When Pearl Jam roared out of the Seattle scene in 1992, hot on Nirvana's heels, they were called many things by many different rock critics. Some dismissed the band as "stadium rockers in grunge clothing," others called them brilliant, and still others saw something there yet didn't see exactly why they were so big.
But when the band unleashed this album, Vs., on the world in October of 1993, they probably had no idea that they soon would be called the biggest band in the world, despite the fact no videos would be done for this CD. It sold over 950,000 copies in it's first week, setting a record that still stood until N Sync broke the mark. (Note:While Garth Brooks and the Backstreet Boys have sold more albums in an opening week, they were given 7 days to do so, while Pearl Jam only had 5 days. Recently, Britney Spears and Eminem also topped Pearl Jam with sales approaching 2 million each in opening weeks.)
So why? Why all the fuss over this record? Here's why, and it won't be in a nutshell, so consider yourself warned.
The album opens with the hard rocking Go, a song penned by lead singer Eddie Vedder and the drummer of the moment, Dave Abbrusseze (heretofore mentioned as DaveA in this review). While the album version lacks the energy of live versions (which can be said for every Pearl Jam song by the way), it is still powerful and emotional. Vedder wailing "Don't go on me" while the wah-wah guitars and Dave A's drumming brings the song to a climax with a classic Vedder scream at the end. While some chalked this up to being about abuse, Vedder had his own fun with the press, saying in an interview with Cameron Crowe for Rolling Stone at the time that it was actually about his beat up truck. And in 1998, it became Vedder's own anthem in trying to convince fill in drummer Matt Cameron to stay on board. (And Cameron still is on board.)
From Go, you immediately hear the crashing beginning to Animal, a song the band played at the 1993 Video Music Awards, and a song that has become a live favorite. It is here where Vedder's usual drones become somewhat not understandable. He also plays on words, using the words "torch her" to actually represent the word torture. This is a vivid song that sounds incredibly emotional and appealing. Perhaps one of Vedder's best lines, "Why would you want to hurt me?" opens the second verse, and it is a powerful powerful moment.
The band settles down a bit with the hit Daughter, a moody, yet hopeful inspirational song that deals with child abuse, much like Jeremy. For as popular as this song is, among fans and non-fans alike, I just find it too cliched musically. The big climax vocally comes right before the catchy guitar solo, putting this wonderful song into power ballad territory. OK, so it's not that bad, but that is my biggest problem with the song, besides the constant over-playing it by the radio. But Vedder does make another nice play on words, using the word "violins" to replace "violence."
The band then delves into silliness with Glorified G, an anti gun song that perhaps was written as a very immature response to the murder of abortion doctors in the early 90s. While very fun, and pretty catchy, the band no longer plays this song live, as at one show in 1995, Vedder himself changed the lyrics to "glorified version of I hate this song." If you want a more mature (and even more irresistable) rant against guns etc, check out Do the Evolution from Pearl Jam's 1998 album Yield.
Perhaps my favorite Pearl Jam song of all time is next, entitled Dissident. Many fans feel this is about abortion ("she gave him away, when she couldn't hold on!"), although personally, I have always felt it to be about betrayal in general. All interpretations aside, it's not the lyrics that make this song for me, but rather the music. The bluesy wail of the guitar to open the song, the gentle and rhapsodaisical melodies that are played on the verses, and the absolutely amazing guitar interplay between Mike McCready and Stone Gossard make this song for me. The powerhouse fills of DaveA help as well. I absolutely adore this song.
The band then experiments with the tribal beats that would re-appear on the 1996 album No Code. The song W.M.A. deals with police brutality. This is another favorite of long time fans, but for me, it's never really hit home. There's just something about a looped drum beat and boring music otherwise that doesn't do anything for me. The lyrics are very well written, but to me, Pearl Jam dropped the ball here.
The second half of the disc opens with the fiery Blood, a rant by Vedder against the press that he felt had "raped" him from the time Pearl Jam exploded. Perhaps the best lines are "paint Ed big, turn him into, one of his enemies." The wah wah guitars are excellent here as well, and the thrashing quality of the song makes it a must listen on this record.
And perhaps there is no better 1-2 punch on a Pearl Jam album than Blood and then going into Rearviewmirror. RVM (for short) is a melodic take on "giving someone the middle finger while you drive off" according to Vedder. The song shows Vedder penting up his rage until the end, when he unleashes a fury of screams on a chorus, and the band picks up the tempo at a frightening pace. Oh, and that noise you hear in the background at the end is DaveA throwing his drum sticks against the wall after he finally got a good take.
The band falters again though with the next song, the funky, somewhat jazzy Rats, a song that could be said to be about everyone from music executives to the press, it's a damning song that is not very good musically. It lacks any sort of power, and while Vedder's vocal delivery is strong, that is about it here. The guitarists are faded out into nothing, and the bass mix is way too high.
Pearl Jam immediately redeem themselves though with Elderly Woman... (for short), a strong acoustic ballad that has become a fan favorite over the years. It is here for the first real time where you see how good Vedder's voice is, and you know he is not just the marvel of studio magic. (A la Stephan Jenkins etc) The great guitar melodies and cool over the top drumming technique of Dave A is wonderful here, as are Vedder's plaintive and softly sung words.
The last two songs on the record are about as different as different can be. The teenage anthem Leash is a song that remains a favorite of fans today, even though it no longer really fits into what the band has become or who they are (hence the fact they no longer play it live). It's a scream fest that always became a sing along on stage between the band and the fans, with smiles breaking out at the lines "I am right by your side" and "delight in our youth." In a way, this was Pearl Jam's Baba O'Riley, although it never became a hit the way that song did. And perhaps it is only coincidence that the band covers that very song every so often.
The song that closes out the album, the murky and moody, yet oddly enchanting Indifference, is an example of Pearl Jam doing what they do best. Putting great music to words that not only fit, but they create an atmosphere in the song. "I will hold the candle, til it burns up my arm, I will keep taking punches, until their will grows tired" is the band's way of saying we're here for good, like it or not. 5 studio albums, 146 live albums, and 2 separate singles later, they are still here, like it, or not.
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