Pearl Jam: The Studio Albums (Rate 'em)

[jvk]

After watching Into the Wild and hearing the Eddie Vedder soundtrack, I came away thinking, "Y'know, that Eddie Vedder ain't so bad. I think I'll pop in a Pearl Jam CD."

The question is, which ones still do it for you? Did they ever?


Ten (1991)
Vs. (1993)
Vitalogy (1994)
No Code (1996)
Yield (1998)
Binaural (2000)
Riot Act (2002)
Pearl Jam (2006)


Slice 'em up any way you please....

[the-dude]

Versus has been my fav album of theirs ever since I first heard it. Vitalogy has grown on me quite a bit over the years.

Id go:
Versus
Ten (and I HATE Evenflow and Alive, are those even distinct songs?)
Riot Act
Vitalogy
All the rest in a nebulous blob of mediocrity

Its probably clear that I'm not a big pearl jam fan, but I'll play along.

[euro60]

I used to LOOOVE Pearl Jam, but since the turn of the century, that love has become a lot less passionate. Here a quick rating of their studio albums:

Ten (1991) 9.5/10
Vs. (1993) 8.5/10
Vitalogy (1994) 9.5/10
No Code (1996) 9/10
Yield (1998) 7.5/10
Binaural (2000) 6.5/10
Riot Act (2002) 5/10
Lost Dogs (2003) 9/10 **
Pearl Jam (2006) 3/10

So it's been a long slow decline since 1996, if you wanna look at it that way. I've always found "Vs" to be slightly 'overrated' compared to Ten and Vitalogy. For some reason I love "No Code", even though a lot of PJ fans do not rate it highly.

**Let me add that the odds-and-ends 2 CD compilation Lost Dogs (2003) is just about as good as any of the early albums (similar to Oasis's The Masterplan compilation)

I remain a big fan of the band's live shows. Their set at this year's Bonnaroo was fantastic.

[jvk]

I'm guilty of only hearing the 90's releases, so I'm already at a disadvantage. That said...


Yield (1998)
Ten (1991)
Vs. (1993)
No Code (1996)
Vitalogy (1994)
Binaural (2000)
(tie) Riot Act (2002) / Pearl Jam (2006) - never listened to either.


It's hard to think about Ten without feeling like I'm looking at my High School yearbook; embarassed and nostalgic all at once. I'm not sure if it holds up now, but it sure did a number on me then.

I probably played Yield as much as I did Ten, but I think Yield was up against much more ecclectic competition for my attention. In '98 (compared to '91), I had all but disowned my 80's musical tastes and was delving into much more interesting musical tangents (thanks woxy, ;)) Based on that alone, I think that since Yield held its own on a stiffer course, it is a stronger album to me.

Nowadays, there is just nothing that makes me want to listen to Vitalogy or Binaural. Whatever I may have heard in those albums, I can't seem to hear it nowadays.

Vs. and No Code fall somewhere in between the top and the bottom for me. Not so bad that I'll never play 'em again, but it's not like they are the first I reach for.

[ajax]

oh boy this is TOUGH!!! By the way this is the best arena rock act out there. Their Riverbend show in 2000 blew me away. That recording from riverbend is my favorite disk. Looking back, their songs are kinda cheezy but I love em.

1. tie between No Code and Vitalogy
2. Vs
3. Ten
4. Yield
5. Riot Act
6. Biaural
7. Pearl Jam (have not listened to)

[euro60]

oh boy this is TOUGH!!! By the way this is the best arena rock act out there. Their Riverbend show in 2000 blew me away. That recording from riverbend is my favorite disk.
I was there too, waaaaaaaaaay up close via the TEN fan club tickets :)

And that live CD is indeed one that I still play as well.

[frogstik]

I've seen Pearl Jam 16 times... and I've met a few, so needless to say I am somewhat biased -- To those who have written them off, I'd give the new record a listen... it's very very good.

In a world where music today is pretty much throwaway, I feel like Pearl Jam are still the real deal... they treat their fans great, and you know they won't be on MTV being douche bags.

