Ten - Pearl Jam > Reviews > Ten years later, does it still sound good

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	Stunning, jaw - dropping, powerful and immediate, I hope that's an advantage .
Disadvantages:	That is wasn't four times as long on the same vibe, as Pearl Jam lost the edge after this debut .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Pearl Jam 10 is without doubt the best debut around. No frills no spills, just simply the best. When they got together, they had just four days of solid practising and jamming before launching into a gig, and the album followed very soon after. With a raw edge about it, it has a warmth to it that very few artists acheive in the studio, a real immediacy.
Starting with the driving Once it sets its path from the off, before launching furiously into the slightly funky Even Flow, where Mike McCready lets fly with another blues anchored speed solo.Alive comes next and what an anthum it is before slipping into the screeching, aggresive Why go. Then the mood eases for Black, beautiful and emotional, Jeremy and Oceans, the only track that doesn't have the live potential of the others. Back on to the harder rock vibe sees Porch scream by (check out MTV Unplugged for the best version of Porch - and my favourite rock song - that you'll ever hear) and shift into the huge sounding Garden before dropping a great dirty riff in for Deep. Finally the album fades out with Release, a really beautiful song, and a long repeat of the album intro as an outro.
Throughout this whole business, you can hear the tightness of the rhythm section, with Jeff Amment's bass a delight that only a high end stereo really lets you appreciate, and some solid funk-tinged main playing by Stone Gossard, but the real effects are bought out by Mike's furious solos and Eddie Vedders souring and powerful voice, along with thought provoking lyrics.
If you ever own one rock album, it has to be this one.