Pearl Jam - No Code

(x-post yet again)

- The first track is great and I remember learning the simple guitar part as one of the first tunes I learnt to play. Hail, Hail kinda ruins the effect and I always skip that song.

- Tracks like Who You Are and I'm Open along with a lot of what was on Vitalogy really make me wonder why Pearl Jam have gone down in history as the "safe" AOR alternative to Nirvana who were wild and crazy. Nirvana rocked for sure but after the first two albums Pearl Jam were making some pretty odd recordings. Who Are You is NOT a grunge song for fucks sake. It's barely even a rock song.

- Off He Goes does sound like Bruce Springsteen. Very maudling.

- Red Mosquito used to be used as the background music for Talk Radio.

- Lukin is PROPER ROCKING!!!

- Around The Bend is Pearl Jam's All The Time In The World

- I'm Open is cringeworthy but I thought it was cool when I was 15.

errr... and those are my rubbish notes.

sometimes -> smile is great. dead spots = "i'm open" and the last two or three trax.

never saw why pearl jam were considered a third-rate nirvana--they always sounded much more like a third-rate neil young + crazy horse to me.

I'm sure you realized this, but if you fold the cardboard digipak so it lays flat, you can see the outline of a pyramid with an eye in the middle.

Man, I'm really surprised about the Vitalogy luv, as, from what I recall, there were a few stunt tracks ("Bugs", "foxymophandlefivedollars") that perved the rest of the batch. And "Nothingman" did no damn thang for moi. But, yeah, most of it is nice.

I'm a Yield / Binaural man, myself (w/ Binaural as the better album, but Yield being my fave), & No Code is close behind. Bless you, Al.

Riot Act is great, but I think the problem with the last couple of albums has been that they're getting into Grateful Dead territory where the live shows surpass the album in terms of importance, and the album is just there to mark the beginning of a new tour. It's in their live shows that the new songs come into their own, and on the album they sound like it's just bare bones. "You Are" is a great song, but the album version pales in comparison to how it sounds live. Then again, maybe it's just that I've become a Deadhead. *weeps*

OTM Vegemite Grrl. I'm far from a fan, but I've seen'em live the last couple of tours. They're one of few acts who draw inspiration by their opening acts; when Sleater Kinney and Sonic Youth opened for them on the last couple of tours PJ were incredible.

I think Binaural is their most underrated album - not a real dud track in the lot.

I remember selling Bi... back as soon as I heard a live record that had most of the songs on it and thinking "wow, maybe I'll just buy the live records as they come out, the songs sound better than on the studio records."

BRING ON THE DOPEY ONE-LINERS HATERS

I'm tempted to say part of the problem w/ Vs. is the sequencing. Starting w/ "Go", and THEN following w/ "Animal", it's a bit too much. And then jupming from GET OUT OF MY FUCKING FACE to "Indifference" ... meh. Still have a soft spot for "Rats", though, which quotes Michael Jackson's "Ben", doesn't it? Oh, Edward - so pointed, your social commentary.

GOT A GUN
FACT I GOT TWO
THAT'S OK MAN
CAUSE I LOVE GOD
GLORIFIED VERSION OF A PELLET GUN
FEEL SO MANLY
WHEN AAAAAAAAAAAAARMED

"Sometimes": wow, it's been awhile since I've been this up close and personal with the veddster.

"Hail Hail": wow, we produce the fuck out of rock these days. we also don't sound this incomprehensible.

"Who We Are": I haven't heard this track since it came out ("Smile" and "Hail, Hail" were the radio picks, really). Al was fuckin' right about the drums. WTF. this is so hippie.

(xp I am totally smelling what teh nick is cooking)

Yes, "Higher" by Creed. Mushmouth liberal slack just isn't as amusing on the radio as the anthem of the jesus donkey (neener neener neer).

"Off He Goes": pleasant alt-country, can't focus on the lyrics on first listen but I like it.

(x-post Vitalogy was the one people bought and No Code gave them no reason to bother again - see Monster and New Adventures)

"Had It": low-mic'd little rocker. i'd have to be a fan to care.