Pearl Jam - No Code

albums I'd consider No Code being maybe 2nd to: Vitalogy, and um...maybe Yield...maybe Vs.

one thing I remember seeming novel (when I was 12, bear with me) about Vedder was that bellow. I'd never heard anyone so emotional, so involved in the singing. I have to assume it will be at least 20 years before a 12 year old can say that again.

(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."

'in hiding' is a good pj song as far as the more (relatively) recent stuff goes.

the ballads haven't been good since vitalogy

The last PJ album is actually really good, despite its terrible cover art.

No one was as shocked as I was. But it shouldn't have been, as they've improved with each album.

I love the first track on No Code, but it's all ruined by the second one which comes in with all the welcomness of an irritating alarm clock.

The last PJ album is actually really good, despite its terrible cover art.

Ha - I actually prefer the cover art to the actual album (which has decent enough songs, but Eddie and/or the production just fucks 'em all up).

yeah his vocal performances on that album are easily the worst of his career. beyond a couple decent singles I don't understand any of the love for s/t.

"Mankind" is the reason I once almost considered buying the Stone Gossard solo album.

:)

i don't think i've ever seen al so excited about anything ever

yeah I don't know what I was on that day.

aw come on

haha I meant the day I started this thread, not the day I considered buying a Stone Gossard album. is it good? should I?

I have no idea! I don't think I've gotten within light years of any Pearl Jam side project. All my drinking money these days gets spent on keeping up with members of Veruca Salt.

I saw a Brad music video on 120 Minutes once. It was a gentle AC piano ballad with Shawn Smith asking you to think what makes you laugh and think what makes you sing. Stone was putting some sparse wacka-chicka on it.

All I remember about the Mad Season song they'd play on the radio is jesus christ I hate Layne Stanley.

RIVER OF DECEIT

oh fuck you miccio

"the only direction to go is down"

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh

I remember a Brad song with lots of slap-bass.

haha yeah I think Stone had to get his funk jones elsewhere once Pearl Jam banished its wah wah pedal/touring with RHCP/"Dirty Frank" beginnings post-Vs..

still a great record!!

they were on an episode of Austin City Limits recently, and Eddie did "Lukin" ACOUSTIC WITH A STRING SECTION and they also played "Red Mosquito" w/ Ben Harper on slide guitar, it was like the whole thing was geared toward No Code geeks like me.

weird that probably my 2 most enthusiastic threads ever (this & Philadelphia Freeway) were revived on the same day.

"Smile" sounds great.