special introductory
paragraph!
Ten
Vs.
Vitalogy
No Code
Yield
Live On Two Legs
Binaural
Riot Act
Lost Dogs
Pearl Jam
Atlanta Georgia August 7 2000
(Scott Hutley reviews) Ten (UK Import)
(Scott Hutley reviews) We're Gonna Hungry
(Scott Hutley reviews) Alternate Versions
(Scott Hutley reviews) Ultra Rare Trax
(Scott Hutley reviews) Flashpoint
(Scott Hutley reviews) Five Against One
(Scott Hutley reviews) Manifesting Morrison
(Scott Hutley reviews) Dissident 1
(Scott Hutley reviews) Dissident 2
(Scott Hutley reviews) Dissident 3
(Scott Hutley reviews) Bridge Benefit-An Acoustic Evening
(Scott Hutley reviews) Merkinball Single
(Scott Hutley reviews) Deep Through The Years (Italian 3-CD Box Set)
(Scott Hutley reviews) Decoder
By the by, over the course of the last year, three different people have submitted complete Pearl Jam reviews so, rather than wasting a lot of time and web space giving them all equal billing, I've relegated them to second-place stature as "reader comments." HA! I pay for this Web space, and I'll do what I WANT with it! Stay on your toes! Some day soon, you might just see a big ol' naked picture of my PENIS on this page!!! Ha fuckin' ha!
So yessy, the album definitely has its winners, but they're nearly always only due to the strong lungpower and charismatic phrasing of Mr. Vedder. The band doesn't exactly live up to the challenge. Imagine this generic predictable funk rock poop sung by, say, that guy in Weezer. Or Sammy Hagar. See what I'm driving at? "Why Go," for example, is a horrendous and entirely unnecessary song. "Alive," "Jeremy," "Release," and the end of "Black" damn near rule my ass, though. Emotions rule the day!
Strong opening salvo from these guys. They wrote some really good rockers: "Alive", "Why Go", "Porch", and "Deep" ("Deep" is especially good). "Jeremy" and "Even Flow" are good. The other few songs are so-so. I love the ballads ("Black", "Oceans", and "Release"). I think "Black" may be the best full blown ballad they have written. Many bands make their ballads really cheesy, but I think they do a really good job. Fav songs: "Black", "Why Go", "Porch", "Deep", and "Release".
Heh heh, Ten gets a 10. The second best album of 1991 and a damn fine debut. Every song is grungy, hooky, and dark. There's some syrup thanks to the production, but you shouldn't notice. Some fine melodies on here, folks, and nice moshers as well! You've all heard "Evenflow", "Alive", and "Jeremy". You've probably seen the videos, too. And you remember them as being crappy, overdone and annoying. But no! They not! "Evenflow" rocks the damn casbah, and "Jeremy" is a rootin', tootin', high-falootin', gun shootin', Jethro Tull flootin' 90s rock classic! I'm not gonna sing the praises of "Alive"--I always found it kind of annoying and find it the weakest song on here, but that's just me.
What else is there? Well, the opener "Once" is fantasmo, "Oceans" sounds like peak Led Zeppelin with less amazing drums, and, well, pretty much everything else here is noteworthy. Dave Matthews owes a great deal to the rollicking "Porch". "Black" has shitty lyrics (tatooed everything?), but the great, bleak piano melodies redeem it. "Garden" may be a bit too desperate stadium anthem, but it should give you a shiver anyway. "Deep" rules. Check that whiny riff on the chorus! Outtasight!
And "Release" is a great album closer. Eddie's gruff, moaned vocals are funny enough to make the song, but the music is neat, too. The music has few problems. Including the cover, this is the most overblown thing Pearl Jam would do. It owes a lot more to the 80s than critics would suggest. It's also fun to listen to, and it rock and rolls pretty damn sweet. Kind of pretentious, but still a great album.
No doubt about it, this is one darn fine debut! If this was the only thing Pearl Jam ever did, it would make for a short career. But danged if they haven't kept making records. In the commercial sense, this album ranks with the likes of Sgt. Peppers... and Dark Side of the Moon. I mean come on now, it was in the billboard top 40 for what, three years?! SOMEBODY out there likes this disc!! And for good reason, too. 'Once' is one of the best opening tunes I've ever heard in my life, and yet there's four other songs on here that simply blow it out of my nose! After 'Once' you've got no less than FIVE songs that get the pants played off of them over the air-waves. 'Evenflow', 'Alive', 'Why Go', 'Black', and the MTV acclaimed 'Jeremy' make me remember painful times in my childhood that never even happened! After that, you get 'Oceans' and 'Porch'. Ta'damn!! Eight songs on here. All in a row. All radio friendly. All done before lunch time. Mmmmm... Lunch.... 'Garden' and 'Deep' leave me feeling a little yadda yadda yackity shmackity. But 'Release' kicks in and then that little 'Master/Slave' number, and it all loops around to bring me back to 'Once'. Very cleaver, these Seattlites are even though Eddie isn't really from Seattle. But neither am I and you don't hear me complaining. Great CD, but the best was yet to come. By all accounts this disc is just a simple warm-up compared to what the Jam would do later.
Elsewhere, I have declared myself a worshipper of Maiden, Priest, AC/DC, Slayer and Scorpions (see the Metallica review site -- note: as yet I've been able to avoid Reload but I am beginning to think about buying it ... somebody please stop me!). I guess at the time I was ashamed to admit it, but I really like Pearl Jam too.
I do agree with Mark though that their debut album is overrated. I did listen to it a lot when it came out, but only a few songs really got a hold of me. In particular, "Black" is awesome.
By the way, here in the Netherlands you can buy the version with three bonus tracks at almost any record store for $12-$18. I recall that this version was actually released in the Netherlands first, to celebrate their concert at Pinkpop festival.
However, rather than to try to get a hold of these bonus tracks, you might wish to put some effort into obtaining the soundtrack to Singles. Apart from some other interesting stuff, it includes two Pearl Jam songs, of which "State of love and trust" is a near-classic.
But in all honesty, I really think Ten deserves more credit than you give it. While they (eventually) topped it with the lovely Yield, this album is remarkably solid throughout, with the possible exceptions of "Deep," "Garden," and that weird instrumental tucked in after "Release." "Alive" and "Jeremy" are amazing, as is the harrowing "Oceans." While that reverb added to Eddie's voice on most tracks sounds a little cheesy, it lends the album as a whole a certain atmosphere. In addition, the lyrics are heartfelt and Eddie sings with genuine passion, as opposed to his prenentious wanderings on Vs. Indeed, it is no surprise they gained such a following of mall rats with this album, a faction that has (thankfully) abandoned them in recent years.
A solid 8.
Basically though, you are being kind of hard on the Beaver, as the joke goes from some comedian making fun of Leave it to Beaver that I can't recall. It's a classic, so you might as well roll over and let it scratch you on the belly. It's gonna happen sooner or later anyway. You are gonna wake up, roll over, and say, "Fuck me if Ten ain't a great fucking album." Maybe not a ten, mind you, but great nonetheless. And more. Much more. Just you wait. Yessiree, Mr. P.
Turn-ons? How about the amazing "Even Flow" (or its even better live version that gets played on the radio)--never quite realizes its potential, but man that melody kicks derriere. Then there's the punkish-but-still-cool "Once," the apocalyptic "Black," the enigmatic "Garden," the kind-of-stupid-but-still-catchy "Alive." I even like "Why Go." Honestly.
