For Week Ending:
4 August 2023

Pearl Jam - Vs. (1993)

[Grunge Rock]

Pearl Jam's debut 'Ten' was a landmark album that still stands up today as one of the greatest debut albums of time. Following an album like would never be easy, and the obvious route to take is to make something similar for your sophomore. Pearl Jam, true to their style, did the opposite. Putting themselves in unfamiliar surroundings with half-finished songs and a deadline that was tight, they reproduced nature - making a diamond under great pressure. Whilst the debut was polished and focused and had a strong grounding in classic rock, 'Vs.' instead was intentionally jarring and felt more like the songs were organic. 'Go' leapt out the gate, shaking off the last of the band's comparisons to dinosaur rock of the 70's, instead looking to The Sonics and Fugazi for inspiration, and although songs like 'Daughter' and 'Dissident' have gone on to become radio standards, these songs were like nothing else at the time. On 'Animal' and 'Blood' Eddie Vedder pours out venom, with social commentary at the fore, yet the same voice of the 90's then penned the lyrics to a touching masterpiece like 'Elderly Woman'. Never a band to be satisfied, Pearl Jam morphed into something different again on their next album, freeze-drying 'Vs.' as a perfect snap-shot of the state of alternative rock in 1993, and 30 years on it still goes head to head against anything released by any band today. and easily wins.

Arist Information
Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Formed after the demise of guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament's previous bands, Green River and Mother Love Bone, they broke into the mainstream with their debut album, 'Ten', in 1991. One of the key bands in the grunge movement of the early 1990s, Pearl Jam's members often shunned popular music industry practices such as making music videos or participating in interviews. The band had also sued Ticketmaster, claiming it had monopolized the concert-ticket market. Pearl Jam had sold more than 85 million albums worldwide, including nearly 32 million albums in the United States, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time. Pearl Jam was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 in its first year of eligibility.

Release Information
'Vs.' (pronounced 'Versus') is the second studio album by Pearl Jam. It featured a rawer and more aggressive sound compared with the band's previous release, 'Ten' (1991). It was the band's first collaboration with the producer Brendan O'Brien and its first album with the drummer Dave Abbruzzese. Upon its release, the album sold 950,378 copies in its first five days on sale, which set the record for most copies of an album sold during its first week. It occupied the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart for five weeks, the longest duration for a Pearl Jam album. It has been certified 7? platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of at least seven million copies in the United States.

Pearl Jam - Vs. (1993)

[Grunge Rock]

Let me guess - anyone in their right mind that experienced 'Ten', 2 years earlier, were chomping at the bit on what these twenty-something, raw behind the ears misfits were going to trump us with next. Their answer is emphatic and a one-up on their debut. Possibly the best sophomore release I have ever heard. 'Go' is simply a perfect intro to pick up from where they left off with 'Ten'. Fast-paced and challenging you to not only listen, but keep up with the tempo. The next set of songs simply drag you into their lair with 'Animal' and 'Glorified G' bookending a classic in 'Daughter'. 'Dissident' brings you back to that 'Animal' type tempo - desperate, cry calling lyrics. And we are only at the halfway point. The remainder has quirky songs in the fast paced 'Blood' (c'mon keep up!!!) and 'Rats'. In the middle is the mid-tempo classic 'Rearviewmirror'. I'll finish with acknowledging 'Elderly Woman' - how Eddie can write such classics as 'Go', and put his head into a space where he can write the ballad 'Elderly Woman' I have no idea. The man is a genius with the world at his feet at this point. 30 years old this October, this puts current rock/alt bands to shame. Such an amazing release. Is it better than 'Ten'? Let the debate begin.

Arist Information
Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Formed after the demise of guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament's previous bands, Green River and Mother Love Bone, they broke into the mainstream with their debut album, 'Ten', in 1991. One of the key bands in the grunge movement of the early 1990s, Pearl Jam's members often shunned popular music industry practices such as making music videos or participating in interviews. The band had also sued Ticketmaster, claiming it had monopolized the concert-ticket market. Pearl Jam had sold more than 85 million albums worldwide, including nearly 32 million albums in the United States, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time. Pearl Jam was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 in its first year of eligibility.

Release Information
'Vs.' (pronounced 'Versus') is the second studio album by Pearl Jam. It featured a rawer and more aggressive sound compared with the band's previous release, 'Ten' (1991). It was the band's first collaboration with the producer Brendan O'Brien and its first album with the drummer Dave Abbruzzese. Upon its release, the album sold 950,378 copies in its first five days on sale, which set the record for most copies of an album sold during its first week. It occupied the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart for five weeks, the longest duration for a Pearl Jam album. It has been certified 7? platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of at least seven million copies in the United States.