Customer Reviews

Ten

5 star:		(582)
4 star:		(72)
3 star:		(37)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(37)

 

 

The album, named after the Jersey number of basketball star, Mookie Blaylock, has been considered as being among the finest and most influential albums written during the 90s, and with reason. Before 91, Michael Jackson was atop the charts, the king of pop. It was not until the rise of Nirvana, and subsequently Pearl Jam, that the 'King' was dethrowned. Armed with epic, sweeping hard rock anthems and the bleedingly powerful vocals from Eddie Veddar, Pearl Jam found itself atop the charts themselves.

I admit, I hated 'Ten' for the first full year of it's release. It took some time to sink in. I was too accustomed to Weird Al, Madonna and 'Sweet Dreams'... I was still submerged in the 80s, and the blistering power of Pearl Jam was simply too much for me. Yet as I grew familiar with the Seattle quintet, so did my appreciation of their music. It was not until 93's "VS" that I realized that Pearl Jam had become my favorite band of all-time. I have been ardently following their career ever since.

Song by song review:

1. Once - With a profoundly suspenseful and edgy guitar to backdrop the first emergence of Eddie's vocals, this song is immediately famous. Plus it's got a haunting oceanic intro to boot...

2. Even Flow - Arguably Pearl Jam's most famous song, Even Flow is easily deserving of such status. It explodes into a narrative about a Homeless man, and manages to maintain the ripping intensity for 5 solid minutes.

3. Alive - Another contender for the most famous song by Pearl Jam, this song roars for nearly 6 minutes. Starting somewhat slow, this song builds to a climactic guitar solo that rivals any Zeppelin or The Who.

4. Why Go - Similar to "Even Flow" in it's blinding energy, this song is a standout among standouts. A guttural, hypnotic guitar underscores Eddie's portrayal of a conflicted girl's tortuous homelife.

5. Black - Originally slated to be Pearl Jam's fourth single from the album, following 'Alive', 'Even Flow', and 'Jeremy', this could have become the biggest. A six minute operatic of love and loss, this song is among the most moving in Pearl Jam's catalogue. Deep, gentle guitars accentuate Eddie's somewhat subdued singing.

6. Jeremy - Spawned one of the most famous music video's of all time, coming in at #6 in Rolling Stone Magazine's list of 'best videos of all time'. This song carries a strength in every stroke of the strings, that you can't help but be emotionally drained and exhilerated by the end of this harrowing, disturbing epic.

7. Oceans - One of the two best songs Pearl Jam ever wrote, the other being track 11 of the same album. This song is beautiful beyong comparison, with guitar and drumwork that match the songs title. As we lilt through this song of reunion, we glide along the waves that Eddie so poignantly describes.

8. Porch - Perhaps the most forgettable song on this album, Porch somewhat departs from the overall feel that the rest of the album creates. This is not to say that it is a bad song, as we find Eddie at what could be his angriest. Nearly rapping his way through a lot of lyrics in under 4 minutes, this song is not without it's merit.

9. Garden - Underappreciated, this song is quietly suspenseful in it's beginning, until the pressure is too much, and the floodgates open. The tumultuous uprising is textured and melodic, yet like the tide goes down once more before a climactic finale.

10. Deep - Just like the title, this song opens with a gaping guitar slide and solo that breaks down the barrier between subtlety and power. Truly deserving to be placed in this perfect album.

11. Release - Eddie Vedder's personal tribute to his dad. The guitar matches his soulful wails, begging for the love of a lost father. Finishing out with the same melody that began 'Once', this CD leaves you the way it left you, only now you are an elevated human being.

Man, I love these guys...

We'll never learn. For years it has always been, "Oooo Nirvana's great but Eddie Vedder sucks!" Or, it'll be, "Pearl Jam is awesome, but Kurt Cobain doesn't know how to write better songs."

This is what happens what the media lumps bands together under an umbrella label. In this case, it's grunge. But frankly, comparing Nirvana and Pearl Jam is like apples and oranges. Pearl Jam is obviously more influenced by classic and blues oriented rock, listen to the leads on this album. It sticks out like a sore thumb. But Nirvana was essentially a punk band. I'm sure everyone agrees that Cobain's point wasn't to write complex guitar-oriented rock. He had a very primitive, organic way of playing that was unusually unique. Cobain was a good writer in his own right, and different from the epic rock sound that Pearl Jam had. So both bands are very much credible.

