Pearl Jam - Ten (1991)
Genre - Grunge
Pearl Jam is no doubt one of the most successful bands of today. Every band however has beginnings so let's begin with theirs. Before Pearl Jam there was a Grunge band with a Glam Rock feel known as Mother Love Bone. Mother Love Bone featured two future Pearl Jam members whom were guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament. When it comes to the description of what could have been, Mother Love Bone does not fit it better. The band released one studio album and shortly disbanded after the lead vocalist Andrew Wood died of a drug overuse that same year. They were going to be marketed as Grunge's version of Guns N' Roses. Wither that would be great or awful we'll never know now.
Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament were looking for a new vocalist. A total unknown that would be known as Eddie Vedder was given a demo tape by former Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons from a Seattle band looking for a new vocalist. Eddie Vedder heard the band's tape and mailed them back one of his own. The songs on Vedder's tape would become three future Pearl Jam songs, Alive, Once, and Footsteps. Eventually Eddie Vedder did some work on the Gossard and Ament's tribute band Temple of the Dog. Soundgarden's Matt Cameron and another future Pearl Jam member Mike McCready were also featured on the album.
Pearl Jam was formed in 1990 by Ament, Gossard, and McCready. The recruited Vedder and drummer Dave Krussen. The band originally took the name Mookie Blaylock but were forced to change it when they signed to Epic Records. Pretty soon Pearl Jam released their debut album Ten in 1991. Ten is a reference to Mookie Blaylock's basketball jersey number.
Once - This song starts off with some weird chanting / mumbling or whatever you want to call it. About 30 seconds into the song it starts to kick in with a pretty kick ass opening riff. Once is part of 3 song story of Eddie Vedder's (Alive, Once, and Footsteps). Overall Once is a cool and bad ass way to open the album oh and don't forget Eddie Vedder's vocals. 9/10
Even Flow - One of Pearl Jam's most well known songs that I am sure you have heard on the radio or Guitar Hero / Rock Band. Even Flow is one of the best songs on Ten and the intro gets started right away. This song has some of Eddie Vedder's best vocals and for sure has some of the best guitar playing by Mike McCready and Stone Gossard. If Ten only had 4 songs this would be one to make it still great. 10/10
Alive - Ah this is not only one of my favorite Pearl Jam songs but one of my favorite songs of all time. Alive is the story about Eddie Vedder finding out the guy he thought was his dad his whole life was not really his dad. At age 13 Vedder's Mom told Eddie the news that his dad was actually Alive (well he was dead now). This song is just awesome I love the lyrics and the guitar solo here. 10/10
Why Go - The lyrics seem to speak about a person in rehab or the mental hospital. About the song it starts off with some drums leading into some cool guitar playing. Why Go has an awesome guitar solo here too. If you're looking for a good work out song I'd recommend this, Why Go is something that always pumps me up. 7.5/10
Black - Another one of my favorite songs of all time is Black. This song is slowed down from what we have heard on the album so far which is not really a bad thing. Vocals? great, Instruments? great, Lyrics? the lyrics are some of my favorite. I love the line I know some day you'll have a beautiful life, I know you'll be in a star in somebody else's sky, but why, why, why Can't it be, Can't be mine! 10/10
Jeremy - I remember a few years back before I was into Rock music I did some random research on the internet in around late 2005 or early 2006. I did some research on Pearl Jam to laugh at them and I saw a song titled Jeremy. The song title made me think it would suck. So about years later in to today I started loving pretty much anything with guitar in it. I picked up Ten played the album and loved it. Jeremy has become one of my favorite songs mainly for the lyrics, though you can't forget about the guitar, drums, or bass either. I just love the way Eddie Vedder sings this song. Overall Jeremy is an awesome freaking song. 10/10
Oceans - A relaxing slow song. Oceans is a good song but it is just way to short. Once the song ends you feel like you wanted to hear more and you're not really satisfied. 7/10
Porch - There is always about song I love. What was it again? Probably weird but I love head banging to this song like some seconds into it. Porch is a song that always gets stuck in my head. Although Porch is a good song it doesn't really match up to the likes of Even Flow or Why Go. All in all though Porch is good man. 8/10
Garden - Some slow acoustic playing opens this song up leading into Vedder vocals. Eddie's voice probably sounds the best on the album here on Garden (as does Release). The guitar playing at the end of this song is very good. A sad and beautiful song is Garden. 10/10
Deep - Deep seems to be the misfit song on Ten. Deep does have a good riff though and some pretty good emotion and melodic sound. Overall Deep is a good song and has a cool guitar solo, but it just happens to be my least favorite on this album. 6.5/10
Release - Very soft soothing feeling in this song. I don't really know how to describe this song but I'll try my best. Release is Eddie Vedder pouring out his emotion and while the lyrics are in fact simple and to the point, the vocals are some of Eddie Vedder's best. This song has a hidden track in it that starts up around 5 minutes into it that is called Master/Slave. Master/Slave has the same weird sound that Once opened with. Surprisingly that weird chanting and tribal noise ends the album rather well. 9/10
Overall - Many people would consider Ten to be Pearl Jam's best album and I'll agree. Ten is my favorite Pearl Jam album as well as my favorite debut album (sorry Appetite for Destruction). If Ten only had Even Flow, Alive, Black, Jeremy, and Garden on the album it would still be very good. This album deals with a lot of heavy issues from homelessness, mental illness, suicide, lost of a love one, and some other issues as well. If you're a fan of Rock period, then Ten is an absolute must have album for you.
