I'm going through all Pearl Jam albums in order!

Spiritual_Chaos

I'm listening mostly to live stuff (e.g. Boston 2010, the Boston 2003-show that had that great funky version of Why Go (show 2?), Boston 1994). I almost never listen to the studio albums.

So, I'm listening through them now with my 2020-ears. 

Can music be judged objectively? No, it can not. Am I in the position to judge music the most objectively on this board? Maybe.

https://instagram.com/p/CBv-mSXJKfR/embed/

PEARL JAM - TEN (1991).

One of the most perfectly crafted works of art of the 90s. I doubt many would agree with me that Oceans could have been a B-side or that the studio version of Evenflow lack a bit of the bite that we know the song has. And those nitpicks don’t really matter - as a whole this is as perfect as you get. Release, Black, Garden, Why Go and - the now anthem -  Alive are all amazing. And most of the rest of the songs not far from being so. Anyone playing the Brendan O’Brien 2009 remix of the album without the iconic reverb is a traitor to decency though. Respect history. Stand up for the original intent of Rick Parashar. Protect reverb.

Spiritual_Chaos

https://instagram.com/p/CB0gYcbpobn/embed/

PEARL JAM - VS (1993).

Pearl Jam followed up their iconic debut ”Ten” with an album all about fierce energy and a theme of ”me/us against...”. It is not soaked in atmosphere like Ten and lacks a strong sonic identity like the debut has. But on the other hand it adds an effective lyrical ”bluntness” moving away from Ten’s twisted and distanced Springsteen-esque storytelling with narratives about serial killers, raping mothers and boys named Jeremy.

Traces of Ten’s soaring sing-along anthems can still be found in some songs, like Dissident, which with a lick more reverb would fit right in on the debut. But Dave Abbruzzeses’ hard hitting drums together with Eddies anger makes VS a more in-your-face experience.

This review was way to long. Fuck it. In short: It’s a great follow up to Ten but surprisingly different. (I also appreciate the vinyl and CD having different coverart - just like Ten had)

JPPJ84

Spiritual_Chaos said:

I'm listening mostly to live stuff (e.g. Boston 2010, the Boston 2003-show that had that great funky version of Why Go (show 2?), Boston 1994). I almost never listen to the studio albums.

So, I'm listening through them now with my 2020-ears. 

Can music be judged objectively? No, it can not. Am I in the position to judge music the most objectively on this board? Maybe.

https://instagram.com/p/CBv-mSXJKfR/embed/

PEARL JAM - TEN (1991).

One of the most perfectly crafted works of art of the 90s. I doubt many would agree with me that Oceans could have been a B-side or that the studio version of Evenflow lack a bit of the bite that we know the song has. And those nitpicks don’t really matter - as a whole this is as perfect as you get. Release, Black, Garden, Why Go and - the now anthem -  Alive are all amazing. And most of the rest of the songs not far from being so. Anyone playing the Brendan O’Brien 2009 remix of the album without the iconic reverb is a traitor to decency though. Respect history. Stand up for the original intent of Rick Parashar. Protect reverb.

3 stars for Oceans? You’re right, I for one disagree. Objectively of course.

Thierry Henry

Better than wondering about Ed's hair colour and shampoo he used in 1998.

PJNB

Nice to see Garden and Dissident get some 5 star love. 

LukinFan

Spiritual_Chaos said:

I'm listening mostly to live stuff (e.g. Boston 2010, the Boston 2003-show that had that great funky version of Why Go (show 2?), Boston 1994). I almost never listen to the studio albums.

you only listen to Boston bootlegs?

Niko80

Looking pretty good so far. On vs I think I agree 100%. Ten has one or two songs I would rate differently. 

Looking forward to the the rest. 

drakeheuer14

Why Go and Indifference as a five star are the strangest rating to me. I think of them more in the 4 star area 

PJNB

drakeheuer14 said:

Why Go and Indifference as a five star are the strangest rating to me. I think of them more in the 4 star area 

Daughter is weaker than both imo and it got 5. Indifference is a top 5 song for me so I am happy it is getting some love. 