Apart from all that, Ten is a GREAT album. As far as combining simply good songs and accessibility, Pearl Jam didn't get any better than this. It is not my favorite PJ album, but one can't deny the opening riff of "Once." When you hear it, it's like, "Oh God, what's happening??" Evenflow and Alive are simply well-written songs. Why Go is ferocious and energetic. Jeremy is a song that nearly anyone could relate to, and there's a haunting beauty to it that totally contradicts its subject matter-that's good writing. Black and Oceans are simply raises the bar very high, so high there's probably few bands that could match that kind of desire and power.

So in it's own right, Ten could be arguably one of the best albums of the 90s. True, it sold a ton of copies, but you can't knock an album that everyone just gets into. Just because it has sold 12 million in the US and Rolling Stone calls it one of the best doesn't mean it must suck...some albums are just GOOD.

If you're new to PJ, this is the perfect place to start.

Time to do something about it. This is the greatest album I've ever owned. To me, there is nothing better, no other music does as much for me as the songs on 'Ten'. It's something you can't put your finger on, but every single song brings about some kind of powerful emotion that just can't be evoked by anything else. I don't know how they did it, but somehow they managed to stumble upon a perfect formula(spaced-out guitars that sound heavy and soothing at the same time + hyperactive drumming + funkyass basslines + of course, Eddie's voice which manages to be guttural and beautiful at the same time) that countless other bands have attempted to imitate, that no one's been able to touch since. The tempos are deliberate yet driving. Every single guitar solo on this album sizzles. The melodies are somewhat lacking on some songs, but it's forgivable since they improved so much in that department over time, and it does nothing to detract from the anthemic quality of every single song. Here's how it goes:
"Once" - A very strong opener, and Eddie's voice is probably more abrasive here than it is on the entire rest of the album. What better way to introduce yourself to the world than with a pounding ode to insanity with lyrics about killing people for no reason at all?
"Even Flow" - Instantly recognizable, this is one of Pearl Jam's most popular songs, and with good reason too. Great verse and spectacular chorus lead up into an epic conclusion...."YEAH!.....whoo!....aw, yeah.....fuggit up!"(incredible solo goes here)
"Alive" - Oh. My. God. There are no words to describe how great this song is. From the opening riff that sounds very spacey to the final smash of chords and drums, there in not a single bad or non-golden moment in this entire song, not one. This is as perfect as music can get, according to me.
"Why Go" - The ONLY track on here I don't particularly worship, it's good I suppose, but compared to the rest of the material here, it's just so lackluster. Should've put "Yellow Ledbetter" on the album instead of this one so us PJ geeks wouldn't have to buy the "Jeremy" single.
"Black" - Catharsis. Beauty. Poignancy. PJ's first "ballad" type song is still one of their best. I love how it starts off sounding so hopeful and lighthearted, then quickly drops into the dark pits of despair and anguish, one of the best verse/chorus transitions I've ever heard. Aaron Lewis will rot in hell for butchering this song.
"Jeremy" - Easily their most well-known song, though I personally think Alive should've been. Eddie's storytelling-style of songwriting is in its strongest form here, and the music accompanying it is simply incredible. Though the lyrics are quite moving enough on their own, I think the non-lyrical vocal parts near the end("hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo," and "ooo-whoooooaaa oh, oh, ohohoh") are much more powerful.
"Oceans" - This one was really difficult for me to enjoy at first; guess I was just put off by the extremely high-pitched vocals in the "chorus." But it grew on me and now it's one of my favorites...mainly because I can relate to the lyrics about not being able to be with someone that you love. This one screams out "old-school arena rock" louder than any other song here.
"Porch" - I love how it goes straight from the slow, everloving balladry of Oceans to the thrashing angst of this track. The onyl song here written entirely by Eddie, it's probably also the fastest song on the album. A live staple for sure.
"Garden" - Haunting and powerful. Always evokes images of candles being light in a cemetery at night, don't know why. Jeff and Stone come up with some really great songs together.
"Deep" - Another song written by Jeff and Stone, this one being the stronger of the two. This one has the distinction of being Pearl Jam's first waltz-time song. Eddie's lyrics about a man whose habitual drug use leads to suicide sound downright prophetic in retrospect.
"Release" - The perfect ending to a perfect album. Makes everything they did up to this track sound like mere hack work, like they wanted to wait 'til the very end to show what they were capable of. The only song on this disc written by each memeber of the band.

In short, if you don't own and worship this, you are somebody I will hate with a passion for the rest of my life. Nah, not really, but I'll certainly never respect your taste in music until you buy this, listen to it endlessly, and praise it as the masterpiece that it is.

