Let's Actually Listen to the Album: Pearl Jam

[Leatherhead]

My favorite lyric is probably:

Consider me an abcess. Leave me in my vacuum.
Blood on all the pistons. Running my transmission

Awesome. I'm not sure I've ever really known the words here, but that is a cool one.

[stip]

Comatose is short and to the point, but it is one of Ed's best lyrics

[stip]

Okay, time to LAL to this thing.


Backstory: While No Code was the only pearl jam album that ever disappointed me on first listen (I've liked some more than others, obviously), S/T was the only time I really NEEDED something from a pearl jam album. I desperately needed Riot Act to be not only a political statement, but one that really articulated the disgust and ferocious rage that I felt towards the Bush administration. And Riot Act was a sigh, not a scream. It was an album that was on anti-depressants, and they weren't working. Plus the last two pearl jam albums had been curiously subdued. The more aggressive songs on Binaural came at you from a distance, and were entirely absent from Riot Act. And I have always liked Pearl Jam best when they were making big bold statements in immediate and visceral ways. That's what I was craving when S/T came out, and I don't know that I've ever had such a strong positive reaction to a pearl jam album upon first listening to it. Each album from S/T on has been my favorite since Vitalogy (I might actually put S/T behind Yield at this point), but S/T felt like a homecoming after the 4 records that preceded it.

Outside of the car I almost always listen to music with headphones, and so I've never quite understood the depths of complaining about the S/T production. It's not good, and there are a number of songs on this record (probably the majority) where it does the songs no favors. But I think they really wanted something loud, brash, and abrasive--the aural equivalent of a punch in the face--something to really trumpet the return of a fire that had come close to going out. The 'fight to get it back again' lyric from the fixer really belonged on this album. And, on my favorite songs (the first 3), I think it works really well. I suppose it could be better, but I love the product that we have.

[stip]

Life Wasted: I love the main riff in this song, the way the guitars slash across each other, and the hanging spaces in between each attack--it reminds me of animal, in a way. Eddie's initial lyrics are weak, but I like the assertive delivery, and love the way his voice gets low during the double tracked (I think) second verse (which has excellent lyrics).

The chorus is a strong and catchy in its carpe diem anthematic way. I like the way the music keeps feeling like its dropping down on top of you coming out of the first chorus into the middle verses.

Nice little middle solo before the bridge.

The bridge is nice--a peaceful little dreamscape emerging from the violence of your life

Don't like eddie's little laugh

Mike plays the fuck out of the last 90 seconds of the song. I love EVERY second of it from what he's doing under the final chorus straight through the outro, and the rest of the band matches it with a dirty intensity every step of the way.


This was bar none the most criminal fade in Pearl Jam history until Lightning Bolt,.

This is a true 5 star song for me. In fact, since DTE pearl jam has only had 3 songs that I would unequivocally give 5 stars too (there's probably another 4 or so on that list, but I waffle about them). This is one. In 7 years I have never once not gotten even the slightest bit sick of this song.

[bada]

When it came out I was watching Life Wasted on Letterman I think and my wife walked in and said "that song sucks". Bummed me out on the song a little bit to be honest.

[stip]

World Wide Suicide: My favorite pearl jam single of all time--at least that I experienced as a single. Great heavy bouncing groove throughout the whole song, striking just the right balance between righteous anger, outrage, sympathy, and sarcastic dismissal. The loud production just makes everything from the drums to the guitars feel like they're hitting you that much harder.

I love how the drums come in with the guitars suspended in space around them until that neat little e-bow bit eddie plays going into the first verse.

Strong vocal melody, solid lyrics, and the second verses do a nice job rising into the bouncy chorus. It's the chorus for C3 on the insignificance jukebox

Eddie's raspy scream is perfect for this song.

Great bridge that sounds like the heraldic introduction for the reveal of some painfully liberating secret, with an incredible scream from Eddie coming out of the end. That's the primal release I never got from Riot Act that I had been waiting 6 years for.

I love the headache Get Right tone on the guitars in the final verse.

this is a top 5 pearl jam song for me. Not 5 stars. Top 5. Only Alive, Corduroy, Porch, and maybe Last Exit are ahead of it.

[stip]

Comatose: I love the savage disgust in this song. It’s a simple riff, but it goes right for the jugular laughing while it does it. There is a demented and twisted feel to the discordant transitions between the two verses, and Eddie is practically frothing at the mouth, especially by the end of the bridge (which has a great mini solo from Mike, with the same bloody mouth smile as that earlier transition). This is the closest he’s ever come to the caged ferocity of the early 90s, and I think the brickwalled production only enhances that.
These are some of Eddie’s best lyrics. This is a searing indictment of the mindset that made George Bush possible. I’ve used this song in classes before.