Spiritual_Chaos

Indifference is raw and great on the album. Never heard a live version where it doesn't lack that something that makes it on the album.

Chasing Footsteps

Spiritual_Chaos said:

Indifference is raw and great on the album. Never heard a live version where it doesn't lack that something that makes it on the album.

Although listening to that song live and singing along with the crowd is pretty fn’ awesome, especially when we scream our lungs out til we fill the room 🤪

Spiritual_Chaos

Rick Beato agrees with THE MASTER (me) on Ten: "I don't care for it personally. To me it sounds weird. He (O'Brien) took all the reverb off it. It's bone dry. /.../ Take the reverb away from this record and you take the hugeness, the epicness off it. Especially this song (Black). 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k55l7LMA7w

BOOM! 

CORRECT OPINION ONCE AGAIN

Spiritual_Chaos

https://instagram.com/p/CCEit4opyr1/embed/

PEARL JAM - VITALOGY (1994).
Using the same producer and making this so soon after VS it is not surprising that it feels like a straight continuation. Switch this album’s ”Whipping” for VS’ ”Animal” and no one would notice. The inclusion of the weird experimental pieces scattered throughout the album adds a flavour to the album that I am not sure the rest of the material lives up to. E.g Spin the Black Circle. Yes, the song won a grammy And yes, I bet it got a lot of air play on radio. It should still not have been more than a fanclub single at most. The end track ”hey foxymophandlemama that's me” (or ”Stupid Mop” for short) is haunting, a masterpiece sadly even by me relegated to being an ”experimental piece”. And as a sidenote, the album package feels better for the CD version and the booklet looks to be made with the CD in mind, which is weird with them choosing in -94 to release it solely on Vinyl first holding the CD-release back for some time. 

Dr.Teeth and the Electric Mayh

Switch this album’s ”Whipping” for VS’ ”Animal” and no one would notice.

I would notice

PJNB

Corduroy getting the 4 star treatment?

Glorified KC

Why not rate Bugs?

JPPJ84

cdthomas1981 said:

Why not rate Bugs?

Good question! Personally I love the 2009 Spectrum version

rummy

I'll bite... much like I did for your Oasis reviews last year.

Ten - 5 stars
Once - 4 stars
Even Flow - 3.5 stars (it's a classic but it's once that I'm a bit tired of hearing it)
Alive - 5 stars
Why Go - 4 stars
Black - 5 stars
Jeremy - 3.5 stars (see my Even Flow comment)
Oceans - 4 stars
Porch - 4.5 stars
Garden - 4.5 stars
Deep - 4 stars
Release - 5 stars

Vs - 5 stars
Go - 5 stars
Animal - 5 stars
Daughter - 5 stars
Glorified G - 4 stars
Dissident - 4 stars
WMA - 4 stars
Blood - 4.5 stars
RVM - 5 stars
Rats - 4 stars
Small Town - 4.5 stars
Leash - 3.5 stars
Indifference - 5 stars

Vitalogy - 5 stars
Last Exit - 5 stars
STBC - 4 stars
Not For You - 4.5 stars
Tremor Christ - 4 stars
Nothingman - 4 stars
Whipping - 4 stars
Corduroy - 5 stars
Satan's Bed - 3.5 stars
(Bugs - 1.5 stars)
Better Man - 5 stars
Immortality - 5 stars

PJNB

This is hard to do just basing it off of the albums and not the live versions as well. I am just trying to base this off of the studio versions

Ten - 5 stars
Once - 4.5 stars
Even Flow - 3.5 stars 
Alive - 5 stars
Why Go - 4 stars
Black - 5 stars
Jeremy - 3.5 stars 
Oceans - 4 stars
Porch - 5 stars
Garden - 4.5 stars
Deep - 4 stars
Release - 5 stars

Vs - 5 stars
Go - 5 stars
Animal - 5 stars
Daughter - 3.5 stars
Glorified G - 3.0 stars
Dissident - 4 stars
WMA - 4 stars
Blood - 4.5 stars
RVM - 5 stars
Rats - 4 stars
Small Town - 5.0 stars
Leash - 4.0 stars
Indifference - 5 stars

