RANK THE ALBUMS

[stip]

No Code suffers because of Habit, I'm Open and Mankind. Otherwise, it's an amazing record.

Agreed. When I moved all of my albums into MP3 format and onto my phone, to play in the car, I removed these tracks. The album now flows perfectly.

Mankind has things that I like about it. But it just isn't a very successful song. Habit and I'm Open really should have been cutting room floor songs.

Yield is gorgeous. I actually think Yield fits Stip's No Code thesis better than No Code does. And it's just a solid rock record from start to finish. Even songs like Pilate and Push Me, Pull Me and Wishlist have aged really well. There's a lot going on. It's a great record to listen to while driving around and pumping tunes. But there's so much depth, as well. It's a great headphones record.

Yield is maybe the only album that (thematically) is a logical extension (or literal continuation) of the one that came before. A second pass at much of the same material--although where no code has its negative undertones behind it, yield anticipates them.

[epilogue]

No Code suffers because of Habit, I'm Open and Mankind. Otherwise, it's an amazing record.

Agreed. When I moved all of my albums into MP3 format and onto my phone, to play in the car, I removed these tracks. The album now flows perfectly.

Mankind has things that I like about it. But it just isn't a very successful song. Habit and I'm Open really should have been cutting room floor songs.

Yield is gorgeous. I actually think Yield fits Stip's No Code thesis better than No Code does. And it's just a solid rock record from start to finish. Even songs like Pilate and Push Me, Pull Me and Wishlist have aged really well. There's a lot going on. It's a great record to listen to while driving around and pumping tunes. But there's so much depth, as well. It's a great headphones record.

Yield is maybe the only album that (thematically) is a logical extension (or literal continuation) of the one that came before. A second pass at much of the same material--although where no code has its negative undertones behind it, yield anticipates them.

Maybe, maybe not.

"Anticipates them" implies to me that Yield is a self conscious that decided what it was before the fact; that it was rigged from the beginning. Which I don't agree with.

The more I read about the frame of mind the band was in, the more it's clear to me that Yield is the first album since Ten where the band was completely comfortable being Pearl Jam. It really is the Jack Irons affect. Yield is a celebration of that.

There is less searching, less despair. There is a philosophy. But, more importantly, there is an ease, a comfort and an acceptance to Yield that is (not only refreshing -- especially when listening to all of them back to back) joyfully earned.

[epilogue]

Huh... Gods' Dice isn't as bad as I remember. This is the first time I've ever listened to the song and kind of enjoyed it... what the hell is happening to me?

It's a definitely better than Habit. Fuck. I have to change my official rankings.

[stip]

No Code suffers because of Habit, I'm Open and Mankind. Otherwise, it's an amazing record.

Agreed. When I moved all of my albums into MP3 format and onto my phone, to play in the car, I removed these tracks. The album now flows perfectly.

Mankind has things that I like about it. But it just isn't a very successful song. Habit and I'm Open really should have been cutting room floor songs.

Yield is gorgeous. I actually think Yield fits Stip's No Code thesis better than No Code does. And it's just a solid rock record from start to finish. Even songs like Pilate and Push Me, Pull Me and Wishlist have aged really well. There's a lot going on. It's a great record to listen to while driving around and pumping tunes. But there's so much depth, as well. It's a great headphones record.

Yield is maybe the only album that (thematically) is a logical extension (or literal continuation) of the one that came before. A second pass at much of the same material--although where no code has its negative undertones behind it, yield anticipates them.

Maybe, maybe not.

"Anticipates them" implies to me that Yield is a self conscious that decided what it was before the fact; that it was rigged from the beginning. Which I don't agree with.

The more I read about the frame of mind the band was in, the more it's clear to me that Yield is the first album since Ten where the band was completely comfortable being Pearl Jam. It really is the Jack Irons affect. Yield is a celebration of that.

There is less searching, less despair. There is a philosophy. But, more importantly, there is an ease, a comfort and an acceptance to Yield that is (not only refreshing -- especially when listening to all of them back to back) joyfully earned.

by anticipate I'm talking about the darker overtones in binaural that I think there are hints of in Yield. Not intentionally there--kind of hidden below the surface, but stuff you can see looking back.