Turn-offs include the unmemorability of "Deep," as well as the overratedosity of "Jeremy" (which is still a good song, by the way, just not without its problems). Most of all, I resent the fact that the Jammers went forward in time to 1993, listened to their future classic "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town," and ripped off the melody for use in "Release." That just wasn't cool, Vedder. Shame on you.
Still a good debut, though. Too bad they couldn't keep it up.
PEARL JAM HAVEN'T GOT A DAMN CLUE ABOUT SONGWRITING!!!
okay, wait! I'm not too familiar with this record, i don't listen to it every day and stuff, but i enjoy it every once in a while, but what disturbs me is: Every song has a absolutely cool chorus and fucking awful verses! Well, not fucking awful, but boring, mostly. It seems like they wrote a bunch of great tunes (which are all catchy and lovely and fantastic), then made up some pretty good lyrics...and then sourounded this COOL music by totally boring SHIT without any inspiration...i don't like their solos too much either...but sometimes at the end of every other song, they just play along with some ideas to the main theme of the chorus or something like that...and it sounds cool! the end of "alive" for example, which i still enjoy, also it has been player 100000000 times on the radio and radio sucks. and the end of "black" is maybe the saddest bit of music i ever heard. maybe. probably just because i'm listening to it right now and can't get it out of my head. ask me again in twenty minutes and the saddest bit of music will probably nirvana's "something in the way" or the pixies' "monkey gone to heaven" or whatever... anyway...pearl jam could have made this record much better! they are still quite talented melody makers
By the way, STP sound nothing like Pearl Jam, and they are definitly not midtempo slop. ggrrrrrrrrrrr....must...control...rage.... But I'll forgive you.
I liked it too when I first got it, although even then I was disappointed about how mellow things were compared to what used to be known as grunge rock back in the day. Today, I can't see a single GREAT song on this album. "Oceans" is boring, "Porch" and - as you said - "Why Go" are crap. And I never understood the big deal about "Jeremy" - fact is, that's something you'd say about lots of big hits, but Pearl Jam is supposed to be good, they're not garbage, that's what they say. The verse parts are pretty damn pretentious, the chorus is okay, but...
Sound production - CRAP, way too overblown. Guitar leads - mostly generic. Vocals - a bit too ambitious, even if it somewhat saves the album.
Back to the songs - "Alive"; back then - great, now - boring, I mean I get annoyed just hearing the chorus in my head. "Deep" - I really like the chorus, sounds pretty funny with the words and all. "Even Flow" - decent, that part after the second chorus sounds fantastic on the live version that you'd hear to the video. "Black" - okay, that's a pretty good balad, I won't deny that.
The funny thing is that I read this review long time ago, and back then I was thinking "this guy is nuts, okay, so it may be a bit cock-rock-ish, but it's still a good rock record" and when I came back to read it again, I was pretty sure you'd given it a four. Probably because I used to think it was a great album, so going down to six was like really low considering the expectations. Then in later years I thought "he has a point", and then I figured four is really the right rating for this, but now I come back and it's apparently a six.
It may be harsh, but I really think this doesn't deserve more than a four or possibly five. If this would get six, then I'd have to give stuff like Vitalogy and No Code a full ten, and they're not quite that good. It's just a shame that so much music is released out there that would get about 1-2/10.
They build on the style they started with on Ten, but they begin to expand their range of styles. They did two acoustic songs ("Daughter" and "Elderly Woman Behind a Counter in a Small Town"); a tribal sounding song ("WMA"); and some punkier sounding songs ("Go", "Blood", and "Leash"). Most of the songs are pretty good, but "WMA" and "Animal" don't do much for me. Favorite songs: "Go", "Glorified G.", "Dissident", "Elderly Woman...", and "Indifference".
Another great album that I considered giving the 10. Now, here's the part I don't get. This album made them superstars, but they refused to release any singles, make any videos, or tour for this album. They kept Vitology under a low profile, too. Why? Do they truly not want to be rock stars? It seems that way. All this taken in to conclusion, I really can't understand the backlash of the last year.
But hey, back to the album. Vs. took the rocking, honest set of Ten and split in half-krickk!-over it's knee. You see, now there are rock songs and soft, understated songs. And that's not bad at all! In fact, the rockers "Go", "Animal", and "Blood" are twice as hard as anything on Ten, and the softies (or whatever) "Daughter" and "Ederly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town" are nice an' pretty. The only throwbacks to le debut are "Rearviewmirror" and the anthemic "Leash" (get outta my fuckin' face!). They did grow between the two albums! And there's a little experimentation, too. The bongo-beating "W.M.A" is nifty. I could do without the lumpy "Glorified G" and the dumb "Rats", but "Indifference" is a nice wrap-up. All in all, it leaves a different impression than Ten, but it's almost as good.
Amyone who listens to this disc knows exactly what I mean by better. For those who were looking for the 'Jeremy' sequel, well 'Daughter' is the closest thing you're going to get. Now some might say (Oasis) that Pearl Jam can't do or play anything different or better than what they put on TEN. They're one-dimensional and don't have the musical aptitude to change. But I digest. Now sure 'Indifference' reminds you all of 'Release', and 'Go' has more than a few similarities to 'Once'. And heck, the opening chords to 'Animal' are suspiciously familiar to the tune 'Evenflow'. But I ask ye' merry men to find 'Glorified G' on TEN. I dare thee to find 'W.M.A.' And I'll be hornswaggelled if you can find anything that resembles 'Elderly Woman'!!! It just ain't gonna happen! Even without a video (Eddie hates MTV), a strong marketing for a single (the first single 'Go' was purposely not allowed by the band to enter the UK charts. You figure it out.), and a dumpster full of increasingly bad press (remember that guy Eddie Vedder?), VS still sold 950,000 copies in its first week! Only Snoop Doggy Dog and his gang (literally) could knock them out of #1. I don't care what anybody says, that is simply amazing (Aerosmith). And it was successful for one simple reason. It's good. So buy it already!
Definitely a 10.
This is their best. No doubt in my mind. How can you not love every song on this disc? From the thrashing of "Go" to the (now overplayed) majesty of "Elderly Woman", to the quiet power of "W.M.A." (Everyone hates this song, I don't know why. One of my faves), to the incredibly catchy "Leash" and "Rats". And how about that incredible guitar at the end of "Dissident"? "Glorified G" has some pretty stupid lyrics, but what a great song! And "Rearviemirror" Damn........ I can't say enough about this song. IMHO their finest, no question. There is just no other song like it. And it is just weird enough to stick in your head for years. "Animal" is pretty damn cool, too. On the other hand, I can't stand "Blood," and "Indifference" leaves me well, pardon the cliche, indifferent. "Daughter" I guess is OK, but its on the radio too damn much! Oh yeah, and I personally think Eddie has the finest voice of any rock singer in the history of rock. And I mean it. Better than Morrison ( a close second) IMHO.
"Rearviewmirror" and "Elderly Woman..." are fantastic songs, no doubt. But "Glorified G" is the most ridiculous, pretentious thing I have ever heard, "Blood" is nothing more than a mindless screechfest, and "Leash" is only notable for Eddie's expletive blurting. On the whole, not bad, but VERY uneven.
Definatly their worst album, but still features some great songs. "Daughter", "indifference", "porch" and "elderly woman".
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHERE THE TITLE COMES FROM. AS FAR AS I CAN SEE THE ALBUM IS SELF-TITLED. VS IS NOT PRINTED ON THE COVER OR SLEEVE AT ALL.
PLEASE EXPLAIN
Surely I'm not the only one who sees this.
