Reviews (page 10 of 15)
Over played, almost every track has the same drum beat
Fan. How can you not like Jeremy spoke?
Ahh, 90s grunge. Or is it 90s alternative? Whatever you call it, it rocks. I think the only thing that makes it "grunge" is the timeframe it was released and the flannel shirts. It's a great album and has aged really well. I think you could release this today; it's not dated at all.
Very decent album
I felt a bit lukewarm about this, I think because so many songs were overplayed on the radio.
Can’t say I’ve ever really been a fan of PJ as there’s something about their songs that I just can’t quite get into. It’s not terrible and I’m sure it’s a big deal in the grunge arena but I’m just not a big fan and I doubt I’ll listen to it again.
A good one, still i always prefer Nirvana
I was too young to remember grunge from the early 1990s so it isn't nostalgia when it comes to this genre - but I have always liked this album very much which is so warm sounding and strong. It's a real album's album where the songs go together very well. Now that I've listened to it again, I can't really give it lower than a 5.
I won this CD from a radio call in show two weeks before it was released and loved it from the first listen. It's a brilliant debut and honestly the only Pearl Jam album I like in its entirety
This has been played to death. Eddie Vedder is over rated
10/10
I’ve always thought Pearl Jam is a bit overrated but it’s hard not to give this album a 5
Pearl Jam is a bit overrated, here in NZ I associate them with steak and potato dudes who drink Woodstock excessively and listen to The Rock FM all the time while hooning in their big utes. This is the one album of theirs that is a must listen and admittedly it is a really good one (although Vs is good too). Definitely a quintessential grunge album. Big riffs, rhythm section is tight and relentless. Eddie Vedder’s vocal is a love it or hate it affair, but I quite like it. Favourites are: Black (first song I ever learned on guitar), Once, Even Flow (great solo at the end), Alive, Jeremy.
I don't feel the love. Vedder doesn't do it for me like Cornell or Cobain. The rock guitar is fine. Hive me Nirvana
The high-water mark for grunge, in one's view, with "Black" being the most emotionally susbstantive and resonant song in all that genre (which isn't exactly saying a lot, given the historical perspective). That cut's raw sincerity (and heartbreak [and courage from sad questioning in face of same]) retains its full power today. The supporting cuts include several top-notch cuts (which are too well known to bother naming). However it seems clear now that this was borderline music for muscleheads, in a way, punky/skateboardy kids from (relatively) prosperous suburbs, most likely with permissive parents who were down with long hair and maybe a few tattoos and certainly t-shirts with sleeves torn off and wearing hats backward. If ‘70s arena rock was bloated and gouty, as if it were a non-fit person who never went to the gym, then grunge came to be like dudes who went to the gym too often (after giving up booze, say), and were a bit too bowed out, a bit too angry and ready to assert machismo, maybe even took steroids and so got too rigid/inflexible (which might be this record's one and primary weakness). Vedder's vocal style is at once iconic and caricature-ish; one feels some pain in listening to him sing, actually, but it's amazing what he yields from the instrument, which is truly distinguished and a signature voice / style in all the r&r canon (i.e., not just grunge). the ‘90s were mostly all downhill after this, through one can make a case that the '90s mostly went downhill from here, though one is tempted to argue that Vs. might actually be a touch better, because variety and slightly looser/funner feel.
Great album. Enjoy this album every time I listen.
This album is undoubtedly my favourite of all-time. I love each and every single track and the way the album flows from start to finish is absolutely perfect. I wondered how I would find it in comparison to listening to so many other albums but that only reinforces my opinion. Rating: 6/5
Another one of those albums from my formative years (along with ‘Nevermind’) that I listened to over and over again. An incredible debut. Pearl Jam went on to do great things and are one of the great rock bands of all time, but their sound was never this polished again. They lean heavily into classic 70s rock on ‘Ten’, but with lyrics that speak to the times this was released, and which are still relevant today. It’s just a timeless record that has not dated. A ‘yin’ to ‘Nevermind’s’ ‘yang’ that is as just as good and with a legacy just as enduring.
4.6
One of my favorite albums of all time. Absolutely classic.
EEEVEEEN FLOOOOOOW! Great album. Guys voice is borderline cheesey, but still cool to me. It's like a unique type of grunge, that has some classic rock left in it
shite
Hell yeah! Cool album.
"Alive", "Even Flow", and "Jeremy"
Mehhhhhhhh would’ve been better if Vedder were a woman.
Twas not what I expected at all, but was presently surprised
Always great. Solid.
Rarely does one think, this album was a key driver in a seismic shift in music that helped set the tone for the decade. With 4 solid bangers that were major milestones on the soundtrack of the early 90’s, it’s hard to think about going less than a full boat of stars here. The full album plays well also, finishing strong with “Release” ( at least the first half).
To quote the song “Jeremy”, this album continues to “hit me with a surprise left” every time I listen to it. While understandably linked to Nirvana due to release date proximity and being part of the Seattle sound blender, it really isn’t a grunge album at all. Just a really good hard rock sound that still presents new nugget discoveries each time listening. I always thought it was cool too that this time for the band also has some interesting Dallas/North Texas ties with drummers that joined them just after the Ten sessions: both Matt Chamberlain (New Bohemians) and Dave Abbruzzee (Course of Empire). 1991 was a major year for releases that also included Soundgarden, Dinosaur Jr. and Screaming Trees among so many others. In the end, seems kinda silly to even question Ten’s well-deserved top star rating given its influence and staying power.