I made this argument in Digster's yield thread (which that lazy bastardnever finished), but not systematically. If I ever get around to doing a yield tour (which I guess I will for completion's sake if nothing else) I'll obviously attempt it there.

[epilogue]

No Code suffers because of Habit, I'm Open and Mankind. Otherwise, it's an amazing record.

Agreed. When I moved all of my albums into MP3 format and onto my phone, to play in the car, I removed these tracks. The album now flows perfectly.

Mankind has things that I like about it. But it just isn't a very successful song. Habit and I'm Open really should have been cutting room floor songs.

Yield is gorgeous. I actually think Yield fits Stip's No Code thesis better than No Code does. And it's just a solid rock record from start to finish. Even songs like Pilate and Push Me, Pull Me and Wishlist have aged really well. There's a lot going on. It's a great record to listen to while driving around and pumping tunes. But there's so much depth, as well. It's a great headphones record.

Yield is maybe the only album that (thematically) is a logical extension (or literal continuation) of the one that came before. A second pass at much of the same material--although where no code has its negative undertones behind it, yield anticipates them.

Maybe, maybe not.

"Anticipates them" implies to me that Yield is a self conscious that decided what it was before the fact; that it was rigged from the beginning. Which I don't agree with.

The more I read about the frame of mind the band was in, the more it's clear to me that Yield is the first album since Ten where the band was completely comfortable being Pearl Jam. It really is the Jack Irons affect. Yield is a celebration of that.

There is less searching, less despair. There is a philosophy. But, more importantly, there is an ease, a comfort and an acceptance to Yield that is (not only refreshing -- especially when listening to all of them back to back) joyfully earned.

by anticipate I'm talking about the darker overtones in binaural that I think there are hints of in Yield. Not intentionally there--kind of hidden below the surface, but stuff you can see looking back.

I made this argument in Digster's yield thread (which that lazy bastardnever finished), but not systematically. If I ever get around to doing a yield tour (which I guess I will for completion's sake if nothing else) I'll obviously attempt it there.

I see. Okay, I can get behind that more than what I thought you were saying.

We should do, if not a "guided tour" Yield thread then, a LAL Yield thread.

[stip]

Mmmm... Let's see...

1. Vitalogy (this is pretty cemented, for me)
2. Ten
3. Riot Act
4. Yield (this has gained a lot of ground over the past year; may move up even more)
5. Vs
6. Backspacer
7. No Code
8. Pearl Jam
9. Binaural

Some of those have actually changed a bit since the last time I ranked them. That's interesting to see.

Backspacer over no code? That`s unique.

I'd put no code in the same spot as Joey. I'd just have binaural at 8 and Riot Act at 9

[epilogue]

Mmmm... Let's see...

1. Vitalogy (this is pretty cemented, for me)
2. Ten
3. Riot Act
4. Yield (this has gained a lot of ground over the past year; may move up even more)
5. Vs
6. Backspacer
7. No Code
8. Pearl Jam
9. Binaural

Some of those have actually changed a bit since the last time I ranked them. That's interesting to see.

Backspacer over no code? That`s unique.

I'd put no code in the same spot as Joey. I'd just have binaural at 8 and Riot Act at 9

Man, you had to dig for that. Was that originally on the second page, or something?

[epilogue]

I'm stopping for the night. Just finished Binaural. If I had to rank them after this relisten:

1. Vitalogy
2. Ten
3. Yield
4. No Code
5. Vs
6. Binaural

[digster]

No Code suffers because of Habit, I'm Open and Mankind. Otherwise, it's an amazing record.

Agreed. When I moved all of my albums into MP3 format and onto my phone, to play in the car, I removed these tracks. The album now flows perfectly.

Mankind has things that I like about it. But it just isn't a very successful song. Habit and I'm Open really should have been cutting room floor songs.

Yield is gorgeous. I actually think Yield fits Stip's No Code thesis better than No Code does. And it's just a solid rock record from start to finish. Even songs like Pilate and Push Me, Pull Me and Wishlist have aged really well. There's a lot going on. It's a great record to listen to while driving around and pumping tunes. But there's so much depth, as well. It's a great headphones record.