Vitalogy - 5 stars
Last Exit - 5 stars
STBC - 4 stars
Not For You - 4.5 stars
Tremor Christ - 4.5 stars
Nothingman - 4.5 stars
Whipping - 4 stars
Corduroy - 5 stars
Satan's Bed - 3.5 stars
Bugs - 2.5 stars
Better Man - 4.5 stars
Immortality - 5 stars

JPPJ84

How do you get to 5 stars for an album when the song ratings average way less??

rummy

JPPJ84 said:

How do you get to 5 stars for an album when the song ratings average way less??

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts!

goldrush

Spiritual_Chaos said:

https://instagram.com/p/CCEit4opyr1/embed/

PEARL JAM - VITALOGY (1994).
Using the same producer and making this so soon after VS it is not surprising that it feels like a straight continuation. Switch this album’s ”Whipping” for VS’ ”Animal” and no one would notice. The inclusion of the weird experimental pieces scattered throughout the album adds a flavour to the album that I am not sure the rest of the material lives up to. E.g Spin the Black Circle. Yes, the song won a grammy And yes, I bet it got a lot of air play on radio. It should still not have been more than a fanclub single at most. The end track ”hey foxymophandlemama that's me” (or ”Stupid Mop” for short) is haunting, a masterpiece sadly even by me relegated to being an ”experimental piece”. And as a sidenote, the album package feels better for the CD version and the booklet looks to be made with the CD in mind, which is weird with them choosing in -94 to release it solely on Vinyl first holding the CD-release back for some time. 

Not For You is a 5-Star song every day of the week for me.

I would also say that Aye Davanita definitely counts as a complete song, it’s too long to be dismissed as a weird experimental piece. It would get 3.5 stars from me, which is more than I would give Satan’s Bed.

lastexitlondon

Rating things is only worth anything  to the person rating it. We all like different songs different amounts as far as ive seen.

BrainofBGA

Spin the Black Circle...2 stars...ouch. 

I’d love to hear the original slowed down riff that was brought in by Stone?? Until Eddie sped it up to what we hear in the finished track. 

JPPJ84

rummy said:

JPPJ84 said:

How do you get to 5 stars for an album when the song ratings average way less??

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts!

Hmmm... nope, doesn’t make sense to me

PJNB

JPPJ84 said:

rummy said:

JPPJ84 said:

How do you get to 5 stars for an album when the song ratings average way less??

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts!

Hmmm... nope, doesn’t make sense to me

Release could have gotten 10 stars from me if I was allowed.

Glorified KC

goldrush said:

Spiritual_Chaos said:

https://instagram.com/p/CCEit4opyr1/embed/

PEARL JAM - VITALOGY (1994).
Using the same producer and making this so soon after VS it is not surprising that it feels like a straight continuation. Switch this album’s ”Whipping” for VS’ ”Animal” and no one would notice. The inclusion of the weird experimental pieces scattered throughout the album adds a flavour to the album that I am not sure the rest of the material lives up to. E.g Spin the Black Circle. Yes, the song won a grammy And yes, I bet it got a lot of air play on radio. It should still not have been more than a fanclub single at most. The end track ”hey foxymophandlemama that's me” (or ”Stupid Mop” for short) is haunting, a masterpiece sadly even by me relegated to being an ”experimental piece”. And as a sidenote, the album package feels better for the CD version and the booklet looks to be made with the CD in mind, which is weird with them choosing in -94 to release it solely on Vinyl first holding the CD-release back for some time. 

Not For You is a 5-Star song every day of the week for me.

I would also say that Aye Davanita definitely counts as a complete song, it’s too long to be dismissed as a weird experimental piece. It would get 3.5 stars from me, which is more than I would give Satan’s Bed.

