Lets Actually Listen to the Album: No Code

samiad · Post by **samiad** » Sat January 04, 2014 12:06 pm

In my mind this is the best PJ album.

It's like their white album or something, with massive variety in volume, style, level of seriousness, and even changes of singer.

My only issue is this.

Mankind is an awesome song - and Stone sings it well. But Eddie's voice is such an essential ingredient of PJ that when i listen to it, I imagine how incredible it would sound if Eddie was singing it.

Anyways I love bands experimental albums.

The way I see it you had.

Ten. Then Vs. is a reaction to the reaction to Ten. Vitalogy is the band stretching its legs in various directions to see where they can push their sound. And No Code is the logical conclusion to what had started to happen on Vitalogy.

After No Code, they consolidate their "new PJ" sound on Yield (but in my opinion, they become a little less interesting).

Then they have their midlife crisis albums Binaural and Riot Act - both of which swing wildly, in my opinion, from staggering genius to mediocrity and water treading.

After that, the last three records are fine and enjoyable, but here's the sad truth. I personally couldn't name you a single song on Avocado, BS, or LB that even touches the material they were writing from Ten through to Yield. But you're a different person when you're 40-something and settled with a wife and kids, than when you're a 20-something "rock star" dealing with the perils of fame.

So, yeah, No Code. I love it all - from the speaky bits on I'm Open - to speaking as a child of the 90's - to devote myseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelf (my small self).

Kaius · Post by **Kaius** » Sat January 04, 2014 1:54 pm

Like a book amongst The many ooonnn a sheeeeeelllff.

McParadigm · Post by **McParadigm** » Sat January 04, 2014 5:02 pm

Did Sunburn come from these sessions, or am I remembering wrong?

Add Dead Man, All Night, Black Red and Yellow, and (although I'm pretty sure it came out of the Yield era) Happy When I'm Crying, and you've got a a really interesting period in the band's collective creativity. Also, didn't Brain of J and Parting Ways first pop up during these sessions? Hot damn.

McParadigm · Post by **McParadigm** » Sat January 04, 2014 5:16 pm

Beyond the Basement Tapes/Let it Be bootleggy atmosphere of the record, I really like the way the band was underplaying during this era. You see a little of that "quiet to offset the noise" being road tested during the Vitalogy sessions...the guitar and organ Betterman, little moments like the hushed final verse of Not for You and the withdrawal before the outtro to Corduroy...and it played a big part in Ed's songs for the Mirrorball project. But No Code is where they really did wonders with it. Subtlety and color usually get tossed away in favor of speed and volume, with this and most rock bands, but I find myself every bit as eager to exhale the former as I was to breathe it in at the start, and the former is something I can just let sit in my lungs pretty much forever.

LuNY · Post by **LuNY** » Sat January 04, 2014 5:34 pm

Lets Actually Listen to the Album: No Code While Watching Superman 1

Post by **stip** » Sat January 04, 2014 5:46 pm

McParadigm wrote:Did Sunburn come from these sessions, or am I remembering wrong?

Add Dead Man, All Night, Black Red and Yellow, and (although I'm pretty sure it came out of the Yield era) Happy When I'm Crying, and you've got a a really interesting period in the band's collective creativity. Also, didn't Brain of J and Parting Ways first pop up during these sessions? Hot damn.

Happy when I'm crying is Yield. Parting Ways may be too. Brain of J first debuted live in 95.

Mine · Post by **Mine** » Sat January 04, 2014 5:49 pm

McParadigm wrote:Beyond the Basement Tapes/Let it Be bootleggy atmosphere of the record, I really like the way the band was underplaying during this era. You see a little of that "quiet to offset the noise" being road tested during the Vitalogy sessions...the guitar and organ Betterman, little moments like the hushed final verse of Not for You and the withdrawal before the outtro to Corduroy...and it played a big part in Ed's songs for the Mirrorball project. But No Code is where they really did wonders with it. Subtlety and color usually get tossed away in favor of speed and volume, with this and most rock bands, but I find myself every bit as eager to exhale the former as I was to breathe it in at the start, and the former is something I can just let sit in my lungs pretty much forever.