I think you’ll rightfully, and righteously, find this on most people’s Mount Rushmore’s of 90’s records. It’s there for me, and a pretty simple 5.
Love this front to back. An absolute monster of an album with so many great songs. ‘91 was a great year for the rock music and this certainly helped define my musical tastes. Do yourself a favor and go check out Pearl Jam’s unplugged on the YouTubes.
In hindsight I feel a little silly for even considering anything less than a 5 for this album. Crazy that Ten and Nevermind were released within a month of each other. Ten doesn’t rise to the level of Nevermind but still an amazing accomplishment. All killer and no filler on this album. 4.5/5
8.5/10! When it comes to grunge I usually listen to Alice In Chains and Smashing Pumpkins, I never really listened to Pearl Jam. After listening to this album it made me realize how important they are to the genre and how great their sound is. This album was a great listen and I would totally get a cd of this to listen to in the car :)
First listen. Ok.
Although I do prefer the follow up album, Vs. Ten is a great record. It has so many great songs on it like Even Flow, Alive, Black, Jeremy, Oceans etc..
In my top 5 albums, I still get goosebumps when those opening bars kick in - and Jeremy still gets me right in the feels. As close to perfection as you can get
One of my favourite albums of all time. Opening 3 tracks are outstanding, a slight lull with Why Go, but then side 1 closes with 2 incredibly powerful songs in Black and Jeremy. My only criticism would be that side 2 doesn't match up to side 1 in overall quality but when side 1 is that good.....
Nuff said
One of the best albums to come out of the grunge scene. Some of the tracks still hit hard (Jeremy, Black). It’s been on rotation in my collection for over 30 years now.
Come on, with songs like Even Flow and Jeremy on the same album, how is it not going to be a banger? 10 was the first album to come following the dissolution of the band Mother Love Bone, which retained its bassist (Jeff Ament), and guitarist (Stone Gossard). With the inclusion of a new guitarist (Mike McCready), the trio wrote a 5 song instrumental jam demo, and soon found their singer (Eddie Vedder) and drummer (Dave Krusen) who provided their respective and iconic parts on the album. Vedder’s vocals are definitely one of a kind. The band originates from Seattle Washington, but something about their style, and maybe specifically Vedder’s singing draws the picture of a very woodsy, midwest rock sound. Released in 1991, the album sounds very much of its time. The grunginess of their music pairs well with the grunge scene around them (Nirvana and Alice in Chains). The guitars hit even harder during the solos when that wah pedal is activated. Listening to the album makes me want to drive a beat up truck at 5 in the morning towards my job in a factory in the middle of a forest where an accident happens once a month wearing a construction hat and huge thick flannel sweater.
Love this album - was really nice to listen to it again. I was way more into Pearl Jam than Nirvana. This CD basically had a permanent position in my Aiwa 3-disc changer. Was one of the best debut albums of the early 90s and still holds up today. All great, no filler songs (except maybe the final track is a bit too long). 4.5⭐️
It's a good record and a nice alternative to some of the other "grunge" bands of this era. Conversely, I like most of those other bands better. They've got a bit more hair in the mix, not as clean, not as straightforward. Eddie has a distinct voice which you either like or you don't... it spawned a lot of imitators. Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains... I'd rather listen to any of these, but that doesn't make this record bad.
I couldn't do it to myself sorry
Would it get a 5* review if it wasn’t Nirvana. Good question but academic.
This is a great album, but actually not as good as my memory of it… This seems strange to me as so far my memories of the albums up to this point are generally better than the re-listens. Maybe the four hits (Black included) on Ten have carried it on in my mind through the years? Not sure, but either way it rates (4.4*s) I always thought it was titled Ten because it had 10 songs. Turns out there’s 11. Feel free to explain. One other minor point; I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Pearl Jam song that is not off this album. Also explain that… (One album wonders?)
Good god '91 was amazing year for music (Nevermind a month later!). This album is another iconic one of the decade and ranks of one of the greatest of all time. Side A is stronger than Side B but there really is not a bad song throughout. Practically a greatest hits album. "Jeremy" topping for major impact it had and it being the most put together, story teller with Vedder at his pinnacle performance. The band certainly made the right move in having him audition. His voice is so strong it outdoes the background and acts as its own instrument. No need for shredding guitar solos...Eddie slays. The album even has intro/outro "secret" tracks that perfectly box it up into an epic, musical timescape. This one will be on lists forever...they do know Ten has 11 tracks though right?...4.3.
An all-time great album. Pearl Jam came out of the gates with Ten that is absolutely loaded front-to-back. The guitar, bass and drumwork are solid and varied throughout the album. Eddie's puts on one of the best vocal performances ever. The sound is the perfect level of grunge rock that really strikes a chord and resonates for me. I know a handful of other albums typically get the nod elsewhere (Nevermind), but this is the seminal album of the 90's for me. I pretty much love it from start to finish, and it doesn't hurt that my namesake is one of the highlights of an otherwise incredible album. 4.5 stars
Amazing lyrics. Release is an amazing song
Great album! Big fan
Clearly a classic
Just a great collection of songs.
Vedder vocals are the epitome of 90s rock/alternative. Guitarist Mike McCready really pulls some awesome riffs and solos throughout the album. All in all decent listen.
Not bad
Rating: 9.5/10 One of the best rock debuts of all time. First half is legendary, it contains some of the best songs of the 90s. Second half falls off a bit but is still great. The choruses, singing, and riffs are fantastic throughout. Loved the warm guitar tones and production. Favorite songs: pretty much all of them. Least favorite song: Deep.
