RANK THE ALBUMS

[digster]

I get that, but for me the first two songs in particular work as an unveiling of the curtain, for lack of a better metaphor, and are good songs in their own right, IMO. I just feel like they serve a different purpose than most other PJ openers, in addition to my enjoyment of them. But they do work as an intro to the album for me. It's not my favorite one-two punch on any PJ record, but the strength of the back half overwhelms any issues I have there.

[Monkey_Driven]

The strength of the opening three songs on Binaural is how different they are. Each one is like a different take at your normal opening rocker. It's a great introduction to rest of the album. None of three songs are in my top 30-40 PJ songs, but they're not throwaway tracks.

[RockPusher]

Aren't "Arc" and "The Color Red" the same length as, if not longer than, "Lukin?"

Fair point. "Lukin" has been treated as a song in setlists, while the other two haven't.

It's an interesting experiment but the "rank each song and take the average" method of ranking leaves out too many intangibles for me.

Agreed. That's why I put both my lists.

[Thurman Murman]

Thoughts on the songs that exist with both Tchad Blake and Brendan O'Brien mixes? I'm thinking Breakerfall, Education, Insignificance, Light Years, Hitchhiker & Sad

Which versions do you prefer and why?

[Kevin Davis]

I think generally the Blake mixes are better.

Question: "Nothing As It Seems" is listed in several places as being a different version on the single. Is it an altogether different take, or just a different track length or something?

[PHATJ]

My Current Favorites
Gigaton
Binaural

Feeling everything about these albums. Everything. The artwork, reading the lyrics, following along with the booklet as the album progresses, musical fucking genius, these two albums feel similarly superior to me, and I absolutely love them both.

The Undeniable Classics
Ten
Vs.
Vitalogy

These three are absolute classics for a reason. Wherever you rank them amongst your favorites, everyone agrees they are staples and classics, not just for PJ, but for classic rock.

Awesome Albums, Amongst the Best
Yield
No Code
Riot Act

Creativity in spades. Classics in their own right. An argument can be legitimately made these are top albums. We’re eight albums deep folks.

Good Album, Awful Production
Avocado

The songs are there for a pretty damn good PJ album, but it sounds like shit on the record. Every single song was better live.

Please Ignore
Backspacer
Lightning Bolt

These are so, so, bad. Ugh.

[RockPusher]

There is something about BS and LB that I can’t put my finger on, but it has to do with production and a dad-rock aspect (even as I acknowledge that My Father’s Son for instance is not dad-rock). The songs on Gigaton for the most part really do sound like earlier era PJ, and it shines the light on how much more I love that sound.

[Ms Harmless]

MFS makes me cringe so hard; it's definitely a dad trying to tell an angsty gritty grunge story but long past the time when that felt authentic

"I never got top dolla but she gave us all a start"

[RockPusher]

MFS makes me cringe so hard; it's definitely a dad trying to tell an angsty gritty grunge story but long past the time when that felt authentic

"I never got top dolla but she gave us all a start"

Yeah, don’t get me wrong: I do not dig MFS. It and supersonic are basically bookends for PJ that I don’t like. Although I also don’t care for Ed screeching songs- even the earlier ones.

[Ms Harmless]

MFS makes me cringe so hard; it's definitely a dad trying to tell an angsty gritty grunge story but long past the time when that felt authentic

"I never got top dolla but she gave us all a start"

Yeah, don’t get me wrong: I do not dig MFS. It and supersonic are basically bookends for PJ that I don’t like. Although I also don’t care for Ed screeching songs- even the earlier ones.

Ed didn't screech pre-S/T, he actually had a powerful guttural scream

[RockPusher]

MFS makes me cringe so hard; it's definitely a dad trying to tell an angsty gritty grunge story but long past the time when that felt authentic

"I never got top dolla but she gave us all a start"

Yeah, don’t get me wrong: I do not dig MFS. It and supersonic are basically bookends for PJ that I don’t like. Although I also don’t care for Ed screeching songs- even the earlier ones.

Ed didn't screech pre-S/T, he actually had a powerful guttural scream

Fair point. S/T definitely took it to a new and unfortunate level.

