An MTV Unplugged performance is the moment I remember really becoming a fan of Pearl Jam. It was another MTV appearance that provided a first inkling of what their second album was going to be. I didn't quite know what to make of Animal at first. "I'd rather be with an Animal..." I'm still not completely sure I get what that means -- though to be honest, I've never really thought about it.
"Ten" had a polished sound that was a bit closer to pre-alternative hard rock than the rough, punk-influenced style that would soon become the norm as the Seattle Sound took hold of Alternative Rock radio. For their second record, Pearl Jam stripped away the polish and delivered a set with just as much intensity as "Ten" but with a ragged edge that recalled Neil Young and Crazy Horse. The lyrics also carried a weight that was a logical step from those on the first record. "Ten" was a bit more personal, but now there were social and political themes coming into play as well as the first signs that the band was struggling to cope with their rise to stardom.
This record has a special place in my heart -- This record came out during my junior year of college just ahead of my 21st birthday. We had a new record store on campus that opened their doors at midnight to begin selling copies of the new record. After a few "adult beverages" (sorry, Mom, I did drink a few beers BEFORE I turned 21), we decided that we needed to hop in line for our copies. This means that my first listen to the disc would have taken place sometime around 1:30 AM and probably just as I realized how little sleep I was going to have before my 8:00 AM class the next day. Ugh.
The album kicks off with Go -- a clear statement of intent for where Pearl Jam was going to take us. An exhilarating track with lyrics that maybe don't quite hold up today. As I mentioned, this record came out just before I turned 21. My birthday fell on a Sunday during Homecoming weekend...which (again, sorry Mom) was a weekend that featured a few too many "adult beverages". At 11:45 PM on that Saturday, one of my friends said "C'mon, we're heading out so I can buy you your first beer as an adult." (Side note -- in the town where I went to school, you could legally enter the bars at 19). So we loaded into his van, and I remember that we queued up Go as we were driving to the bar. For that reason alone, it's one of those songs that takes me back every time I hear the opening chords.
Animal follows -- a solid 1-2 punch. Then we get to Daughter, which is quite possibly one of the best songs Pearl Jam's ever written. It's fantastic, but one that I got VERY tired of for a while.
Political commentary comes to the forefront on Glorified G -- a song about guns. Personally, this one's always seemed a little clunky to me but does succeed in cranking the energy back up after Daughter.
Dissident is next. Probably the most "Ten"-like song on the album. In the context of the album, it sounds great -- not one I like quite as much when it pops up on shuffle. It is one that I've not heard live, however, so is one of those "white whale" songs -- every PJ fan seems to have a list of those that they are waiting to check off their list.
W.M.A. is another politically charged track and a real departure from the band's sound. It can play a bit pretentious and self-serious, but the driving rhythm of the song pulls you in. It's also a perfect bridge from Dissident to the fury of Blood, which is one of those tracks that sounds like it shreds Eddie's vocal chords.
Up next is Rearviewmirror...a stone cold classic. This is one that frequently closes out sets at live shows and always ignites the audience. It's one of the few that feels as urgent on record as it does live.
Then we get Rats -- an odd song. One of those that took a while but ended up a favorite. This gives way to Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town. Up to this point, most Pearl Jam songs had 1 or 2-word song titles, so this one just looked different on the track listing. It sounds different, too. An acoustic song that has always sounded like something that would be more at home on an R.E.M. album. It's also one of the first hints into the range of styles Pearl Jam could hit and still sound like Pearl Jam.
Leash -- not a bad song but possibly the most dated sounding song on the album. It felt like a bit of a cliche in 93 and definitely feels of a time now. Which isn't to suggest I don't like it.
The closer is Indifference...another departure. A moody, atmospheric downer of a song...if Blood is Eddie starting to rage against the rigors of being in one of the biggest bands in the world then Indifference is that early morning meditation of the same guy -- awake in the wee hours of the morning while some nameless groupie sleeps beside him...he's not sure what it all means, but it definitely does not appear to be making him happy. This is one that got a fair bit of play on my stereo in college (much to the chagrin of my roommates). It seemed to show up every time I was in a less than cheery mood, which was frequent as junior year gave way to senior year.
I've stayed away from referring to this one as "Vs." That is one of the things I remember debating with this album. The CD cover just says "Pearl Jam"...there's no title on the front or back cover...no hint in the liner notes that I could ever find. For a while, we just called it "Pearl Jam", or the new Pearl Jam (at least until "Vitalogy"). For awhile our theory was that it was called "Five Against One", which would have been appropriate, if not a bit sophomoric as a nod to self-gratification.
"Ten" is probably the better album objectively speaking, but this will always be my favorite Pearl Jam album. It's one of those records that, for me, completely transports me back to the fall of '93 every time I hear it. It was a time where I was starting to realize that adulthood wasn't too far off, which was both thrilling and terrifying. The aggressive songs on this album captured that feeling perfectly and embedded in my consciousness in a way that few other albums have.While some of these songs are a bit forced when taken individually there isn't one that merits the skip button when playing the album start to finish.
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