RANK THE ALBUMS

[evenslow]

I can’t imagine having such a vivid memory of songs after listening to them once over a month ago.

Being invited to hear your favorite bands new album 3 months before its release is a pretty memorable experience to say the least. I’m only going by my initial reactions now. Specifics are pretty lost. But I remember my first impressions of the album and that’s what I’ve posted.

You've now officially unlocked Uncle status within The Jamily. Congratulations.

[KidC-]

Just to help us form expectations, could you add some details about the songs we haven't heard yet? For example, I'm interested to know if the rockers on the album besides SBWM are similarly fast paced or more deliberate. Are they punk rockers or more slow building, anthemic songs with big choruses?

I know you just had one listen and it isn't possible to give many details but anything you can add in relation to the songs we already have heard would be great.

yeah, this.

Who Ever Said was a rocker very similar to SBWM. For me, I liked it better on first listen. Perfect opener. Powerful and immediately familiar in the best way possible. something only PJ can do. Those 2 songs go hand in hand.

Quick Escape isn’t really a rocker. More of an anthemic arena song. I think people will enjoy this one.

Never Destination felt very familiar. Like I had already heard it before. Typical punk-PJ. Supersonic-y. Mayyyyybe a little Olé. Didn’t grab me on first listen.

Take the long way had a bit of a soaring chorus to it. I remember liking it better than never destination and I believe it was because of the chorus...but they are very similar in style. The song didn’t flow well for me cause the odd time signature was jarring. It’ll take some listens to get into it. I think I remember liking the ending of this song too...?

And that is it for rockers on the album...

It’s a poppy album FYI. Not a riot act. I think some people’s expectations were something along those lines. It’s def in the vein of the last 3 albums. The production is the only thing that’s truly different. And DotC.

As far as big choruses. You get those in retrograde and 7 o’clock. They are sirens-type choruses. Lifted up even more by the swirling production. Great atmosphere to those songs.

I wonder if they will do an early streaming release ala Lightning Bolt?...

Thanks man, appreciate it. One last question (promise!):

Would you describe Ed's vocal delivery on SBWM (fast paced and intense throughout most of the song) as typical of the rest of the rockers or does he get more deliberate with the pace and explore more dynamics in the other rockers?

I remember freaking out at the vocals of who ever said, SBWN, 7 o’clock and retrograde. I loooove powerful soaring eddie vocals. If my memory serves me correct, The other rockers had supersonic vocal delivery imho.

[Birds in Hell]

Im pretty disappointed that after a seven year wait PJ may have made another album that sounds like the last three.

For what it's worth, and this isn't meant as a diss to KidC-, but his tastes seem more aligned with the accessible/anthemic side of the band going by his song rankings, i.e. multiple 5 star songs on Backspacer and 5 stars for Sirens yet lukewarm ratings on what I think are stronger and more interesting songs. It's not surprising that he'd draw positive comparisons with the band's recent material if he was already very fond of it.

[Mike]

KidC-, destroyer of hope.

[KidC-]

Im pretty disappointed that after a seven year wait PJ may have made another album that sounds like the last three.

For what it's worth, and this isn't meant as a diss to KidC-, but his tastes seem more aligned with the accessible/anthemic side of the band going by his song rankings, i.e. multiple 5 star songs on Backspacer and 5 stars for Sirens yet lukewarm ratings on what I think are stronger and more interesting songs. It's not surprising that he'd draw positive comparisons with the band's recent material if he was already very fond of it.

Yep. Very true. For me. Gigaton has 6 outfuckingstanding songs. Don’t know why people are hating on me. I loved it on first listen and can’t wait for more. Your not getting another animal, rearviewmirror, in my tree, DTE, give to fly etc... but you’re getting shit that’ll hold up with those tunes.

Some people seem to think it’s going to be this huge departure from recent work. DotC would make me think that as well. But it’s all pretty standard PJ songs. That’s why I’m saying it’s in the vein of their recent stuff more so than their previous stuff.

But I love this thread cause we get to see that everyone has different opinions but a shared appreciation for this band. My initial take away was every type of fan is gonna have stuff to love about Gigaton. Pretty sure that’s gonna hold true.

[Bammer]

Spin has an album ranking going right now.

Binaural back at 8. Backspacer up at 6. Yield at 1.

[Leatherhead]

Spin has an album ranking going right now.

Binaural back at 8. Backspacer up at 6. Yield at 1.

I hate general public rankings of PJ albums.

[evenslow]

Im pretty disappointed that after a seven year wait PJ may have made another album that sounds like the last three.

