Vitalogy by Pearl Jam

Pros: The heavy, the soft, and the weird fit brilliantly
Cons: May be hard to get into

Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy may be hard to get into for some, but many who stick through it can appreciate it as one of the band’s best and definitely their most interesting album to date. On one hand, the album contains a ...

Pros: Everything but...
Cons: ...Bugs and Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me

When I first bought Vitalogy I couldn't even listen to it. That's how much of a problem I had with the album. Oh wait, did I mention that I actually bought the album and not the cd. For those that my have forgotten, Pearl Jam released ...

Pros: Classic rock with a 1990s spin; some of the strongest tracks Pearl Jam recorded
Cons: Two songs on the disc are indulgent garbage

I hate the generic "grunge" label. Why? Because it has caused fine albums like Pearl Jam's Vitalogy to be slapped in the same category as a lot of discs from bands full of folks who aren't even worthy of shining Eddie Vedder's shoes. In fact,...

Pros: a brilliant, dark masterpiece
Cons: songs that only work in album's context - otherwise, none

Writing this review - or, more appropriately, _not_ writing it - has convinced me that Pearl Jam's Vitalogy may well be my favorite album from my favorite band. As a writer, and as any writer here will tell you, the inherent value of a solid opening ...

Pros: Weird, experimental, dark, brilliant
Cons: some stuff is too weird

Pearl Jam's second album, Vs., was the first album I ever bought from the band.  I liked it enough that when I saw Vitalogy on the cheap, I decided to pick it up.  As it ...

Pros: raw, biting, and dark
Cons: the experimental crap needs to go (ok, Bugs can stay)

When Pearl Jam hit it big in the summer of 1992 thanks to the never ending airplay of Jeremy from their debut album, Ten, the band didn't realize what was happening. This resulted in the band fighting what lead singer Eddie Vedder de ...

Pros: ..
Cons: ..

It’s always dangerous, writing your review in your head before doing your research. I was busy scribbling mental notes for this review, Vitalogy this, Vitalogy that. The mixed reception of PJ fans everywhere. Those who love it ...

Pros: The weird feel of the album as a whole.
Cons: Certain parts of the weird stuff.

Update: this review is now terribly inaccurate concerning my opinion of Vitalogy. I now love this dear little album to pieces, and must re-write this at some point. Basically, ignore everything I say here. Thanks! Oh baby. It’s ...

Pros: Read the review
Cons: Not really

It really started for me last winter when preparing to spend another 30 or so bucks (you’re not really interested in Latvian currency, are you?) at the music store I spotted a tiny black cassette that looked a lot like a book. I already had two ...

Pros: dark, intelligent, interesting, sheer brilliance
Cons: if you where to be really critical the experimental stuff is a con

When I think hard about which is my favourite Pearl Jam album, this is the explanation my brain gives me. Vitalogy would be my favourite mostly, but Ten has a larger concentration of great tracks and should be bought first. Maybe I should explain a ...

Pros: Pearl Jam continues to produce great music while experimenting.
Cons: The experimental stuff may turn off some people.

I was looking through my CDs, thinking of what to review next, when I realized something. Pearl Jam is one of my favorite bands of all time (definitely in my top 5) and I've only reviewed one album by them! Time to remedy that situation.

So...

Pros: A complete showcase of Pearl Jam's talents scribbled into the corner of a textbook.
Cons: This is not for you?

Crinkled notebook paper, a diagram of a brain, a side panel view of the human ear, a giant hand, an old textbook photo of a child sitting beside a clown, dental records, bugs, babies, tattoo piercings, loose tape, a distorted tomb of bodies lined up, ...

Pros: Diverse, interesting. A real step forward for the band.
Cons: Takes a while to like it. Pry, To is annoying.

For all intents and purposes, Vitalogy marks a turning point in my listening habits. I've always like Pearl Jam, ever since I was in sixth grade. Ten and VS. were terrific albums: loud, heavy, and and above all catchy. However, when I first heard ...

Pros: A dark, moody masterpiece
Cons: the 3 experimental tracks (excluding bugs) are crap in music form

It is often said that great things can come out of human misery. It’s also fair to say that Eddie Vedder was not a happy bunny circa 1994. Can you see the rather tenuous link yet? I hardly need to go into the reasons if you’ve read any of the ...

Pros: Most of the album is amazing, Diverse, 34 page booklet, Experimental
Cons: Filler, Not all lyrics included in booklet, Experimental

Pearl Jam's first two straightforward hard rockin' albums are some of my all time favorite albums of all time. They are incredible and I love them dearly, but sooner or later, it was going to get old. Or at least that's what Pearl Jam thought when they...