1. once - 1 2. flouu - 1.5 3. alive - 1.5 4. go - 1 5. black - 2 6. jeremy - 1 7. oceanz - 1 8. porch - 1 9. garden - 1.5 10. deep - 1 11. releaze - 1.5
I’ve had this album for 30 years and I haven’t listened to it in at least 25 years. The songs I like the most are the ones that are played on the radio the most. I’ve always felt that Pearl Jam weren’t really a grunge band but more of a standard rovk band. After this album they got much softer. Some of these songs feel like leftover Green River and Mother Love Bone but with a worse singer. I prefer the nasal , wild delivery of Mark Arm over Eddie Vedded but sales show that I’m in the minority. Evenflow, Alive and Black are great, powerful rock songs and Jeremy tells a sad, creepy story that is the template for so many other teenage pain songs. Nothing on this listen made me want to revisit Pearl Jam but I can’t deny the impact of the album.
The guy that used to hit me listened to this….
klasik
..
I probably listened to Ten at some point back when it came out, but it didn't leave any lasting memory. I do like Jeremy and Alive, but they're not enough to carry the whole album, and it all got a bit dull by the end. I thought this would be an easy 5 stars, but it turned out to be a damp squib 3.
already in my library :-) 4
https://youtu.be/7g5jjCEVxRY
Maybe my problem's just that I've heard Nirvana and NEVERMIND too much. That's not to imply right out the gate that I disliked TEN; far from it. For as dark as it can and does get lyrically, this thing rocks to hell and back. Goodness, "alive" is downright anthemic despite what it's **actually** about. Then there's Vedder's voice. I know, especially from a lot of the reviews I skimmed here, how much of a sticking point it can be for people. Either they've heard one too many bad imitations, or maybe they just don't like it... For my money, however, I can't imagine these songs without it. Vedder's voice, even after all of the copycats, is still unique, and it's damned **impassioned** as he sings. In short: yes, I like it. So what's with that sentence at the top, then? The heck do I mean by that? Very basically, it's just that for much as I accept it as one of **the** defining albums of the grunge and alt rock movement of the 90's... I'unno, it just doesn't sound very grunge to me? Alt rock, for sure, but when it comes to grunge, NEVERMIND has always been my benchmark. "In Bloom", "Come As You Are", "Breed", "Territorial Pissing"... **That's** grunge to me. Maybe it's because Nirvana takes so many cues from punk, whereas Pearl Jam, as I've read it, sounds way more classic rock. And maybe if I'd spent years listening to TEN I'd feel the opposite way. Either way, ultimately, despite the fact that the sentiment's my opening sentence, it doesn't really matter too much to me. Both albums are incredible, front to back. I don't think grunge could've gotten two better albums to get launched by. And for me, it's the fact that it lives up to its reputation that bumps it up that extra point from a 4 to a 5. S'only fair if I've also given NEVERMIND a 5.
This album's reputation is not entirely unwarranted, because this is an absolute powerhouse in the Grunge genre, alongside the likes of Nevermind and Superunknown. Very easy 5 to give.
I’m at a very very easy 10. (No pun intended.) I’ll try my hardest to not make any direct comparisons to Nevermind, but let’s be clear; these albums are effectively the Pokemon Red & Blue of Seattle grunge, down to the damn colors of the album covers. You cannot go wrong either way, and comparing the two serves almost no purpose. They’re distinctly different, and it really just comes down to which one you prefer, and I enjoyed them basically equally (with just a slightly biased edge toward Nevermind, based on familiarity). The only thing I really knew from Pearl Jam was Even Flow – I think most people have probably heard Even Flow, whether it’s from all the videos mocking the indiscernible lyrics, or as just a straight up banger of a track. It’s an all-timer, but I think I’m glad that it was out of the way early on this album, because it gave so much room for so many of these other spectacular tracks to breathe and have their own space. I truly do not think there is a single bad track here – between the rocking instrumentation, Eddie Vedder’s slightly coarse but controlled vocals, and the excellent writing that evokes some level of imagery and emotion on almost every track, this album swings for the fences and ends up hitting the damn Moon. It is a knockout shot of a debut album, with maybe one or two “lesser” tracks that are still great to listen to. It’s definitely more loaded towards the front and the middle, but I think Release is an incredible closing track. I really don’t have the words to wax poetic about this – other people will have other platitudes to say that will better capture my mood after listening, but I just thought this was great. Very deserving of all the acclaim it gets, very deserving of being on the list, and I’m just glad I finally had an excuse to listen to it. That’s a really captivating 53 minutes, and so very deserving of a 5. Definitely a 10/10.
This is some good stuff
not exactly my speed
Some good stuff but didn’t blow my mind
Never been a Pearl Jam hater but don't really seek them out either. This is a good record though
I never really got into Pearl Jam at the time. I fear it might be a bit too late for me now. I recognised a fair few songs - the singles I guess - but wasn’t too into the album tracks. I’m not hugely into Eddie Vedder’s voice. Musically there’s some good stuff to enjoy. I dunno. It’s alright!
Ten out of Ten…
My younger self would have given this five stars. Guess I don't need that much shoe gazing in my life now
Jeremy is an all timer
6/10. It was ok. A few didn’t hit for me at all, and it got a bit repetitive. Put Alive on the playlist for representation.
