Pearl Jam (self titled): Official Album Thread

[stip]

the original is archived here

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

Listening to riot act for the first time in a while and really enjoying it has got me thinking that ive got a long plane ride to vegas wednesday night so ill have lots of listening time, and this one has been put a way for a while as well, im gonna see if it gives me the plesent supprise that riot act always seems to after a break

[VinylGuy]

i will listen to this on vinyl today.
See how the sides work here.

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

i will listen to this on vinyl today.
See how the sides work here.

im not expecting a big revival from it, but realized it has probably been the one that i havent listened to in the longest time. i love a lot of the songs on this album, but feel like im not gonna love them all straight through

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

Not off toa great start, i fell asleep listening to it, could be because it was late but after i changes to something else i was wide awake. I think it is a good collection of songs, but doesnt have that good album feel

[liebzz]

I love this album. A big part of it was how it is tightly associated with my experiences at the time, and that it practically single-handedly got me through the bar exam. I used to take the Shortline bus from the Port Authority to Middletown, NY daily in my prep, and the first album when I hit the us was this album. Somehow, it was perfectly times so that hearing "Gone" coincided with the disappearing view of the NYC skyline from the Jersey side, and I've connected with this album ever since (now a shocking 7 years later!). Aside from that strong connection, I've always felt there was a clarity of purpose with this album, and frankly the rockers rock and the slow tunes sink in. It's not as powerful on repeat listens as a Vitalogy or No Code, but frankly I don't think there are many other albums in the world that are, Pearl Jam or no Pearl Jam.

I will say that a lot of the hate on this album stems from people associating it big time nwith the "inferior" Gone. I think people loved the demo when it came out and were disappointed when it got worked up by the band. I think that left many people to see it as the microcosm (spelling off there) of the whole album. I can understand that. When I hear full band live versions of songs off Nebraska, they sound wrong to me. I can understand but in the end I find that this album is the closest personally that the band ever got to the magic that was their first 5 albums.

[Reflection]

This album sounds terrible.

[Birds in Hell]

This album sounds terrible.

Man, does it ever.

It's a shame, I don't think it's a terrible album. It's a significant step down from their best work but it's considerably better than Backspacer with much more interesting guitar parts. It really deserves better.

[Reflection]

This album sounds terrible.

Man, does it ever.

It's a shame, I don't think it's a terrible album. It's a significant step down from their best work but it's considerably better than Backspacer with much more interesting guitar parts. It really deserves better.

I wouldn't say it's considerably better than Backspacer (which I like for the most part), but Avocado sticks out like a sore thumb especially if you're listening on shuffle. It astounds me that professional people can put out a record that sounds as shitty as this one does.

[epilogue]

This album sounds terrible.

Man, does it ever.

It's a shame, I don't think it's a terrible album. It's a significant step down from their best work but it's considerably better than Backspacer with much more interesting guitar parts. It really deserves better.

I agree, mostly. I like Backspacer better, but otherwise, I think you're right. The sound really hurts it.

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

I still didnt give this another go, but i am of the opinion that yes gone is my least favorite on the album, but not to a point that i dont like the album just because of it, to me i still think there are a lot of real good songs, but its just not a great album, its just a collection. and i would put Backspacer way above Avacado

[EJ]

3 stars.

I find myself not wanting to listen to this album after the first 6 songs.

[Norah]

3 stars.

I find myself not wanting to listen to this album after the first 6 songs my ears start bleeding.

[stip]

i find listening to anything is less fun when my ears are bleeding.


Actually that's never happened but I'd imagine this would be true.

[warehouse]

4 stars. great songs, terrible sound.

[Hatfield]

I love this album. A big part of it was how it is tightly associated with my experiences at the time, and that it practically single-handedly got me through the bar exam. I used to take the Shortline bus from the Port Authority to Middletown, NY daily in my prep, and the first album when I hit the us was this album. Somehow, it was perfectly times so that hearing "Gone" coincided with the disappearing view of the NYC skyline from the Jersey side, and I've connected with this album ever since (now a shocking 7 years later!). Aside from that strong connection, I've always felt there was a clarity of purpose with this album, and frankly the rockers rock and the slow tunes sink in. It's not as powerful on repeat listens as a Vitalogy or No Code, but frankly I don't think there are many other albums in the world that are, Pearl Jam or no Pearl Jam.

I will say that a lot of the hate on this album stems from people associating it big time nwith the "inferior" Gone. I think people loved the demo when it came out and were disappointed when it got worked up by the band. I think that left many people to see it as the microcosm (spelling off there) of the whole album. I can understand that. When I hear full band live versions of songs off Nebraska, they sound wrong to me. I can understand but in the end I find that this album is the closest personally that the band ever got to the magic that was their first 5 albums.

Great write up. This album still feels fresh to me 7 years later. On S/T it doesn't feel like they were trying to do anything but write the best songs and record they could and in my opinion they succeeded. I only wish they had the balls not fade out Life Wasted and tell Mike that Inside Job belonged on a b-side .

These songs also hold up live. A big reason for me enjoying the 2006 tour so much was getting to hear LW, SH, MITS, Comatose, Unemployalbe, Comeback and Parachutes so many times.

[stip]

I heard come back driving home from work. I always forget how much I like that song.

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

I heard come back driving home from work. I always forget how much I like that song.

it is a good one, and not sure your thoughts on it, but the one that i usually forget how much i like it until it pops up on shuffle is Army Reserve

[EJ]

Marker
Parachutes
Army Reserve
...
the rest

[stip]

I heard come back driving home from work. I always forget how much I like that song.

it is a good one, and not sure your thoughts on it, but the one that i usually forget how much i like it until it pops up on shuffle is Army Reserve

I liked that one more when it first came out, but it's good. Not great, but good.