For what it's worth, and this isn't meant as a diss to KidC-, but his tastes seem more aligned with the accessible/anthemic side of the band going by his song rankings, i.e. multiple 5 star songs on Backspacer and 5 stars for Sirens yet lukewarm ratings on what I think are stronger and more interesting songs. It's not surprising that he'd draw positive comparisons with the band's recent material if he was already very fond of it.

Yep. Very true. For me. Gigaton has 6 outfuckingstanding songs. Don’t know why people are hating on me. I loved it on first listen and can’t wait for more. Your not getting another animal, rearviewmirror, in my tree, DTE, give to fly etc... but you’re getting shit that’ll hold up with those tunes.

Some people seem to think it’s going to be this huge departure from recent work. DotC would make me think that as well. But it’s all pretty standard PJ songs. That’s why I’m saying it’s in the vein of their recent stuff more so than their previous stuff.

But I love this thread cause we get to see that everyone has different opinions but a shared appreciation for this band. My initial take away was every type of fan is gonna have stuff to love about Gigaton. Pretty sure that’s gonna hold true.

no one is hating, we all just have a very high stakes interpretation of what we want PJ to be. it's ridiculous, but such is life as a Jamily member.

thanks for your contribution to our ongoing insanity.

[mikejasond]

I enjoy backspacer and self/titled. I also love Sirens. I think self/titled is one of the better albums. I dont like binaural or riot act. And I know that PJ will never sound like my favorite albums (the first three) again.

But also Pearl Jam has always had different...eras? I guess.

The first three albums go well together
No Code and Yield
Binaural and Riot Act
Avocado, Backspacer, and Lightning Bolt

They've never stalled for so long, their sound has always chaged. After so many years I just thought we'd be going into the next era of Pearl Jam already but it seems we are now on the fourth album in the same style, the longest they've ever done the same style.

In fact Avocado came out fourteen years ago, and like...15 years after Ten? So they've been doing this style for like half their career at this point. Its weird.

I hoped DOTC was a sign they were moving into a new era, but it seems we're still in the old one. And while I enjoy Self/Titled and Backspacer Im ready for something new.

[BootsToAsses]

Ten

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

Average - 4.18

Vs

Go - 5
Animal - 5
Daughter - 4.5
Glorified G - 3
Dissident - 4
WMA - 2.5
Blood - 4
Rearviewmirror - 5
Rats - 3
Small Town - 4.5
Leash - 2.5
Indifference - 4

Average - 3.91

Vitalogy

Last Exit - 4.5
Spin The Black Circle - 4
Not For You - 3
Tremor Christ - 4.5
Nothingman - 5
Whipping - 3.5
Pry, To - 2.5
Corduroy - 5
Bugs - 3
Satan's Bed - 4
Better Man - 4.5
Aye Davanita- 2
Immortality - 4.5
Stupid Mop - N/A

Average - 3.84

No Code

Sometimes - 3.5
Hail, Hail - 5
Who You Are - 4
In My Tree - 5
Smile - 4.5
Off He Goes - 5
Habit - 3.5
Red Mosquito - 4.5
Lukin - 3.5
Present Tense - 4.5
Mankind - 2.5
I'm Open - 2
Around The Bend - 3

Average - 3.88

Yield

Brain Of J - 5
Faithfull - 4.5
No Way - 4
Given To Fly - 5
Wishlist - 4
Pilate - 3.5
Do The Evolution - 5
Red Dot - 2.5
MFC - 3.5
Low Light - 3.5
In Hiding - 4.5
Push Me, Pull Me - 4
All Those Yesterdays - 4

Average - 4.07

Binaural

Breakerfall - 4.5
God's Dice - 4
Evacuation - 3
Light Years - 4
Nothing As It Seems - 4.5
Thin Air - 4
Insignificance - 5
Of The Girl - 5
Grievance - 4.5
Rival - 3.5
Sleight Of Hand - 4.5
Soon Forget - 3
Parting Ways - 5

Average - 4.19

Riot Act

Can't Keep - 4.5
Save You - 3.5
LBC - 4
Cropduster - 4
Ghost - 3.5
I Am Mine - 5
Thumbing My Way - 4
You Are - 3.5
Get Right - 3
Green Disease - 4
Help, Help - 4
1/2 Full - 4.5
Bu$hleaguer - 3.5
Arc - 2
All Or None - 4

Average - 3.8

Avocado

Life Wasted - 4
WWS - 4
Comatose - 3.5
Severed Hand - 4.5
Marker In The Sand - 4.5
Parachutes - 3.5
Unemployable - 3.5
Big Wave - 3.5
Gone - 3
Wasted Reprise - 3
Army Reserve - 4.5
Come Back - 4
Inside Job - 3.5