When i started getting into Pearl Jam and went trough their discography No Code felt like the point to which they kept on evolving. It was the last album that they kept getting better for me. I think it's PJ stripped down to it's essence, when that essence was there and good enough to stand on it's own without "embellishments". I think most of the band and their fanbase missed those embellishments/clichés/superficial elements or whatever you want to call them. At least the way they evolved and what are proud of and exited about seems to indicate that. I think they lost some of their identity along the way compared to this period and this translated to the arrangement and production choices is ultimately what hurts their recent music more than song writing itself - and it started with Yield.

EJ · Post by EJ » Sat January 04, 2014 5:51 pm

stip wrote:
McParadigm wrote:Did Sunburn come from these sessions, or am I remembering wrong?

Add Dead Man, All Night, Black Red and Yellow, and (although I'm pretty sure it came out of the Yield era) Happy When I'm Crying, and you've got a a really interesting period in the band's collective creativity. Also, didn't Brain of J and Parting Ways first pop up during these sessions? Hot damn.
Happy when I'm crying is Yield. Parting Ways may be too. Brain of J first debuted live in 95.

Ed was at least toying around with PW on the 96 tour. This and I'm Open were played during the Barcelona soundcheck. It's out there if you've never heard it before.

McParadigm · Post by **McParadigm** » Sat January 04, 2014 6:05 pm

That Italian sessions guide site lists Parting Ways during the No Code sessions. For what that's worth.

Mine · Post by **Mine** » Sat January 04, 2014 6:09 pm

McParadigm wrote:That Italian sessions guide site lists Parting Ways during the No Code sessions. For what that's worth.

It sounds like a No Code out-take more than a song from Binaural so it does make sense.

darth_vedder · Post by **darth_vedder** » Sat January 04, 2014 6:15 pm

samiad wrote:In my mind this is the best PJ album.

Mine wrote:
McParadigm wrote:That Italian sessions guide site lists Parting Ways during the No Code sessions. For what that's worth.
It sounds like a No Code out-take more than a song from Binaural so it does make sense.

I'd love to hear Mr. Irons on that number.

Norah · Post by **Norah** » Sat January 04, 2014 8:20 pm

McParadigm wrote:That Italian sessions guide site lists Parting Ways during the No Code sessions. For what that's worth.

Don't they list Sunburn with Yield?

Coach · Post by **Coach** » Sat January 04, 2014 8:43 pm

It was the summer (1996) of my freshman year in college, and I'm driving my car with a few friends in it...

I have the radio on, and was well aware that some kind of new Pearl Jam song would debut at some point soon...so I was listening, and then I heard Who You Are for the first time. I heard Ed's voice and several times had to tell my friends to shut the fuck up so I could listen...

Amazingly, I did not have a WTF moment. I was just super excited to hear Ed's voice singing a new song, new lyrics. "New Pearl Jam" rammed on through my mind in excitement.

So while many talk about how this was Pearl Jam's most experimental album, I still find that most of the record "sounds" like Pearl Jam, and I love it. Just love that record.

In fact, when I had a chance to give my friend something for Ed to autograph (long story short: my friend interned for a late night TV talk show), I went out and bought No Code on vinyl, thinking that having Ed's sig on that would be cool. And it is.

McParadigm · Post by **McParadigm** » Sat January 04, 2014 9:39 pm

cutuphalfdead wrote:
McParadigm wrote:That Italian sessions guide site lists Parting Ways during the No Code sessions. For what that's worth.
Don't they list Sunburn with Yield?

WELL WHAT DO THEY KNOW

Norah · Post by **Norah** » Sat January 04, 2014 9:41 pm

McParadigm wrote:
cutuphalfdead wrote:
McParadigm wrote:That Italian sessions guide site lists Parting Ways during the No Code sessions. For what that's worth.
Don't they list Sunburn with Yield?
WELL WHAT DO THEY KNOW

They seem to know a lot.

McParadigm · Post by **McParadigm** » Sat January 04, 2014 9:45 pm

In the outtakes section they have it listed as No Code.

Norah · Post by **Norah** » Sat January 04, 2014 9:56 pm

Oh, my mistake.

McParadigm · Post by **McParadigm** » Sat January 04, 2014 9:57 pm

WELL WHAT DO YOU KNOW

Norah · Post by **Norah** » Sat January 04, 2014 9:57 pm

Post by **Jorge** » Sat January 04, 2014 9:58 pm

cutuphalfdead wrote:Oh, my mistake.

We've had this conversation at least twice before, I'm sure of it.

Red Mosquito

Lets Actually Listen to the Album: No Code

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