But whoah, are there some standout songs here! "Go" is relentlessly intense and features some great guitar work, "Daughter" is one of PJ's most musically interesting songs, and "Elderly Woman" has Eddie at his tuneful best. But my pick for best song on the album may surprise you--it's "Dissident"! I LOVE that riff, and the melody is awesome as well. It's one of my favorite Pearl Jam songs, period.
Hard to say whether this is better than Ten or not. Really, they're quite comparable, but I think Ten is just a bit more consistent. If only they had left off "Blood"...
Anyways, Eddie's voice is at its best, before he started down the long road of murmuring madness, which he now dwells in. The riffs are fantastic and hooky all over the record, Mike's leadwork is promenent (unlike a lot of the later albums), Dave brings a precision and complex sound with his drumming, and the melodies are just great all throughout.
I agree with everybody. "Blood" is terrible. But its the only low point on this album. One of the best albums of the 90s (if not the best), and a recommended buy.
Even if "Go" and "Rearviewmirror" sound more creative, overall, I'd say "Dissident" is the best song of the album. I think it sort of represents the typical rock sound of the early 90s, and it's okay...I'm fed up with all the retro crap, so hearing this makes me feel that things weren't all that bad back then. Sometimes things went awfully wrong, but they had good intentions. I don't care if it's major label grunge or not, it's just good guitar rock.
If I was to rate this, it'd be 6/10.
When it came out I was 18 and feeling all angsty, there was a girl who I'd broken up with and I used to sit in my bedroom smoking weed singing "Indifference" into an empty beer bottle feeling sorry for myself...hahahaha, what a cockhead. I would rise to a heartfelt cresendo when Vedder sang "I will hold this candel till it burns off my arm"...teenage boys are stupid.
Great powerful album. I enjoy most of these songs better when I hear live versions of them..they have more power and agression then. But, this is a great rock album, and I love the variation of the mellow songs like daughter, indifference and elderly woman... to the rocking rearviewmirror and Go.
By the way, I'm having emotional problems. Actually more like "obsessive" problems. I've had them forever, but recently they've been really bad and are wreaking havoc on my psyche. I think I'm gonna try one of them antidepressant prescription drug things. So if you notice an incredible lack of creativity in my writing starting in the near future, that's why.
If you notice an incredible lack of creativity in my writing right now, it's because I'm not a very good writer.
The one thing that sticks out the most on this album is how rough around the edges it is. Another thing is how much more wild it is. I went totally apeshit when this album came out. I had the two previous albums, but this one seemed much more.......awesome.
It starts off with "Last Exit", "Spin the Black Circle", "Not For you" and "Tremor Christ". Wow!!! These songs kick ass. The only songs on this that don't kick ass are "Bugs" and "Stupid Mop". "Stupid Mop" is extremely irritating after awhile (although I get the humor.........I hope it's a joke). "Bugs" seems really out of place here too. It might've fit in on No Code. The slower songs ("Nothing Man" and "Better Man") are incredibly written. I don't know whether "Immortality" should be called a rocker or a ballad, but it kicks ass none the less. Even though this has nothing to do with the music, I think that the packaging is the most thought out design I've ever seen. It's funny. Favorite Songs: "Last Exit", "Not For You", "Corduroy", "Satan's Bed", and "Immortality".
Wow. I didn't see this coming. This is a weird little album! No hits (well, I did hear "Better Man" on the radio a few times), less hooks, and some odd song concepts, this has to be one of the strangest albums to ever go multi-platinum. Sandwiched between some crazy, pretentious freaking album art (the Vitalogy health book, you see), we have two "divisions" of perverted rock 'n roll. And some crap. Read on.
"Last Exit" is the band's iffiest opening ever, a half-written, malformed grunge tune. But then, hah-ho-hey, here's "Spin the Black Circle"! This song cooks! Love that circular riff! And the rest of Division One is okay too, with the strangely catchy "Not For You" (how about Vedder's Red Hot Chili Pepper's impression?), the throbbing, sorta lousy "Tremor Christ", the fine ballad "Nothingman" (not a ripoff of "Nowhere Man" at all, oh noooo!), the driving "Whipping" and, uh, "Pry, to".
Division Two starts off great with one of the band's best songs, "Corduroy". Why wasn't this a hit? I'd have guessed this to be a bigger hit than, say, "Who You Are"! But who am I? I liked Mallrats. Oh yeah...Division Two is screwed up by the lousy, "experimental" songs. "Bugs" is an accordian-driven mess, "Aye Davanita" is insultingly stupid, and "Stupid Mop" is unlistenable. "Better Man" and "Satan's Bed" are winners, and "Immortality" is good, but they tend to get lost. Overall, 8 cool tracks and 6 losers. Yeah, "Pry, to" isn't really a song, but it still sucks. A mistep for the band that definitely cost them fans.
In a word: Weird. In more words: This disc is a mix good and 'eh. Mostly good, though. This one goes beyond diverse. It just goes nuts in places. While tunes like 'Last Exit', 'Corduroy', 'Better Man' (which was a song played previously by Eddie's earlier band Bad Radio) and 'Immortality' show further proof that the Pajamas can still make some incredible music together, There's also some... well... filler on here as well. 'Pry to' has somewhat of a point to it, but it's basically just goofy. 'Bugs' is absolutely hilarious! It's not really what one would consider a song though. As for 'Stupid Mop'... it's just downright disturbing. And to be quite honest 'Spin the Black Circle' may be an ode to records, but it's truelly one weak Pearl Jam song. There's a couple of tunes that could've been on here too that didn't make the cut. 'Hard to Imagine' for instance was a demo for the VS disc, but it certainly should have been put on here! Thank the Makers that in the summer this wonderful song will be released on a movie soundtrack, but seriously now doesn't it deserve to be on a real PJ album? In short, they did some great things on here but not all the way through the CD. In long, see the above paragraph.
I dunno....this album sits very odd with me. I can never decide whether I love it or just call it mediocre. Sometimes it seems like an act of pure genius, and other times its like "They coulda done better than this". That said it is still a very good album, so I gave it an 8, rather than a 10 or a 6. I disagree "Last Exit" is great. One of the few songs on this record (Yes, I bought the vinyl version) that always appeals to me. "Spin the Black Circle", "Stupid mop", "Bugs", and "Aye Davanita", you have to be in the mood for, but when you are, those songs are great! "Not For You" is such an odd song, but I guess I like it. "Tremor Christ" is the best on this album in my opinion....so spooky and powerful....can't get enough of that song. Following closely is "Immortality", and excellent creepy yet oddly catchy song at the same time. "Better Man" has some dumb lyrics that don't meld very well with the song, but thats because Eddie wrote that song back in High School, if I'm not mistaken.....And of course everyone loves "Nothingman". "Whipping" has a excellent driving guitar riff as well as excellent drumming by Dave. And you've all heard "Corderoy" on the radio way too many times. Again, even as I am typing this, this album suddenly seems like a work of art, but later on I may change my mind yet again, so I'll compromise and go with 8.
The "normal" songs, just like on Vs, consist of 1/2 really, really good stuff - "Betterman," "Not for You," "Nothingman" (quite possibly my fav PJ song) and 1/2 not that good ("Satan's Bed," "Whipping"). But here, the difference is that the weak songs are not as unsatisfying as those on Vs, and indeed, I agree with you that they sound much more focused and mature.
Overall, 7 or 7 1/2.
