Binaural

by

Pearl Jam

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This album more than met my expectations...Although it may be a fruitless effort to compare pearl jam albums with one another, I can't understand why people have such negative things to say about Binaural. The tracks on this album individually show more development than those on any other album. Just because there isn't a song that sounds like Even Flow or Alive, does that make it a bad album? Does that make it "fall short"? What other comments have I heard? "Not fun"..what are you talking about? If any album isn't fun, it's Ten (not much variation between songs and very little risk was taken). "The songs don't stick in my head"..isn't that kindof a good thing? The less developed a song is, the easier it will stick in your head. Example: Green Day -vs- Soundgarden. 3-chord junk songs versus actual skill. Give the album a few more listens. In addition, if the songs don't stick in your head, then they will age well as a consequence. You won't get tired of them as easily as you would "Jeremy." Binaural also can boast the most equal contributions amongst band members in terms of song composition. Jeff, Stone, and Eddie have really made an effort to work together on this album. Matt Cameron on drums also gives this album alot of energy, and a different feel from the previous albums. While Ten did not take enough risks, Vitalogy (one of my other favorite albums) peaked with creativity; however, take note of all the filler songs, including pry to, aye davinita, and heyfoxymophandlemamathatsme. No Code was very searching and reflective, but didn't rock in the way that many people liked. Yield was diverse and rocking, but exhausting to listen to the whole way through. Binaural pulls it all together, and while it may not contain an "anthem" that you and your buddies can sing along to, I ask once again, isn't that a good thing?

There are enough reviews here that chances are, this will never be read. I don't think it matters, this isn't really a particularly articulate review. I personally am not in love with this album, and although Riot Act, Pearl Jam's more recent album, has grown on me quite a bit, I've got to say I don't think this one will. I've listened through it over ten times, and yes, it has gotten better, but many of the tracks just don't have the richness that you expect from Pearl Jam. I remember when I first listened to Ten, I felt the same way; this album does not have much depth, and it just sounds ugly. What it had, though, was power. Unfortunately, this album lacks that. It just sounds depressing and dark. It does have its highlights; Thin Air is a very impressive song, God's Dice is aditional proof that Jeff Ament can write some amazing songs (although Low Light, from Yield, is my favore song from Ament), and Light Years and Soon Forget are quite enjoyable. Unfortunately, this album does not have much more to offer.

I would not by any means say this is Pearl Jam's end, though. Riot Act, Binaural's successor, was an amazing album, although many disagree. In the end, its all about which suits your taste the best.