Thursday, Apr. 17, 2014 | 10:22
Pearl Jam - vs. & Vitalogy
i took my time getting into Pearl Jam. their debut was such a big hit, from out of nowhere, that i instinctively recoiled at its popularity, just as i had with 'Nevermind'. in retrospect this was a ridiculous reaction, but at the time i was prone to such behavior (i mediate it better now, though i'm less inclined to notice what's popular and besides how could i possibly get involved with new music at this point?). later i would get 'Ten' and understand the error of my ways.
my delay even fed into 'vs.', causing me again to delay acquiring the album (when my friend showed me his copy, in the original packaging, i felt ashamed to have it in a jewel case). when i did get it, however, i got it. i listened to it consistently and learned every song. i didn't necessarily follow along with the lyrics, but with Pearl Jam that's usually better. the aiblity to put my own words into them, and make my own meanings, gives the music added depth.
listening to 'vs.' today i feel its power and drama again. it reminds me, though, what effect brendan o'brien has on the band and how much his mix of 'Ten' damages that album. 'vs.' shouldn't have the cavernous sound and dark mood of the debut, and 'Ten' shouldn't have the hard edges of the followup. 'vs.' is an alley fight, a threat. the anger is palpable.
age mellows most people, as it has me. i don't have the directionless rage i had in college, and the bands i liked then don't have the same fire and anger anymore either. people address that mellowing differently, and pearl jam has moved away from my own personal tastes. i can't say that's a bad thing, but it means i find their recent albums disappointing. it's like once they were re-invigorating rock and roll and now they're playing classic rock. they need something to push them out of their comfort zone, challenge their process and their sounds, and maybe alienate fans in the process. stop repeating themselves.
like 'Vitalogy'. two albums with very different production and songs meant the band was unpredictable, but such variation didn't prepare anyone for Pearl Jam's third album. fast rockers, emotional ballads, weird interludes, and a bizarre sound collage to end it. although the band's next album, 'No Code', would expand their sound further, 'Vitalogy' was the last time Pearl Jam felt completely free to do anything. this is where they experiment with songmaking, and win every time.