Yield is maybe the only album that (thematically) is a logical extension (or literal continuation) of the one that came before. A second pass at much of the same material--although where no code has its negative undertones behind it, yield anticipates them.

Maybe, maybe not.

"Anticipates them" implies to me that Yield is a self conscious that decided what it was before the fact; that it was rigged from the beginning. Which I don't agree with.

The more I read about the frame of mind the band was in, the more it's clear to me that Yield is the first album since Ten where the band was completely comfortable being Pearl Jam. It really is the Jack Irons affect. Yield is a celebration of that.

There is less searching, less despair. There is a philosophy. But, more importantly, there is an ease, a comfort and an acceptance to Yield that is (not only refreshing -- especially when listening to all of them back to back) joyfully earned.

by anticipate I'm talking about the darker overtones in binaural that I think there are hints of in Yield. Not intentionally there--kind of hidden below the surface, but stuff you can see looking back.

I made this argument in Digster's yield thread (which that lazy bastardnever finished), but not systematically. If I ever get around to doing a yield tour (which I guess I will for completion's sake if nothing else) I'll obviously attempt it there.

Shit, I have to finish it now. I'm terrified to leave Yield in your hands.

[stip]

No Code suffers because of Habit, I'm Open and Mankind. Otherwise, it's an amazing record.

Agreed. When I moved all of my albums into MP3 format and onto my phone, to play in the car, I removed these tracks. The album now flows perfectly.

Mankind has things that I like about it. But it just isn't a very successful song. Habit and I'm Open really should have been cutting room floor songs.

Yield is gorgeous. I actually think Yield fits Stip's No Code thesis better than No Code does. And it's just a solid rock record from start to finish. Even songs like Pilate and Push Me, Pull Me and Wishlist have aged really well. There's a lot going on. It's a great record to listen to while driving around and pumping tunes. But there's so much depth, as well. It's a great headphones record.

Yield is maybe the only album that (thematically) is a logical extension (or literal continuation) of the one that came before. A second pass at much of the same material--although where no code has its negative undertones behind it, yield anticipates them.

Maybe, maybe not.

"Anticipates them" implies to me that Yield is a self conscious that decided what it was before the fact; that it was rigged from the beginning. Which I don't agree with.

The more I read about the frame of mind the band was in, the more it's clear to me that Yield is the first album since Ten where the band was completely comfortable being Pearl Jam. It really is the Jack Irons affect. Yield is a celebration of that.

There is less searching, less despair. There is a philosophy. But, more importantly, there is an ease, a comfort and an acceptance to Yield that is (not only refreshing -- especially when listening to all of them back to back) joyfully earned.

by anticipate I'm talking about the darker overtones in binaural that I think there are hints of in Yield. Not intentionally there--kind of hidden below the surface, but stuff you can see looking back.

I made this argument in Digster's yield thread (which that lazy bastardnever finished), but not systematically. If I ever get around to doing a yield tour (which I guess I will for completion's sake if nothing else) I'll obviously attempt it there.

Shit, I have to finish it now. I'm terrified to leave Yield in your hands.

I left it for last to motivate you!

[digster]

Anyways, Vitalogy through Yield to me represent the clearest straight line in PJ's discography, followed right behind by the next run of records. To say what I was taking way too many words to say in the guided tour thread, Vitalogy is all about detailing the immensity of the problems the band was facing, No Code was about struggling to find a solution to them, and Yield was, if not finding the solution, at least the means to be fulfilled and happy during the search. Yield doesn't close the book on their career, but it pretty effectively closes the first half of it. A lot of the stuff Ed was dealing with on those middle records (the fame and alienation it wrought) never comes up again after Yield, to my knowledge.

I think the idea that stip had about Yield in the thread (that Yield is the band, in a sense, 'lying' to themselves), makes much more sense on No Code. I hear that on stuff like Present Tense, where they're reaching for a serenity that sounds very shaky.

[digster]

No Code suffers because of Habit, I'm Open and Mankind. Otherwise, it's an amazing record.

Agreed. When I moved all of my albums into MP3 format and onto my phone, to play in the car, I removed these tracks. The album now flows perfectly.

Mankind has things that I like about it. But it just isn't a very successful song. Habit and I'm Open really should have been cutting room floor songs.

