rapoob2's Full Review: Dissident [EP] by Pearl Jam
After major succes with their first two albums (Ten and Vs.), Pearl Jam released the Dissident Single to double as a quazi-live album. It is a great album that shows their musical talent.
Playlist
Dissident | Release [Live] | Rearviewmirror [Live] | Even Flow [Live] | Dissident [Live] | Why Go [Live] | Deep [Live]
1. Dissident - This is the actual album release off of Vs. (Pearl Jam's second album which launched them into their early 90's success). The song begins with guitar, bass, and drums, and if you know the tune than you can pick it up instantly. When Eddie Vedder's vocals kick in around thirty seconds, everything gives way and let's him take the focus. Everything eventually picks up again and the song sounds absolutely fabulous. The song ends with cheering for the last twenty seconds (which is not on the Vs. version) as it begins to fade into the live recording for the rest of the CD. My favourite lyrics from the song are a dissident is here. Escape is never, the safest path. A dissident, a dissident is here, and to this day, she's glided on... always home but so far away like a word misplaced... nothing said, what a waste. when she had contact...with the conflict... there was meaning, but she sold him to the state... she had to turn around... when she couldn't hold...she folded... a dissident is here...
2. Release [Live] - The closing song to Pearl Jam's debut album Ten, the live version of the song is great! It's a smoothe fade from the cheering at the end of the studio version of Dissident into the beginning of the song. Amidst background cheering, the guitar strums the notes that make up the beauty of Release. The drums come in very quietly around ten seconds, barely audable, and then Eddie Vedder's humming noise that marks the beginning of the song kicks in around twenty-five seconds. The vocals are not recorded overly well, and you can blatantly tell that it's a live version of the song because of the quality, but it still sounds great! Release stays very relaxed for about two minutes and thirty seconds, and then it picks up (as it does in the studio version as well), and then subsides when it's supposed to. Vedder's vocals are strong throughout the whole song, and I personally love singing along! The song ends with lots of cheering, as live songs usually do. I think that the only way that you can really grasp the entirety of the song is to have all of the lyrics in front of you, so here they are: I see the world. Feel the truth. Which way to go? Windowsill. I see the words on a rocking horse of time. I see the birds in the rain... Oh dear dad can you see me now? I am myself like you somehow. I'll ride the wave where it takes me. I'll hold the pain. Release me... Oh dear dad can you see me now? I am myself like you somehow. I'll wait up in the dark for you to speak to me. I'll open up... Release me... Release me... Release me... Release me
3. Rearviewmirror [Live] - After Release (a very chill song), Pearl Jam rightly kicks in with Rearviewmirror (read: Rear View Mirror), which is definitely a pump-me-up song. It starts off with the quick guitar, which is joined by the bass and drums around the ten second mark. Vedder jumps in with the vocals around twenty-five seconds. While the vocals are extremely quiet once again, that is to be expected of live songs recorded in the early 90's. Everyone plays together extremely well in this song, and it will definitely get you moving. Personally, I think that jumping from a very relaxed song to a very quick one really shows the diversity of the musical talent that Pearl Jam possesses. There's a great guitar solo around the three minute mark which is simple but will grab your attention, and then the vocals kick in very quickly. My favourite lyrics are: I took a drive today, time to emancipate. I guess it was the beatings made me wise, but i'm not about to give thanks, or apologize. I couldn't breathe, holdin' me down, hand on my face, pushed to the ground, enmity gauged, united by fear, forced to endure what I could not forgive...
4. Even Flow [Live] - The second song off of Ten, it is by far one of their most famous songs (although they really do have quite a few extremely famous songs). Unlike the previous live songs on this CD, Even Flow doesn't kick it off with cheering, only the drums, guitar and bass. This is definitely another song that will get the blood flowing through your veins, no doubt about it. Vedder kicks off the vocals with a quiet "roar" (or scream... however you want to define it), around ten seconds, and then kicks straight into the very quick lyrics that identify the song (alright... they're not that quick... but I like them a lot and I tend to sing them very quickly...). The vocals are very quiet once again, but the guitar and bass will lead you through this song, no problem. At times Vedder's voice sounds a little strained, but not to worry because it doesn't ruin the song at all... if anything it adds emphasis. Feezin', rests his head on a pillow made of concrete, again. Oh, Feelin' maybe he'll see a little better, set a days, ooh yeah. Oh, hand out, faces that he sees time again ain't that familiar, oh yeah. Oh, dark grin, he can't help, when he's happy looks insane, oh yeah. Even flow, thoughts arrive like butterflies. Oh, he don't know, so he chases them away. Someday yet, he'll begin his life again... life again... life again...
5. Dissident [Live] - The live version of the kick-off (and title) song of the CD / Single. It begins with a quick burst from the crowd, and then the guitar begins. What makes this this great is that it doesn't sound all that different from the studio version heard earlier on the CD, so it really shows how talented Pearl Jam is. The vocals are (surprise surprise) very quiet, but that has come to be expected. Everything else is extremely strong during this song. Vedder's vocals hold up fairly well during this song, but sound slightly strained during some of the high points. Otherwise, great version of the song!
6. Why Go [Live] - Another song from Ten, Why Go starts with cheering and a few beats on the drum. The beginning of the song really focuses on the drums, and then everything else slowly fades in (including a repetitive "hey hey hey" on the vocals). The guitar and bass really start, though, around twenty-five seconds and get the song really in gear. The vocals actually start around forty seconds, and it's another angry / pump-me-up song. After Dissident it sounds great, even if it is slightly angry. It varies between quiet when they say "Why Go Home?" and angry, upbeat music. Personally, it's another favourite of mine, and another reason why Ten was such a successful album. The song ends with a lot of cheering and it slowly fades into the last song of the single. She scratches a letter into a wall made of stone. Maybe someday another child won't feel as alone as she does. It's been two years and counting since they put her in this place. She's been diagnosed by some stupid f**k, and mommy agrees. Why go home? Why go home? Why go home...
7. Deep [Live] - This song starts with everything kickin' it at the full level. Vedder begins the screaming vocals, and it sounds great. Everyone plays together absolutely amazing, and then it all subsides around thirty-five seconds for that familiar Pearl Jam sound. Vedder's vocals seem to be struggling a little bit when he starts his screaming bit, but that's always expected and it marks one of the unique Pearl Jam sounds. There are some pretty cool vocal noises that Eddie Vedder makes at various points of the song when he seems to get his vocal chords to vibrate. Personally, I love this sound of this song, even if it is another angry song that marked the sound of Pearl Jam in the early 90's. The song ends with thirty seconds of cheering that is rightly deserved. On the edge, windowsill. Ponders his maker. Ponders his will to the street below. He just ain't nothin' but he's got a great view... On the edge, know-nothin' town. Feelin' quite superior. The aged come to the sky above. He just ain't nothin' but he's got a great view...
Overall - I love this album! Well, I guess I should really start out by stating my undying love for Pearl Jam. They have created album after album as I have grown up, and even in their "experimental phase" I loved them. The Dissident Single marked one of their first quazi-live albums to be released (who would have thought that would come to release hundreds more...), and I think it sounds great. It really shows that they do not do all that much to their music in the studio, which so many bands unfortunately do in this day and age... If you have a few bucks and are looking for a great album to listen to, go out to the store and pick up the Dissident Single today!!
(c) Ryan Brennan 2004 All Rights Reserved
Recommended:
Yes
Great Music to Play While: Getting ready to go out
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
![Dissident [EP] by Pearl Jam](http://di1.shopping.com/images1/pi/ef/f4/80/2002058105-177x150-0-0.jpg)
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2010 Shopping.com, Inc.