Listened to this kids while growing up, still prefer vs. Really like Black, porch and release
First time ever listening to Pearl Jam. I’m going to add this album to my favorites overall.
my friday historic streaks continues. at one point I would tell you this was my favorite album ever. it's still a top album for me and will forever hold a place in my heart
öncelikle kaykay yapan isa bunu bi not olarak bırakmam lazım. ikinci olarak en sevdiğim albümlerden biridir kendisi baya olay bi albüm özellikle even flow ve black baya iyi ki black sözleri ztn yeterli ne kdr sözleri o kdr önemsemeyen biri olsam da sonracığıma da yani 0 skips ztn fav albümlerimden biri abi ve gitara başladığımda çaldığım ilk şarkılardan biri alive'dı o yüzden ayrı bi yeri var o şarkının bana bi de baya nostaljik geldi bayadır dinlemiyodum bu albümü güzel hoş abi 10/10
This album feels like when you've reached that highest hubristic level of drunk right before your good night turns into a bad night. It feels like a manic episode. It feels both timeless and fresh. Some might call it front-loaded; I think the front is just more hook-laden and the back is more groove-laden.
I’ve always hated Pearl Jam but don’t think I’ve ever listened to this album all through. It has all the elements I remember: terrible irritating singing, annoying wah wah guitar, predictable builds, half time ride drums, …. The snare drum is so bad. Alive had some promise but the verse starts and Eddie’s pronunciation of Daddy killed it. Boring guitar solo - way too long - doing the same thing over and over. What is with the wah wah?!? Why go? Sounds just like Evenflow but somehow worse. Right and left channel guitars must be the 2 guitarists. Telephone effect at the beginning of Black - why was this a thing? I can see this being a favourite at festivals. Best one so far but not saying much. He finally holds what sounds like a nice long note and then ruins it at the end with a “yeah ha!” Can’t believe how well I know Jeremy after all these years. I guess that says something. Well crafted song but they drag it out too much with the “hoo hoo hoo” stuff. I guess Jeff Buckley was a fan of Oceans. The flanger vocal is horrible. Sometimes the lyrics sound like something from the rhcp especially on Porch. This B side is very lacklustre so far. Deep sounds like it was just jammed out in the studio. Oh god is Release their Indian phase in a song? Raga esque in the cheapest way possible. Is the last song a hidden track? Revisiting the first song? Oof…this whole B side is throw away - should have just had an EP with side A
Be 7 at a family cook out in late july. Your uncle is drunk, sitting in a fishing chair, rambling about his high school football career and life before his wife left him. you feel uncomfortable, yet obligated to stay as a single, glorious tear rolls down his cheek.
It was a nice album to listen to while working. I definitely knew a few songs.
Sehr gut
Best of the era.
Led Zeppelin is to Aerosmith as Nirvana is to Pearl Jam. You can like both but if you even for a second think they are in the same league, you're outta your mind. I'm impressed that I recognize so many of these songs, especially since prior to today I think I've only heard enough of them to recognize it and change the station...not my bag, sorry!
I know I'm horribly biased, having grown up in Seattle in the midst of the explosion of Nirvana, Soundgarten, Pearl Jam and others, but I can't help but revere this album and all the memories associated with it. (One of the odder memories is becoming the owner of this CD when I borrowed it in college to listen to, but somehow left it on the dinner tray in the dining hall, and while I eventually recovered it, the disc insert was hopelessly soiled and warped, and so had to buy another copy of it for my friend. The CD still played just fine, though, and has been played many many times.) I'd be hard pressed to identify any songs I didn't like on this album, although "Oceans" isn't one of my favorites, and the album kind of loses its edge a bit towards the end. They put on a great show at Lollapalooza the year I saw them (1992, the same year as the album), and I've always been impressed by the whole band's dedication to playing great shows and to their fans. (I've also admired how they did their best as long as they could to avoid the Ticketmaster stadium price-gouging.) I've never seen any of the videos from this album until now, and I loved seeing that the video to "Even Flow" was filmed in a great historic theater in Seattle, Moore Theater; although I never saw them play in Seattle, I remember going to the Moore Theater as a teenager to be a crowd extra for a Queensryche music video. And not having seen the videos, I also was unaware of the bizarre story of the "Jeremy" video having had the gun suicide edited out when it first appeared, and only *un*censored a few years ago. I'm disappointed, but all that surprised, to see that this is the only Pearl Jam album we'll get in this collection. They deserve more ears than just one album, frankly.
Eddie Vedder has a great voice and Pearl Jam has a distinctive sound but they don't resonate with me. The only stuff I associate with them that I've listened to a few times is the soundtrack to Into the Wild, which Vedder did and is really nice.
Meh
The music is pretty good, but the vocals are just trash. If you want to hear this style of vocal done well, listen to Layne Staley.
Classic, more of a Nirvan person. No bad songs.
Impeccable.
The greatest album of the grunge era. Has aged better than fine wine. All hits, made me a fan of the scene and a die hard pearl jam fan. This is a perfect album that all humans must listen to and own. Its a rite of passage
i liked the majority of this actually, some of the songs were stand alone great and this album prompted me to finally create the 1001 playlist i wanted of all the songs i liked from this project that i didn’t already know, so well done Pearl jam. i would listen to quite a lot of the songs singularly but i doubt i’ll listen to the whole album again.
This is an album I heard so many times back in the 90s that it’s become tough to stick with it from beginning to end without getting bored and turning it off. That said, I can’t deny the influence it had and how groundbreaking it was for its time. When it came out, it was like nothing else out there—a real breath of fresh air. Although I’m burned out on it now and it lacks the appeal it once had, I have to admit that there was a time when I listened to this album regularly.
