Customer Reviews

Vitalogy

5 star:		(155)
4 star:		(70)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

Back in 1968, The Beatles released their double set called The Beatles, more commonly known as The White Album. Within those original album sleaves were four sides of brilliant and strange music. But there was also filler. Strange music. We're talking Revolution 9, Rocky Racoon, Why Don't We Do It In the Road, and several others.

In 1994, Pearl Jam released Vitalogy. Although different in sound, it was no different in content. On this album we had moments of sheer brilliance. Immortality, Corduary, Nothing Man, Spin the Black Circle, and Better Man really shone out. But we also have some strange cuts on this one. Privacy, Bugs, Aye Davinita, and Stupid Mop (listed as Hey Foxymophandlemama, That's Me on the back of the booklet). Then there were mediocra songs also.

This album has some brilliant moments. But it is, as Rolling Stone said, a wildely uneven and chaotic record. I grew up on Pearl Jam, my brother spinning Ten (and later vs.) into oblivion on his CD player as we went to private Christian school. Some of these songs on here are just unfit. pry, to is absoluetely stupid (if you play it backwards get Pete Townsend Saved My Life). Stupid Mop, clocking in at over seven minutes long, is a good 6 minutes and 15 seconds to long.

Sorry, the White Album is better. All the filler on that one had a purpose. And even the filler was listenable, and was cool. Plus, it was a double set. Not only that, it was The Beatles. And I can actually dig Revolution #9. Try as I might, I can't do that with Stupid Mop. Interesting lyrics though. Should have been released as an oddity track on some obscure single. Both are good, but The White Album is five stars. One thing about this is it didn't inspire any cult leaders/serial killers like its prentecessor did. But when its brilliant, its brilliant.

4.5 Stars

A common complaint fans often have against their favorite band is that "the early stuff is great, but then they went commercial/sold out." No such complaint could ever be made against Pearl Jam. Quite the opposite; while Pearl Jam's early albums, most notably "Ten" (1991) and "Vs." (1993) were quite radio friendly, their music became more and more obscure and arty as the band went on. With the exception of the band's straight-forward fifth album "Yield," (1998) most of Pearl Jam's work from the mid-90s up has been far less assessable than their first two albums. In this sense, Pearl Jam are like the anti-sellouts. Not caring how well an album is perceived, the band has always had the integrity to follow its artistic vision.

In some respects, Pearl Jam's third album "Vitalogy" (1994) represents the end of an era. "Vitalogy" was the last Pearl Jam album to enjoy multi-platinum success and spawn numerous singles that dominated the radio. "Vitalogy" was sort of the last Pearl Jam album that "everybody" had to buy. While Pearl Jam's next two albums achieved platinum status, by the mid-to-late 90s, their reign at the top was over. While the faithful have stood by the band over the years, most of Pearl Jam's fickle audience that so loved "Ten" and "Vs.," moved on to Phish, Matchbox 20, and the Dave Mathews Band as the 90s progressed. In addition, 1994 was really the last year of the grunge era. While the Seattle movement had briefly brought authenticity back into rock in the early 90s, by 1995, with the likes of Bush and Seven Mary 3, it was back to corporate pap as usual, in the era known as post-grunge. In 1994, with the death of Cobain, in the eyes and ears of the fickle mainstream, grunge breathed its last breath. "Vitalogy" was one of the last albums from the grunge movement to enjoy a healthy reign at the top.

While Pearl Jam's debut "Ten" has been pigeonholed as "grunge," it is actually one of the least grunge sounding albums in Pearl Jam's catalogue. "Ten," with its classic rock trimmings and finely crafted songs, doesn't have the distorted guitars, feedback, intense drumming, or the "fuzz" associated with the grunge sound. By contrast, "Vs." and "Vitalogy" are far more grunge sounding than the debut.

Pearl Jam's second album "Vs" was a 180 degree turn from the debut "Ten." Compared to "Ten," "Vs" sounds far less polished; more stripped down, and has more of a live feel. "Vitalogy" takes the sound of "Vs." to the next level and sounds even looser, and more stripped down. But while virtually every song on "Ten" and "Vs." was a potential radio single, many of the songs on "Vitalogy are just flat out-there. Lyrically, the album is also more vague and the songs harder to decipher.

In short, of the first three albums, "Vitalogy" is the most grunge-sounding, the least commercial and by far the most abstract.