Yield is gorgeous. I actually think Yield fits Stip's No Code thesis better than No Code does. And it's just a solid rock record from start to finish. Even songs like Pilate and Push Me, Pull Me and Wishlist have aged really well. There's a lot going on. It's a great record to listen to while driving around and pumping tunes. But there's so much depth, as well. It's a great headphones record.

Yield is maybe the only album that (thematically) is a logical extension (or literal continuation) of the one that came before. A second pass at much of the same material--although where no code has its negative undertones behind it, yield anticipates them.

Maybe, maybe not.

"Anticipates them" implies to me that Yield is a self conscious that decided what it was before the fact; that it was rigged from the beginning. Which I don't agree with.

The more I read about the frame of mind the band was in, the more it's clear to me that Yield is the first album since Ten where the band was completely comfortable being Pearl Jam. It really is the Jack Irons affect. Yield is a celebration of that.

There is less searching, less despair. There is a philosophy. But, more importantly, there is an ease, a comfort and an acceptance to Yield that is (not only refreshing -- especially when listening to all of them back to back) joyfully earned.

by anticipate I'm talking about the darker overtones in binaural that I think there are hints of in Yield. Not intentionally there--kind of hidden below the surface, but stuff you can see looking back.

I made this argument in Digster's yield thread (which that lazy bastardnever finished), but not systematically. If I ever get around to doing a yield tour (which I guess I will for completion's sake if nothing else) I'll obviously attempt it there.

Shit, I have to finish it now. I'm terrified to leave Yield in your hands.

I left it for last to motivate you!

That record deserved better that someone stopping and starting it over and over again.

Maybe a new tour thread will at least get some conversation going on it again.

[epilogue]

Anyways, Vitalogy through Yield to me represent the clearest straight line in PJ's discography, followed right behind by the next run of records. To say what I was taking way too many words to say in the guided tour thread, Vitalogy is all about detailing the immensity of the problems the band was facing, No Code was about struggling to find a solution to them, and Yield was, if not finding the solution, at least the means to be fulfilled and happy during the search. Yield doesn't close the book on their career, but it pretty effectively closes the first half of it. A lot of the stuff Ed was dealing with on those middle records (the fame and alienation it wrought) never comes up again after Yield, to my knowledge.

I think the idea that stip had about Yield in the thread (that Yield is the band, in a sense, 'lying' to themselves), makes much more sense on No Code. I hear that on stuff like Present Tense, where they're reaching for a serenity that sounds very shaky.

Agreed.

[stip]

No Code suffers because of Habit, I'm Open and Mankind. Otherwise, it's an amazing record.

Agreed. When I moved all of my albums into MP3 format and onto my phone, to play in the car, I removed these tracks. The album now flows perfectly.

Mankind has things that I like about it. But it just isn't a very successful song. Habit and I'm Open really should have been cutting room floor songs.

Yield is gorgeous. I actually think Yield fits Stip's No Code thesis better than No Code does. And it's just a solid rock record from start to finish. Even songs like Pilate and Push Me, Pull Me and Wishlist have aged really well. There's a lot going on. It's a great record to listen to while driving around and pumping tunes. But there's so much depth, as well. It's a great headphones record.

Yield is maybe the only album that (thematically) is a logical extension (or literal continuation) of the one that came before. A second pass at much of the same material--although where no code has its negative undertones behind it, yield anticipates them.

Maybe, maybe not.

"Anticipates them" implies to me that Yield is a self conscious that decided what it was before the fact; that it was rigged from the beginning. Which I don't agree with.

The more I read about the frame of mind the band was in, the more it's clear to me that Yield is the first album since Ten where the band was completely comfortable being Pearl Jam. It really is the Jack Irons affect. Yield is a celebration of that.

There is less searching, less despair. There is a philosophy. But, more importantly, there is an ease, a comfort and an acceptance to Yield that is (not only refreshing -- especially when listening to all of them back to back) joyfully earned.

by anticipate I'm talking about the darker overtones in binaural that I think there are hints of in Yield. Not intentionally there--kind of hidden below the surface, but stuff you can see looking back.