If by some strange twist of fate you've never heard this album, I highly recommend that you listen to it as soon as possible. The first time you hear it, it will hit you like a train that this is one of the most brilliantly written rock albums, period. The haunting instrumental which explodes into "Once" is one I can't keep out of my head. The first four songs, "Once," "Even Flow," "Alive," and "Why Go" set the standard for what alternative rock should sound like. "Alive," in fact, is the definition of '90's rock. The guitar solo at the end of this song blew me away the first time I heard it. Following these four songs is what I like to call the "Terrific Three," which is three of the most brilliant songs Pearl Jam ever performed, all in a row: "Black," the best ballad by PJ in my opinion, "Jeremy," their biggest single, and "Oceans," which sounds to me like an ocean of music rolling into my ears and crashing into my deepest thoughts. I remember the first time I heard "Black" on the radio. The song came together so perfectly that after only one listen it was going in my head for the rest of the week. "Garden" is another haunting song about death. As for "Porch" and "Deep," they are also memorable rockers which each hold a perfect place on the album. The closing song, "Release," is about Ed's father if I hear correctly. Although I believe "Indifference," the closing song from Vs., is the best PJ closer, this song is still beautiful and a perfect closer for Ten. After "Release," there is an extended version of the same instrumental heard at the beginning of the album which also closes out the album, giving it a more balanced feel. I believe that the official title of this instrumental is "Master-Slave." That's my review, but in closing I would like to say that anyone who ignores Ten because of its commercial success needs to listen to it a few more times, with an open mind. Many may agree that Vs. or Vitalogy is the "best" PJ album, but I find it rather immature to single out one and say that it is the "best." All PJ albums are excellent musical acheivements, and Ten is among the most noteworthy recordings in rock.

Having listened to Ten over and over again, I have tried to pick out the parts of each song that stand out in my mind and no matter how much I play it, the certain part is still so wonderfully sublime. Sometimes it is obvious, other times it is one of those little quirks that just amuse me. You might disagree with some of these, but these are just the special parts for me.

1) Once (1:45) Vedder sings "Try and mimic...what's insane?" and then afterwards you hear his faint whine. Delightfully catchy.

2)Even Flow (0:08) The upward glide and then the entrance into the lyrics.

3. Alive (1:57) "I can't see...I just staaaaaarrreee...." Vedder drags his voice out and then blends beautifully into the rest of the song.

4. Why Go (2:09) Rapid-fire guitar solo.

5. Black (3:37) Backed by the weepy crashing piano, Vedder pours his soul out in heart-tugging lyrics, especially when he cries out "Why? Why?" For some reason when I hear this part, I see a guy sitting on the edge of the bed and when he asks why, he is staring up in the sky as if questioning God. Yeah, I'm weird, but its just what came to mind.

6. Jeremy (0:21) Just the songwriting here is enough to carry the entire song. Visually powerful lyrics - "Arms raised in a V...dead lay in pools of maroon below..." (0:57) Chorus, of course.

7. Oceans (0:33) Gentle singing. Reminds me of staring out into the vast flat ocean. Appropriately titled.

8. Porch (1:50) This being my least favorite song on Ten still has its highlight with the entertwining guitars.

9. Garden (0:10) The song starts off with that melodic twinkling music and then at about 0:10, the music makes a leap of silence then reenters with Vedder moaning softly in the background. (1:00) Without a doubt - the defiant chorus. "I will walk...with my hands bound."

10. Deep (0:49) The powerful primal scream of Vedder, yelling, "But he's got A GREAT VIEW! "

11. Release (2:20) The glorious ascension of volume.

Well, there they are. TEN, in my opinion, is the best Pearl Jam album.

This is simply one of the greatest albums EVER. From the fast-paced fury of "Once", to the emotional "Garden" this is an awesome album from start to finish. The lyrics are amazing, due to the amazing writing ability of Eddie Vedder, dealing with the death of his father. It is clear in the classics "Alive" and "Jeremy". Every song on this album is great, like "Even Flow", "Oceans", "Deep", and "Why Go". Later on, Pearl Jam became less commercial staying put with their anti-sellout, anti-mainstream stance, but you can already hear Vedder talking about the absurdity of being a rock star: Frim the song "Garden"- "I don't question our existence/ I just question, our modern needs."

Fitting that this is likely the 500th review of this album, and my 100th review for Amazon. Milestones such as these speak of convergence, timing, synchronicity, and in many ways this album represents all of that.

If Pearl Jam had released this album after two or three efforts, it might not have been the epic and incredible story it has now become. That the debut album of a successful and innovative band is still their finest effort is a little sad, but only if you fail to consider the backstory.

Most of "Ten" was instrumentals waiting for a singer when Eddie Vedder played his bootleg copy. In coming up with the lyrics for the music, the intersection of key talents was made, and the result was the "Ten" album that stayed in my CD player for nine straight months.