But none of this is meant as criticism against the album, because as loose as "Vitalogy" is, everything works. There's a fine line between having an album that's avant-garde and having one that's just a mess; luckily, "Vitalogy" never crosses that line. Pearl Jam knew what they were doing and created a rather chaotic, yet cohesive collection of songs.

The opening full-throttle "Last Exit," which sounds like the band is just working out a song at a jam, immediately lets the listener know what's in store. Brash as the song is, it has melody and is fully captivating. "Spin the Back Circle," which sounds like Led Zeppelin meets the Sex Pistols, shows Pearl Jam's intense side. "Not for you" starts out slowly, giving the listener a temporary reprieve, but soon goes into full-attack-mode. An underrated song, this features a really cool solo by Mike McCready. The album slows down a notch for the sluggish "Tremor Christ," which offers an interesting contrast between its lethargic pace and Eddie Vedder's preacher-like delivery. The semi-acoustic "Nothingman," which tells the story of a wasted life, of a man that "could have been something" is both harrowing and beautiful. The free-flowing "whipping" sounds like a jam, but with structure and melody, and works for the overall flow of the album. The bizarre "Pry to" is just a minute of filler, but is atmospheric and is a good transaction to the next song. The opening chords of "Corduroy" are instantly memorable to anyone that listened to the radio back in '94. Loose, intense, stripped-down and melodic, this is Pearl Jam at their best. An ode to the dangers of conformity, "Bugs," which Vedder speaks of being besieged by bugs over the repetitive sounds of an accordion, is just flat out bizarre. While I usually skip over this track when I have "Vitalogy" in my discman, "Bugs" adds a little something out of the ordinary to the album and its inclusion is warranted. The good-but-not-great, off-center punkish "Satan's Bed" keeps up the momentum. Another PJ classic, the sensitive "Better Man" tells of the pain of having to settle. Much like "Bugs," I usually skip over the off-center instrumental "Aye Davanita," but it's still an interesting and cool track which adds flavor to the album. The death of fellow Seattle rock star Kurt Cobain no doubt impacted the band, as they pay tribute with "Immorality." The song doesn't attempt to idolize or make Cobain out to be a martyr or infallible, but rather acts as a beautiful tribute that tries to explain the tragic suicide. The song depicts Cobain (although not by name) to be a deeply troubled man, seeking solace and a release from pain. The avant-garde, bohemian-like closing "Hey Foxymophandlemama, that's me," is a bizarre, semi-instrumental with sound bytes. It's a bit like "Revolution #9" from the Beatles self-titled "White" (1968) album. I've listened to this song for eleven years, as of this writing, and I'm still not sure whether it's high-art, or just plain pretentious. Either way, it's a cool non-song that I enjoy.

The packaging of the album is also really cool. The mini-book, filled with photos, drawings, and various odds-and-ends, done in the style of the 19th Century, is quite cool. It's sort of a return to the more personal and artistic days of the vinyl, as opposed to the cold and lifeless age of CDs.

Because of the brashness, off-centeredness, and bizarre non-song tracks, "Vitalogy" is not the best place to start if you want to get into Pearl Jam. New listeners are advised to buy "Ten," "Vs." or the "Rearview Mirror-best of" (2004) before they pick up "Vitalogy" or subsequent albums. That said, "Vitalogy" is still an excellent album that is well worth owning.

With the release of Vitalogy, Pearl Jam takes on a new direction toward obscurity. After the two extremely popular, rock anthem, grunge records, "Ten" and "Vs.," Eddie Vedder and company have made a rather impressive attempt at growing beyond the grunge roots that made them what they are today. This record is amazing, and main-stream enough. But, you can feel the winds of change coming in the new material.

There are some extremely strong songs on Vitalogy. The first single off the record, called "Spin the Black Circle" was rather punk-rock, very different than most Pearl Jam. The B-Side was the better of the two tracks on the single. "Tremor Christ" ended up being the bigger radio song in the long run, as the single did not do all that well. It was strange to see what they released as singles from the record. Next was "Not For You," a rock anthem, very Pearl Jam. It's B-Side is a non-album, improv track called "Outta My Mind." The final single released was a great song called "Immortality," Its B-Side, a cover of "Rearview Mirror" from "Vs.," by a band called "The Frogs."

The strange thing about the record is the songs that weren't released as singles. "Betterman," "Corduroy," and maybe even "Nothingman" were great songs that found their way the radio even without the backing of Epic Records. They are some of the strongest songs on the LP, they could have easily done better than they did with a little marketing.

