Artist: Pearl Jam
Album: Ten
Released: August 27, 1991
For my first blog post, I decided it would be appropriate to discuss Pearl Jam's Ten album, as today is the 20th anniversary of when it was released. With the possible exception of Nirvana's Nevermind (about which I will have more to say at a later date), Ten might be the most significant album to come out of the grunge era of the 1990s. But while Nirvana's impact was short and intense, ending in Kurt Cobain's death just three years later, Pearl Jam's run has been much longer and more consistent. Ten was one of a handful of albums that came out around 1991 that helped to bring the grunge sound into the mainstream. Further, it has withstood the test of time as one of the most popular rock albums of the past 20 years, as several of the tracks continue to receive lots of air time on rock radio stations. For me, it is about as close to a perfect album as there is. I would easily put it in my top five favorites.
Even though this is a truly great album, the fact that several of the songs have been played so often on the radio might make it difficult, at least at first, to listen from start to finish and appreciate the album as a whole. It starts off with a somewhat haunting interlude that runs into the first song, "Once". I think this is a great song to open with: it's pretty intense and fast-paced, but it's definitely not hard rock, as many think of it, either. And in a way, it introduces this new (to many) sound to the listener... the underground grunge sound from the 1980s, but with more of a classic rock feel that may appeal to a broader audience.
Four of the next five songs were big radio hits, with "Why Go" providing a nice break. I've heard each of them many times on the radio, and I love each of them in their own way. What makes this album so great is that the songs play so well off each other. They're similar enough to blend well together and not mess with the mind of the listener, yet they are different enough that each has its own unique feel and emotion. Further, each of these deals with an emotional issue, whether it be homelessness ("Even Flow"), missing a loved one ("Black"), or suicide ("Jeremy", which is based on a true story of a boy who shot himself in front of his classmates). "Alive" is about Eddie Vedder (lead singer) finding out that his "father" is actually his stepfather and that his real father had passed away, although the song has a more uplifting sound than many of the other tracks.
For me, the second half of the album is what separates it from so many others. "Oceans" is a hauntingly beautiful song, about Vedder's love of surfing. It was released as a single, but I don't think I have ever heard it played on the radio. That's a shame, because it is one of my favorite songs of theirs. I also think that "Garden" is a vastly underrated song, as almost no one seems to mention it when discussing the album. These are two of the "softer" (for this album, anyway) tracks from the second half of the album, and they contrast nicely with the faster-paced "Porch" and the more intense "Deep". "Release" is a great, and somewhat soothing yet emotional, way to end the album. It probably takes more listens than most of the other tracks to really appreciate, especially since it relies on Vedder's vocals perhaps more than any other track. The album concludes with a reprisal of the interlude from the beginning.
Not only is this a great album, but it also kicked off what has turned out to be a long and interesting career for Pearl Jam. Ten was filled with lots of raw emotion and musical talent that would lead listeners to believe that they could have much more additional success in the future. Looking back over 20 years, it is interesting to see how their career has evolved -- although I will get into that much more in future posts. For now, suffice it to say that Ten is a great, timeless album that has become a staple in my music collection.
Track #, Name of Song, Duration, My Rating
1. Once (3:52) - 9/10
2. Even Flow (4:54) - 10/10
3. Alive (5:41) - 10/10
4. Why Go (3:20) - 8/10
5. Black (5:44) - 10/10
6. Jeremy (5:16) - 10/10
7. Oceans (2:42) - 10/10
8. Porch (3:31) - 8/10
9. Garden (4:59) - 9/10
10. Deep (4:18) - 8/10
11. Release (9:06) - 8/10 (includes hidden track "Master/Slave")
By the way, if you want to learn more about this album, here's an interesting article from Yahoo Music: http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/amplifier/89727/five-things-you-didnt-know-about-pearl-jams-ten/
