No Code - Pearl Jam

Advantages: Displayed a side of the band not seen before
Disadvantages: Not as rocky as its predecessors

Pearl Jam's fourth album was released in 1996 and the first to feature new drummer, Jack Irons. First formed in 1991 the band compromised Mike McCready on guitar, Jeff Ament on bass, Stone Gossard on guitar and vocals and Eddie Vedder doing lead vocals on majority of tracks, guitar and harmonica. As with the previous 2 albums, 'No Code' was again produced by Brendan O'Brien and Pearl Jam. 'No Code' did not see the success that Pearl Jam had had ...
...away from American grunge. Also, the album lacks the anger and drive of previous albums, but it does contain some melodic masterpieces and soft rock influences that make it popular with the fans. 'No Code' sees the band moving further away from the polished, stadium rock that got them so much success with 'Ten' and further towards an original and intense sound. In general, it is more upbeat and features experimental ballads, spoken word and yet still ... Read review

Advantages: It's Pearl Jam - what more can I say
Disadvantages: Stone sings - don't do that again mate!

...and 1996’s ‘No Code’ is no exception, though in a way would appear to be their most varied musically. The quiet opening notes of ‘Sometimes’ immediately sets the diverse tone of the album: so simple but so effective. It’s full of themes of how small we all are in the world, Eddie sings, “Seek my part…devote myself…my small self…like a book amongst the many on the shelf”. Eddie sings ...
...:P ) No matter how many millions of times I listen to ‘No Code’, the onslaught of ‘Hail, Hail’ always catches me unawares. It is a sudden break away from the tranquil nature of ‘Sometimes’ and takes the listener back to the status of a good old ‘Pearl Jam rocker’. ‘Hail, Hail’ rips through the racing chords while questioning the meaning of love, “hail hail the lucky ones, I refer to ... Read review

Advantages: Eddie Vedder!!
Disadvantages: none

Pearl Jam – No Code ------------------- Released in 1996, this was the bands 4th album. After following on from the difficult Vitalogy album, we were maybe expecting a more uplifting long player. Think again! Pearl Jam decided to produce what I would call their most abstract effort to date. That being said, it wasn’t at all bad! The temptation to produce another Ten, or Vs must have been overwhelming, but the boys were stuck on course ...
...like idiocy at the time, but they had made their decision and for me, it was a good one. You often get the impression from this album that the band were returning to what was said to be their origins, “Grunge”. Some of the tracks have that distinct fuzziness which was linked with grunge. The Tracks ---------- Sometimes. ---------- Very slow and quiet start to the album. An enticing beginning to an album, as you know that it is all ... Read review

Advantages: Perfect for a chill out sesh
Disadvantages: It's not 'Ten', but does it matter?

...of the bands first outing, No Code is among the albums which are put down for not being as raw or as classy overall, this is unfair on Pearl Jam, as with a few listens No Code opens up to contain some of the best work Pearl Jam have produced to date. Thirteen tracks with great range, from rock through gentle catchy ballads, from start to finish the sound is sharp, a mighty production achievement on the whole. Eddie Vedder's vocals are more confident ...
...lot new on offer with No Code, but there is a lot of solace to be taken in that the band are staying true to their roots, the vocals overall are as racous and taut as ever but there is a new found maturity, 'Mankind' is not unlike a Pearl Jam take on REM material and is one of the many tracks signalling an evolution from the sound of previous outing 'Vitalogy'. The acoustic strumming of 'Off He Goes' gently pulsing along is a track about loneliness, ... Read review

Advantages: band sound better than ever, Eddie's lyrics, McCready/Gossard's guitar work.
Disadvantages: -

..."I have faced it, a life wasted. I'm never going back again" barks vocalist Eddie Vedder on the opening salvo to his bands 8th studio album. You see, whilst it's not quite as clean cut as that, it could be said that Seattle rockers Pearl Jam have 'wasted' a fair few years, years spent on insipid experimentation and a hunger to diversify their sound. The likes of 1996's "No Code" were to many a massive letdown, such was the hunger for a repeat of the heady days of major leaguers "Ten" and it's subsequent follow-up, "Vs.". Ten years on from the aforementioned "No Code", and the Pearl (street lingo, bro) are back, bigger and badder than ever. Vedder and Co have ditched the silly fandango of experimentism, and in it's place comes……. RRRRAAWWWKK. Released through J Records - the band split with Epic after the release of their last studio... Read review

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