Though, it does seem, that Pearl Jam does some of this to themselves. A band, troubled for some time, with internal shake-ups, squabbles, and an ongoing battle with Ticketmaster, seemed to be allergic to the limelight. This record came out in the middle of the aforementioned strife in the band's history. But, even though all of this was going on in the life of the band, they managed to create a rather high quality piece of the work.

This record is a pivot point in the band's history. It is a must-have for any Pearl Jam fan, and a great record for anyone who likes grunge era music. Pearl Jam is one of a mere few bands who still remain and are active beyond the days of grunge. Their brilliant evolution is the only reason they have survived into the twenty-first century. This album is the beginning of said evolution.

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Whereas Ten was an extremely well rounded classic and its follow-up Vs. a relentless juggernaut, Vitalogy is the erratic masterpiece -- like The Beatles' eponymous "White Album".

Vitalogy contains blazing high points like the raw cry of anguish "Last Exit" (with its intriguing 5/4 beat), the carnivorous "Spin the Black Circle", vocally soaring "Tremor Christ", the elegiac "Immortality" and of course, the album's best duo of songs, the treatise on independence "Corduroy" and the affecting ballad "Better Man". Then you have weird moments like the accordion-and-spoken-word "Bugs", a sloppy garage-rock tune in "Satan's Bed", and experimental pieces like "Pry, To" and "Aye Davanita".

This album has many more ups and downs than any other Pearl Jam release. But that, I think, is part of its greatness. Pearl Jam after Vitalogy would eventually lapse into a kind of mid-tempo malaise, losing its dynamics and intoxicating tensions in favour of generalist rock. Personally, I'd take Vitalogy over No Code, Live on Two Legs or Yield any day.

I'm a huge Pearl Jam fan, but I'm a fair reviewer. I look for weak spots, and I've given some of their albums fairly negative reviews. However, "Vitalogy" is almost a masterpiece. I highly recommend this album to any casual Pearl Jam fan.

The album follows Pearl Jam's normal formula; Vedder bellowing, McCready and Gossard playing their hearts out on the guitars, and Ament doing his usual base heroics. The rythym section- a bit weak on past albums- shines here. There are some great power rockers ("Spin the Black Circle", "Whipping"), angry low tunes ("Last Exit", "Not For You"), poppy rockers ("Cordouroy", "Better Man"), religion-influenced tunes ("Tremor Christ", "Satan's Bed"), and finally the best soft song they've ever done ("Nothingman"). "Bugs" is a brilliant accordian song, and "Prye, To" is a song I chant every day about the struggles of fame. "Aye Davanita" is just a catchy little instrumental.

The album is almost a masterpiece. They misstep once ("Hey Foxymophandelemama, That's Me"), because the song is way too long. However, it has some killer instrumental heroics.

Buy this album. Right now. After two or three listens, you'll love it!

Pearl Jam make albums, an art that seems to be lost on many listeners today. To fully appreciate this album you have to listen to it as a whole. I bought "Vitalogy" when it first came out on vinyl (2 weeks before it was even released on CD) and listened to it non-stop for weeks. Every minute of it each time. I had this crappy little stereo with a crappy little turntable with no speakers and liked the idea of sneaking away when no one was looking and putting this record on a record player and just soaking it up through my headphones. I was going through a rough time and this got me through it like nothing else could. Reading all these criticisms of "Stupid Mop" and "Bugs" kind of saddens me. They're meant as interludes, intros, and comedowns. I never once listened to Vitalogy without listening to "Stupid Mop". Why? Because after listening to this emotionally draining yet extrordinarily satisfying album I was taken to this whole other level a "real" song would have never taken me to. This is Pearl Jam's masterpiece.

Vitalogy is this band's best rock album. No Code is probably their best album musically and lyrically, but it fails in being hard rock. This does not. From the opening "Last Exit", with one of P.J.'s best drum tracks, to "Immortality", this album does not let up. Sure, "Pry, to" and "Aye Davanita" are strange, but they don't slow the album down. They just give you a chance to breathe (notice that those 2 songs are followed by "Corduroy" and "Immortality" respectively).

Look at the first 3 songs--"Last Exit," "Spin the Black Circle," and "Not For You." 3 quintessential Pearl Jam hard rock songs. I dare anyone to name an 90's rock album that has 3 better opening songs. "Tremor Christ," with it's Beatle-esque melody (okay, it's a rip off of "Helter Skelter", but it still works), offers some of Ed's best vocals up to that time.