So here's my order:

Vs.
Pearl Jam
Vitalogy
Yield
No Code
Riot Act
Binaural
Ten

(Lost Dogs doesn't count as a proper release)

I really like all the other stuff the guys have done outside PJ... check out

- Brad
- Three Fish
- Thermadore
- Stone Gossard

[osx]

I've seen Pearl Jam 16 times... and I've met a few, so needless to say I am somewhat biased -- To those who have written them off, I'd give the new record a listen... it's very very good.

In a world where music today is pretty much throwaway, I feel like Pearl Jam are still the real deal... they treat their fans great, and you know they won't be on MTV being douche bags.

So here's my order:

Vs.
Pearl Jam
Vitalogy
Yield
No Code
Riot Act
Binaural
Ten

(Lost Dogs doesn't count as a proper release)

I really like all the other stuff the guys have done outside PJ... check out

- Brad
- Three Fish
- Thermadore
- Stone Gossard

I am surprised to see Ten last from you, must be a Pearl Jam freak badge of honor ;)

I'd go
Vs.
Vitalogy
Ten
Pearl Jam
Riot Act
Yield
Binaural
The much maligned No Code

[euro60]

I've seen Pearl Jam 16 times... and I've met a few, so needless to say I am somewhat biased -- To those who have written them off, I'd give the new record a listen... it's very very good.
I have listened to the 2006 CD with an open mind, and more than once. It doesn't come even close to any of the first 5 albums, for real. By far the weakest in their catalog. I would never write these guys off. But let's call a spade a spade.

[frogstik]

It's not that I hate Ten... it's just listening to it... it was so over produced with a gooey coating of reverb.

And yes... it's a PJ Snob thing ;)

[upwithpeople]

I am surprised to see Ten last from you, must be a Pearl Jam freak badge of honor ;)

I'd go
Vs.
Vitalogy
Ten
Pearl Jam
Riot Act
Yield
Binaural
The much maligned No CodeTo his point, I think "Ten" has aged the worst of all their albums, and I think it will sound more hopelessly '90s as time goes on. Also, poor "No Code." You're so much better than you get credit for.

I'd like to add a list to this, but when I started to think about it, I realized it had been a long time since I thought about it.

[frogstik]

I have listened to the 2006 CD with an open mind, and more than once. It doesn't come even close to any of the first 5 albums, for real. By far the weakest in their catalog. I would never write these guys off. But let's call a spade a spade.

I don't know -- I really liked it. Of course the guys could release an album of them farting in cups and I'd probably still buy it.

[frogstik]

To his point, I think "Ten" has aged the worst of all their albums, and I think it will sound more hopelessly '90s as time goes on. Also, poor "No Code." You're so much better than you get credit for.

I'd like to add a list to this, but when I started to think about it, I realized it had been a long time since I thought about it.

Man I love me some No Code...

That album came out right after I got dumped... "Present Tense" was awesome.

[euro60]

Man I love me some No Code...


Yea, me too.... This thread is turning into a No Code love-fest :)

http://img3.nnm.ru/imagez/gallery/0/7/9/5/b/0795b5e119df32939c69296b4941d7e7_full.jpg

[jtmehrin]

**Let me add that the odds-and-ends 2 CD compilation Lost Dogs (2003) is just about as good as any of the early albums (similar to Oasis's The Masterplan compilation)


This brought me back to Pearl Jam after years of indifference (no pun intended).

It would've been an awesome 1disc comp, but I liked hearing a lot of stuff from the post Vitalogy era. My interest in Pearl Jam fell off after Vitalogy. But I really like some of the odds and ends I've heard off other albums. Maybe I'll have to make a best of comp from the later albums ( I did have Bianural and really enjoyed a few of the stuff on that).

I agree that Ten is difficult to listen to. I was binging some disc from my collection awhile back and this was one that I couldn't bring myself to get rid of.

[jvk]

I've seen Pearl Jam 16 times...
16 times??? I have blood relatives I have not seen 16 times! Good Lord.

I better call my Uncle.:p

[The Sheck]

I think No Code is either the worst or second worst album in PJ's catalog. There's way way too much filler on there to call it remotely one of their best. For me, it's a tossup between that and Binaural as to the stinkers in the catalog.