Average - 3.76

Backspacer

Gonna See My Friend - 3
Got Some - 3
The Fixer - 3.5
Johnny Guitar - 4
Just Breathe - 4
Amongst The Waves - 3
Unthought Known - 4
Supersonic - 3
Speed of Sound - 4
Force of Nature - 4.5
The End - 4

Average - 3.63

Lightning Bolt

Getaway - 4.5
Mind Your Manners - 3.5
My Father's Son - 3
Sirens - 4
Lightning Bolt - 4.5
Infallible - 4
Pendulum - 4.5
Swallowed Whole - 2.5
Let The Records Play - 3.5
Sleeping By Myself - 3
Yellow Moon - 3.5
Future Days - 3

Average - 3.62

Overall album ranking by average:

1. Binaural - 4.19
2. Ten - 4.18
3. Yield - 4.07
4. Vs - 3.91
5. No Code - 3.88
6. Vitalogy - 3.84
7. Riot Act - 3.8
8. Avocado - 3.76
9. Backspacer - 3.63
10. Lightning Bolt - 3.62

[Hypnos]

I enjoy backspacer and self/titled. I also love Sirens. I think self/titled is one of the better albums. I dont like binaural or riot act. And I know that PJ will never sound like my favorite albums (the first three) again.

But also Pearl Jam has always had different...eras? I guess.

The first three albums go well together
No Code and Yield
Binaural and Riot Act
Avocado, Backspacer, and Lightning Bolt

They've never stalled for so long, their sound has always chaged. After so many years I just thought we'd be going into the next era of Pearl Jam already but it seems we are now on the fourth album in the same style, the longest they've ever done the same style.

In fact Avocado came out fourteen years ago, and like...15 years after Ten? So they've been doing this style for like half their career at this point. Its weird.

I hoped DOTC was a sign they were moving into a new era, but it seems we're still in the old one. And while I enjoy Self/Titled and Backspacer Im ready for something new.

Avocado is nothing like BS or LB.

[Hypnos]

Also, Binaural is nothing like RA.

[Hypnos]

I think it goes:
Ten/Vs
Vitalogy
No Code/Yield
Binaural
Riot Act
Avocado
Backspacer/Lightning Bolt

[liebzz]

I always thought No Code and Vitalogy sort of fit together. Lukin and Habit could have made Vitalogy, Red Mosquito thematically similar to Satan’s Bed, Present Tense and Immortality kinda got together. I think Vitalogy’s themes are generally different as the heart of the album speaks to abuse in a variety of contexts and perspectives, while No Code seems to be a more reflective album pondering what the meaning of this all this - but they are still sort of cut from the same cloth. To me, Yield is a clean break in sound from those two.

[Farmer John]

Rank the Eras:

1. No Code/Yield
2. Ten/Vs/Vitalogy
3. Binaural/Riot Act
4. PRAMG

[Birds in Hell]

2005/2006 felt like its own unique period to me, quite distinct from 2008 onwards.

[mikejasond]

I don't know how you can say Binaural sounds nothing like Riot Act and that Avocado is not like Backspacer

Binaural and Riot Act are where they started making very static rock songs, categorized by tons of repeated chords, where the background music was usually just energy and nothing else...so there could be a focus on Ed's lyrics...there was a lack of color and motion and movement....it was like all in a very narrow sound-space that was used as vehicle for Eddie to be Eddie. They are cold and distant albums for the most part. They both sound very similar to me especially compared to others...

Whereas Avocado was their emergence as what people refer to as "Dad rock". or RAWK! Very peppy, bright, energy, poppy almost. Same thing we see in Superblood Wolfmoon..just like we saw on World Wide Suicide. Almost influence from The Who or something in the guitar works...power chords, but rather than hitting the same chord over and over again they jump around like on Life Wasted and give you energy and stuff. The music is happy and energetic and all about having a good time and rocking out.

The first three albums are the grungy dark albums, with tons of interesting music.

No Code and Yield are sort of experimental...Sometimes defines this for me. There's no way to take that opening song but as moving into a new era. Almost some folk influence...Quieter more introspective. Binaural/Riot Act were introspective too but in a colder isolating way.

[mikejasond]

2005/2006 felt like its own unique period to me, quite distinct from 2008 onwards.

If we're talking live, though, I agree. But on album, Backspacer/Avocado, while Avocado is much better, and they are different from each other (like Ten is different from Vs), when you take Pearl Jam's albums and lay them all out to compare to each other they are different from the average in the same way - same as Binaural and Riot Act.

[Bammer]

BootsToAsses gave Johnny Guitar a 4.

