PJ Albums. Rank 'em. Again.

Flagg · February 2009

SPEEDY MCCREADY wrote:

Flagg wrote:

OK, like everyone else, this changes from time to time.

1) YIELD - This is the album that cemented them as my favorite band and began the obsession. From the opening shot of Brain of J, to the contemplative ending of All Those Yesterdays, to me this is a flawless record. I think it captures their sound and their potential better than any other record. Given to Fly says all you need to know about this great band.

2) Vs. - The first album I can remember where I actually stood in line to buy it on the sale date. Solid follow-up to their breakthrough record, this is PJ at their heaviest but also contains some of thier best ballads (Daughter, Small Town). Go, Animal, Blood and RVM show they can hang with anyone but Indifference sets them apart.

3) Pearl Jam - This record restored my faith in them. That is why I rank it so high. I felt they (especially Ed) had begun to mail it in with Riot Act. I think PJ was a consious step by them to regain their edge and get their message back out. The songs are punchy, melodic and Mike hasn't played leads like this since Vs. More Mike!! And Ed is back with his story-telling method of writing. The entire album (except maybe Big Wave) is tied together with the theme of war, loss, and the anxiousness people felt living in America during the difficult years just after the Iraq war begin. And there is a thread of hope too. I said my list changes, and sometimes this moves to the top.

4) Vitalogy - So many great songs. So much anger. Pearl Jam at their pissed off at the world best. I sometimes listen to this record just to hear Ed unleash those blood-curlding screams in Spin the Black Circle and Tremor Christ. If you ever want to blow off steam, you can hardly do better than Last Exit, STBC, Not For You, Tremor Christ. What an opening. Then throw in Whipping. Add in Better Man, Immortality and their unofficial theme song, Corduroy and you have a near perfect snapshot of a band in crisis. The only drawback is too many fillers and silly crap.

5) Ten - The PJ elitist puts 10 at the bottom but really, can you really do that? I hope the remixes sound better. I hate the way this record sounds. We've heard these songs a million times, but Alive still pumps you up. Even Flow still makes you want to pogo. Black still makes you sad. Why Go still makes you pump your fist in the air. Release still puts you in a state of awe when they open with it.

6) Binaural - As above, I hate this sound of this record, even with headphones. I can barely tolerate it. However, that doesn't affect the love I have for most of the songs. When people talk about which songs sound better live than in studio, Binaural is the poster child. Never mind this record, just listen to the 2000 boots to hear the way it was meant to be. That way you can hear Mike kick ass on Breakerfall instead of the aural mess of the record. Also, this is the first record that has a song I can't stand (Evacuation) and the first where I think B sides would have made the album better (Sad).

7) No Code - No Code is a mood record for me. If I am in a good mood, I never play it. If I am sad or something it moves way up. I lost interest in Pearl Jam when this record came out. I thought, well that's it, they will never capture the magic again. 10 years later I figured I was wrong and have grown to like, if not love it. I still think the track-listing is disjointed. It just lacks something. It doesn't flow well and the songs have a distinct lack of hook or in some cases even a chorus. I appreciate it now, but everyone should understand why at the time even big PJ fans gave up on them.

8) Riot Act - I don't want to get into another Riot Act bash, but this album is not very good (to me). The B-sides are better than the album tracks. It doesn't flow well at all. How do you leave off Down? How about Undone? They claim this to be a political statement but leave off two of the most political songs they have? How about Other Side? Give me that over 40 Help Helps, Get Rights, Cropdusters, etc. To may other people contributed lyrics and the songs suffer for it. The best are the ones Ed wrote himself and I think he mailed his vocal performance in. Save You takes on a whole new life live. For the first time, I was really disappointed in Eddie's performance. Outside of Arc, Can't Keep, I Am Mine and All or None, he doesn't really bring anything to the table. There are no "wow" moments. Its also too much of a downer. Not a single uplifting song or a thread of hope on here.

flagg???

ya know i love ya my man....
and you are my favorite person here....

but i think you had WAY TOO MUCH coffee this morning.....hehehehe

DAMN!!!! you put some thought in to that post.....

hehehehehehehehehehehe....................................

hahaha! Thanks man! Two and half cups!

