cropduster, or, an entirely unnecessary rating guide by a lifelong fan of Pearl Jam to their albums, 1991-2002
I had this idea for some reason to do this on FB and then I remembered that I have this blogger thingy, and then I remembered that I don't even care about this anymore. But I keep it on life support. Which is a perfect excuse to post this, an unnecessary and pointless "guide" to the first 11 years of Pearl Jam.
Because, why not. I'm not providing rankings so much as I'm going to just throw words out there that the albums remind me of, or the images they invoke when I think of listening to them the first time. It should be noted that Yield is the first and only album I have ever purchased on it's initial release date. And upon close listening, apparently Vitalogy was my most lyrically quoted, at least online. During the '90s. Urgh.
Into the abyss.
1991--Ten: My psycho ex-girlfriend (one of many) said this was her favorite PJ album, and this was evidenced by the fact that she refused to recognize the fact that they had made any other albums. I'll admit a soft spot for this album, as I actually did listen to it repeatedly in high school, and it doesn't hurt that there's a song with my first name somewhere in there. That he goes postal on his classroom is irrelevant. In all honesty, I don't think it has aged as well as Nevermind.
Grade: solid B
1993--Vs.: Also known as "Five Against One", this was easily my favorite album for a couple years. The first two tracks were a one-two punch of Fuck You, and summed up the year it came out for me perfectly. "Glorified G" is the happiest song about gun control (or whatever, since it still seems up to interpretation) ever, but unfortunately RVM has not aged well with me, along with the rest of the second half of the album. Psycho ex-gf hated this album, so of course I'm giving this a slightly better grade.
Grade: B+
1994--Vitalogy: I'm listening to this right now, and it pisses me off that PJ isn't making music like this anymore. Or anyone, for that matter. Full confession: I hated this album the first several times I forced myself to listen to it. It remains my second favorite PJ album to this day. Psycho ex-gf also hated this album, and I'm going to make a point of saying this every time.
Grade: A-
1996--No Code: I won tickets via radio call in contest to see PJ at Blossom up around Cleveland the year No Code came out. I could not attend. This was the first of three times that I would have tickets to see PJ and end up like a bride on her wedding night: married but unfulfilled. I was stoked about No Code, it was pushed heavily, I was a moderator on the usenet PJ page, and...after Vitalogy, us fans were a bit disappointed for some reason. My minor consolation is that after all these years I still find myself singing "Off He Goes" to myself at random times. The flip side is that "Red Mosquito" is still the worst song PJ has ever done. I console myself by playing "Around the Bend" repeatedly.
Grade: C+
1998--Yield: I'm not going to lie: this was my favorite album by any band, living or dead, for a few years. I didn't listen to it for a few years, and since getting it back into rotation lately, it has held up for the most part, but shows it's age. As it was the soundtrack for a great roadtrip in '98, has provided limitless inspiration, and has one of the best "get in the car and fucking punch it" songs I've ever heard, it gets a lifetime pass for awesomeness. I do like to think that this was the first sign of PJ sticking it to The Man with the only single release being "Given to Fly", which of course is the worst song on the album.
Grade: solid A
2000--Binaural: I have always wanted to like this album. I have tried. The fact that the initial single that was released ("Nothing as it Seems") was, like its' predecessor, the weakest song on the entire album, really didn't help matters. I bought this the day after it came out in 2000, and I felt betrayed by a band in which I had invested days, weeks, months...really? I also realize that I've been unnecessarily hard on the album ever since it came out. I'm four tracks in, "Light Years", and I'm remembering driving to early morning classes and realizing that I always had to skip the beginning songs. Why? Because They Suck. Fucking John Paul George And Ringo could have sung the first three songs off of this album with a 15 part harmony done by Freddie Mercury and it still would have been horrible. The saving grace on Binaural is that it does improve the deeper you get into the album. "Indifference" is a great song.
Grade: B-
2002--Riot Act: It kinda pisses me off that this is my favorite album right now, for a number of reasons. First of all, it's ten years old. I also had forgotten completely about it until about a month ago. It also just happens to rock. I have vague recollections of listening to it at odd times, like leaving a girls' place at 3:30 in the morning. Walking into work, music on my headphones, trying unsuccessfully to find a faster way. It makes me wonder about the PJ albums since '02, but I just don't care anymore. The solo Vedder stuff is decent, and I appreciate the fact that the quasi-independent radio station down here plays stuff off of Backslider on a regular basis. This is, however, the best album they did. Despite "Bush League". It seems to me, ten years later, they threw everything they had learned about being a band into 15 songs and made it work.