This completes what may very well be the only 3 song run of 5 star songs in the catalog, let alone one that feeds off itself the way these songs do.

[stip]

Severed Hand: The intro to this song always reminds me of the old MTV news intro music. It sounds like it’s building to something really cool, but the bit that kicks in around 25 seconds or so underwhelms somewhat, especially after the fire of the last 3 songs. I like the music, but it feels a bit weaker, and this gets exacerbated by the fact that it has a preamble to build expectations. The main riff is good, and if it sounds a little bit like porch there are worse things in the world to sound like.
I like the lyrics and the melody, but never loved quite how Eddie sounds during the verses—the slightly slurred quality. However, I love the double tracked lower register chorus (the understand I’m not falling down).
The stuttering riff that Stone plays after the first chorus is great.

Part of the issue might be that the background vocals have the rising intensity not matched by the primary vocals, which pushes back against the builds in the song.

Good bridge (especially the moaning guitar), and nice playing by Mike, but not one of my favorite solos. It always felt a little busy for busy’s sake.

This is a good song, but not a great song. It’s really hurt (I think ) by the way parts of this song promise heights it fails to deliver, and a little bit of fast song fatigue at this point, especially given how great the first three are.

[Lament]

This completes what may very well be the only 3 song run of 5 star songs in the catalog

My copy of Vitalogy goes Not For You-Tremor Christ-Nothingman at one point. Is yours different?

[McParadigm]

This completes what may very well be the only 3 song run of 5 star songs in the catalog

My copy of Vitalogy goes Not For You-Tremor Christ-Nothingman at one point. Is yours different?

Don't get too close. You might fall in.

[hlniv]

Life Wasted is a muddled, jumbled, simplistic mess. It has no character, and just sounds like PJ trying to sound like PJ. And it's not even really a good representation of that

The bridge is attractive, but way too short, and just kicks right back into the god awful boring riff.

Mike does some nice things at the end, but gets his nuts cut off.

All round a poor start to a misexecuted album

And yes, i did just actually LAL this song.

[Lament]

I'm actually curious to see where it goes. Isn't Vitalogy stip's favorite album ever?

[stip]

Marker In The Sand: The first song that’s really hurt (I think) by the production on the record. There is a scratchy feel to it that dulls the effect. One of Eddie’s wordier songs, but it works pretty well.

This chorus is absolutely gorgeous—reminiscent of everything that is great in 80s U2. I think he described it like being in church on that letterman concert, and that seems right to me. The problem is that the production makes it sound like you’re listening to someone rant on a street corner. It hops and skips, but doesn’t soar like it wants to.

I’m a big fan of the all the imagery in the various choruses in Marker.

I like the bridge, but it always felt out of place to me. A little too playful for a pretty serious song. Actually in some ways marker feels a bit like 3 different songs spliced together.
Matt is really good on this song, but the production has him a bit too muted.
The outro is great. Boom is used really well here, and I love the sentiment behind the ‘calling out’ part, especially the way the keys follow it. But again, too scratchy and dirty.

There are probably only three songs in pearl jam’s entire catalog that I really wish were on different albums. Marker is one. All three are on this record.

[stip]

This completes what may very well be the only 3 song run of 5 star songs in the catalog

My copy of Vitalogy goes Not For You-Tremor Christ-Nothingman at one point. Is yours different?

Yeah, there's that and the first three songs on Vs. I think I like these three just a bit more though. I used to just leave Not For You at 4 stars. And now that it's 5 I'm less into nothingman than I used to be. So I think I give the nod to this run. I think the fact that they're the first 3 songs and that they're all in a pretty similar place amplifies the effect.

I wouldn't argue with that stretch of songs though. It was the best until this one.

[stip]

I'm actually curious to see where it goes. Isn't Vitalogy stip's favorite album ever?

Yup. Nothing else really even comes that close. But this is still my favorite stretch of 3 songs in the catalog

[Lament]

Yeah, there's that and the first three songs on Vs. I think I like these three just a bit more though. I used to just leave Not For You at 4 stars. And now that it's 5 I'm less into nothingman than I used to be. So I think I give the nod to this run. I think the fact that they're the first 3 songs and that they're all in a pretty similar place amplifies the effect.

I wouldn't argue with that stretch of songs though. It was the best until this one.

The best three song run in the catalog is Merkinball set to play on a loop. I Got Shit - Long Road - I Got Shit.

