Hail Hail! This is the Pearl Jam Albums Poll

you would ditch "corduroy"??????

lol Brad i legit thought of you when i was like "if i made a Yield poll, who on ILM in 2020 would definitely show up?"

plenty of songs i dig on that album tbh, even if some of them are just from excessive high-school listening that's burned them into my brain. it's just somehow less than the sum of its parts? or maybe just missing one more big centerpiece song that makes it all feel, idk, important or something. what "Corduroy" and "Better Man" do for Vitalogy in my ears.

yield has always felt to me like a less successful version of no code, but even that is pretty badass

you would ditch "corduroy"??????

― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Monday, December 7, 2020 5:37 PM (five minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

I don't lump Corduroy in with things like 'Spin The Black Circle' or 'Satan's Bed'. That's a good melodic rocker

i love "satan's bed" and "whipping" and it was v surprising for me to learn that ppl do not like them

"spin" is a little too obviously great imo lol

Yield is great! Feels slightly more mature and focused than No Code to me.

I just don't love Vedder's hoarse shouty voice that much (I like Lukin and Brain of J though). Or maybe it's the stiff, ploddy straighahead drums on those Vitalogy rockers... I dunno

re: Yield: i hear the No Codeyness in the guitar tone and the maybe looser, less radio-focused production, but i feel like that's an overall journey they were on from at least Vitalogy to Binaural. Yield feels distinct to me as kinda brighter and cleaner than No Code, but i'm not sure how much of that is me initially hearing it through the "they're back! they're rocking again! please don't give up on alt-rock radio!" marketing at the time.

off Riot Act I'd keep "Can't Keep", "Save You", "Ghost" and "Green Disease". "I Am Mine" is dopey but nice. That's about it.

Whereas the s/t is almost front to back winners

as is Backspacer tbh

ppl still underrating "cropduster" and "you are" i see

"green disease" is so totally amazing it may cause me to overrate the whole project lol

"bu$hleaguer" is pretty embarrassing though i'll cop to that. need to revisit the s/t and backspacer which i remember as very tight records

i've always loved "The Fixer," i should probably dig into whichever album that's from.

backspacer! "the fixer" is like my favorite pj single ever lol

my favorite pearl jam song is "sad," which, wow, i'm still extremely mad that it's a b-side

― HYPERLINK TO RAP GENIUS (BradNelson), Wednesday, April 13, 2016 10:28 AM (four years ago) bookmarkflaglink

lol this thought just popped into my head, glad i searched the thread before repeating it. the insult of "sad" being a b-side is worse when i remember it was recorded during the binaural sessions (iirc?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjXU8BmVVm0

fuck, this is still the best. those fucking drums!!!!

I've become partial to the new "Comes Then Goes."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke3Vpv7fFKs

"Green Disease" is great, imo one of the highlights of their later work is that they seem to want to nab some of the sprightliness and economy of some of their opening acts (eg sleater-kinney, dismemberment plan, supergrass, idlewild)

Ha, the one time I saw Pearl Jam was because Idlewild was opening. Stadium show at U of MT, seats behind the stage... not ideal.

'Corduroy'is the only song I can think of that sounds like Miracle Legion AND the Foo Fighters.
It's not at all a stretch to imagine Mark Mulcahy singing it/not at all a stretch to imagine Dave Grohl writing that riff.

Haha, when I caught Pearl Jam the first time they were my favourite band, Idlewild were supporting and they were my second favourite band. My Dad will forever be my hero for not only letting me skip two days of school but driving me 8 hours each way to see them as he realised how important it was for me.

And 'Cropduster' and 'You Are' get plenty of my love, Brad. Matt Cameron needs to write more damn songs.

Been making my way through the Pearl Jam discography recently. I haven't paid them much attention post-Vitalogy and for whatever reason have decided that now I'm going to explore the rest of it.

Anyway, I just remembered a joke that I made when Yield came out. Upon flipping the CD over and seeing Brain of J as the first track, I asked, What - like Primus Drummer of White Zombie Guitarist?

Thank you and sorry.

Side two of Vitalogy is so much fun. I forgot how great Aye Davanita is.

If a compilation existed of all their attempts to be an art rock band I would buy it.

Compile it here!

I'll need someone else to as I'm only just reacquainting myself with this stuff. But I recently relistened to No Code after many years and it's got me in the mood. I recall Binaural and Riot Act exhibiting this side of the band now and then too.

You two have been busy this morning.

FWIW, I kind of prefer the remixes and remakes of the Ten songs. The 'Redux' mixes are generally better, but the single version of "Even Flow" (a re-recording with Dave Abbruzzese on drums) is definitive IMHO and the single mix for "Jeremy" is the best one they did (even though they do censor out the word "fuck").

This was my favourite US rock band in the mid-late 90s. But until now I have listened to very little past Yield.

I've read Binaural being described as their "art-rock" album. Listening now and uh, am I missing something? This is their mist straight-shooting, least "arty" album since Ten, surely?

I love "art-rock" Pearl Jam. I'll put a playlist together

i'd been meaning to make an 'art rock' pearl jam playlist ever since i bumped this thread in november, now that i have actually heard all of their albums (no idea about non-album tracks tho). as i said, if a compilation existed of all their attempts to be an art rock band I would buy it - such stuff definitely interests me most with them.

i wouldn't just include full songs, i'd have things like 'pry, to' and 'red bar' (or red dot or whatever people call it), short interludes which i think rather get to the point rather easily.

as for binarual specifically.. well every album between vitalogy and riot act - except yield - i have seen described as 'art rock'. i think the main thing binaural has in that regard are the roomy lengthy psychedelic tracks that are peppered throughout like 'nothing as it seems' (the lead single no less), 'of the girl', 'sleight of hand' and 'parting ways'. maybe 'rival' as well.

https://www.stereogum.com/2259686/the-10-best-pearl-jam-songs-of-the-21st-century/lists/10-best-songs/

I think there's an argument to say Yield is one of their more experimental albums hah.

Here's an attempt at a rough tracklist for an Art Rock Pearl Jam comp, bearing in mind I don't know much past Yield. Haven't established a track order yet. Any suggestions welcome https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7gQqP8IQW2FqRYNS2moMZc?si=0MSfiOAFQGqBWNfuNC5PZw&pi=ZuS1lMpKSH6ra

The new album is actually pretty good BTW. They sound invigorated

I recommend Who You Are and Nothing As It Seems. I know they were singles but they were 'difficult' singles

i think yield's status as a back to basics album is overstated, as such records usually are, but in terms of experimental tracks i can't think of anything that would fit except red bar and push me pull me. i get why it might seem like the least arty album in that broader sequence.

I love Push Me Pull Me

Yeah I get what you mean. I dunno, Yield has a vibe, an undercurrent. There's something eerie going on under there. The best PJ does