Grade: A+
***
In other news, I miss DC but I love Savannah.
Because, why not. I'm not providing rankings so much as I'm going to just throw words out there that the albums remind me of, or the images they invoke when I think of listening to them the first time. It should be noted that Yield is the first and only album I have ever purchased on it's initial release date. And upon close listening, apparently Vitalogy was my most lyrically quoted, at least online. During the '90s. Urgh.
Into the abyss.
1991--Ten: My psycho ex-girlfriend (one of many) said this was her favorite PJ album, and this was evidenced by the fact that she refused to recognize the fact that they had made any other albums. I'll admit a soft spot for this album, as I actually did listen to it repeatedly in high school, and it doesn't hurt that there's a song with my first name somewhere in there. That he goes postal on his classroom is irrelevant. In all honesty, I don't think it has aged as well as Nevermind.
Grade: solid B
1993--Vs.: Also known as "Five Against One", this was easily my favorite album for a couple years. The first two tracks were a one-two punch of Fuck You, and summed up the year it came out for me perfectly. "Glorified G" is the happiest song about gun control (or whatever, since it still seems up to interpretation) ever, but unfortunately RVM has not aged well with me, along with the rest of the second half of the album. Psycho ex-gf hated this album, so of course I'm giving this a slightly better grade.
Grade: B+
1994--Vitalogy: I'm listening to this right now, and it pisses me off that PJ isn't making music like this anymore. Or anyone, for that matter. Full confession: I hated this album the first several times I forced myself to listen to it. It remains my second favorite PJ album to this day. Psycho ex-gf also hated this album, and I'm going to make a point of saying this every time.
Grade: A-
1996--No Code: I won tickets via radio call in contest to see PJ at Blossom up around Cleveland the year No Code came out. I could not attend. This was the first of three times that I would have tickets to see PJ and end up like a bride on her wedding night: married but unfulfilled. I was stoked about No Code, it was pushed heavily, I was a moderator on the usenet PJ page, and...after Vitalogy, us fans were a bit disappointed for some reason. My minor consolation is that after all these years I still find myself singing "Off He Goes" to myself at random times. The flip side is that "Red Mosquito" is still the worst song PJ has ever done. I console myself by playing "Around the Bend" repeatedly.
Grade: C+
1998--Yield: I'm not going to lie: this was my favorite album by any band, living or dead, for a few years. I didn't listen to it for a few years, and since getting it back into rotation lately, it has held up for the most part, but shows it's age. As it was the soundtrack for a great roadtrip in '98, has provided limitless inspiration, and has one of the best "get in the car and fucking punch it" songs I've ever heard, it gets a lifetime pass for awesomeness. I do like to think that this was the first sign of PJ sticking it to The Man with the only single release being "Given to Fly", which of course is the worst song on the album.
Grade: solid A
2000--Binaural: I have always wanted to like this album. I have tried. The fact that the initial single that was released ("Nothing as it Seems") was, like its' predecessor, the weakest song on the entire album, really didn't help matters. I bought this the day after it came out in 2000, and I felt betrayed by a band in which I had invested days, weeks, months...really? I also realize that I've been unnecessarily hard on the album ever since it came out. I'm four tracks in, "Light Years", and I'm remembering driving to early morning classes and realizing that I always had to skip the beginning songs. Why? Because They Suck. Fucking John Paul George And Ringo could have sung the first three songs off of this album with a 15 part harmony done by Freddie Mercury and it still would have been horrible. The saving grace on Binaural is that it does improve the deeper you get into the album. "Indifference" is a great song.
Grade: B-
2002--Riot Act: It kinda pisses me off that this is my favorite album right now, for a number of reasons. First of all, it's ten years old. I also had forgotten completely about it until about a month ago. It also just happens to rock. I have vague recollections of listening to it at odd times, like leaving a girls' place at 3:30 in the morning. Walking into work, music on my headphones, trying unsuccessfully to find a faster way. It makes me wonder about the PJ albums since '02, but I just don't care anymore. The solo Vedder stuff is decent, and I appreciate the fact that the quasi-independent radio station down here plays stuff off of Backslider on a regular basis. This is, however, the best album they did. Despite "Bush League". It seems to me, ten years later, they threw everything they had learned about being a band into 15 songs and made it work.
Grade: A+
***
In other news, I miss DC but I love Savannah.
posted by jersn at 5:28 AM
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