Also, the best four song run is I Got Shit - Long Road - I Got Shit - Long Road.

[stip]

Parachutes: This is another one that I wish was on a different record. I am not a huge fan of the sheen on Eddie's vocals, but there is a bouncing quirky beauty to this song, the melody has a dizzy charm, the lyrics are sentimental without being schmaltzy.

I love the way the song drifts back into itself after the 'parachutes have opened now' lyric--a great example of the music selling the image.

Thumbs up to how tastefully mike is used at the end of this song.

It's a lovely song that deserves better, like a music box some asshole smashed with a brick




As an aside, I really like the idea of the home as the central metaphor for the album. Eddie uses it really well.

[hlniv]

WWS: Eh. Repetitive. Boring drumbeat. The little color at the end is way too little, too late. Too much Eddie. Another bland riff over and over again.

Comatose - Here we go. This is a nice tune. There's a spot for everyone and Eddie fits right where he's supposed to. Best two minute rocker since Brain of J, and none have come close since.

Severed Hand - Another great PJ tune. When they get it right live, it flies. Sounds punchy enough on the record, but it does suffer from many of the shortcomings that percolate through the production of the entire album. But this song survives it and stands out

Marker in the Sand - Still my favorite of this album. Song takes you somewhere, it's got something new happening almost entirely through the course of the song, every instrument has its place. The outro is a very underrated PJ moment.

Parachutes - I might like Marker more, but this is the best tune of the bunch. Mixed and produced well, unique melody, well-executed, a great highlight. This has been, and will be the song that ages the best off of this record

Unemployable - This completes the 5 song stretch that contains everything good about this album. Another song with a purpose that takes you somewhere, and leaves you with something to grasp at the end. It's catchy, and not overdone. It's got a groove that doesn't get overwhelmed with a mess of sounds or extra vedder sauce.

I usually stop the record here. And yep, that's where I'm stopping. I don't need to subject myself to the rest of this. I listened to the Black Market Avocado last night, that's enough.

Big Wave and Wasted Reprise are enjoyable at times, Big Wave is really about getting to the last 90 seconds live. The album cut isn't all that impressive.

[stip]

The first 6 songs on S/T are really stellar. My favorite 3 song run in the catalog, Parachutes is a great song, and severed hand and marker are frustrating listens only because they could have been even better. But then the album kinda gently drifts off a cliff after that.


Unemployable: I'm not a huge fan of the music (I am not always a fan of these muscular circular riffs--I don't like Let it Ride much either), I hate the shine on Eddie's vocals, and I think the lyrics are too judgmental when they're meant to be empathetic.

The oh oh oh oh's are the real unforgivable shania twain moment in the catalog for me. I like the chorus in LTRP. I do like the 'seen the light/scared alive' idea, but it's not enough to make me really want to listen to the rest of the song. It's not horrible or anything, and I'd probably even like the music if not for Eddie, but I just hate how he sounds on this one.

This is another case of Eddie tackling a subject I was really excited for and the end result was too heavy handed and felt like it missed the mark. This would have been right at home on Riot Act

Big Wave: It's a fun, dumb song about how shellfish like to surf. I'd like it more if it was a b-side, but on what is otherwise a pretty intense and heavy album it sticks out a bit too much--not quite carefree enough to be a break (Eddie is REALLY selling this hard) but fun enough to disrupt the mood.

Good bridge and I like how mike's solo snaps out of it. Curiously ominous ending. It's a better song than supersonic, and this would have been a better fit on backspacer which would have had an easier time absorbing it

[stip]

Gone: You know, when you haven't listened to Gone in a long time it's not a bad little song. There's a nice cold, lonely, and expansive tone to the guitars. The vocal melody is weak, but Eddie is pretty convincing with the delivery. The verses are much fuller than I remember them being, at least with headphones.

Matt's playing here is pretty interesting too, I think. I'll wait for a drummer to tell me I'm wrong.

I wish the guitars in the pre-chorus were cleaner--I'm not sure there distorted shimmer fits with the song. I like the lead into the the chorus (the 'this time...' part), and this was the first real clean soaring pearl jam chorus since Given To Fly, which really sold this song to me in those first few listens. I remember raving about it in my initial review. Over time the fact that he's just repeating variations of 'I'm gone' haven't aged it well, but I still like how Eddie sounds, and the feel of the guitars.

The outro feels is a bit too similar to the chorus--it feels a bit too much like the chorus got lost trying to wrap itself up. I do like the way the guitars churn right at the end.