However, as is common with many debut albums, the material was worked over, perfected, and refined by the time the band recorded it in the studio. Rarely do bands attempt to cultivate that germination period again: travel, touring pressures, and inculcation of the music business system tends to make that extremely hard to duplicate (the band Tool being the most notable of rare exceptions). However, Pearl Jam's conscious decision to move away from the formula of "Ten" is all the more admirable when put into the context of their catalog: never again did they make another "Ten" but all the same, some terrific music.

Perhaps it's unfair to the band to compare any of their subsequent efforts with "Ten". It's a magical album, never missing a beat, almost supernatural in its cohesion and musicality, fitting in with the burgeoning grunge genre but also carving a prototypical niche of its own. Vedder's lyrical abilities have never been eclipsed in other albums, and his singing is some of the finest of his career. The band itself has evolved into something better over time, but on this debut album they are already tight and innovative, much more so than many of their contemporaries, equalled only by Nirvana and Melvins for creativity and (perhaps) equalled or surpassed only by Smashing Pumpkins and Soundgarden in music prowess.

Still, this is one of those rare works that has no weak songs. Strong arguments can be made for Nirvana's "Nevermind" as the best album of the nineties; certainly it had a more discernable effect on music then, and resonating still today. However, "Ten" is more listenable on a daily basis, with more depth and complex beauty to offer a listener... it's right up there with "Are You Experienced?" and "Led Zeppelin" as one of the greatest debut albums of all time.

fred

Ten is Pearl Jam's debut album and it is still their best. The album perfectly combines Eddie Vedder's confessional lyrics with the grunge sound that helped make Seattle the center of the musical universe for the early 90's. Often they are compared with Nirvana, but the band's approaches are very different. Where as Nirvana were influenced by punk, PJ are more influenced by the 70's hard rock sound of Zeppelin, Sabbath and the like. "Once", "Even Flow" & "Alive" have growling Eddie Vedder vocals with driving guitars while songs like "Black", "Oceans" & "Deep" are slower and more pensive. "Jeremy" can still inspire while the pro-choice number "Porch" foreshadows the political stances the band would take in the future. The band is always thought of being so serious, but the album title shows a sense of fun. They are big basketball fans and at one point the band went by the name of Mookie Blaylock who was an NBA point guard for the Nets and Hawks. Due to legal issues, the band changed its name, but Ten is a tribute to Mookie as that was his uniform number. Title aside, Ten is a brilliant rock album and it justifiable made Pearl Jam the superstars they are today.

Nirvana offered the hype and the mania, but Pearl Jam offered the music and the intelligence.

Credit Eddie Vedder for being one modern songwriter who's able to write story songs with force and conviction. His use of imagery, metaphor, and language both vernacular and elevated provides the ideological balance that the furious, exotically tinged music (mostly courtesy of rhythm guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament) needs. Such was Nirvana's weakness -- repetitive guitar riffery coupled with mostly meaningless lyrics. Pearl Jam, however, pays as much attention to head as to heart, and the sincerity of the songwriting and performances stands up to repeated listens much better than Nirvana's self-limiting irony.

Signature guitar song "Alive", the richly sung "Garden" and aggression incarnate "Once" are quite simply three of the best rock songs of the decade. Added to substantial hit "Jeremy", explosive "Porch", the mythical Led Zeppelin-flavoured "Oceans" and the metaphysical narrative "Black" (reminiscent of Blue Oyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" in terms of the world it evokes) which blends Browning's "Andrea del Sarto" with the psychosexual frustration of D.H. Lawrence, and you have one of the penultimate rock albums of the decade.

Pearl Jam-Ten A Awesome start to one of the best bands ever!!!!! Ten is a solid album and still sounds great and well worth listening to even after 15 years Pearl Jam is just a great band period in any genre of rock there is Pearl Jam is a great example of what real rock should sound like. now lets get on to some songs Even Flow on my god this songs stills kicks ass even after 15 years i love this song is great guitar rock song i love it. Black is a very good ballad and the lyrics are just so beautiful and perfect for the tone of it. and jeremy oh yea now that is song is just beyond desecription. now i am not saying that pearl jam is the only good grunge band but they are best and soundgarden is the 2nd and nirvana is 3rd sorry kurt cobin but its been 15 years and even flow still kicks butt as to heart shaped box and smells like teen spirit arent as good as they used to be but nirvana has some greats songs dont get me wrong come as you are, and about a girl are great. but if u want a great rock cd and you have never heard of pearl jam pick a copy of ten i gurantee u will be singing even flow in no time. thanks for reading my review and long live rock!!!!