But the weather is great so I am going to go pitch some baseballs to my kid now.

Gmoney · February 2009

1. YIELD
2. BINAURAL
3. Riot Act
4. No Code
5. Vitalogy
6. vs
7. ten
8. avocado

12345AGNST1 · February 2009

1. Pearl Jam
This is basically the album that got me excited for PJ. My friend told me they were touring and asked if I wanted to see them and I told him hell yea. So after we scored tix, I quickly bought every PJ album from No Code on so I could be familiar with every PJ song before the show. The last one I bought was this one because I was waiting anxiously for it to come out. I loved it at first and now I love it even more. Even though basically every PJ album (except ten-vitalogy) was new to me at the time, I was more excited for Avo just because it was their brand new album. I also just flat out love the album, I dont understand the hate what-so-ever. Its in your face, and has great solos. Life Wasted is probably in my top 5 PJ songs. The only thing I dont like about it is it's production. It sounds great, until you blast it. That album was basically my high school album, and everyone always commented on my Avocado tour shirt, and people still do. If I had an emblem for myself, it would be that avocado....hahahaha

2. Yield
When all of the PJ albums were new to me at the time, this was actually my least favorite of them. It now completely grew on me and I understand why everyone loves it. The production is flat out INCREDIBLE. Its so "airy and natural" I can't really explain it. In Hiding is the most uplifting song EVER.

3. No Code
Use to be my favorite, but Off He Goes and Around the Bend are a little to soft to make me like it better than the other two. Regardles though, its completely unique and I love the theme. Its basically a standard for PJ fans.

4. VS
Whats not to like about it? Its completely in your face and you can blast the mother fucking hell out of it. Glorified G remains my top 5 PJ songs.

5. Ten
It's TEN, there is nothing left positive to say aobut this album. Its all been said before.

6. Vitalogy
there is just SOMETHING aobut this album that doesn't do it for me. I really have no clue. Maybe the production, maybe the fillers, I dunno. Betterman is also my least favorite PJ song, only one im sick of hearing. But then again, it still has Last Exit, NFY, Immortality, and Satans Bed.

7. Binaural
Very close between this and riot act. I would have to say Breakerfall, Grievance, Insignificance, and Sleight Of Hand save it. I still love it though, not a song on it that I dont like.

8. Riot Act
It has a few great songs. I actually think Save You is one of their best heavy songs, I like it more than DTE. But there is too mcuh on it that isn't amazing. One thing is that it has both Matts best and worst songs. You Are is amazing, Get Right is BLAH. My fav's are Save You, I Am Mine, (easily eds best lyrics) Half Full, and All or None. Anyone who doesn't like All or None is a fool.

LukinFan · February 2009

1. No Code
2. Yield
3. Riot Act
4. Binaural
5. Vitalogy
6. Vs.
7. Pearl Jam
8. Ten

12345AGNST1 · February 2009

LukinFan wrote:

1. Pearl Jam
2. Yield
3. No Code
4. VS
5. Ten
6. Vitalogy
7. Binaural
8. Riot Act

...............................?

LukinFan · February 2009

12345AGNST1 wrote:

LukinFan wrote:

1. Pearl Jam
2. Yield
3. No Code
4. VS
5. Ten
6. Vitalogy
7. Binaural
8. Riot Act

...............................?

haha- sorry, I fucked up

pretext · February 2009

1. Vs.- Of course, Ten hooked me in, but this is blow-for-blow the best album by far for me. I have this very distinct memory of listening to it in woodshop in jr. high school. It's so evocative of that point in my life, which may or may not be a good thing.

2. Riot Act. Seriously. I don't love the production, but it's hard for me to find a song I don't love unequivocally. I don't need to hear Bu$hleager that often I guess.

3. Vitalogy. I few missteps - I don't like any of the "experimental" nonsense. But Immortality alone puts this up there.

4. Ten. Still a classic, even if I don't listen it to it much on its own anymore. Not one shit song.

5. Yield. There are a few songs that annoy the shit out of me, especially Wishlist. I really like most of the songs, but only love a few. like In Hiding.

