Yeah, of the albums Iāve heard since vitalogy, No Code is by a long way the best.
Iāll give them a 5. Ten came out when I was 14. Was one of the albums that changed my outlook on what music should be. First 3 albums are all amazing, some of the later ones are fine. I think the reason so many dislike Vedderās voice is that everyone copied him. Ten is still in my top 10 of all time. Also brilliant live.
Yeah, thatās fair enough, guess itās kind of unfair to pass that judgement on their oldest (if most acclaimed) material, but I think the voice is marmite and is really going to be a sticking point for me. Might psyche myself for listening to a few highlights people post here later, but donāt hold out much hope.
I hate them so much. Boring dad rock that somehow got lauded as the second coming for a while.
Vedderās influence on the post grunge bands and rock in general is a musical low light for mankind.
I donāt have the words to describe how I can hate something so dull.
Although fair play to them for fighting against ticket master.
The video got Jeremy proper scared me when I was a kid and saw it on Kerrang
Itās strange, I just canāt get into them and I listen to almost all of their contemporaries. Seen 'em a couple of times as well as my friendās are massive fans, but to me itās just āmehā
Really dislike them. Always have. Sound like Nickleback. 1.
Made two good albums in Vs. and Vitalogy but they always had a bit of a stink about them. Liked Ten when I was 15 but itās unlistenable now. Later stuff is dull as dishwater.
3/5
Oh actually Yield is decent too
This is what I was (unknowingly) thinking - itās as if they were much more classic rock informed whereas most other grunge was clearly punk-inspired.
Think itās quite a mix tbh.
Nirvana and mudhoney clearly the most punk influenced. Soundgarden and Alice in Chains were also heavily classic rock influenced, but metal (particularly black sabbath) too. Pearl Jam - just straight up classic/blues rock in sound really.
Fucking love them. If I have a few hours to listen to music on my own, Iāll alway pop on some PJ, because plasticmike hates them.
I think I bought Ten on a whim, must have been 15-16, so ~2000ish. Instantly loved it, and bought the rest of their stuff. Was into everything up to Riot Act, which is a bit shit really isnāt it. At one point I watched the DVD of Live On Two Legs on a daily basis, and I still prefer their songs live to the records (though Iāve never actually seen them live). I was big into minidsics at the time, so did a lot of bootleg trades, and tried to get as many of those brown cardboard official live CDs as possible.
4/5 because I have no intention to listen to anything post Riot Act, but everything before then occupies a really special place in my heart.
Never really clicked for me, I think because, as has been said upthread, they lack that little bit of punk or metal grit that their contemporaries who I like more had. There are some absolute bangers scattered through the catalogue (State Of Love And Trust, Spin The Black Circle off the top of my head), but I find even the Greatest Hits bit of a slog. 2/5 maybe?
Yep, Iād agree. Kim Thayil has also said that PJ were the only band from that scene which didnāt use the signature ādrop dā tuning.
A key reason why I didnāt learn how to play any pearl jam songsā¦
Having said, that Soundgarden having a different tuning on ALMOST EVERY FUCKING SONG on superunknown did my head in. Must have snapped at least 100 strings trying to switch between My wave and 4th of July.
First heard them at the age of 17 whilst on a road trip down the east coast of America. I picked up Ten and loved it, and the next few albums.
Completely lost interest around Yield, and havenāt listened to much since.
I then went to see them with my dad at Hyde Park in 2010. It was a proper arms around each other, swaying badly, and singing along at the top of our voices night. Happy memories.
Iāve a bit of a soft spot for them, but can see why theyād rub people up the wrong way.
Iād say Incesticide was plenty punk.
Vitalogy could claim it, too, I reckon.
Both being their respective best albums.
really donāt like the first era - too cheesy
really donāt like the later era - too blandcore
really like the No Code - Yield - Live on Two Legs era, i.e. when they started doing digipak CDs
I hope @Severed799 will be along shortly to set us right on the olympia scene vs the seattle scene and how grunge never existed
(this sounds confrontational - itās not. I mostly agree with him!)
Theyāre a bit like Weezer for me. I have never been mega into them, but thereās plenty Iāve enjoyed amongst the ever-growing back catalogue, and Iāve no gripe overall, but Vitalogy aside, thereās payback always going to be something from someone else that fits my mood that Iāll listen to instead.
Had tickets to see them at Milton Keynes a few years ago but was unable to go in the end.
For two or three years in a row I went to see a Glasgow cover band that did an annual charity gig which was also a call for PJ to come to Scotland to play. And they were a lot of fun - good cover band.