Not For You is a top-5 song in my list of the entire catalog.

mcgruff10

goldrush said:

Spiritual_Chaos said:

https://instagram.com/p/CCEit4opyr1/embed/

PEARL JAM - VITALOGY (1994).
Using the same producer and making this so soon after VS it is not surprising that it feels like a straight continuation. Switch this album’s ”Whipping” for VS’ ”Animal” and no one would notice. The inclusion of the weird experimental pieces scattered throughout the album adds a flavour to the album that I am not sure the rest of the material lives up to. E.g Spin the Black Circle. Yes, the song won a grammy And yes, I bet it got a lot of air play on radio. It should still not have been more than a fanclub single at most. The end track ”hey foxymophandlemama that's me” (or ”Stupid Mop” for short) is haunting, a masterpiece sadly even by me relegated to being an ”experimental piece”. And as a sidenote, the album package feels better for the CD version and the booklet looks to be made with the CD in mind, which is weird with them choosing in -94 to release it solely on Vinyl first holding the CD-release back for some time. 

Not For You is a 5-Star song every day of the week for me.

I would also say that Aye Davanita definitely counts as a complete song, it’s too long to be dismissed as a weird experimental piece. It would get 3.5 stars from me, which is more than I would give Satan’s Bed.

I would love to see them jam out aye davanita.

tbergs

mcgruff10 said:

goldrush said:

Spiritual_Chaos said:

https://instagram.com/p/CCEit4opyr1/embed/

PEARL JAM - VITALOGY (1994).
Using the same producer and making this so soon after VS it is not surprising that it feels like a straight continuation. Switch this album’s ”Whipping” for VS’ ”Animal” and no one would notice. The inclusion of the weird experimental pieces scattered throughout the album adds a flavour to the album that I am not sure the rest of the material lives up to. E.g Spin the Black Circle. Yes, the song won a grammy And yes, I bet it got a lot of air play on radio. It should still not have been more than a fanclub single at most. The end track ”hey foxymophandlemama that's me” (or ”Stupid Mop” for short) is haunting, a masterpiece sadly even by me relegated to being an ”experimental piece”. And as a sidenote, the album package feels better for the CD version and the booklet looks to be made with the CD in mind, which is weird with them choosing in -94 to release it solely on Vinyl first holding the CD-release back for some time. 

Not For You is a 5-Star song every day of the week for me.

I would also say that Aye Davanita definitely counts as a complete song, it’s too long to be dismissed as a weird experimental piece. It would get 3.5 stars from me, which is more than I would give Satan’s Bed.

I would love to see them jam out aye davanita.

I love Aye Davanita. My favorite non-song by far.

Spiritual_Chaos

BrainofBGA said:

I’d love to hear the original slowed down riff that was brought in by Stone?? Until Eddie sped it up to what we hear in the finished track. 

Yes. Me too. Wrote that down first even. But removed it. But would love to hear Stones first thingy.

mcgruff10

tbergs said:

mcgruff10 said:

goldrush said:

Spiritual_Chaos said:

https://instagram.com/p/CCEit4opyr1/embed/

PEARL JAM - VITALOGY (1994).
Using the same producer and making this so soon after VS it is not surprising that it feels like a straight continuation. Switch this album’s ”Whipping” for VS’ ”Animal” and no one would notice. The inclusion of the weird experimental pieces scattered throughout the album adds a flavour to the album that I am not sure the rest of the material lives up to. E.g Spin the Black Circle. Yes, the song won a grammy And yes, I bet it got a lot of air play on radio. It should still not have been more than a fanclub single at most. The end track ”hey foxymophandlemama that's me” (or ”Stupid Mop” for short) is haunting, a masterpiece sadly even by me relegated to being an ”experimental piece”. And as a sidenote, the album package feels better for the CD version and the booklet looks to be made with the CD in mind, which is weird with them choosing in -94 to release it solely on Vinyl first holding the CD-release back for some time. 

Not For You is a 5-Star song every day of the week for me.

I would also say that Aye Davanita definitely counts as a complete song, it’s too long to be dismissed as a weird experimental piece. It would get 3.5 stars from me, which is more than I would give Satan’s Bed.

I would love to see them jam out aye davanita.

I love Aye Davanita. My favorite non-song by far.

thunderclap, foldback and harmony are pretty damn good as well.  Any of them would be killer in a set list.