Wow what a waste of a perfectly good piece of silicon. This is such an incredibly lame attempt at a late 60's- early 70's "concept album" that it's actually funny. When a band tries to be original and experimental it is more obvious the sun in the sky. And it's usually pure drivel. The Seattle Boys make no exception here. You can almost hear Big Ed pulling from some JD during the songs. Maybe Vedder thought that Jim Morrison was so cool he decided to destroy his career and his life in the same manner. Other then the decent singles, just seemed like a way to prove to the world "Hey we are a really deep, underground, artsy band!". Guess again guys.
Ok, look, back where I came from in 94-95, if you listened to AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Mettalica etc. you were considered a devil worshipper, but this was in high school. And those dumb people at my school thought that AC/DC meant " After Christ / Devil Comes ". HA!, what a bunch of fuckin morons, so I got my ass kicked every single day because they thought I worshipped the devil, so basically I was like forced in to like Pearl Jam, Nirvana, The Pumpkins etc. And actually I loved them for a couple years.
But one day last year, I just got sick and tired of listening to this crap, I just got bored with it. So I went back to listening to the good bands and I love them very much to this day. My point is that kids were hypnotized back then and some are still are. So I sold all my crappy alternative CD`s and I got a kick ass deal, so I ended buying a new guitar and an amp. And my friend was right the whole time. Hooray for good ol classic rock!!. And Pearl Jam Sucks... A Lot.
I think it definitely deserves 8/10, but I guess that's not a big deal. Sure, the experimentals don't always work, but then again it has 14 tracks, so if you take off a few, you still get plenty of really good rock songs, and a few pretty balads.
Best tunes: "Not For You", "Tremor Christ", "Better Man", "Whipping" and "Corduroy".
I also don't get all the sarcasm regarding Pearl Jam's hardheaded attitude regarding ticket prices and music videos during these years. I wasn't really "innit" back then to feel how things were, but it's a sound attitude. Who cares if they're "for real" or not? They didn't make videos and that's great. I'm ready to admit it when I see a cool video, but generally, they're pretty damn stupid. You could always give out live videos, if you think it's important for the sake of promotion.
For many years, this was my favorite Pearl Jam Album! From the rocking Last Exit (drummed by their drum tech) and spin the black circle, to the heartbreaking songs Nothingman, Betterman, and Immortality. A beautiful album with great funny songss like Bugs (cool!) and hidden messages in Pry, To! This album is just a 10 out of 10. beautiful artwork, and amazingly great music. every song on here is great!
It's no wonder that this album wasn't a hit - it doesn't have any of the musical qualities that so appealed to former fans. Actually, it sounds more like the last Thinking Fellers album with Eddie Vedder singing than it does Ten! Not every song is slow, of course ("Hail, Hail" - now there's a great fucking rock song. What a chord sequence in the chorus!), but the overall mood is one of peaceful relaxation and just hangin' out, dude. It fits Eddie's voice wonderfully and is another giant leap towards maturity. Plus, this time, the experimentation is integrated into the songs themselves instead of serving as annoying asides like on the last record, and that's a plus too, which is why I began the sentence with the word "plus". The only problem is that, although there's really not a crapper on the whole thing, most of the songs are just good and not great. So it's an enjoyable surprise the first couple times you hear it, but then the novelty of the wild new Jam style wears off and you're left with a record that is just... good. Most of the riffs aren't really all that innovative. A few are, yes. And it's all a wonderfully pleasant listen - possibly their best album up to this point. But that's not good enough for me, dammit. I've got millions of albums, and a merely "good" one isn't gonna make me hop up and down singing for cola. And ick, but Eddie's "raw" vocals in the first track sound like absolute pooplog!
Definitely their best work. I like each and every song on here. The song writing keeps getting better and better. Here's what happened, Pearl Jam decided that they needed to do a album that was a little softer. How many rocking songs can you write before you decide that the next album should have a larger portion of slower songs (and just how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop)? There are still a few rockers, but they seem overshadowed by the slower ones. I like songs that rock and I think that they write incredible songs on every album. The way the songs are written, not the type of songs, is the reason that I think this is the best. The only half stinker on here is "Around the Bend". The music is good, but some of the lyrics are iffy. Fav's: "Sometimes", "Hail Hail", "Off He Goes", "Lukin", "Present Tense".
Pearl Jam rebound with a great, diverse set of songs inspired by their jams with Neil Young and some fat Pakistani guy. Nobody cares. The single "Who You Are" is neglected and the album bombs. All when I start to dig 'em!
It may not have been the reason nobody bought it, but in my opinion the packaging is again too pretentious. Two albums in a row that don't list the band's name on the cover? No matter--the music is what matters, right? And the music this time out is great. The hymn "Sometimes" makes a fine opener, "Habit" shows off a neato vocal performance by my man Eddie, "Who You Are" is actually kind of neat, and "Smile" is not as happy as the title may suggest but still fun. It's nice to see that a band with such a tarnished reputation is still trying. The messy crap of Vitology is gone, with such lovely fare as "Mankind" and "In My Tree" filling the gap. The record overall is a brave step forward for Pearl Jam. Less anthemic than Ten or Vs., it's not quite as accessible but I can still recommend it. If the band continues on this track, they'll do just fine.
By the way, do you know what pearl jam actually is? Semen! Have a nice day!
Now here we go! This is the Jam I don't really know and have never personally met before! When I first heard this disc, I kept waiting for the next tune that would later be played on the radio. You know what? I never heard one. And that's not a bad thing either. For the first time, Pearl Jam left me feeling completely surprised throughout the entire album. Not a song on here sounds a thing like each other, or their earlier stuff for that matter. Am I the only person around who kept thinking to myself that this is not Pearl Jam? This is not Pearl Jam! It's not! It's some band other than Pearl Jam. Some other decent band that's not Pearl Jam. It's a band with a terribly infectious sound and one Jim Morrison of a lead singer that is not Pearl Jam. Well I'll be damned if this ain't Pearl Jam! Just think: when you were sitting at home lipsinking to 'Jeremy' and 'Evenflow' did you it ever occur to you that one day that same band would be making songs like 'In My Tree', 'Present Tense', and 'Around the Bend'? I certainly didn't, my friends! But I sure am glad they did! I can't help but believe that some of this has to do with the addition and subtraction of a new drummer. Jack Irons brings in the kind of surf/punk sound that Dave Abbruzzese either couldn't or wouldn't do. Contrary to popular belief, it was actually Jack who did more to influence the sound of 'Who You Are' than the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan did. And Irons is the man whom Eddie claimed at the '94 Bridge Benefit concert saved Pearl Jam as a band. Wanna know something? I think he really did, too. Oh, and that packaging! Way to go, Jammers!
Yeah, I give it a 9, partially because I love bands that do whatever the fuck they want and don't worry about record sales. It starts off slow, but it's actually a slow song that me, lover of all things thrash, can enjoy, and thats no small feat. "Hail Hail" sucks. I hate that song. Like three chords throughout the entire song. Nothing else. Lets not be Bush fellas, OK? "Who you are" is shocking because I thought I was gonna hate it, but actually it is a pretty damn good song. "In my Tree" ties "Red Mosquito" for the best songs on the disc in my opinion. "Red Mosquito" had they bothered to put it on the radio rather than that "Hail Hail" shit would've sold some copies. What a great song. "Smile" and "Off He Goes" were also released as singles, and they both have yet to bug me cus of overplay, which can only be a good sign. "Habit" may sound annoying the first coupla times you listen, but after that you can't turn it off. "Lukin" is put on my list of songs that I wish WERE LONGER! It has such a great riff to it, but they chop it off at :49 or something like that. "Present Tense" has some dumb lyrics, but otherwise 3rd best on the disc. Great Ending! "Mankind" sounds like the Ramones, but thats OK because it is so catchy, and Stone takes the mike on this one! "I'm open" is interesting, and "Around the Bend" is a great ender. All in all, not for everyone, but I really liked this one......
