Vs. - Pearl Jam > Reviews > Raw Power, Emotion and Energy

Author's product rating:   

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

Advantages:	raw, intense and instinctive .  An honest view of their world .
Disadvantages:	None

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Pearl Jam came together in 1991 and quickly made their mark as one of the great 90s grunge bands. I was 14 at the time and the fresh new sound and emotive political lyrics struck a chord with that has lasted a life time. Before their debut album 'Ten' Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar) and Jeff Ament (bass) had worked together in previous bands, most acclaimed Green River. They then hooked up through friends with Mike McCready (lead guitar), Eddie Vedder (vocals) and drummer Dave Ambruzzese. The band managed to capture the grunge scene with political and angst ridden lyrics, simple rhythm chords, heavy guitar riffs and gravelly vocals and combined it technical skill surpassing many of their peers and a 70s stadium rock feel that give them their longivity.

Released in 1993 'Vs' was their second album and it took the band in a new direction. Produced by Brendan O'Brien, the album was recorded with the band playing as a whole, rather than recording each instrument separetely. Consequently the album has the improvised feel of a jam session. Indeed many of the tracks are a direct result of jams in the studio. With informal cut offs, tangled endings and discordant riffs the resulting album is raw both in sound and emotion. This was the first time Vedder was to be involved with the tracks from their inception, rather than just reacting to demos as he had done with 'Ten'.

In the wake of their sudden success with Ten the band shied away from the limelight and released Vs with little, if any, promotion (after the massive airplay the band received with Jeremy on MTV, the band had already agreed that there would be no promotional videos as they wanted to be remembered for their music). Originally the album was to be titled 'Five Against One' referring to the pressure the band felt against the media frenzy and band idolatry. Given the provocative and confrontational lyrics, partnered with aggressive chords, tight and distinct drums and bass and the legendary emotional energy of Vedder's vocals, the album title is certainly very apt.

As a result of the way in which the album was conceived credits for the creator of each song is given to the entire band, though the following credits are generally agreed by the fans, with Vedder writing the lyrics.

'Go' - Abbruzzese, Gossard, Vedder

'Oh, please don't go out on me. Don't go on me now.
Never acted up before.
Don't go on me now'

The opening track of the album demonstrates these new tighter links, in particular between Ament's bass and Abbruzzese's drums. It is a fast paced and hard-hitting plea against the obvious pressure the band felt they were under. It begins with driving drum, bass and simple guitar riff and is later joined by intense vocals adding to the tempo and pace of the entire piece. The lead harks back to the complicated and intricate solos of 70s stadium rock, while the grinding bass and rhythm keep it at its grunge roots.

'Animal' - Gossard, Vedder

'I'd rather be
I'd rather be with
I'd rather be with an animal'

This track starts with a muted bass and rhythm and leads to a jam like composition with catchy lyrics. The vocals and lead form an progressively intensifying duet as they ebb and flow in pitch around each other only releasing the tension for the bridge.

'Daughter' - Gossard, Vedder

'She holds the hand that holds her down
She will ... rise above'

Dealing with the attitudes surrounding children with learning difficulties this track is softer than the previous two. An acoustic rhythm and soft, tapped out percussion takes centre stage for the verses with a downplayed lead and haunting vocals providing the melody. The chorus is triumphant and more dependant on the lead. It drifts to a close, fadeing to finish on a gentle acoustic riff and distant vocals.

'Glorified G' - McCready, Gossard, Vedder

'Got a gun, in fact I got two
That's ok man, cuz I love God
Glorified version of a pellet gun
Feels so manly, when armed'

This track is an intense tour de force against gun culture in the States. Uncoordinated and disjointed, it is held together by a catchy lead and rhythm with overlayed harmonised vocals. The compisition is simple and mainly relies on the intense vocals to carry a point.

'Dissident' - Gossard, McCready, Vedder

'Always home, but so far away
Like a word misplaced
Nothing said, what a waste'

The pace slows again for track three. No less angry than any of the high tempo tracks this song uses a flucuating lead and melodic rhythm complimented by powerful vocals to tell a heartbreaking narrative. The sound is instinctive and emotional.

'WMA' - Ament, Vedder

'He won the lottery when he was born
Took his mother's white breast to his tongue'

When rehearsing for this album the band used a studio in a rough part of town. On his way to rehearsals Vedder saw a guy being beaten by policemen. He arrived at the studio so enraged by what he had witnessed that the song was conceived and written within 20 minutes. The opening bass is catchy and instantly recognisable, tie this together with the tribal percussion and emotive vocals and you realise this is a call to arms. Throughout the remainder of the track the vocals, drums and bass take centre stage, while the guitars are subtle. WMA, by the way, stands for White Male American.

'Blood' - Gossard, Vedder

'Paint Ed big ... Turn Ed into ... One of his enemies'

A explosive start with a funky lead and loose composition. The vocals are pained and furious with Vedder's voice distorting as he screams out poingnant and personal lyrics. The outro is a jam like uncoordinated noise held togther by an insistant rhythm and bass.

'Rearviewmirror' - Vedder

Vedder was anxious that this track was too 'catchy' for a song about suicide. It certainly stays with you. It opens with a simple bass hook line, which is then taken up by the guitars and continues with a sense of urgency. The track moves at a strong pace with rising tempo until it reaches the end of the chorus where it slows almost to a stop only to begin the ascent again. The final verse brings the track to crescending climax. The vocals break and distort while still retaining the melody, backed by a strong lead as the rest of the band descends into a mix of discordant sound before the track comes to an abrupt stop.

'I guess is was the beating made me wise
But I'm not about to give thanks or apologise'

'Rats' - Ament, Gossard, Vedder

'They don't scam, don't fight
Don't oppress an equal's given rights
Starve the poor so they can be well fed
Line their holes with the dead one's bread'

This track has a clear and simple bass line that retains the shape of the song. Vocals are hushed and hurried for verses and loud and aggressive for the chorus. The composition is disjointed and the flow is broken by a series of pauses, dischordant guitars and vocal emphasis. The track comes to a meandering finish with a line borrowed from Michael Jackson's Ben (a song dedicated to his pet rat and only friend who was killed by his father) and fades to close.

'Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town' - Vedder

'I changed by not changing at all, small town predicts my fate
Perhaps that what no-one wants to see'

This track is one of my favourites on the album. Written solely by Vedder it is the soliloquy of ... well ... an elderly woman behind a counter in a small town. The lyrics are stunning. If this song doesn't move you on some level, you're clinically dead. An acoustic guitar provides rhythm and takes the lead, but it is the second, electric guitar that puts real beauty into the track. Vocally, Vedder uses a full range moving from a soft mumble to distorted passion within a simple vocal arrangement that fades out for the outo.

'Leash' - Gossard, Vedder

'Will myself to find a home, a home within myself
We will find a way, we will find a our place'

After the dream like qualities of 'Elderly Woman...' the listener is treated to an abrupt start. As in previous tracks, 'Leash' has an untidy composition and jam elements. This is one of many tracks that the band would write on the sacredness of youth. There is something anthemic about the vocals. The guitar solo for the break in this track is also outstanding.

'Indifference' - Ament, Vedder

'Oh I will stare the sun down until my eyes go blind
Hey, I won't change direction, and I won't change my mind'

The album finishes on a high note with the sentimental and surreal 'Indifference'. Starting with soft percussion and an enveloping bass, this track is stunning. The vocals are intense and beguiling and work with the lead to create a duet. The vocal work is beautiful as he manages to hold the melody as it breaks with intensely emotional lyrics. Meanwhile both guitarists, bass and percussion pull together to create a tight, hypnotic melody.