6. Pearl Jam. Flat out rocks. Get rid of the two ballads and I'm good.

7. No Code. Again, an album I like most of the way through, but not as much that stands out.

8. Binaural. Mostly because of the production and a few forgettable songs. Most of this album rocks out live.

jammerfall · February 2009

For the first time in quite awhile there have been some significant changes in the order of my list. The one constant? Binaural, destined to hang at the bottom every time.

Ten
I run to this record A LOT. It defines so many things for me. The "Once/Even Flow/Alive/Why Go/Black/Jeremy" cycle of songs just blows me away every time, while Oceans, Porch, Garden, Deep and Release comprise an almost theatrical suite of songs. The M/S intro-outro! Maybe seeing the band move from MB to PJ adds an extra special vibe to it. I dunno, but damn the stigma, I love Ten! :shock:

Vs
I was actually kind of put off by this record when it first came out. I have no idea why; probably because I was such a Ten whore. That lasted about a week. There's not one wrong move on Vs., as far as I'm concerned.

Vitalogy
These first three running in chronological order on my list is purely coincidental. Vitalogy traditionally runs lower with me regardless of the pure billiance of most of the songs. It might be the experimental tracks that put me off a bit, but by the same token it wouldn't be the same without them. And, Immortality rules!

Riot Act
Ah, bring on the un-loved, red-headed bastard step-child. I do have a thing for this record that most people don't get, and in the past I've considered this my favorite PJ album, tied with Ten. Tracks 1-10 just work for me. 11-15 are an ok dessert after a great dinner.

No Code
My "PJ mood" record. I really listen to this a lot in the spring, and I like to pick and choose songs on vinyl randomly; it's just a thing with me. No Code spent a good long while being my favorite album amongst any and all of my favorite bands.

Yield
While a great album, there is something unlike PJ about it to me. I've never been able to put my finger on it and it sort of sets me off alone from most of the bands fans.

Pearl Jam
Honestly, I think their next release will cement how I feel about "the avocado."

Binaural
I've never tried harder to love a record. I remember hearing the beginning of Breakerfall and thinking "whoa, I'm gonna love this record!" I didn't. I remember hunting down the vinyl, because then I'll love this record. I didn't. That being said, Breakerfall, God's Dice and Evacuation are a good "garage band" sounding trio and Thin Air has one of my favorite EV vocals of all time in it.

BeerBaron · February 2009

1. Yield
2. Ten
3. No Code
4. Vitalogy
5. Vs
6. Avocado
7. Riot Act
8. Binaural

PHATJ · February 2009

I love this thread! Love the reviews and stories behind the choices. Keep 'em coming!

Red_Dot · February 2009

1. Vitalogy
2. No Code
3. Vs
4. Yield
5. Ten
6. Avocado
7. Binaural
8. Riot Act

Dirt Like Me · February 2009

1. Yield - This is the album that converted my wife and it came out my freshman year in college. It gets spun the most in our house.
2. Ten - I was 14. It literally changed the entire direction of my life from then on.
3. Avocado - Really didn't like it from 2006 - early 2007. I'm not sure what has changed, but I love it now. Inside Job is incredible.
4. Vs. - Likely the first record I bought the day it came out. Every time I play it, I can remember that autumn vividly. My parents got divorced and Indifference kept me sane.
5. Vitalogy - Came out the same day as Beatles Anthology. My dad let me skip school to go to the midnight release with him at a local record store. I had heard many of the tracks via bootlegs before the album but that didn't stop me from playing it a million or so times.
6. No Code - Turned me off when I first heard it. Never really completely got over how disappointing this record was to me at the time.
7. Riot Act - I only started to like it very recently.
8. Binaural - Still probably gets played more than 80% of my other music and its 8th.