Genre - Grunge
Pearl Jam is no doubt one of the most successful bands of today. Every band however has beginnings so let's begin with theirs. Before Pearl Jam there was a Grunge band with a Glam Rock feel known as Mother Love Bone. Mother Love Bone featured two future Pearl Jam members whom were guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament. When it comes to the description of what could have been, Mother Love Bone does not fit it better. The band released one studio album and shortly disbanded after the lead vocalist Andrew Wood died of a drug overuse that same year. They were going to be marketed as Grunge's version of Guns N' Roses. Wither that would be great or awful we'll never know now.
Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament were looking for a new vocalist. A total unknown that would be known as Eddie Vedder was given a demo tape by former Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons from a Seattle band looking for a new vocalist. Eddie Vedder heard the band's tape and mailed them back one of his own. The songs on Vedder's tape would become three future Pearl Jam songs, Alive, Once, and Footsteps. Eventually Eddie Vedder did some work on the Gossard and Ament's tribute band Temple of the Dog. Soundgarden's Matt Cameron and another future Pearl Jam member Mike McCready were also featured on the album.
Pearl Jam was formed in 1990 by Ament, Gossard, and McCready. The recruited Vedder and drummer Dave Krussen. The band originally took the name Mookie Blaylock but were forced to change it when they signed to Epic Records. Pretty soon Pearl Jam released their debut album Ten in 1991. Ten is a reference to Mookie Blaylock's basketball jersey number.
Once - This song starts off with some weird chanting / mumbling or whatever you want to call it. About 30 seconds into the song it starts to kick in with a pretty kick ass opening riff. Once is part of 3 song story of Eddie Vedder's (Alive, Once, and Footsteps). Overall Once is a cool and bad ass way to open the album oh and don't forget Eddie Vedder's vocals. 9/10
Even Flow - One of Pearl Jam's most well known songs that I am sure you have heard on the radio or Guitar Hero / Rock Band. Even Flow is one of the best songs on Ten and the intro gets started right away. This song has some of Eddie Vedder's best vocals and for sure has some of the best guitar playing by Mike McCready and Stone Gossard. If Ten only had 4 songs this would be one to make it still great. 10/10
Alive - Ah this is not only one of my favorite Pearl Jam songs but one of my favorite songs of all time. Alive is the story about Eddie Vedder finding out the guy he thought was his dad his whole life was not really his dad. At age 13 Vedder's Mom told Eddie the news that his dad was actually Alive (well he was dead now). This song is just awesome I love the lyrics and the guitar solo here. 10/10
Why Go - The lyrics seem to speak about a person in rehab or the mental hospital. About the song it starts off with some drums leading into some cool guitar playing. Why Go has an awesome guitar solo here too. If you're looking for a good work out song I'd recommend this, Why Go is something that always pumps me up. 7.5/10
Black - Another one of my favorite songs of all time is Black. This song is slowed down from what we have heard on the album so far which is not really a bad thing. Vocals? great, Instruments? great, Lyrics? the lyrics are some of my favorite. I love the line I know some day you'll have a beautiful life, I know you'll be in a star in somebody else's sky, but why, why, why Can't it be, Can't be mine! 10/10
Jeremy - I remember a few years back before I was into Rock music I did some random research on the internet in around late 2005 or early 2006. I did some research on Pearl Jam to laugh at them and I saw a song titled Jeremy. The song title made me think it would suck. So about years later in to today I started loving pretty much anything with guitar in it. I picked up Ten played the album and loved it. Jeremy has become one of my favorite songs mainly for the lyrics, though you can't forget about the guitar, drums, or bass either. I just love the way Eddie Vedder sings this song. Overall Jeremy is an awesome freaking song. 10/10
Oceans - A relaxing slow song. Oceans is a good song but it is just way to short. Once the song ends you feel like you wanted to hear more and you're not really satisfied. 7/10
Porch - There is always about song I love. What was it again? Probably weird but I love head banging to this song like some seconds into it. Porch is a song that always gets stuck in my head. Although Porch is a good song it doesn't really match up to the likes of Even Flow or Why Go. All in all though Porch is good man. 8/10
Garden - Some slow acoustic playing opens this song up leading into Vedder vocals. Eddie's voice probably sounds the best on the album here on Garden (as does Release). The guitar playing at the end of this song is very good. A sad and beautiful song is Garden. 10/10
Deep - Deep seems to be the misfit song on Ten. Deep does have a good riff though and some pretty good emotion and melodic sound. Overall Deep is a good song and has a cool guitar solo, but it just happens to be my least favorite on this album. 6.5/10
Release - Very soft soothing feeling in this song. I don't really know how to describe this song but I'll try my best. Release is Eddie Vedder pouring out his emotion and while the lyrics are in fact simple and to the point, the vocals are some of Eddie Vedder's best. This song has a hidden track in it that starts up around 5 minutes into it that is called Master/Slave. Master/Slave has the same weird sound that Once opened with. Surprisingly that weird chanting and tribal noise ends the album rather well. 9/10
Overall - Many people would consider Ten to be Pearl Jam's best album and I'll agree. Ten is my favorite Pearl Jam album as well as my favorite debut album (sorry Appetite for Destruction). If Ten only had Even Flow, Alive, Black, Jeremy, and Garden on the album it would still be very good. This album deals with a lot of heavy issues from homelessness, mental illness, suicide, lost of a love one, and some other issues as well. If you're a fan of Rock period, then Ten is an absolute must have album for you.
