Pearl Jam, IMO, like fine wine, gets better with age. Avocado was great. The album was a perfect mix of hard punk: World Wide Suicide (w/ great melodies from Ed), Comatose, Severed Hand (great bridge also), Big Wave; rockers: Life Wasted (great bridge too), Marker In The Sand (great chorus) and Unemployable; good songs with catchy melodies: Parachutes, Gone, Come Back; and a good epic tune with Inside Job. Ed's singing was on during the melodic tracks and his voice worked perfect on the others. Matt had a good intro and some nice drum fills on some other songs. Mike's soloing was very fast, fluid, and great sounding overall IMO. Stone had catchy riffs in Life Wasted, Comatose, Marker In The Sand, and switched up the chords a lot on most of the other songs. Stone and Mike had excellent guitar interplay throughout the album.
All that being said, I'm glad to hear they're going w/ BOB on the next album. I'm hoping the production and song structure on the next album will be somewhat like Yield but with more guitar solos and extended guitar jamming. It seems like they save the extended guitar jamming for the tours but I'm hoping they'll include some on at least one studio album.
For me, Avocado currently ranks #2 on my PJ albums list.
Ranked according to which albums I've been listening to most lately. The bottom two have been the same for years.
1. Binaural. Someone on here made a comment about the production needing to be a bit tighter, there are songs where you kind of lose some of the guitars in the mix. I agree and will add that Ed's voice also got lost in the mix at times.
2. Pearl Jam
3. No Code
4. Yield
5. Riot Act
6. Lost Dogs or Vitalogy
8. Vs.
9. Ten
I like all nine albums a lot. The only songs I don't like are:
Pry, To
Bugs
Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me
I'm Open
Untitled (dot, from Yield)
Push Me, Pull Me
Help Help
Bu$hleaguer
Wasted Reprise
Sweet Lew
Ten - the one that broke the band...I prefer the live versions of these songs, the production leaves the studio album sounding incredibly dated.
Vs - Great songs, but again I prefer the live versions...My least listened to album......
Vitalogy - Their first true masterpiece...the anger, the emotion, the rawness...and I love the experimental tracks, adds to the overall atmosphere.....
No Code - Arguably their best record, it flows so beautifully, not a dull track (I like Mankind)
Yield - Another strong record, my personal fave for sentimental reasons...Given To Fly, Faithful, No Way, DTE, Lowlight.....a very spiritual record......
Binaural - Love this album, I really do.....I find something new every time, and Sleight of Hand is just stunningly good.....
RA - Quite a dark record and not as good as either Yield or Binaural but still VERY strong album...Save You, Cropduster, Ghost and All Or None are amongst my favourite PJ tracks.....
Avocado - Awful production but some strong tracks in there.....lacks depth and not enough to get into in my opinion.....
'The more I studied religions the more I am convinced that man never worshipped anything but himself.' - Sir Richard Francis Burton
At least Binaural and Riot Act had their own character, seemed to be somewhat experimental and had exploration in some regards. With Avacado they used the "Pearl Jam record template" and just phoned it in.
I fully agree.....
Binaural and RA are far superior to Avocado.....
'The more I studied religions the more I am convinced that man never worshipped anything but himself.' - Sir Richard Francis Burton
:( Avocado is cool! (With the exception of Gone... uugh)
Ten - Great album, with the best "real grunge" song on it: Porch! And of course Black and one of my favourites: Release. (9.5/10)
Vs. - Better than Ten this mainly because of the fact that all songs are to my liking, with the exception of a Small Town. (9.7/10)
Vitalogy - Strange but because of that fact pretty cool. It's only a shame Foxy Mop is so long... (8/10)
No Code - Best. Hail Hail, In My Tree, Smile, Off He Goes, Red Mosquito, Lukin, Present Tense; COME ON! (10/10)
Yield - Hmm, don't really understand all that "praising Yield in the air" on this Forum. It's good, and that's all. (7.5/10)
Binaural - Don't like it, weakest album IMO. Songs like Grievance and Insignificance do rock of course but that's really where it ends... oh and I really like Soon Forget too:o. (5.5/10)
Riot Act - Don't listen to this one too much and it's alright if you just put in your cd-player sometimes. I like Save You, Love Boat Captain and Green Dissease. (6/10)
Pearl Jam (Avocado) - Yay, I just love this one as much as Ten. It has one of the coolest PJ songs on it (Severed Hand), too bad it also has the worst (Gone). (9.5/10)
I don't want to be the fool that's behind me but I am...
Now i know why they play even flow at every show How can anyone crave more anthemic rock? It's everywhere in the mainstream. Ten is uinlistenable to me now, though i enjoyed it when i was a kid.
Binaural is my favourite of thier albums, the new one was great and the next one will be awesome.
The Best Cd pearl jam has is the last one they put out....in that order.....the next one will be better than the last one.