9/10
Grunge era favourite. I never listened to it at the time so perhaps able to hear it now without rose tinted nostalgia lenses on. It’s a surprisingly finely crafted album. It’s more classic rock with grunge overtones than say mudhoney, l7, screaming trees or tad. Not sure I really love Eddie Vedder’s vocal style though (sorry not sorry)
its that one 90s album they are right it is pretty cool. why did they call their first album ten?
I used to say I don't like grunge. Now I say that I really like grunge, I just hate Nirvana.
peaaarrrllll jamming 4/5
good good!
Yes
4 good songs surrounded by a sea of crap Even Flow Alive Black Jeremy
никогда не всасывал гранж по достоинству, может по нирване сужу. тут троечку накину т.к эти ребята по интереснее будут куртки
Wow - One of the beginnings of grunge!
Pearl Jam is one of my favorites, so this is an easy 5 for me. Not their best IMO, but still great and likely fits best into the "mandatory listening" spot. The album is full of amazing songs, but Black is probably my standout favorite, followed by Porch and Garden.
Although "Even Flow" for me is one of the key songs I identify with Alternative Rock the album is at best okaish.
I can't get past Eddie Vedder's voice, which though not a _bad_ voice per se, is one that is absolutely not to my taste. This drags an album which would have been a three (or even possibly a four) down to a two for me.
Another group I heard of.
Always a great album to listen to - I'd give 5 stars for Jeremy
Ten is a towering debut — raw, passionate, and bursting with emotional weight. Born from the ashes of Mother Love Bone and the tragic death of Andy Wood, Pearl Jam emerged with something to prove and everything to feel. Stone Gossard’s songwriting forms the backbone of the album, anchoring it with powerful riffs and deeply personal themes, while Eddie Vedder’s voice — wounded, searching, and full of conviction — gives it soul. Standout tracks like “Once,” “Alive,” and “Jeremy” showcase the band’s ability to balance fury with melody, tackling trauma, identity, and alienation without ever slipping into pretense. But “Black” is the true heart of the album — a devastating, beautiful slow burn that builds to one of the most emotionally resonant moments in all of rock. When Vedder delivers the line, “I know you'll be the sun in someone else's sky, but why can't it be mine?” it’s not just heartbreaking — it’s unforgettable. Ten is more than just a great grunge record; it’s a statement of survival, grief, and defiance. It’s the sound of a band coming together in the shadow of loss and turning pain into something transcendent. Still hits just as hard today. Favorite song: Black
Gema
not bad but boring
Very good
Already in my top 3 albums. Pretty much perfect from my perspective.
No matter how much I loved the grunge era at the time, this is the one band I really couldn’t and can’t get on with. They are just less overtly riffy than their peers (not a good thing for my tastes), and Vedder’s vocals I just find a tone and style which makes me feel miserable. So while it’s not awful at all, I also get no joy from listening to it. Would be a 2, but I did see them live last year and that was way better than I was expecting. So let’s give a generous bonus point.
Perfectly okay. In one ear and out the other.
Okayish
Lead singers voice is so good and really works with the music. Guitar work is great. I'll listen to this again.
I'm a huge fan of angsty 90s rock. And this CD would be on Mt. Rushmore for that style (along with Nevermind, Dirt and Superunknown). Of those four though, it's probably the weakest, and there's a handful of other less-canonical CDs from the era that I also prefer. Starting with the CD itself, the real problem is that it gets very weak down the stretch. Really only the first three songs are good rockers (and boy are they good). But after that it declines steadily, and beyond "Jeremy" it straight falls off a cliff. The last four minutes of "Release" kind of get a pass (CDs where the end loops back into the beginning are just cool), but even absent that, there's a lot of C-grade material on the back half. Of the two endlessly-radio-repeated ballads, "Jeremy" is quite strong but "Black" is really just OK. So that's four really solid songs for about 20 minutes of runtime on a close to one-hour CD. What makes "Once" and "Even Flow" work so well is the frenetic energy imported from Mother Love Bone, it's the same formula that makes "This is Shangri La" work so well. Even by "Alive" though they've mostly dropped that, as if the two MLB guys brought those two songs with them and the rest were wannabe 70s anthems written by Vedder. And this does seem like a bit of a 70s arena rock retread. Of the big Seattle four, Pearl Jam clearly took the most influence from those guys (as opposed to AIC and Soundgarden from metal and Nirvana from punk). They're heavy on huge singalong anthems for their choruses, big finishes (as if they were playing live) and endless riffing. Those tendencies, those influences, and the fact that Vedder (unlike Cornell or the duo of Staley and Cantrell) has a very middle-range and easily imitable voice has meant that Pearl Jam has spawned the most wretched array of imitators, basically a whole genre of crap (see e.g. Nickleback, Shinedown). That's not their fault, but I think this one gets way more credit than it's due.
MEJOR ALBUM EN LA HISTORIA
I was 13 when this came out, so of course this has a huge impact on me, but it still stacks up.
It is the ideal ‘Hell Yeah, Brother!’ Album and it’s great. Then the last song is like some shit outta a Bowie album. 8/10
Solide
That was class. Didn’t know what he was saying but it sounded class
4 side a would be one of the greatest albums ever but side b is a little week
Legendary album, it always blows me away how good the first half of it is. This is my third or fourth time listening to it this year.
Groundbreaking and it holds up so well!