And let's not forget about maybe the 2 best songs on the album. "Nothingman" and "Betterman" are 2 of Pearl Jam's most popular, most requested, and most praised songs. "Whipping" is another straight out rocker, and "Satan's Bed" offers one of the funkiest beats you'll ever hear from the band.

"Bugs," which consists of only Ed and an accoridan, is one of the strangest songs you'll ever hear on a rock album, but is amusing and does have some interesting subtext when you think about the band at that point in their history.

The only real criticism of the album is the last track, titled either "Stupid Mop" or "Heyfoxymophandlemama, that's me." Basically, it consists of 2 children talking about suicide and abuse over whirling guitars and some music that's just plain dark. A failed experiment. But pop in this disc, start at track 1, and play up through track 13, and you may never hear anything like it again. A must for any 90's rock fan.

VITALOGY is a cool record in my book.

One of the few things I didn't like about their debut and soon-to-be classic TEN was the awful production. It made every song sound the same and sometimes drowned the bands abilities. VITALOGY instead sounds like recorded in a Garage and this is a good thing to me. Nowaday's it's even more refreshing.

Starting off with the very good "Last Exit" & "Spin the black Circle", VITALOGY doesn't disappoint. You got your great Ballads (Nothingman, Better Man, Immortality), you got your typical great Pearl Jam (Satans Bed, Whipping, Not for you, Cordoroy) and you even get a weird, trippy sound collage called "Tremor Christ" in which the Band managed to insert a haunting melody. Great stuff!

Then you also get "Bugs", "Hey foxy" and "Pry to". To understand these songs it helps to see this album as Pearl Jam's musical middle finger to the Industry, MTV and all the business people that tried to profit on them. VITALOGY is not commercial in the least and certainly not radio-friendly, chart material. It sounds awful to anybody who normally listens to whatever is on the Radio or MTV and what music-magazines and clothes-designers try to establish as "cool music". I think the point of these three songs is to underline their anticommercial attitude on this record. That doesn't make them good songs, I even hate "Foxy" with a passion, this is the worst possible way to end an album, ever.

All in all, VITALOGY is a must-buy if you are into Pearl Jam. Some great stuff in here, despite the awful uneccesarry 3 fillers. They are what keeps me from giving it 5 stars, but who cares. Buy it if you liked TEN and VS and even if you only half-liked TEN ( like me ).

Who ever said `No Code is Pearl Jam's weirest album needs to go back and take a look at `Vitalogy'. From front to back the packaging, the book and the Cd this is by far Pearl Jam's most experimental album, No Code is merely a more mellow album. Songs like `Hey foxy.....' and `Bugs' are some of Pearl Jams strangest but somehow Stone, Jeff, Mike and Eddie keep their songs alive by making sound a little different.

Perhaps to of the best songs of the album are the similarly titled `Nothingman' and `Betterman' both begin as slow ballads but where `Nothingman' progresses into a wonderful emotional experience, `Betterman' takes a turn to a louder style which differentaites both songs and indeed gives the album some variety.

Fan's will never forget songs like `Corduroy' and `Immortality' from this album which are true Pearl Jam classics, both of which do a great job in exploiting Pearl Jam's developement since `Ten'. An album of experiement that was certainly worth the risk, the hardcore fans of Pearl Jam snapped this one up whilst some newcomers stayed away.# Despite it's ability to seemingly show up or better each song with the next, the final track somehow seems to lose the plot.

Despite this being a venture into new lands Pearl Jam seems right at home from start to end, Vedders ode to Lp's `Spin The Black Circle' is also ope of the albums noticable high points. If you don't have `Vitalogy' yet, go out and by it, or better still click this window and order it now, It is most certainly a great album and one of Pearl Jams best.

Vitalogy rips gaping holes through any other rock act playing today and then turns around and patches them up as a sign of good faith, edging them on to do better. I have a feeling that this album will grow in popularity as time goes on and ten years from now, it will be essential listening material for any rock-afficianado, if it isn't already. As another reviewer with limited English skills said, "It makes you feel and that's it". In an age where everyday it becomes a little more dangerous to do so, this album is like a shot in the arm. Some music just soothes your mind, makes you feel at ease. Music like this wakes you up, gives you hope, asks questions, urges you to believe that there is something more to life than what we see, that there is beauty if you look hard enough. These insights are precious commodities and few bands can fuel them into the center stage of your brain as courageously as Pearl Jam can. From the first time I heard the opening notes of this album broadcast on the radio in it's entirety before the album came out, to the last time I listened to it, Vitalogy has never failed me. As a human being I need hope. Pearl Jam delivers it and blows the whole curve in the process.