[stip]

MFS makes me cringe so hard; it's definitely a dad trying to tell an angsty gritty grunge story but long past the time when that felt authentic

"I never got top dolla but she gave us all a start"

Yeah, don’t get me wrong: I do not dig MFS. It and supersonic are basically bookends for PJ that I don’t like. Although I also don’t care for Ed screeching songs- even the earlier ones.

Ed didn't screech pre-S/T, he actually had a powerful guttural scream

Fair point. S/T definitely took it to a new and unfortunate level.

I actually like those screechy yells - there was some rage and fire and fury to them that I felt was lacking on Binaural and especially Riot Act - the only moment even slightly like that on RA is the end of Save You, and it's an album highlight. I don't want it all the time, but it was nice on a few of those songs. The problem is that it got used where it wasn't appropriate. It made sense on Life Wasted or WWS or Comatose, but not Marker. It was fine on GSMF, but not the Yeah Yeah Yeah part of the Fixer.

Mind Your Manners is underrated here on any and all levels, but that's a song where I think Eddie really finds his sweet spot for delivering middle aged aggression. He sounds fantastic there.

It sounds bad in MFS, but nothing about what Ed is doing in MFS works - root to stem he's a problem with that song.

[PHATJ]

My Current Favorites
Gigaton
Binaural

Feeling everything about these albums. Everything. The artwork, reading the lyrics, following along with the booklet as the album progresses, musical fucking genius, these two albums feel similarly superior to me, and I absolutely love them both.

The Undeniable Classics
Ten
Vs.
Vitalogy

These three are absolute classics for a reason. Wherever you rank them amongst your favorites, everyone agrees they are staples and classics, not just for PJ, but for classic rock.

Awesome Albums, Amongst the Best
Yield
No Code
Riot Act

Creativity in spades. Classics in their own right. An argument can be legitimately made these are top albums. We’re eight albums deep folks.

Good Album, Awful Production
Avocado

The songs are there for a pretty damn good PJ album, but it sounds like shit on the record. Every single song was better live.

Please Ignore
Backspacer
Lightning Bolt

These are so, so, bad. Ugh.

This is the definitive list, and groupings.

This is my personal current list:

Gigaton
Binaural
Vs.
Ten
Yield
Vitalogy
No Code
Riot Act
Avocado
Backspacer
Lightning Bolt

Damn, that feels so good.

[hlniv]

First attempt at this since Gigaton:

1. Vitalogy
2. Binaural
3. No Code
4. Gigaton
5. Vs.
6. Riot Act
7. Yield
8. Ten
9. S/T
10. Lightning Bolt
11. Backspacer

Yep, the new one is solidly in the top 5 for me, and I'm putting it above Yield, Vs, and Ten.

[BootsToAsses]

Obviously, this will change but this is how I'm feeling today.

1. Yield
2. Binaural
3. Gigaton
4. Riot Act
5. Vitalogy
6. No Code
7. Avocado
8. Vs
9. Ten
10. Backspacer
11. Lightning Bolt

[PHATJ]

Gigaton getting some real love!

[Monkey_Driven]

I could see a scenario where Gigaton sneaks into the middle of the pack. I look forward to each song.

[epilogue]

Yeah, Gigaton is a great album. I'm sure I'm still too overly zealous about it because it's new and because it's such a mood/moment record. Like Riot Act, it's a time & place album, for me. Hopefully, also like Riot Act, it isn't JUST a time/place album and continues to grow and expand. There isn't a song I dislike. And every track has at least one section that really speaks to me. It's wonderful.

Riot Act
Vitalogy
Ten
Yield
Vs
Gigaton
No Code
Binaural
Pearl Jam
Lightning Bolt
Backspacer

[McParadigm]

Currently

No Code
Vitalogy
Vs
Gigaton
Yield
Binaural (as delivered)
S/T (Spotify mix)
Riot Act
Ten
Backspacer
Silence between albums
Lightning Bolt

[Thurman Murman]

4/22 rankings

1. Vitalogy (*****)
2. Ten (*****)
3. Vs. (*****)
4. No Code (*****)
5. Yield (**** 1/2)
6. Gigaton (**** 1/2)
7. Binaural (****)
8. Pearl Jam (****)
9. Riot Act (****)
10. Backspacer (*** 1/2)
11. Lightning Bolt (***)