High four, not quite a five
I’d been meaning to listen to this album for a while but I’m very glad I now have as I liked it very much
One of the best. I love this album.
every single track on this bad boy
3.5/5 stars
Noteworthy songs - 808080808 Magical Dream - Kinda catchy synth, but the rest is bland. Ancodia - Good background noise. Cobra Bora - Actually kind of cool, reminds me of Bomberman Hero. Pacific 202 - N64 vibes, but melody isn't great. Donkey Doctor - Nothing too special, weird ending. 808080808 - Really cool beginning. A little slow in the middle but stays interesting enough. Sunrise - Nothing remarkable. The Fat Shadow - Eerie. Very short.
Good album, favorite songs were Black and Even Flow. Did get tired of the voice after a while but it’s cool. Good guitar. 3.5
Misleading title
See album title for rating
En af de albums som jeg har hørt alle numre fra, dog spredt ud over en del år. Introduceret for mig igennem P6 Beat. Fungere virkelig godt i en sammenhæng også. Hørt 2.5 gange. Lyt nu bare til den igen.
Once Evenflow Alive Så er man ligesom igang! Men Pearl Jam fortsætter med den forrygende fortælling om pigen på der psykiatriske sengeafsnit der skærer beskeder til kommende indlagte, så de ikke føler sig lige så ensomme som hende selv. Eddie Vedder har på debutten skabt fortællinger om alt fra sindslidelser til incest, voldtægt, skoleskyderrier og selvfølgelig lost love. Det meste skriges intenst ud akkompagneret af fræsende guitar og bragende trommer, men det bliver også afløst af fintfølende ømhed, særligt i kærlighedserklæringen til de bølger han surfer på den smukke Oceans
Pearl Jam's debut is without a doubt a landmark album in grunge, as it served as the main blueprint for the terrible post-grunge bands that started appearing later in the decade. Thankfully it is way better than any of them. Key tracks: Once Even Flow Alive Black Jeremy
It's fine. 3
I'm a 43 year old man, of course I love this album. Nirvana was always my favorite, but Pearl Jam was excellent as well, and this album combines the best of their songwriting with a love of 70s rock, sludge and a tiny bit of punk rock (surprisingly, they got punkier later). An essential album.
Best Song: Black. Lyrically by far the best on the album. Close second to the brilliant follow-up in Jeremy. Worst Song: Release. A fine song with an unnecessary 4 minutes of underwater noise appended to it. Overall: Up there with the best that grunge has to offer. I was obviously familiar with the hits, but even the B-sides were really good. The whole albumalso has an introspective, self-aware quality that I feel is missing from a lot of grunge music. Much of grunge is about a frustration with living in a seemingly uncaring and insincere society, but I feel like Pearl Jam is one of the few bands that ever looks at the other side of that disharmony. They have the humility to ask whether we (the grunge audience) have our own failures to blame for contributing to this incompatibility.
Buen álbum de grunge 100% noventero. La primera mitad del álbum es un temazo tras temazo, la 2° mitad flojea un poco y baja la calidad de las canciones, para terminar con una inentendible canción de 9 minutos ¿?. Los mejores temas: los clásicos de toda la vida, aunque sea un cliché Black es el mejor tema del álbum junto con Porch (mi favorita del disco). Rescato Once que es una gran forma de abrir el LP. Mi menos fav: Release. Nota final: 7/10
Another one of these that I am not sure I need to listen to. This is in regular rotation. Great debut album that helped keep hard rock alive. Yes hard rock. Not that terrible grunge term. Only thing wrong with Pearl Jam is the political pushing they do. One of my favorite live acts.
I just find these 90's sterotypical rock albums so yawn-inducing and soulless. Always have. It just isn't for me.
One of the greatest debut albums of all time. Just phenomenal. Nothing more to add.
A boring album with an even more boring singer. Black was a decent song
Heard a few of the iconic songs on here as they're almost universal at this point. Aware of the semi-groundbreaking nature of this album but first time hearing it front to back. I understand some of the criticisms of the samey-ness of the sounds and vocals but I really dig it. Lives up to the hype imo
One of my favorite albums of the 90s
🤷♂️
Partly heard before Saved 9/11 Top track: Even Flow
I enjoyed it that’s my note
Magnificent. Can't fault it.
Good Stuff
No me gusta ni un poco, dos temas pude escuchar
While Eddie Vedder’s voice is obviously distinctive, I didn’t find it particularly enjoyable to listen to… Didn’t particularly love any of the songs, but in fairness I didn’t hate any either. For me the best track is ‘Porch’
Listening to this mediocrity raises the question: Why aren't I just listening to Soundgarden?
Very good album.
They can’t all be perfect. Today, however, I guess I’m just lucky. I have loved this album longer than I know. Hit after hit after hit. Hits with substance, hits with original writing and unique instrumentation. Hits that stick with you even after they stop playing them on the radio. Eddie’s vocals set the band apart from their contemporary grunge artists, who were already being set apart. Everything about this album is so damn iconic. It’s nearly perfect, if not, perfect. Ten/10
Obviously an all time great
I think my musical tastes have changed a lot from when I first heard this album. The headline tracks (Jeremy, Alive, Even Flow and Black) are still really good and the rest of the album is much better than I remembered.
