Stereogum ranks PJ albums...DISCUSS

I don't agree with the author's ranking much, but I do like the fact that he seems to know the albums pretty well, and his analysis is intelligent and fairly well thought out (too bad the political climate can't be more like this!)

My personal disagreements would be ranking Backspacer higher than Yield, and Binaural dead last...and of course we all know No Code is #1.

NOT the worst article, fairly intelligent and even handed I thought - not too much hatin'.

I love that Vitalogy is #1 and that he recognised the genius that is No Code. If I stood back and took my fan-since-forever hat off I would agree with his rankings and reasons for them. And even with my fan hat on, I only woulda put Riot Act higher - I think its a really interesting and emotional record (and I LOVE Can't Keep).

I like most that he started by saying how hard it is to rank their albums and why - and then had a go anyway. Ha.

I'll level with you, its kind of embarrassing as a fan that some of us get offended when a music critic doesn't share the same obsessive love of Pearl Jam that we do (what kind of critic would he be if he was admittedly a "fan"? Wouldn't that make his review inherently less credible? Or do we only tolerate people who agree with us? :? ) .

We all think PJ is the last great American rock band (and objectively, there might a lot of truth to that). But some of us might need to develop a little thicker skins here. Just because the guy has some things to say about the band that aren't gushing or "fan-worthy" doesn't mean what he says doesn't have a shred of truth in it.

At the end of the day, what the guy has to say is his opinion. If you don't like it, start limiting your reading to Pearljam.com/Forum and you'll be fine. If your love of PJ (or anything for that matter) is enhanced or detracted from because of what someone else has to say, then I think you need to reassess what you're here for. Just a thought.

As far as his article goes, I'd say Avocado has to be higher (I actually think Ed sounds great on that album), Backspacer much lower (while I agree on the review of BS's pop-friendliness, I just have a hard time getting into this one), and Ten should probably be the top of the list. I used to think otherwise, but looking back, the songs I find myself wanting to see live again and again are the songs from that album. Alive, Black, Why Go, Garden, Release, Porch...always the highlights of every show for me. Once again, the live experience informs the album experience...

interesting to see the indie press giving some ink to PJ. The other week they posted about that setlist composed by a PJ fan

ontheroad wrote:

His premise that no current bands list Pearl Jam as influential in their own careers is ridiculous. Not sure how long he researched or spoke with other artists, but off the top of my head (other than The Strokes - which he mentions): Kings of Leon, My Morning Jacket, Ben Harper, Band of Horses, The Killers, Coldplay, QOTSA....

i didnt think he said that at all. You have to look at the source. Stereogum. I swear by the website. Its one i visit daily, and have for years, love their end of year best albums list. They cover alot of the newer indie bands of the moment. That said, of the bands you mentioned, Band of Horses and the Killers are the only two bands they really cover currently. I love every band you mentioned, but it seems like in the eyes of many people, every band mentioned has dropped off to a certain extent. My Morning Jackets first 4 or 5 records are flawless, but Circuital really wasnt loved. Ben Harper was huge a few years ago, but with the decline of the jam band scene, he isnt as huge. That last record was good but it really didnt get much press. The strokes are legendary of course, but none of their albums released since Is This It have acheieved what that first record did. Angles wasnt on a single best album of 2011 list that Im aware of. Coldplay, stereogum does cover them. And Ive never seen them cover QOTSA. band of horses, that first album was classic, and I loved the 2nd, but wasnt too keen on the third. And most people seem in agreement with that.

So I dont think its the authors assertion that PJ hasnt influenced any bands, or any important bands. I just think the bands IT HAS INFLUENCED arent making music as good as their previous work in the eyes of the author and this is seemingly backed up by some evidence.

It would be different, at least from the authors point of view, I think, if My Morning jacket has put out It Still Moves in 2011, or if The Strokes put out Is This It last year, or if The Killers put out Hot Fuss last year. None of the artists mentioned in the eyes of many fans and critics are putting out music as good as their previous work.

As I said im a massive fan of all those bands, so I dont necessarily agree in all cases

I completely agree with their #1

My ranking (I try to view albums as complete works, and not just as a collection of songs):

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

musicismylife78 wrote:

For me, they are way more innovative and important and influential for their ethical and moral stances both reguarding music with politics in general. The way they run their operations, how they treat fans, how they take stances that arent neccesarily popular, to me, thats way more innovative and satisfying.

+1

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

dimitrispearljam wrote:

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

Cant argue with that list. Know that I think of it I dont think you can argue with any list. Every album is #1