I would give it either a 7 or an 8 - still trying to decide...
Also deserving of an 8, but still weaker than Vitalogy, let's say 8- . The only problem with this record is that, like I said on my Vitalogy comment, Eddie mumbles too much. On Vitalogy he got the balance between this and the early records, but here, on songs like "Sometimes" and verse parts of "In My Tree", he sounds like a dead guy, is it supposed to be "emotional"? I don't know, I don't mean to make him sound as bad as others out here.
That, and as you say, it's not as if it has all that many fantastic tracks, although I think some of them are more than just "good". "Hail,Hail", "Red Mosquito" - Beatles vs. Hendrix - great, fuckin' excellent intro! "In My Tree" - trippy, "Off He Goes" - pretty.
The Coral is a fuckin' unbelievable band. Possibly the coolest CD packaging EVER...It's just fantastic. No extra points for that, but it must be mentioned.
I don't know how you like these sent to you, so correct me if I'm doing something wrong.
There are bands out there that had fame, but just took it too far and lost it all. Pearl Jam on the other hand grabbed it, took it out of the package, tried it out for a week, carefully put it back in its box and slapped a 'Return to Sender' sticker on the side. For those who don't know, this is it. You can tell if someone knows their shit or not depending on how they feel about this album. If you don't enjoy it, you'll know the song "Jeremy" and not...say... "Love Boat Captain". If you love this album, you're going to follow this band for a long, long time, possibly down to the B-Side. That being said, it's my favorite album of all time. There aren't any radio-friendly pop tunes here, in fact the singles that were released absolutely tanked. Instead, we get a very humble and human record about personal demons and nostalgia, yet with the constant reminder that dwelling on either is foolish. "It makes much more sense to live…in the present tense," singer Eddie Vedder reminds us. This theme is also visited in "Off He Goes" (!) a beautiful Mellon collie song about meeting an old friend, and "Smile" ("I miss you already, I'll miss you always," he wails next to the tone of a solemn harmonica). Perhaps these personal anecdotes are why the band has always included only partial lyrics with their albums.
That's not to say that the whole album is low-key. "Hail, Hail" is here (and is it ever). "In My Tree" has become a fan favorite in the truest sense, and a prime example of the excellent percussion skills of Jack Irons. It speaks of isolation and meditation "up here so high the sky I scrape/had my eyes peeled both wide open, and I got a glimpse/of my innocence... got back my inner sense..." A personal favorite of mine is the simple integrity of Stone Gossard penned (and sung) "Mankind," which speaks of the world they left behind, "What's got the whole world fakin'?" The whole album is absolutely brimming with these themes, and I want to mention them all. "Lukin" is a fantastic release of pure energy, and a masterful interlude between these reoccurring themes, and the final piece of the puzzle, the winding "Around the Bend" finishes up in as peaceful lullaby after the spoken word oddity "I'm Open". I'll stop here, but just know there is plenty more where that came from, and of course it has an internal logic and flow like all Jam albums.
Ten may have smashed the records, Vitalogy may have broke the songwriting mold, and Binaural may have created the new one, but No Code still stands as their most important record with its deliberate shedding of all that the band didn't want. For what it's worth, this is definitely a 'take it or leave it' record. If it bores you no end, stick with the first three releases and enjoy them to your heart's content. As for me, I'll stock up on rarities and live shows and enjoy them to mine.
1.SOMETIMES: we start with a bass line and eddie mumbling and someone peeing if you hear real close you can see the producer peeing! I am not kidding!
2.HAIL HAIL!: BAM! FAST ROCK! I CANNOT UNDERSTAAAAAAAAAAND A WORD YER SAYYYYYYYING! THEN THE BRIDGE IS PRETTY COOL! THE BAND IS NOT REALLY GRUNGE MORE OF A CLASSIC ROCK JAM BAND WITH A SINGER THAT HAS A DEEPER VOICE THAN THE WUSSY TEDDY BEAR RUBEN STUDFART!
3.WHO YOU ARE: STARTING WITH CONGAS, BONGOS, STEEL DRUMS, SITAR, PIANO, PENNYWHISTLE, AND ALL KINDS OF DRUMS, ED SINGS LIKE ALANIS AND HER QUEST OF ETHIOPIA. SOUNDS LIKE A TRIBAL SONG! ODD SINGLE BUT IT TANKED! FUCK WANNBE BY SCARY SPICE! 1 MORE AD ABOUT THE FUCKING SPICE CUNTS I TEAR YA' DICK OFF! COMMERCIALS SUCK!
4.IN MY TREE: ME TARZAN. MAKE LOVE TO JOSIE WITH TRIBAL DRUMS. CLIMB MY TREE.
5.SMILE: WHAT? IS THAT A BLUES SONG? NEH TOO SOGGY.
6.OFF HE GOES: AH YEA. ED AND THE GUYS PRACTICE AND HE COUNTS 1 2 1 2 3. ACOUSTIC GOODNESS. A TALE OF A BIKER WHO GOT LOST IN THE DESERT AND FINDS A HOTEL . CAMPFIRE SONG. YEP. CHILLIN' BY THE FIRE AND PLAYING.
7.HABIT!: MORE PUNK! ED WHAT YOU YAPPING ABOUT?
8.RED MOSQUITO: BLUES WITH A GREAT SOLO. PJ SOLOS ARE GREAT PLEASE GIVE US MORE. AND THE LOVELY BRIDGE IS GREAT.
9.LUKIN: JAJAJAJAAJAJAJAAJAJNANANANAANANAANLALALAALALALALAALALAMAMAAMAMAAMAMAMAAMAMKAAKAAKKAAKAKAK WHAT? DOWN WITH A DOG CANNOT FIND MY KEYS TO MY OWN FUCKING HOME! 65 SECONDS OF PUNK!
10.PRESENT TENSE: ah....... yep a mellow tune that desreved to be a hit FAV LYRICS: YOU CAN'T SPEND YOUR TIME ALONE/ RED DIGRESS AND PAST REGRETS OH/ YOU CAN'T COME TO TREMS AND REALISE YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE WHO CANNOT FORGIVE YOURSELF OH/ IT MAKES MUCH MORE SENSE TO LIVE IN THE PRESENT TENSE. yeah. the bridge is fast paced rock and a pretty ending. I miss the 90's fuck the millenium! fucking gay retard decade. hey! on habit after the feedback ed said speaking as a child of the 90's then rock again.
11.MANKIND; HUH? OH IT IS NOT EDDIE IT IS STONE GOSSARD. SOUNDS LIKE MY SO CALLED LIFE OR DARIA! HE TALK ABOUT RADIO, BATTLESHIP, MAGAZINE, LISTERENE, HISTIMIIIIIINE!, OVALTINE, AND MANKIND. HEY, MANKIND IS AN UGLY FAGGOT WRESTLER! WHAT'S GOT THE WHO WORLD THINKING IN 96/97 AND WHAT HAS GOT THE WHOLE WORLD THINKING IN 05/06?
12.I'M OPEN: DROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE...... ED TALKS LIKE DR.PHIL AND THE CALM MUSIC DRONES ON. LIKE A VITOLOGY OUTTAKE.
13.AROUND THE BEND: PRETTY TUNE.