DISQUALIFIED

[Anders]

I’m going to score them based on how I feel about the studio versions when listening today, and how much I would like to hear them again in the coming month, not based on how I felt when they were new and fresh, how they are live, or their classic status for Pearl Jam or in my life. I will score irregardless of how others feel, or how I have rated/ranked the albums previously.

Score 0= trash, 1 = do not like, 2 = could skip, 2.5 = would not turn off, 3 = good, 3.5 = really like this, 4 = great listen, 4.5 = what makes this the best band, 5 = I’m in love

Ten

Once 4
Even Flow 3
Alive 3
Why Go 4
Black 5
Jeremy 3.5
Oceans 4.5
Porch 4
Garden 2.5
Deep 2.5
Release 5

Score 3,72

Vs.

Go 4
Animal 4.5
Daughter 4.5
Glorified G 2
Dissident 3
W.M.A. 2.5
Blood 3
Rearviewmirror 5
Rats 2.5
Elderly Woman 4.5
Leash 2.5
Indifference 4.5

Score 3,54

Vitalogy

Last Exit 3.5
STBC 2.5
Not For You 4
Tremor Christ 4.5
Nothingman 4
Whipping 2
Pry, To 0,5 (won’t count it)
Corduroy 5
Bugs 2 (won’t count it)
Satan’s Bed 3
Better Man 4.5
Aye Davanita 1.5 (won’t count it)
Immortality 5
Stupid Mop 0 (won’t count it)

Vitalogy 3,8 (3,45 if I include Bugs and Aye Davanita)

No Code

Sometimes 4.5
Hail, Hail 5
Who You Are 4.5
In My Tree 5
Smile 4
Off He Goes 5
Habit 4.5
Red Mosquito 3.5
Lukin 3
Present Tense 4
Mankind 4.5
I’m Open 3
Around The Bend 3.5

Score 4,15

Yield

Brain of J 4.5
Faithful 4.5
No Way 3.5
Given To Fly 4
Wishlist 3
Pilate 3
Do The Evolution 4.5
Red Bar 0 (won’t count)
Mfc 4
Low Light 4.5
In Hiding 5
Push Me, Pull Me 3
All Those Yesterdays 4.5

Score 4,08

Binaural

Breakerfall 3.5
Gods’ Dice 4
Evacuation 3
Light Years 4.5
NAIS 5
Thin Air 4
Insignificance 4.5
Of The Girl 4.5
Grievance 3.5
Rival 3.5
Sleight Of Hand 4.5
Soon Forget 3
Parting Ways 4.5

Score 4

Riot Act

Can't Keep - 4
Save You - 3.5
LBC - 4.5
Cropduster - 4
Ghost - 2.5
I Am Mine - 4.5
Thumbing My Way - 4
You Are - 4
Get Right - 3
Green Disease - 3
Help, Help - 2
Bu$hleaguer - 2.5
1/2 Full - 4
Arc - 2.5
All Or None - 5

Score 3,53

S/T

Life Wasted - 4
WWS - 3
Comatose - 2
Severed Hand - 4
Marker In The Sand - 4
Parachutes - 4
Unemployable - 3
Big Wave - 2
Gone - 4.5
Wasted Reprise - 2
Army Reserve - 5
Come Back - 4
Inside Job - 3

Score 3.5

Backspacer

Gonna See My Friend - 2
Got Some - 4
The Fixer - 3
Johnny Guitar - 5
Just Breathe - 4
Amongst The Waves - 3.5
Unthought Known - 3
Supersonic - 2.5
Speed of Sound - 2
Force of Nature - 5
The End - 3

Score 3,36

Lightning Bolt

Getaway - 2.5
Mind Your Manners - 2.5
My Father's Son - 2
Sirens - 2.5
Lightning Bolt - 4.5
Infallible - 4
Pendulum - 4
Swallowed Whole - 4.5
Let The Records Play - 2.5
Sleeping By Myself - 3
Yellow Moon - 5
Future Days - 2

Score 3,25

Gigaton

Who Ever Said - 4
Superblood Wolfmoon - 3
DotC - 4.5
Quick Escape - 4.5
Alright - 3.5
Seven O’Clock - 3
Never Destination - 3
Take The Long Way - 4
Buckle Up - 5
Comes Then Goes - 4
Retrograde - 2
River Cross - 3

Score 3.63

Overall album ranking by average:

1. No Code - 4.15
2. Yield - 4.08
3. Binaural - 4
4. Vitalogy - 3.8
5. Ten - 3.72
6. Gigaton 3.63
7. Vs - 3.54
8. Riot Act - 3.53
9. S/T 3.5
10. Backspacer - 3.36
11. Lightning Bolt - 3.25