I made this argument in Digster's yield thread (which that lazy bastardnever finished), but not systematically. If I ever get around to doing a yield tour (which I guess I will for completion's sake if nothing else) I'll obviously attempt it there.

Shit, I have to finish it now. I'm terrified to leave Yield in your hands.

I left it for last to motivate you!

That record deserved better that someone stopping and starting it over and over again.

Maybe a new tour thread will at least get some conversation going on it again.

well at this point January would be the earliest I would get to it, so it'll just have to hang in there until then.

[epilogue]

No Code suffers because of Habit, I'm Open and Mankind. Otherwise, it's an amazing record.

Agreed. When I moved all of my albums into MP3 format and onto my phone, to play in the car, I removed these tracks. The album now flows perfectly.

Mankind has things that I like about it. But it just isn't a very successful song. Habit and I'm Open really should have been cutting room floor songs.

Yield is gorgeous. I actually think Yield fits Stip's No Code thesis better than No Code does. And it's just a solid rock record from start to finish. Even songs like Pilate and Push Me, Pull Me and Wishlist have aged really well. There's a lot going on. It's a great record to listen to while driving around and pumping tunes. But there's so much depth, as well. It's a great headphones record.

Yield is maybe the only album that (thematically) is a logical extension (or literal continuation) of the one that came before. A second pass at much of the same material--although where no code has its negative undertones behind it, yield anticipates them.

Maybe, maybe not.

"Anticipates them" implies to me that Yield is a self conscious that decided what it was before the fact; that it was rigged from the beginning. Which I don't agree with.

The more I read about the frame of mind the band was in, the more it's clear to me that Yield is the first album since Ten where the band was completely comfortable being Pearl Jam. It really is the Jack Irons affect. Yield is a celebration of that.

There is less searching, less despair. There is a philosophy. But, more importantly, there is an ease, a comfort and an acceptance to Yield that is (not only refreshing -- especially when listening to all of them back to back) joyfully earned.

by anticipate I'm talking about the darker overtones in binaural that I think there are hints of in Yield. Not intentionally there--kind of hidden below the surface, but stuff you can see looking back.

I made this argument in Digster's yield thread (which that lazy bastardnever finished), but not systematically. If I ever get around to doing a yield tour (which I guess I will for completion's sake if nothing else) I'll obviously attempt it there.

Shit, I have to finish it now. I'm terrified to leave Yield in your hands.

I left it for last to motivate you!

That record deserved better that someone stopping and starting it over and over again.

Maybe a new tour thread will at least get some conversation going on it again.

well at this point January would be the earliest I would get to it, so it'll just have to hang in there until then.

Maybe I'll do one.

Though, really, it should be a Riot Act thread if anything.

[stip]

you should. That I've done one for that album should in no way preclude you from starting your own--especially since you'll probably tell a very different story than I did.

[Vic Cognac]

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


Vs, Vitalogy, No Code, and Yield are just giants in my record collection & my life.
That whole stretch Vs-Yield are the salad days of my Pearl Jam fandom.

The soundtrack of my youth.

Number 10 will have to be a damn near perfect record if it's to knock any of the top 5 out of rank.

[Sgt. Crackpot]

The soundtrack of my youth.

Number 10 will have to be a damn near perfect record if it's to knock any of the top 5 out of rank.

Same here, but I'm not confident that'll happen. I'd be quite satisfied with a reasonably solid rock album, that ranks somewhere around the middle.

[Vic Cognac]

The soundtrack of my youth.

Number 10 will have to be a damn near perfect record if it's to knock any of the top 5 out of rank.

Same here, but I'm not confident that'll happen. I'd be quite satisfied with a reasonably solid rock album, that ranks somewhere around the middle.

Me too. A good solid album with a buzz that doesn't wear off quickly like S/T & Backspacer.

[Lament]

Ten is so good. There just isn't a bad song on the thing. What a phenomenal album. It's not the one I reach for most often anymore, but damn it still holds up. One of the best pure rock albums I've ever heard. And the remix makes it even better. Which I would have told you was impossible fifteen years ago.

I heard Oceans today for the first time in a long time. As good as I remembered it being in my head, it was even better. It's so deceptive. It sneaks in so meekly, and by the time you realize how big it's gotten, it slips away.