Maybe there is something wrong with me, but I think they all are great. I dont understand how anyone...pearl jam fan or not...would not think pearl jam is not a very, very good CD. Some punk...some social relevence...slower songs...old fashion rock. It is a great CD on it's own merit....without comparing it to any other albums.
Ten - Made me a fan of the band,rescued me from Limp Bizkit,Nirvana etc. and made me realise there is more to music than being angry and disillusioned,or at least made me realise there are more clever and artistic ways of expressing those feelings. The songs are sublime to say the least,I get offended when people say it's PJ's only good album but if there's one album from my adolescence that brings me back yet still gets me excited about today,it's this one. (9/10)
VS. - I've always found this to be over-rated,I remember getting home all excited after buying this album and putting it on and thinking 'wtf?' I've come to like some of the songs(Elderly Woman,Dissident) and love a couple(Rearviewmirror,Indifference) but Glorified G,Rats,WMA aren't the best.Artistically,I don't think it was a great achievement(considering what went before and what came after) but because of the loudness and catchiness it's still an enjoyable,if somewhat mindless,listen. 6/10
Vitalogy - Made me think 'wtf?'.... but in a good way.The songs are the deepest they've ever written,the recording of it suits the songs perfectly and overall it just really gets to you....listening to it too much can be a bit of a downer but just the right amount of listens and it's nothing short of inspirational.Someone mentioned the rawness and atmosphere,that's exactly it. 9/10
No Code - If anyone asks I wouldn't say this is my favourite but it's definitely the one I listen to most,in some ways it's weirder than Vitalogy but doesn't have that weird atmosphere. 'Present Tense' has probably the greatest lyrics they've ever written,would love to hear that or 'Who You Are' live....This abum's like a more subtle version of 'Ten'. 9/10
Yield - Best album ever.In the same way,Ten made me see there was more to music,this album made me see there was more to Pearl Jam and life itself.You either get it or you don't I suppose. 10/10
Binaural - Production wise I think it's great,Sleight Of Hand is the best thing the've ever put on an album.Some songs are a little flat(God's Dice,Evacuation) but it has that subtleness that made No Code great and the atmosphere that made Vitalogy great. 8/10
Riot Act - I Am Mine was the first PJ song I ever heard so this album and that song are very special to me.When it's crap,it's really crap(Get Right,Ghost,Help Help) but when it's great it's unbelievably so,(Love Boat Captain,I Am Mine,Thumbing My Way,1/2 Full). Great tour that followed and great songs,I lvoed it. 8/10
Pearl Jam- Oh dear....Worst production ever,can't make out a word Eddie says,I can't remember if Mike even has any solos on it and like Riot Act,it's shit moments are really shit(Big Wave,Army Reserve). Reminds me of VS in that it's an okay listen(WWS,Comatose,Unemployable) but apart from Life Wasted and Inside Job it means very little to me. 6/10
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.
Binaural - Production wise I think it's great,Sleight Of Hand is the best thing the've ever put on an album.Some songs are a little flat(God's Dice,Evacuation) but it has that subtleness that made No Code great and the atmosphere that made Vitalogy great. 8/10
Riot Act - I Am Mine was the first PJ song I ever heard so this album and that song are very special to me.When it's crap,it's really crap(Get Right,Ghost,Help Help) but when it's great it's unbelievably so,(Love Boat Captain,I Am Mine,Thumbing My Way,1/2 Full). Great tour that followed and great songs,I lvoed it. 8/10
I agree with this very much, especially what you had to say about Sleight of Hand.....the most underated song in the PJ canon.....
'The more I studied religions the more I am convinced that man never worshipped anything but himself.' - Sir Richard Francis Burton
Comments
All that being said, I'm glad to hear they're going w/ BOB on the next album. I'm hoping the production and song structure on the next album will be somewhat like Yield but with more guitar solos and extended guitar jamming. It seems like they save the extended guitar jamming for the tours but I'm hoping they'll include some on at least one studio album.
For me, Avocado currently ranks #2 on my PJ albums list.
Ranked according to which albums I've been listening to most lately. The bottom two have been the same for years.
1. Binaural. Someone on here made a comment about the production needing to be a bit tighter, there are songs where you kind of lose some of the guitars in the mix. I agree and will add that Ed's voice also got lost in the mix at times.
2. Pearl Jam
3. No Code
4. Yield
5. Riot Act
6. Lost Dogs or Vitalogy
8. Vs.
9. Ten
I like all nine albums a lot. The only songs I don't like are:
Pry, To
Bugs
Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me
I'm Open
Untitled (dot, from Yield)
Push Me, Pull Me
Help Help
Bu$hleaguer
Wasted Reprise
Sweet Lew
Vs - Great songs, but again I prefer the live versions...My least listened to album......
Vitalogy - Their first true masterpiece...the anger, the emotion, the rawness...and I love the experimental tracks, adds to the overall atmosphere.....
No Code - Arguably their best record, it flows so beautifully, not a dull track (I like Mankind)
Yield - Another strong record, my personal fave for sentimental reasons...Given To Fly, Faithful, No Way, DTE, Lowlight.....a very spiritual record......
