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What's the best Pearl Jam album to break into?


IRanOutOfIdeas

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So I've actually been thinking about getting into Pearl Jam since my taste in 90's music has been increasing rapidly. I've always been a Black Crowes fan (Which is my definitive 90's band). There's also that one band that did those Use Your Illusion albums but that's for a different forum, obviously.

So how do I start, man? Do I also attempt to get into Soundgarden or Mother Love Bone?

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I am listening to Ten right now and plan on jumping right to their latest afterward.

Thats not gonna work. I have a feeling you're gonna hate the new one if thats how you're progressing.

I would say with most bands, its good to go with the most well known and work around those albums. For Pearl Jam and Guns, that happens to be their debut. Its absolutely Ten and because its seminal and is a good overview of who they are. With Pearl Jam moreso than others, its best to go chronologically. They experiment with each album, but the first 3 are the most easy to get into. They've got some hits mixed with some amazing deep cuts and you won't feel too unfamiliar.

With me, they were a band where I had to listen to each album several times before really enjoying it. The exception to that was Ten, which you'll probably like immediately if thats your thing. But VS and Vitalogy and No Code really took me awhile, even though I love them now. If you absolutely can't go in order, I would say Yield is a pretty consistent album and not too out there (like No Code and Riot Act can be). And their semi-latest Backspacer was their most straight ahead rock album they've ever done. Maybe the only other album of theirs I was on board with first listen.

Anyway, I'd say go in order, and they are a band I have loved for years and still not gotten through everything (Lost Dogs, their expansion packs). They are definitely a band that requires heavy repeat listening to fully absorb the material, and I'm not just saying that to sound douchey. Its just how I've found their material. The first three albums are a good appetizer to see if you want to go further.

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Ten and VS, I guess. Binaural and the self titled are their strongest albums form the 00's.

If you want Mother Love Bone start with chloe dancer/ crown of thorns and This Is Shangri-la

Soundgarden: start with superunknown and badmotorfinger. From their newer album try non-state actor and Taree.

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Guest Len B'stard

None of them, avoid at all costs, dreadful whiney first world whingers with absolutely nothing to say for themselves, no skill, no style, no nothing, they were the construction of a modern rock archetype that sucked all the soul and personality out of the genre and left it spent and dead, avoid like as if you were a werewolf avoiding a silver bullet, avoid avoid avoid. And if you have to listen to one or else die then die, Pearl Jam are a sort of acute trauma, drop everything and flee from them like Godzilla!

Edited by sugaraylen
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None of them, avoid at all costs, dreadful whiney first world whingers with absolutely nothing to say for themselves, no skill, no style, no nothing, they were the construction of a modern rock archetype that sucked all the soul and personality out of the genre and left it spent and dead, avoid like as if you were a werewolf avoiding a silver bullet, avoid avoid avoid. And if you have to listen to one or else die then die, Pearl Jam are a sort of acute trauma, drop everything and flee from them like Godzilla!

You know I love you but Jesus Christ man.
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For the life of me I don't know how anyone could not like Ten, VS, Vitology, and Yield. They are all very good if not great albums. It's just good ole' rock music. I guess pehaps Eddie turns some folks off (which is the case with every singer) but their music is very good imo.

I never understood why Slash hated Pearl Jam either, I think his hatred was born out of worry because Pearl Jam and Nirvana were knocking guns off their thrown. But that still doesn't constitute hate imo. Besides Mike McCready has a lot in common with Slash musically. Maybe not Stone so much, but definatly Mike. I agree that Slash is better than McCready, but Mike has the same damn influences as Slash (zeppelin, hendrix, etc.) I just always found those comments by Slash to be a little immature on his part. Either that or he has never really listened to Pearl Jam's music much, because it is riff rock just like gnr is, especially Ten and VS, Vitology is when Eddie started taking over. I'm not saying both bands sound the same, but I do think both bands have more simularities than Slash ever recognized.

Edited by Mike420
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maybe PJ isn't junkie rock or have an element of danger or excitement to it. too earnest maybe.

I took one look at the cover of Ten and refused to buy it. I've heard it and the singles were good. But over all preferred Vs. Rearview mirror is amazing.

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I am not a huge Pearl Jam fan. Ten is an album with many great songs, and the second album also has some great songs.

But the album that really got me was the self titled album that was released in like 2006 I think?

From start to finish, it's a great album. A classic in my mind. I like albums that are great from start to finish without weak tracks or anything that ruins the album's momentum. And this album is just great start to finish.

I admit I haven't explored the rest of their albums, and some things I've checked out in the past did nothing for me. But the self titled album is what got me and so I'd recommend it as a good introduction to the band. Cause everyone will love the classic songs from Ten and some other albums, but nearly everyone has heard those songs on the radio or somewhere else, and they'll never really feel new and exciting because of that. And those classic songs really stand out above and beyond everything Pearl Jam has done sort of, so you might be in for a let down if you expect all the albums after those first ones to have those sort of classic inspirational amazing songs.

And to the original poster, save Soundgarden and all Cornell related projects for when you really want to have an epic soundtrack to a time period in your life that is really significant. Soundgarden etc takes some time to get into, but once it hits you, you'll be amazed.

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The self titled record is pretty good. But honestly, in the grand scheme of their records, its pretty low on the list. Riot Act and the self titled both have their moments, but were ultimately kind of lost periods for the band. Riot Act was trying something new and it not really working that well, and Pearl Jam was a good effort but kind of lacking in any sort of statement. As a whole, its a pretty unremarkable disc. Of course everyone is welcome to their opinion, but I would say if thats your favorite then you should love a lot of their other stuff.

And Backspacer is their best album since Binaural.

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Start with Ten, it has the most hits and songs you'd probably be familiar with.

It's also the closest Pearl Jam have been to sounding like a classic rock band - big riffs, big solos, big vocals.

After that, they slowly started moving to more alternative and middle of the road kinda stuff...

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