For me, Vitalogy will always be the group's best. The tension between the band members was at an all-time high and it produced some of the best music the band ever made. They never duplicated the weird experimental stuff on any other album, also. By the time they got to No Code, the band seemed tired of each other and it's proven by the lackluster performances on that album.

We've done this before in the MMD forum, but I'd rank them as...

Vitalogy
Ten
Yield
Pearl Jam
Vs.
Riot Act
Binaural
No Code

[donetrawk]

I love this band. Too hard to rank all the albums, and there are songs I love from all of them... as far as my four favorite of them, they would be:

Yield
Pearl Jam
Ten

So many great songs on the other albums though... "Off He Goes", "Smile", "Hail Hail", "Dissident", "Light Years", etc...

[govols4420]

oh boy this is TOUGH!!! By the way this is the best arena rock act out there. Their Riverbend show in 2000 blew me away. That recording from riverbend is my favorite disk. Looking back, their songs are kinda cheezy but I love em.

1. tie between No Code and Vitalogy
2. Vs
3. Ten
4. Yield
5. Riot Act
6. Biaural
7. Pearl Jam (have not listened to)

This is exactly like my list, I LOVE both No Code and Vitalogy to this day and actually just made it to my cd case in my car for summer rotation. I saw them in Charlotte on the No Code tour(anti-ticketmaster) and it was just amazing, Ben Harper opening didn't hurt either.

[upwithpeople]

I think No Code is either the worst or second worst album in PJ's catalog. There's way way too much filler on there to call it remotely one of their best. For me, it's a tossup between that and Binaural as to the stinkers in the catalog.

For me, Vitalogy will always be the group's best. The tension between the band members was at an all-time high and it produced some of the best music the band ever made. They never duplicated the weird experimental stuff on any other album, also. By the time they got to No Code, the band seemed tired of each other and it's proven by the lackluster performances on that album.Weird to me that someone would dog "No Code" and then claim "Vitalogy" as a personal favorite. They're both ramshackle, kitchen-sink style albums, and they both come complete with what could be considered filler ("heyfoxymophandlemommathatsme" and "Bugs" come to mind. Not to say they don't have their place), and seem as two parts to a whole. The tension and insanity of "Vitalogy" give way to the older and wiser tone of "No Code," and I think each album benefits from a comparison to the other.

[frogstik]

Both Vitalogy and No Code were written at a time when the band was on the verge of imploding. I read that Jeff Ament (the bassist) didn't even know the band was recording No Code until the third day of recording.

After No Code, Pearl Jam starting writing as a group... Maybe that's why people aren't warming up to the newer stuff -- I don't know.

I think it's awesome that a band can still sound great and kick your ass after being together for 18 years.

[Grover]

Vs. - On the strength of Elderly Woman Behind the Counter..
Vitalogy
Ten

I guess some consideration for Merkinball.

[mango2520]

I'm a pretty die hard PJ fan and have really enjoyed all of their albums. So maybe I'm a little biased, but I've got to rankem this way...

1. Yield - one of my all time favs. DTE is their catelog champion imo.
2. Pearl Jam - all around fantastic album. Life Wasted and Inside Job hold up against anything they've done
3. Vs.
3a. No Code - very underappreciated, especially when it first came out. Jack Irons really did a nice job on this one.
4. Ten - probably should be higher, but its soooo overplayed. All tracks are great live though.
5. Binaural - One of my favorites and one that gets often mentioned as their worst efforts. To each their own I guess.
6. Vitalogy - another excellent album that didn't get enough credit b/c it wasn't Vs. or Ten.

Here's where it drops off

6. Riot Act - definitely my least fav, other than Save You, this album is pretty forgettable compared to their others.

[Seattle93]

1. no code
2. vs.
3. vitalogy
4. yield
5. binaural
6. riot act
7. pearl jam
8. ten

[Cyclone]

I picked up Yield at Half Price Books for $1 in mint condition last night ... score!

[The Sheck]

Cannot fathom the love for No Code. So many things wrong with that album, from the performances to the song selection to the songs themselves.