Amazing album. Once, even flow, alive, Jeremy, garden
Undoubtedly one of the most overrated albums ever. Don't get me wrong, it is a good album with a lot of influence that it had on Grunge but the praise it still gets more than 30 years later while having aged not really well nor bad baffles me as a lot of the songs are very average and just even out due a couple of really great songs. 'Once' opens the album with a somber guitar that transitions into a very Hard Rock instrumental and like most of the album you understand a bit of what is sung but ultimately have no clue of what's going on. And I don't think that it's a bad thing. It adds a uniqueness to it that makes Pearl Jam a very differentiable act. The song itself is pretty good and the chorus is pretty nice although the work around the chorus is improvable. The legendary 'Even Flow' follows and is without a doubt one of the best songs on here. For me the song just has a very even flow (sry) as it keeps steady and keeps me interested even when the chorus isn't there. My only criticism is that the guitar solo and the bridge at the halfway mark weren't really needed and just streches the song unnecessarily. The greatness stays with 'Alive', another very widely known track that brings in much more emotional depth instead of having the classic "rock to it" attitude. And while that makes it one of the most interesting and gripping moments on the album, I do think that they could've done a little bit more in terms of making it a more emotional listen than it already is. But the final guitar solo is one of if not the best on the album. 'Why Go' follows with a very overblown vocal delivery that just does not work in the way it is mostly performed. I do not care for it most of the time although the chorus is pretty neat once it starts. While it also feels a little overblown at the start, once 'Black' reaches the climax with the piano it does make a pretty deeply touching song and the guitar solo the second time just adds even more. I just think that another band could've made the song into MUCH more than it came out here. Still a great piece. 'Jeremy' is another one of the widely known songs this album offers. And it is in my opinion the worst one so far. It isn't a bad song but it fails to hook with the hook, to make me emotional with the performance or interested in anything they do on here. It's there and has some neat moments but ultimately fails to make anything noteworthy. The second half starts with 'Oceans' and it has a similar problem to 'Jeremy' as the song does not appeal to me in any way. Only that I here feel like they had a much bigger intention and ambition that in the end couldn't be fully implemented. 'Porch' is much better but I still don't care much for it. I don't have much to say about it except that I do not mind the song but it isn't as interesting as most previous stuff. The next song 'Garden' is much better though. The early appearing chorus and the the strong difference between the loud and noisy chorus and the slower and quieter verses work really well and make this another more emotional cut on the album and easily my favourite on this half of the album and the album in general. But the momentum isn't held as 'Deep' is another rather forgettable song. The vocal performance on the chorus is pretty strong though. 'Release' is conceptually a very different song as the song itself is with over 6 minutes the longest but includes a "hidden track" at the end called 'Master / Slave'. 'Release itself is actually pretty good in the way it adds a lot of characteristics of Post-Punk and builds up pretty nicely. It's just that the tension build doesn't release into anything worthy. The chorus is very basic and the way it vocally goes into that is even more average. Having just the influences from another genre and a bigger length doesn't make it as great as it could've been. The ominous ending that is 'Master / Slave' is pretty great in comparison and makes it ultimately a track worthy of being here. favourites: Garden, Alive, Even Flow, Black least favourites: Oceans, Porch, Deep Rating: decent 7 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes
I can see how this became the bridge between classic rock and grunge. I don't think it's particularly ground breakinf and I miss the anger and sludge that grunge brought, but it's a perfectly serviceable rock album with some good tunes.
Not likely to just throw it in but there’s cool moments.
peak rock 5/5
Loved this a lot!
Leaving Brother and State of Love and Trust on the cutting room floor remains inexcusable, but just about everything prior to "Release" is a firecracker.
In my review for Nevermind, I said it didn't feel like the "big bang of grunge". This does, almost literally: everything is loud and the songwriting especially is epic. There's a reason why a good Eddie Vedder impression will make anyone laugh, but it wouldn't have been so omnipresent or so representative of a certain type of emoting if it didn't sell the hell out of these songs or if it wasn't just the cherry on top of everything else clicking into place. Fuck it...
This was always my favorite "grunge" album from the Seattle 4. Not really a weak song on here though they are all kinda samey.
this band still just really doesn't do it for me but I have a little more appreciation after a full listen
Nuff said here I suppose. Just remember this was a true debut album, not first big record. Could this be the best debut ever in rock? Rivaled by Boston, and who else? Doors, Sabbath, Hendrix, it's a short list
Eddie Vedder's grunge vocals over well done hard rocking instrumentals. There's a reason Pearl Jam is still around, and that reason is craftsmanship. Even if you don't care for the style, you have to appreciate the quality
Very hip album. Enjoyed it a lot.
- I'm sticking with my original assessment of this band: Most Overrated Band of the 1990's. -
The soundtrack to the radio station of my teenage years, 100.7 Sea FM. The singles are great but I don’t care much for the non-singles.
Even Flow Alive Black Jeremy
This is one of the first albums I remember listening to as a child and it shaped my taste in music moving forward. I had not listened to it in quite a while and it was fun to spin it again and remember why I started listening to rock music in the first place. Highly recommended album.
I used to absolutely love this. Doesn't hold up for me.
Obviously this is an incredible album. 10/10 songwriting. We love to see it.