Binaural - Love this album, I really do.....I find something new every time, and Sleight of Hand is just stunningly good.....
RA - Quite a dark record and not as good as either Yield or Binaural but still VERY strong album...Save You, Cropduster, Ghost and All Or None are amongst my favourite PJ tracks.....
Avocado - Awful production but some strong tracks in there.....lacks depth and not enough to get into in my opinion.....
I fully agree.....
Binaural and RA are far superior to Avocado.....
That's just me.
Ten - Great album, with the best "real grunge" song on it: Porch! And of course Black and one of my favourites: Release. (9.5/10)
Vs. - Better than Ten this mainly because of the fact that all songs are to my liking, with the exception of a Small Town. (9.7/10)
Vitalogy - Strange but because of that fact pretty cool. It's only a shame Foxy Mop is so long... (8/10)
No Code - Best. Hail Hail, In My Tree, Smile, Off He Goes, Red Mosquito, Lukin, Present Tense; COME ON! (10/10)
Yield - Hmm, don't really understand all that "praising Yield in the air" on this Forum. It's good, and that's all. (7.5/10)
Binaural - Don't like it, weakest album IMO. Songs like Grievance and Insignificance do rock of course but that's really where it ends... oh and I really like Soon Forget too:o. (5.5/10)
Riot Act - Don't listen to this one too much and it's alright if you just put in your cd-player sometimes. I like Save You, Love Boat Captain and Green Dissease. (6/10)
Pearl Jam (Avocado) - Yay, I just love this one as much as Ten. It has one of the coolest PJ songs on it (Severed Hand), too bad it also has the worst (Gone). (9.5/10)
I'll Hold The Pain... Release...
Yourself
Binaural is my favourite of thier albums, the new one was great and the next one will be awesome.
Maybe there is something wrong with me, but I think they all are great. I dont understand how anyone...pearl jam fan or not...would not think pearl jam is not a very, very good CD. Some punk...some social relevence...slower songs...old fashion rock. It is a great CD on it's own merit....without comparing it to any other albums.
You don't like it so you are right.
I like it so I am wrong.
Why can't I think this way?
Ten - Made me a fan of the band,rescued me from Limp Bizkit,Nirvana etc. and made me realise there is more to music than being angry and disillusioned,or at least made me realise there are more clever and artistic ways of expressing those feelings. The songs are sublime to say the least,I get offended when people say it's PJ's only good album but if there's one album from my adolescence that brings me back yet still gets me excited about today,it's this one. (9/10)
VS. - I've always found this to be over-rated,I remember getting home all excited after buying this album and putting it on and thinking 'wtf?' I've come to like some of the songs(Elderly Woman,Dissident) and love a couple(Rearviewmirror,Indifference) but Glorified G,Rats,WMA aren't the best.Artistically,I don't think it was a great achievement(considering what went before and what came after) but because of the loudness and catchiness it's still an enjoyable,if somewhat mindless,listen. 6/10
Vitalogy - Made me think 'wtf?'.... but in a good way.The songs are the deepest they've ever written,the recording of it suits the songs perfectly and overall it just really gets to you....listening to it too much can be a bit of a downer but just the right amount of listens and it's nothing short of inspirational.Someone mentioned the rawness and atmosphere,that's exactly it. 9/10
No Code - If anyone asks I wouldn't say this is my favourite but it's definitely the one I listen to most,in some ways it's weirder than Vitalogy but doesn't have that weird atmosphere. 'Present Tense' has probably the greatest lyrics they've ever written,would love to hear that or 'Who You Are' live....This abum's like a more subtle version of 'Ten'. 9/10
Yield - Best album ever.In the same way,Ten made me see there was more to music,this album made me see there was more to Pearl Jam and life itself.You either get it or you don't I suppose. 10/10
Binaural - Production wise I think it's great,Sleight Of Hand is the best thing the've ever put on an album.Some songs are a little flat(God's Dice,Evacuation) but it has that subtleness that made No Code great and the atmosphere that made Vitalogy great. 8/10
Riot Act - I Am Mine was the first PJ song I ever heard so this album and that song are very special to me.When it's crap,it's really crap(Get Right,Ghost,Help Help) but when it's great it's unbelievably so,(Love Boat Captain,I Am Mine,Thumbing My Way,1/2 Full). Great tour that followed and great songs,I lvoed it. 8/10
Pearl Jam- Oh dear....Worst production ever,can't make out a word Eddie says,I can't remember if Mike even has any solos on it and like Riot Act,it's shit moments are really shit(Big Wave,Army Reserve). Reminds me of VS in that it's an okay listen(WWS,Comatose,Unemployable) but apart from Life Wasted and Inside Job it means very little to me. 6/10
But you're gonna have to serve somebody.
www.bebo.com/pearljam06
I agree with this very much, especially what you had to say about Sleight of Hand.....the most underated song in the PJ canon.....