10. I STILL MISS THE 90'S.
Oh, my beloved Jammin' Pearls! Look what they've done! They've created music that's completely different from what they've played in the past, and what's more, they're delivering their new sound better than the post-office!
This is undoubtedly more radio-friendly than No Code. I mean, the shear guitar hooks and catchiness of no less than half of the disc reminds me of a mid-80's Ratt. That's a compliment by the way. And if you can't see Bon Jovi performing a rousing rendition of "In Hiding" then you're not using the same eyes as I am. "Brain of J" and "Do The Evolution" are tunes that I just can't get out of my rug no matter how many times I run the ol' Hoover over it. And "Low Light" is such a cute little ditty! How can you possibly hate something so pretty? Absolutely beautiful! I'd also like to nod my head to "MFC" and "Faithfull".
This disc is so completely a group effort, it's almost sad in a way. Ok, it's not sad in any conceivable way. I just didn't know what else to say. Both Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard showcase two complete songs each. That includes music AND lyrics in case you were confused by the words 'complete songs'. If I wasn't incredibly hungry right now, I'd say more. I'm so weak. Yield however, is not weak. It's got a little musical filler at the end, and that Jack Irons thing gets a little goofy in parts too, but the rest of the songs are simply wonderful.
And screw everyone who wanted the Son of "Jeremy"!! You're probably the same group of yahoo's who think that "Unforgiven II" is so great! You're all a bunch of mindless drones in need of a Queen! I really wish you would stop living on my planet and ruining my otherwise acceptable radio-waves!
Also, it's funny you should mention Gina Arnold, as I was just reading an incredibly Martha Stewart-esque article by her on the Matador Records website about "How to Write a Record Review". What a coincidence, huh?
9
I was gonna give this one 9 1/2, but that is probably illegal on this site, so its a 9. Such a great album. Best one to come out this year which is not saying much. The first four songs "Brain of J", "Faithfull", "No Way", and "Given to Fly" are all destined to be Pearl Jam classics. And I don't see the comparison between Zep's "Going to California" and that song. The guitar at the end is incredible how it blends with Eddie's voice, kinda reminiscent of "Dissident". Stone and Mike are not virtuosos by any means, but they are exceptional at getting the guitars to fit exactly with the song. The only guitarist in the 90's that is in the same league with them in that category is Jerry Cantrell. And this shows in Yield very much so. "Wishlist" is a song that everyone seems to like a lot, but its just OK in my mind. "Pilate" is pretty cool, too. I started out hating "Do the Evolution", but after a coupla listens, it really hooked me. Great song. The instrumental is really stupid. I skip it every time. "MFC" is added to the list of songs that I WISH WERE LONGER! Damn, that song is so good! But it just ends! "Low Light" is the best song on the disc IMHO. The guitars have such FEELING in this song (see shameless ogling of Stone and Mike's guitaring above) and the piano is an excellent touch. "In Hiding" is great, and coulda been as good as "Brain" but something about the bridge seems contrived and doesn't fit the song well. And "Push Me....Pull Me" is great if for no other reason that I normally hate bad mixes, but this one is perfectally done. And did anyone else notice the verses sound a lot like Pantera's "Good Friends and a Bottle of Pills" off of Far Beyond Driven? Damn... And finally "All those Yesterdays" is good, but not great. Only one mediocre song, and one horrible instrumental thats so short it doesn't really count. Close to toppling Vs. but not quite. Very optimistic future for this group, which I personally consider one of the greatest bands in history.
This is truly an album. Not this made-for radio, one hit wonders that are populating the airwaves of FM rock radio. You can sit down, pop in the CD and listen to the entire album and not skip songs. With song contributions from almost all members, this is truly a group effort and it has paid off handsomely. There is no filler on this album at all. Even that weird red dot 50 second blurb has a catchy beat.
And what's the deal with everyone comparing "Given to Fly" to "Going to California" (Zeppelin)? I don't see it, and I am a big Zep fan. And I read in some magazine review that the reviewer thinks that Pearl Jam has sold out for shying away from the bombastic rock of Ten. I think that it is obvious that this is the group's most mature effort. "In Hiding", "Many Fast Cars", "Low Light", hell why don't I name every song cause I like them all. 10/10. And they finally got the mixing right. All the other albums were mixed so poorly, the low end sounded like my car's muffler. P.S. Buy the "Given to Fly" single for the non-album track "Leatherman". Yeah i know, another song ending with -man. what's with that Eddie Vedder and -man songs? But it's a great song too. See, even the b-sides are good.
Overall, about an 8 1/2. Great album.
"Push Me, Pull Me" sounds like it could have been on No Code so I think that's a great song. Overall, a very strong CD.
My only complaint with the album is that side 2 starts off pretty slowly.
I can't stand "Do the Evolution," while
This is the only PJ album I've heard outside of Ten and Vs., and unlike the
last two which were more consistent, this one's kinda uneven. I don't mean
that in a bad way, though, as this album ranges from lovely as a royal gown
to ugly as a pool of liquid poop. The best songs on this album are sheer
classics, with the big radio singles, "Given to Fly" and "In Hiding" being
of masterpecial not seen since Ten. "Given to Fly" is a truly amazing
achievement for Pearl Jam, as it's their most powerful and grandoise song
they've done since Jeremy, with incredible dynamics. "In Hiding" has an
awesome beat and melody; it's pretty much THE perfect pop song. You've also
got "Wish List" with its lovely chiming guitar and cute lyrics ("I wish I
was a neutron bomb / For once I could go off", gotta love that), "Brain of
J" with its hella cool riff and chorus, "Faithfull" which is beautifully
relaxing, "MFC" which has really nifty guitar tonality and rhythm
reminiscent of "Paperback Writer" though ending way sooner than it should,
and "Low Light" which is sorta countryish, except that country sucks and
"Low Light" doesn't. And did somebody say "fucked up"? "Do the Evolution"
is an rock-n-rollingly catchy song that's cool to listen to just to hear
Veddy Edder go insane and scream his head off, and the driving rhythm and
crazy mumbling of "Push Me Pull Me" is just wicked. Unfortunately, this
albums has a couple of weak tracks, some of which aren't too bad, the rest
of which are awful. "Pilate" has really pretty verses, but then the
terrible, fugly-ass chorus comes and totally ruins it. The red dot
instrumental is a stupid, disfigured mess that has no reason to exist, "All
Those Yesterdays" attempts to be a Beatles-stlye number but ends up boring
and hideous, the "hidden" instrumental is nice as background music but not
much else, and I'm going to have to disagree with everyone here and say that
, although the guitar effect is sorta cool, "No Way" just bores the hell out
of me, in addition to be constructed really ugly (notice a pattern forming
here?). Now certain kinds of ugly I can appreciate, like for instance
Slayer ("Angel of Death", aww man!), but when Pearl Jam gets ugly they just
suck.
Though the mix is pretty solid (as opposed to the soupy mixes on Ten and
Vs.), it seems awfully low-fi, which is fine for an indie band short on cash
and producers, but this is Pearl Jam we're talking about here! I don't care
how indie PJ wants to appear, I demand a clear, vibrant mix dammit! Even
worse is a severe lack of dynamics in the production. When the loud guitars
and wailing vocals in "Given to Fly" come in I expect everything to burst
out in a loud explosion of glory; instead it stays stuck in low-fiville.
Another dissappointment is Eddie's singing. Somewhere around this time he
started losing confidence in his notes and his vocals now sound all warbly
and mumbly. Though it's nowhere near as bad as the horrid attempt at
"singing" Mr. Vedder attempted on the next album, it's really sad to see one
of the most amazing vocalists starting to fall from grace. Oh well.
