Dig The New Breed - Jam (The)

Advantages: A seminal album. powerful, damaged, yet still melodic
Disadvantages: Fourteen minutes of dead air on the disc before the hidden track.

.... However, it all starts to go a bit strange during the middle section, with an short “noise jam” before building back up to the last verse and chorus. From there we have the moody “Lounge Act”, a low-key tale of jealousy which builds into screaming paranoia by the last refrain. Track 10 is the caustic “Stay Away”, which is a faster, punkier number, much along the same lines as “Breed” and “Territorial Pissings”. After that, we have “On a Plain”, a straighter pop-rock song, similar to “Drain You”, although it seems our Kurt is running out of ideas, as he sings “What the hell am I trying to say?” at one point in the bridge. The twelfth, and final listed track is “Something In The Way”, another moody acoustic number. Based on a simple two... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: It's a long album (13 tracks) and there is an excellent mixture of hard and soft songs
Disadvantages: The production is different to any Pearl Jam album - the drums sound hollow at points

...Binaural is a far, far throw away from any previous Pearl Jam release. The band no longer produce grunge music. Instead, the new album focuses, for the most part, on delicate vocals and considered, mellow hooks. Tracks such as "Of a Girl" and "Light Years" highlight the dexterity of the band when it comes to writing a ballad. That's not to say there are no rockier tracks. Grammy nomiated hard rock song "Grievance" stands out as being the catchiest Pearl Jam song in a long while, and "Insignificance" is a poignant lament of the use of bombs during a war. This album can be enjoyed by anyone who did not like the early or mid-career Pearl Jam material. It's not, howevever, for grunge rockers looking for a re-incarnation of the early 90s Seattle sound.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages:
Disadvantages:

...Pearl Jam is one of the bands that have survived the fall-out of the grunge explosion and continued to release albums to expectant fans like me. Of course I was one of the first people to buy their new album. Compared to their previous work where they have sounded drab and dreary they now appear revitalised and fresh. They turned their sound into a stripped down rawness and sound all the better for it. They didn’t succumb to new technology to focus their vision. “Binaural” is influenced by some of the most potent forces in rock history and still retains their own identity. This album is a must for Pearl Jam fans!... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful