Pearl Jam, Black - Amy’s First Listen And Analysis
Added 2025-01-06 14:10:08 +0000 UTCWhat a great piece of music! I especially loved the paring of the poetry with the vocal delivery.
Comments
It really depends on what you want. I think Yield and Backspacer are closest to their first albums and quite accessible. No Code and Binaural may be Pearl Jam experimenting most successfully, both are very moody albums. There is a self-titled album from 2007 which has a mix of more classic Pearl Jam and some furious, punk inspired stuff. The became more classic rock recently, and their album from last year is pretty good as well.
Vitor Zimmerer
2025-01-14 08:23:05 +0000 UTCNever noticed. Is he short?
Evelyn
2025-01-14 05:26:13 +0000 UTCOh yeah, the look and attitude in spades. Have you EVER seen Neil Young give a totally open-faced smile? I never have. He seems so angry/unhappy. Even in interviews, he seems so…… heavy
Evelyn
2025-01-14 05:25:48 +0000 UTCIs there a later album you would recommend me to listen to? I only know their early work.
Evelyn
2025-01-14 05:17:03 +0000 UTCEddie Vedder covering Dylan’s Masters of War
Evelyn
2025-01-14 05:15:41 +0000 UTCSo glad Amy’s finally arrived at Pearl Jam. I’m one of the folks who suggested this song as their entry point. Better letting Vedder simmer and stream before setting him (and Mike!!) off the leash in Even Flow. If she follows this rabbit hole, all the little facets and enigmatic wiles of this band will fall into place and she will have found her next Queen.
Joe Cunningham
2025-01-13 19:08:14 +0000 UTCEddie, much like Freddie, is one of those rare singers whose talent and energy comes through even better live. I just love the way this song swoops in at the start with a sweet, beautiful melody about reminiscence that gradually transforms into dissonant recurring agony by the end, supporting the singer's mood step by step along the journey.
Dan Halstead
2025-01-11 22:07:33 +0000 UTCFor me, I'd include nothingman and elderly woman...as well. So many great songs.
Mark
2025-01-11 18:11:04 +0000 UTCYes, good idea.
Marc Gendron
2025-01-11 13:42:46 +0000 UTCYes, the whole Album is a masterpiece. The MTV live performace of this song is legendary. You should review Jeremy. https://youtu.be/MS91knuzoOA?si=htLj78fYRZoFuVVc It is a dark subject but important and an incredible song. Pearl Jam has so many hits you could analyse.
Marc Gendron
2025-01-11 13:28:08 +0000 UTCI love this album, and this is my favourite song on it, which is saying something, considering my name. This is a really pleasant surprise here, since I would have expected one the singles to be listened to first.
Jeremy Morton
2025-01-10 17:14:07 +0000 UTCYes. Love Willie
Paul D. Hoffmaster III
2025-01-10 05:51:32 +0000 UTCHave you heard the Willie Nelson and son Lukas version of breathe?
Michael T.B
2025-01-10 05:13:04 +0000 UTCWhich cover are you referring to?
Michael T.B
2025-01-10 05:10:25 +0000 UTCYeah like I said he was kind of grinning obviously joking when he said it but yes I agree you probably would have enjoyed the later albums more musically competent from Vitalogy on
Michael T.B
2025-01-10 05:09:04 +0000 UTCNeil Young's album mirror ball is him using Pearl Jam as his backing band good album they also toured as his backing band
Michael T.B
2025-01-09 07:09:59 +0000 UTCYes what a great band (MLB) but no I think Kurt was kidding the whole thing about them not liking each other was all media ploy to sell records records
Michael T.B
2025-01-09 07:00:57 +0000 UTCSounds fantastic! What a great memory to have!
Evelyn
2025-01-09 05:53:01 +0000 UTCGod. How rude. Wasn’t the band made up of members of Mother Lovebone?
Evelyn
2025-01-09 05:51:20 +0000 UTCOne of my favorite covers. Wish Amy would see that. Intense ax you say
Evelyn
2025-01-09 05:48:22 +0000 UTCWell this might be the 30 yr reissue, which is a bit dryer production (which I object to)
brovold72 .
2025-01-09 00:30:39 +0000 UTCHe said it with the "Kurp" ear to ear grin on his face. I read: Curt, Eddie and Michael (Stipe) had been talking about working on a album together w/Stipe producing. That would have been HUGE!
Michael T.B
2025-01-08 22:33:00 +0000 UTCEddie was on fire during that entire Unplugged concert
Vitor Zimmerer
2025-01-08 21:55:04 +0000 UTCHe was wrong, but considering Cobain's taste, I understand. He may have appreciated the middle albums if he had stuck around.
Vitor Zimmerer
2025-01-08 21:53:23 +0000 UTCAh yeah, that melody with the distorted guitar? That does sound more like Pink Floyd. I don't think there is a lot of chorus on that guitar, though, though I might be mistaken
Vitor Zimmerer
2025-01-08 21:51:06 +0000 UTCMy favorite on the album. Love it.
Kristina Mathesen
2025-01-08 17:57:10 +0000 UTC"Hard Sun" from this soundtrack is a power house of a song.
steveRock
2025-01-08 17:30:03 +0000 UTCOh I should have been little less broad: I specifically meant that big riff just after "..that she wore" but otherwise I agree more Hendrixy. Hendrixian?
brovold72 .
2025-01-08 04:16:37 +0000 UTC100% accurate. 👆🏼
Julian Ortiz
2025-01-08 02:18:21 +0000 UTCYeah, I’ve always heard a lot Jimi Hendrix technique and tones in PearlJam. That’s Mike McCready. He’s a very underrated guitarist, IMO.
Julian Ortiz
2025-01-08 02:13:49 +0000 UTCHuh, I'll keep an ear out for that next time.
brovold72 .
2025-01-08 00:30:45 +0000 UTCAll the the above but also Alive, Daughter, Indifference, I Am Mine, World Wide Suicide, The Fixer, Buckle Up, Something Special :-)
Vitor Zimmerer
2025-01-08 00:07:38 +0000 UTCPearl Jam. Yes. Kind of a strange band for me... These guys are SUPER talented and I just LOVE their song EVEN FLOW: Pearl Jam - Even Flow (Official Video) https://youtu.be/CxKWTzr-k6s I am MOST impressed with Eddie Vedder's singing. He did an INTENSE job on an INTENSE Bob Dylan song, MASTERS OF WAR: Eddie Vedder - Masters of War (Tribute Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary) https://youtu.be/dwa2jK0xglk "Masters of War" - Pearl Jam | David Letterman, 9/30/2004 https://youtu.be/K5b3C9zyeiQ Only... I don't much listen to their other songs... even though I know it's all very good, and it seems like I "should" like them more... That's what I meant about PEARL JAM being a weird experience for me, as I can't offhand think of another band that I have a similar experience to. Still... what a great band!
DJ Marquis Marc Rambeau du Tacoma
2025-01-08 00:02:36 +0000 UTCI always hear a lot of Hendrix' ballad style.
Vitor Zimmerer
2025-01-07 23:55:33 +0000 UTCPearl Jam is such a good band to explore. They are famous primarily for their first two, three albums, but across their long discography there are some great tracks with many influences from across rock, folk, but also punk, alternative rock, and world music.
Vitor Zimmerer
2025-01-07 23:54:27 +0000 UTCThis song and version were the correct choice, by the way: it was what made many of us appreciate the band when they were brand spankin' new; it was still in heavy rotation on jukeboxes well into the 2000's; to this day it's probably the PJ track you're most likely to hear played on American classic rock stations--which stands to reason as it is a true classic!
brovold72 .
2025-01-07 17:53:18 +0000 UTCLove this song. I always found the heavily-chorused Stratocaster sound to be very "Wall"-era Pink Floyd-y (I mean that as a compliment).
brovold72 .
2025-01-07 17:48:11 +0000 UTCIf Vlad steers you right you should listen to: Release Me before you go on to listening to the hits.
Michael T.B
2025-01-07 06:52:45 +0000 UTCOne of my favorite quotes of all times was when Kurt Cobain was asked about the feud between Nirvana and Pearl Jam he said: "I don't have anything against Eddie Vedder he's a good singer, it's not his fault his band sucks"
Michael T.B
2025-01-07 06:46:28 +0000 UTCYeah Helene (aka Evelyn). Neil not only influenced and collaborated with Pearl Jam, he also influence Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. Kurt even quotes a line from Neil's "Hey Hey, My My" ("Better to burn out than fade away") in his suicide note. Pretty sure they all referred to him as the godfather of grunge. And Neil could get pretty grungy in some of his tunes. He also had the grunge look, and attitude as you say.
Lee Kennison
2025-01-07 03:13:04 +0000 UTCThanks Peter and David for the additional info on Neil's collaboration with Perl Jam. I never got to see them perform live together other than on video, along with having listened to Neil's Mirror Ball album in which they collaborated.
Lee Kennison
2025-01-07 03:12:37 +0000 UTCThey did an album together, Mirror Ball. I saw PJ in Golden Gate Park, SF and Ed was so sick he only did two songs so Neil came out and did the rest of the show with them. Neil Young fronting PJ. A once in a lifetime experience.
David Jacobs
2025-01-07 02:40:30 +0000 UTCI’m always in the minority on this, but I don’t really like any of the live performances I’ve seen online. I prefer the studio recordings.
Julian Ortiz
2025-01-07 02:35:16 +0000 UTCI like the song. There are only a few songs of theirs that I do like. My favorite is Just Breathe, for very personal reasons besides I liked the song before those reasons happened. Good review Amy.
Paul D. Hoffmaster III
2025-01-06 21:22:48 +0000 UTCSaw Neil Young and Pearl Jam in 1995 at an unforgettable outdoor evening concert in Stockholm, Sweden under a bright full moon. Clearly one of the best performances I’ve seen ever. Pearl Jam started and played for almost two hours and then Neil played for a similar amount of time and in the end they did “Rockin’ in the free world” and some more songs in a combined effort. Absolutely brilliant
Peter Mellroth
2025-01-06 20:51:57 +0000 UTCreally? I never knew that. Makes sense though. Neil definitely had the right attitude for it.
Evelyn
2025-01-06 19:46:14 +0000 UTCon Patreon, where we have the time, would it not have been the natural thing to have done to have listened to the studio version first....then Amy's reaction, then have her watch the ICONIC live Unplugged acoustic version that everyone LOVES? We have the time on this platform to do such things. I mean, it kinda leaves a feeling of incompleteness...at least for me:: that performance is almost synonymous with the song at this point. I concur that a weekend for Pearl Jam would be a natural. Suggest Evenflow and Jeremy. (the official video for Jeremy after the studio version of course...it adds allot to the impact of the song)
Evelyn
2025-01-06 19:37:08 +0000 UTCThis was excellent! I can’t say I’m a huge Pearl Jam fan, but I am a fan of their albums Ten and Vitology. Ten was released the year I was a senior in high school and it, along with Facelift by Alice In Chains, Never Mind by Nirvana, and Badmotorfinger by Soundgarden, were basically the soundtrack to that year for me. The songs from all those albums were all over the airwaves whenever I turned on the radio. Early on I really gravitated to the Seattle Grunge scene, and I do enjoy many of the bands from there, including Pearl Jam. Alice In Chains is my absolute favorite band from there though. I could tell you connected with this song almost immediately, Amy. All of us who love this song had the same response when you hear the last few lines of the song. You can hear the agony in the vocal delivery, which I agree is brilliant. I could see in your face that you could hear and feel the heartbreak expressed. It’s so evocative. That’s what makes this song so special. It’s been one of my favorites since the first time I heard it all those years ago. Glad you finally heard them.
Julian Ortiz
2025-01-06 19:34:48 +0000 UTCThank you for doing the studio recording. Yes, the live unplugged is great, but I love the studio version. Yes, a weekend. I'll recommend Corduroy*, Better Man, Just Breathe, Amongst the Waves*, Lightning Bolt*, Hail, Hail*, Wishlist (most beautiful poetic lyrics), Setting Sun* (*these are my favorites)
David Jacobs
2025-01-06 18:38:37 +0000 UTCSo glad you listened to this ! Eddie Vedder is a treasure. I think you will hear the bands’ strengths/talents more in other songs. Some say Mike McCready is one of the greatest guitarists of all time. All I know is that when they all play together,(even with the drummer shifts throughout the years), magic happens. I think you will enjoy a deeper dive into their catalogue. As will your fans!
Angela Mucci
2025-01-06 18:32:14 +0000 UTCOnly 15 minutes!?
Bobkovachik
2025-01-06 17:47:00 +0000 UTCFor me, Pearl Jam's Ten album was a huge relief. In the early 90s, all you heard on TV and radio was Eurodance songs, which I didn't like at all. I thought rock music was dead and was ready to spend the rest of my life digging through old music from the 60s to the 80s. But suddenly there was hope for new, great music. I loved (and still do) Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog and Nirvana. "Black" is perhaps the most notable track of the "Ten" album, along with "Jeremy," which I can also highly recommend. It was a ray of light and hope for me in the music landscape of the early 90s.
shinypixx
2025-01-06 17:36:04 +0000 UTCGreat song from this very good band. The melody and the voice are the high points for me. I remember when my son started to hear and like Pearl Jam and the others grunge band. I always liked Pearl Jam more. And this song is one of the favorites.
Pedro Macedo
2025-01-06 16:50:01 +0000 UTCGreat reaction Amy. I love Pearl Jam, this is one of many great songs on their debut album. One of my favorite 90s bands. To put this in context, they are considered one of the influential 90s grunge bands. Up to this point you haven't enjoyed grunge very much, so I'm glad you found one that you really enjoyed. Love Eddie Vedder's voice and lyrics (often poetic). They also have ties to Neil Young one of my all time favorite artists, who they considered the godfather of grunge.
Lee Kennison
2025-01-06 16:44:18 +0000 UTCIt's funny, but I always loved the music in this one. As always, Vedder's voice takes front and center, but for me the music carries me along like I'm riding on a river, and I have no control over where or how quickly the river is taking me.
Tracey Baron
2025-01-06 15:44:00 +0000 UTCEddie Vedder: Little bitty guy, GREAT BIG VOICE.
Tracey Baron
2025-01-06 15:40:14 +0000 UTCEnjoyed that. Pearl Jam was part of my morning and evening commute, 40-45min one way. Black got played a lot. And Even Flow, Daughter, Just Breathe, and Sirens Yeah Vlad, let’s do
TONY SURRATT
2025-01-06 15:11:50 +0000 UTCI’m really glad to see you’ve gotten around to Pearl Jam. Eddie Vedder’s voice is one of the most distinct and beautiful in rock music, in my opinion, and the lyrics and his delivery are always introspective, meaningful, full of raw emotion, sincerity and vulnerability. Vedder also did a soundtrack as a solo project for the film Into the Wild (about Christopher McCandless, a young man who wanted to break free of society and moved into the wilderness of Alaska, only to meet a tragic end). I can’t imagine anyone could have explored the complexity and depth of that story in music better. I highly recommend that soundtrack (and the film), but there is also so much to dig into with Pearl Jam… I look forward to anything you choose next!
Kristina Mathesen
2025-01-06 15:07:30 +0000 UTC