Despite some crappy songs and Eddie's deteriorating voice, the album gets an
8 'cause the classics are just too good to pass up.
I'll admit that it's more balanced than No Code, but the thing you said about songs being merely good, but not great applies better to this one. The weaker songs are almost BORING; "Pilate", "Given To Fly"´, "Low Light" and "MFC" which starts nice but is sort of ruined by the nowhere-going chorus.
Also, the guitars on No Code has this dirtier, country/bluesy sound which was nice...Here it sort of gets "Vs. light".
The rockers that you mentioned are among the better ones. Also, as you mention, "No Way", which partly gets that wicked sound because it's actually in Drop D - Pearl Jam in Drop D, those wussy boys? And, "Wishlist", which I thought was boring when I first got the album, but it has something special in its simplicity, which is also reflected in the great guitar solo.
The album's main fault is that it's a little too dependant on hooks,
but they're all really good. "Brain of J" rocks with the best of them,
but most of these hooks are not garage rockers. A good number of the
tracks, especially on the second side, are delicate (even thoughtful)
yet still hard rock numbers. These introspective songs all work very
well, especially strung together like they are. Also important to
remember, no matter what Pearl Jam record you end up buying, you will
always, always get a handful of tracks that rank among their very
best. "Given to Fly" is a wonderfully inspirational song. Vedder
mumbles, "A wave came crashing like a fist to the jaw. Delivered him
wings, 'Hey, look at me now'..." ably backed by the band who gives an
equally powerful punch. "Do the Evolution" is one of the few real
rockers here, containing a very primitive riff, and with Vedder's
primordial yelps and screams, is a very successful send-up. The true
winner here is "Wishlist", a simple, yet beautiful song containing
some of the band's very best lyrics, and a wonderfully effortless
solo. It's no wonder it's become a sing-a-long highlight at live
shows. As with Vitalogy, we get a few completely experimental pieces,
even though they don't blend as seamlessly or appear as important as
the ones on that record. Nonetheless one of them, "Push Me, Pull Me"
is probably the single most successful experimental piece they ever
did.
Overall, Yield is a very enjoyable record, especially because it is
deceptively profound, and still rather direct. An largely
contemplative album, injected with some solid rockers, and the sweet
and simple closer, "All Those Yesterdays", yet another pleasant
sing-a-long complete with a tuba segment, creates a respectable
interlude between Pearl Jam's transition of musical style, and what is
simply a feel-good record.
I usually don't like to describe all the songs on an album, but I'm going to
have to make an exception with this one:
I love this one. It's a beautiful record, with some lovely songs like "Wishlist", "MDC",
"Low Light", "Given To Fly" (who cares if it does sound like "Going To California"!?
Zeppelin ripped off tons of songs and you dont hear anybody complainin' about that), or "In
Hiding" and also they still rock out with some ass kickin' songs like "Do The Evolution",
or "Brain Of J". "Push Me Pull Me" is great too, as its a nice change for the band to
attempt some weird-ass song as this. The only song i think is totally unnessasary is that
"Red Dot" song, but its short. I give this a 10! I doubt they could ever top this one.
...Of course, the one that deserves a seven, gets eight.
This one's pretty interesting. I originally gave this one a 7, but
it's slowly worked its way up to the niner a half star at a time. The
main reason I didn't like it as much was because it's a very different
record. (Obligitory background info you've seen before) You see, the
band had done away with their old fan base and writing techniques with
No Code, and in exchange became a very self-indulgent band that
shared their work with their remaining fans who love them for it. The
catch is that this is the album released before Binural, which is the
album where they started the produced, art rock approach that they
have stayed with since. Here, the band is getting out of the old habit
of Vedder writing most of the songs, and are all digging in to add
their personal touches. It also contains a good bit of experimentation
as the band works their way towards exquisite hard rock. As such, this
one's an anomaly in the Pearl Jam catalog. After a few spins though, I
have grown to really enjoy this one, almost as much as those later
works.
Purely one of the best commercial live discs I own. This disc merely confirms what most people already know about Pearl Jam: They sound exceptionally good LIVE. Although the disc itself doesn't say so, it's commonly assumed that many of the tracks on here come from the September 19th Voters For Choice show at Constitution Hall. (Please correct me if I'm wrong, or applaud me for being so right. Your choice.) But what's completely clear to me is that Pearl Jam sounds far better than a Chinese guy farting in the tub, and that's pretty hard to top if you ask me.
This is not the kind of CD you buy if you like nothing but the hits. But if you like Pearl Jam as a complete Pumpkin Pie with no peices taken out and lots of whipped cream, then you're strange... but at least you'll like this CD. The disc DOES run through a well-balanced set list of hi's and lo's, fast's and slow's, Blah's and Blah's. Corduroy kicks off the Disc. Quite well actually. Daughter has the obligatory references to other songs at the end. Most Jam fans will enjoy the particular songs for this version. I'd tell you what they were but I'd have to hire someone to kill you seeing as how I wouldn't actually do it myself. The Untitled tune is really a great suprise, definately not something you've heard before unless you've gone to a recent concert and even THEN maybe not. But it's a great prelude to MFC. Fits together like my hand and this here gun. Hail, Hail and Off He Goes are a bit of a suprise to me but they are preformed wonderfully. Even Flow and Black are the only TEN tunes on here, and THEY are preformed wonderfully, so good news for those who are tired of Jeremy and Alive because they aren't on here. And the cover tune of Neil Young's F*ckin' Up (that's how it's writen on the disc. I'm just qouting) is exceptional to say the least.
The actual PLAYING is what's truelly great on here though. Matt Cameron (you remember Soundgarden, don't you?) fills in magnificently for Jack Irons who has taken ill of late. I must say, if Pearl Jam MUST replace their drummer again, hopefully Cameron will be available and willing. Argueably the best percussionist to rise up from Seattle in the past 15 years or so, and it shows on this disc. I mean, it's like he KNOWS the tunes and you KNOW he can play them to a tee, but that's not good enough for him! Instead, he plays things like they were ment to be for a while and then almost gets bored and decides to add a few fills here and there. Very subtle but completely called for. Matt just knows his way around a drum kit. Mike and Stone play exceedingly well with each other. That's not a sexual reference, mind you. Some very wicked guitar licks on this disc. Jeff backs them up on bass perfectly and for ONCE the mix on a live album got done RIGHT! You know, like I can actually HEAR all the instruments and one's not overpowering all the others! Know what I mean? Yeah, you know what I mean.
Of course, with Pearl Jam it all comes down to Eddie Vedder and the show he puts on. Simply put, Eddie can sing. He can play pretty good guitar too. Bet you didn't know that. His stage diving days may be over, but Eddie's voice has gotten so much better over the years. A lot of power, a lot of emotion, not bombastic in the least, and able to sustain notes without pulling any major muscles.
So in the end, I have to give them a 9 on this one. Like all good judges, I must leave room for something better to come along. Could be worse you know. I could be the German judge and give them nothing but 6's every time. Ideally, SEEING Pearl Jam live is your best bet. If you can't do that, at least pick up this disc.