Smellyman · February 2009

No Code
Yield
Vitalogy
Vs
Binaural
Avocado
RA
Ten

Jeremys Spoken · February 2009

Ten
Binaural
Vs
Yield
No Code
Vitalogy
Pearl Jam
Riot Act

EchosNobodyHears · February 2009

it changes from time to time but for the most part:
Yield
No Code
Vs.
binaural
pearl jam
riot act
ten
vitalogy

Jammalambo · February 2009

BINAURAL (pure gold to my ears)
TEN
VS, VITALOGY
NO CODE
RIOT ACT
YIELD

AVOCADO

Well, I separated Avocado from the others, because I think their first 7 studio albums are great, each one in different ways.. But avocado.. I just say that if this was their first or only album i would have a different opinion of it, but instead it's their latest release, and sincerely I believe they can do a lot better than this..
Best album in ten years? Ah, ah..
marker in the sand and the last three songs are very good, though.

LONGRD · February 2009

Yield will always be the pinnacle PJ album for me.

the next two alternate places a lot and right now VS has a slight edge.
VS.
No Code

Vitalogy
Ten

these three albums will always be the bottom three, with Riot Act being the worst at most times.
Binaural
Pearl Jam
Riot Act

zonapj · February 2009

1)Ten
2)Vs
3)Pearl Jam
4)Yield
5)Vitalogy
6)Riot Act
7)No Code
8)Binuaral

Best Tracks - IMO
Ten- Alive, Even Flow, Black, Porch, Garden, Once and Jeremy
Vs.- Small Town, Leash, Go, Daughter, RVM, Blood and indefference
Pearl Jam- Inside Job, Marker, Life Wasted, Severed Hand, Comatose and Unemployable
Yield- Evolution, Low Light, Given to Fly, Pilate, Faithfull and MFC
Vitalogy- Immortality, Better Man, Tremor Christ, Corduroy, Not for You and Last Exit
No Code- Red Mosquito,Present Tense, Lukin, In My Tree, Smile and hail,hail
Riot Act- LBC, Cropduster, You Are, Ghost, I Am Mine and Green Disease
Binuaral- Evacuation, God's Dice, Of The Girl, Rival, Slieght of Hand

Best of the Rest - Down, Sad, Otherside, Fatal, Education and In the Moonlight

I hope it doesn't sound like i'm nitpicking here

Binuaral- should have been a double album
Riot Act[ has the worst vocals(mix) of any PJ album ARC is the only hightlight- imo
VS.- has best Vocals
Ten- has best guitar work
Pearl Jam- is best produced album
Vitalogy - Should have included Hard to Imagine, Lukin and maybe Brain of J and dropped Stupid Mop
No Code- Needed to have gap between songs
Yield- I think Leatherman and You would have been perfect on this album, but i understand why they were left off

TY

LikeAnOcean · February 2009

Its too hard to rank them.

Gmoney · February 2009

zonapj wrote:

1)Ten
2)Vs
3)Pearl Jam
4)Yield
5)Vitalogy
6)Riot Act
7)No Code
8)Binuaral

Best Tracks - IMO
Ten- Alive, Even Flow, Black, Porch, Garden, Once and Jeremy
Vs.- Small Town, Leash, Go, Daughter, RVM, Blood and indefference
Pearl Jam- Inside Job, Marker, Life Wasted, Severed Hand, Comatose and Unemployable
Yield- Evolution, Low Light, Given to Fly, Pilate, Faithfull and MFC
Vitalogy- Immortality, Better Man, Tremor Christ, Corduroy, Not for You and Last Exit
No Code- Red Mosquito,Present Tense, Lukin, In My Tree, Smile and hail,hail
Riot Act- LBC, Cropduster, You Are, Ghost, I Am Mine and Green Disease
Binuaral- Evacuation, God's Dice, Of The Girl, Rival, Slieght of Hand

Best of the Rest - Down, Sad, Otherside, Fatal, Education and In the Moonlight

I hope it doesn't sound like i'm nitpicking here

Binuaral- should have been a double album
Riot Act[ has the worst vocals(mix) of any PJ album ARC is the only hightlight- imo
VS.- has best Vocals
Ten- has best guitar work
Pearl Jam- is best produced album
Vitalogy - Should have included Hard to Imagine, Lukin and maybe Brain of J and dropped Stupid Mop
No Code- Needed to have gap between songs
Yield- I think Leatherman and You would have been perfect on this album, but i understand why they were left off

TY

Pearl Jam= the best production?! "gasp" I think it's by far the worse

PJ Albums. Rank 'em. Again.

Comments

Categories