and in your honor, I have pittsburgh with me today, we'll start with NAIS. you're awesome girl.

You bring about what you think about

reallygroovN
04-12-2001, 12:58 PM
hi sarah /images/smile.gif

i love nais also, although i dont have the deep connection to the song that you do....i just absolutely love the groove, its mellow and deep and the music is soothing and disturbing at the same time, although i prefer the studio version, binaurally speaking /images/wink.gif

funny, in philly we have 3 rock stations...and on this day last year (i forget what time it was) but it was, like, the official time that stations could play this song....all three of them played the song at the exact same time, stating..."the first station to bring you the new song by pearl jam....the official pearl jam station"...imagine that, three "official pearl jam radio stations" to listen to....do i live in a great place or what?????/images/wink.gif

the last connection to this song i had was a few weeks ago when my mom was rushed to the hospital and we didnt know if she had a stroke, a brain tumor or od'd on methadone (she takes it for pain).....she had a stroke. it was a pretty deep moment and this song was running round and round my head for many of the hours i spent in the hospital those coupla days. not only did it help me, it made me giggle thinking of my hubby singing that song to me in relation to my mother

aint music the best???????

lovies to all of you.

panther-girl
04-12-2001, 01:41 PM
groovn...all the best to your mom....and hugs to you!
love, p-girl

csmooth24
04-12-2001, 01:56 PM
wow sarah...thanks for sharing!

{{{{{pss}}}}}

/images/cool.gifchris/images/cool.gif
"elvis isn't dead, he's just on vacation with jim morrison"

_sysiphus_
04-12-2001, 09:58 PM
lol, I absolutely LOVE what mtgirl wrote! The power of music is definitely a strong one. I'm glad that you're grasping this power with all your might Sarah. Just listening to your intimate connection with the song is awe-inspiring (and I'm almost even jealous by it in a way). I'm sooo happy that you got to hear it live in our fair city. I can only imagine how wonderful it must have been for you.

/images/smile.gif

"I thank you for helping me learn how to think, but I reserve the right to determine WHAT I think."