But that's just descriptions that mean nothing to a man of your class and calibre. So let's try again, but harder. After a leadoff riff rocker that feels like The Byrds and The Beatles have merged to record a new-fangled version of "Ticket To Ride" with Neddie Beattyr singing, the gist of the album becomes quite clear (clit queer) very quickly. About half of the tunes are great, as you'd hope to expect from a Pearl Jam of this age. But the other half is composed of tracks that are made up of generic guitar riffs that are changed EVER-SO-SLIGHTLY -- like there's an unexpected chord to throw you off and make you say, "Well, that wasn't the chord I was expecting there." But - and here's the part that matters -- the changed chords only make the songs seem a bit more original, and NOT, in fact, any BETTER. Usually that little break, note or chord that makes the song unique also makes it quite unpleasant to the ear. Or at least not unique enough to be terribly interesting. Thus, about half of the album is songs of the "give or take" variety. Your "God's Dice," your "Evacuation." Your "Insignificance," your "Grievance."
When God rolls the dice, man, you better evacuate. If you think it's insignificant, your friends will be grieving alright! And I'm not speaking "of the girl"! You'll "soon forget" her, as she vanishes "into thin air" just like a magician doing a "sleight of hand" trick. "Parting ways" isn't easy, is it? You'll find "nothing as it seems" on this record, which is "light years" from their earlier material, even if it doesn't "rival" their finest work. Oh - and one more thing. "Breakerfall"!
What is that look supposed to mean? That that last one wasn't very good? FAQ YOU!
Frequently Asked Questions YOU!
Me?
NOOOOOOOO! You!
The one facet of the English language that beguiles me more than any other is its inability to accomodate the textual recreation of an impassioned, sustained "No!" without the end result looking like it rhymes with "Ooo."
Well, not every disc can be better than the last one. Hell, the rating only goes up to 10 afterall! What do you expect?! It's not like I've got one of those Spinal Tap rating systems to work with ya know! Think I got that kind of money?! I work at Target, dammit!
Musically I think this was supposed to be more adventurous or some other catchphrase that all those fancy record makers say when they know there's nothing that sounds a salt-lick like 'Alive' or 'Jeremy' on here. It's got this feeling of those paper airplanes you used to make in school that looked really cool but only ever did that one loop-de-loop trick before turning into a burning, flaming ball of carnage crashing into the chalk-board mountainside like so many soccer teams. Come to think of it, my paper airplanes never did this. Your paper airplane results may vary.
But a 7's nothing to cry about really. This is still a decent disc. It just doesn't grab me in special places is all. Like the first three tunes are fairly interchangable. Lots of energy and enthusiasm, but not really building up into anything. 'Light Years' is the first song of note really (like the pun? It IS a pun, isn't it?). From here the album progresses in a nice flow until 'Rival' which is, sorry to say, boring. See, I like Stone Gossard and all, and most of the time his tunes are pretty decent. This one just doesn't do anything for me is all. Supposed to be an ode to... ah, I forget. But then that's the basic problem now, isn't it? If it was GOOD, it'd be much easier to remember. 'Sleight of Hand' comes up afterwards and sweeps up the mess though. Such a pretty little song it is. But the disc ends in murky melodrama rather than the bang I've come to expect from the Jammers. 'Parting Ways' is awfully Long Road-ish, only way too short and lacking the same emotional intensity. The whole disc seems to be lacking that aspect, despite some decent playing and lyrics overall. Kind of like seeing John Elway drive 90 yards down field and settle for a field goal. Or just watching him during his first three visits to the Super Bowl. Way to go John. A distant second place finish. Heh.
After I picked this album up, I thought (for about two weeks) that it was the greatest recording ever made. Now, I just think it's really good. As opposed to Mr. Hutley, I think the first three songs are great. Pearl Jam has never stuck three fast, short, rocking songs all together at once. It would be like having "Hail, Hail," "Lukin," and "Habit" all in a row on No Code. Or not. Anyway, there are some great friggin' songs on here, like "Nothing as it Seems," "Grievance," "Of the Girl," "Sleight of Hand," "Thin Air." I really disliked "Light Years" the first ten times I heard it, but it really grew on me after that. The CD feels very mature, a band that knows how to rock out wildly and also focus in on a melancholy type song. I agree with Mr. Hutley's description of "Parting Ways." That tune is pretty, but kind of under-whelming. Maybe it'd be better acoustic. The Ukelele tune is good too.
And go see 'em live, too. I saw 'em in Indianapolis. Daaaaaamn. Good live band.
(Oh yeah, and the live CD from Prague is great. A good one to start with, I think)
Why? For one, the lyrics are below the usual Pearl Jam standard. That doesn't mean they're bad, but heck, when a band can write songs like "Given To Fly", "Black", "Release", "Rearviewmirror", "Hail, Hail" and "Immortality", you tend to expect a little more than, say, "Breakerfall". Simplistic is the word. "Gods' Dice" is clever, but it's no "Do The Evolution" though I like the stop-go guitar riff. Perhaps the only songs that truly measure up lyrically are "Light Years" ("We were but stones/Your light made us stars" - great line there, not to forget the entire second verse), "Insignificance" and "Sleight Of Hand". I mean, "Parting Ways" basically has four lines in the entire song!! And what about "Nothing As It Seems"? Jeff Ament seems to be trying to fit more silly rhymes into a single song than David Gilmour did in "Dogs Of War"!
Another major problem with this album was that the band suddenly developed this early-U2 sociopolitical conscience (as opposed to previous songs like "DTE" and "Glorified G" which were more satirical than bombastic), and began writing songs that sound like bad parodies of U2's "War". "Grievance" blows (for the most part) - with lines like "BIG GUY, BIG EYE/WATCHING ME......./HAVE TO WONDER WHAT IT SEES/PROGRESS LACED WITH RAMIFICATIONS!!", and the ending riff is just recycled from "Porch" (which was a great song). "Soon Forget" also sounds like it was written just to impress Ralph Nader - I'm not kidding. "Thin Air" works musically, but I still think a Pearl Jam song that begins "There's a light when my baby's in my arms" is a cop-out of sorts. Also, the second verse makes no sense, but then Gossard is known to do this - try the second verse of "No Way" for example.
My biggest 'grievance', though, is "Rival". The only things I liked about that song were the dog's vocals and the last three lines - but for a band that gave us "Jeremy" and "Daughter", this allegedly Columbine-inspired song is a major comedown. With nonsensical lyrics like "I'VE BEEN HARBORING FLEETS IN THIS RESERVOIR/RED SUN!/AND THIS NATION'S ABOUT TO EXPLOOODE", one wonders whether they swapped lyric sheets with AC/DC!
Still, a handful of greats - "Light Years", "Insignificance", the spacey "Sleight Of Hand" (great lyrics and cool distorted guitar) and the urgent "Evacuation" - written by Matt Cameron, who wrote some of my favourite Soundgarden songs, such as "Mailman" and "Limo Wreck" - save this one from the 5-6 range. Call it a high 7, and hopefully the next time they make a record, there won't be a presidential election or a WTO protest in Seattle.
To quote Eddie Vedder himself, "we're all deserving something more!"
But yeah, I agree that the lyrics suck for the most part.
This is the first and only Pearl Jam album was released during a time when I was already a fan of Pearl Jam, waiting for it to come. My expectations weren't on top after Yield, but I was thrilled about how good it was when I got it, 'cause who'd think they'd actually improve after already having started to go downhill? It rarely happens. But Pearl Jam was BACK! and this was their best album to date, competing with Vitalogy.
About a year later, and today, it doesn't really sound all that swell. It is an improvment from the previous effort, but still not the best, and yeah, it's somewhere between 7-8. The weird thing is that most of the songs come off as a good idea when you think about them, but when you actually listen to them, they're not quite as hot. Therefore, I can't really say what's lacking, but it's something.
It starts in a cool way with "Breakerfall", "Evacuation" is a really good pop song, and I like the Beatles-esque of "Light Years".