Excellent album. This has such a nostalgia factor for me as my sister had this CD in her car when I was in middle school. A lot of great, classic songs on this album with a few lesser tracks. This is "grunge" but really just a great rock album and an awesome debut. *****
Eddie kaspbrak would like this
eh it’s fine
somehow probably the most difficult record so far to write Thoughts about. certainly harder then nevermind! i enjoy it even more tho...maybe not by the same margin i once did but pearl jam's hyper-melodic, soulful niche within grunge has always been appealing to me. the big singles are some of the most consistently enjoyable songs im forced to hear at work and sound even better in actual headphones and not fast food speakers...gotta be one of the most lushly produced rock records of the grunge era, and one of the more genuinely beautiful and emotive rock records of the 90s generally. not a huge personal favorite or anything but it was an instant surge of delight to roll this one
This album is a lot of things. It’s one of the great American rock records. It’s arguably the best album of the grudge movement. It’s got one of the best three-song runs on any album ever made (Once->Even Flow->Alive… are you kidding me). It has 5 songs that would be the best song on almost any other album (the three mentioned plus Black and Jeremy). It’s an album called Ten with eleven songs. Arguably Pearl Jam’s masterpiece (Vs. will get arguments from hardcore fans), it’s an easy five star album even if the back half falls just short of the impossible heights of the first half. Pearl Jam is one of the great American bands and this is their greatest moment unless you are lucky to catch one of their stellar live shows.
It was alright. The thing is, it wasn't bad at all on paper and listening to it, I just didn't enjoy it that much really. I really like the song black, which did get added to liked songs, but really there wasn't much appeal. If I was forced to never listen to it again, I wouldn't bat an eyelid to be honest. (2.5 stars, not as bad as Fiona apple)
This is a fine debut album.
Liked the hits but could do without the rest.
My only real knowledge of Pearl Jam was that “Even Flow” was in Guitar Hero 3, and it was super fun to play. I imagine a lot of people my age had a similar experience being introduced to Pearl Jam. So that was a nice throwback. I really enjoyed this album, honestly. Some tracks are a bit long but they don’t overstay their welcome. Eddie’s voice is amazing, and it seems like he can do a whole lot with it. The screams are undeniable. Each song comes at you hard and fast, and stays there. The stakes are high, the songs are serious and meaningful, but not in a way that tired me out. It’s easy to see how this album was influential. I hear a lot of later 90’s and 2000’s rock here, both in bands I like and bands I don’t. That alone gets respect from me. This was cool. Some of the songs do start to sound a little samey here and there, but it’s their debut album so I’ll forgive them a little for that. I don’t know of any other Pearl Jam albums or if they’d be part of this list. I kinda hope they are, but I do get the sense that this is who they are. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Once, Even Flow, Alive, Jeremy, Deep
An epic album, an epic debut. What else can I say?
Great album!
.;l,. uyykl;/≥ /'/..÷?,.'//. / '/ The one-year-old who's staying with me wrote that. We both dig this album. Perhaps more today even than when it came out. It's gorgeous and poignant.
For whatever reason I never listened to this album in the 90s despite liking the music of the era and having great affinity with the songs "Alive", "Even Flow" and "Jeremy". In 1998 I moved to Seattle and within a few years had finally become made this album's acquaintance lest I be banished from the city. Since then my appreciation of this album has only grown with every listen. Eddie Vedder's voice digs deep into every song and sounds at home on hard rock numbers and lovely ballads. The song's subjects are meaningful narratives dealing with a range of social and personal issues. The top-notch performances swoop and dive through a wide emotional range without ever feeling forced or unnatural. Ten is one of the great pinnacles of its era that draws me back again and again to marvel at its towering presence.
Awesome album!
Wow. I'd partially forgotten this album existed, foolish me. What a fucking debut this is. They captured lightning in a bottle with this, tried getting into other Pearl Jam albums over the years but just never done it for me. Ten is phenomenal however. How can anyone not instantly dig Even Flow on first listen. And the other tracks that then open up on subsequent listens. Best opening 6 tracks of any band ever? Quite possibly. Easy 5*
Reading the lyrics after decades of my own interpretations was an eye-opening experience.
nice listen 4/5
Your response to pearl jam definitely depends on how well you can tolerate Eddie Vedders voice. That being said pearl jam was the radio friendly version of grunge. Pulling more from 70s stadium rock than punk. The hits on here still hit pretty hard. 9/10 a Gen X classic.
More hits than misses
Great grunge sound
From start to finish, it’s amazing, with a heavy, gritty sound that no one else can copy. The guitar riffs are killer, the drums are pounding, and Eddie’s vocals are incredible. Even after all these years, this album still rocks just as hard. Easy 5/5
Ten out of ten for “Ten,” but alas, there are only five available.
I wonder sometimes why they're associated so closely with grunge. They're not nearly so muddy and dark. Their music is emotional and definitely coherent but almost impressionistic, not least because you sometimes have no idea what he's mumbling. Anyway, this is nearly an hour of great riffs and strong writing. The production's a little dated, but there's a remaster from a few years back that just about fixes everything. 4.5 rounded up.
OK
90's alternative / grunge is my music of choice, which is equally due to merit and nostalgia. So off the bat, my rating comes with a bias. I generally put Pearl Jam near the bottom of the list of my favorite bands from this era, I think as a whole they are very overrated. But, the two exceptions to this are their first two albums, Ten and Vs. I tend to think Vs. is a better album as a whole, but the highs on Ten are some of the best songs in the genre. Once, Alive, Black, and Release are among my favorite songs of all time. And, of course, Even Flow and Jeremy are all time classics. My only complaint about this album is it's front heavy, and the B side is weaker by comparison. But overall, an amazing album that lives up to the hype for me.
If only Jeremy was still doing this 1001 albums when this one came up. He’d feel Alive.
It's a 5 from me
I could've sworn I felt it coming in the air tonight 4/5
As a massive Pearl Jam fan, I really like this album and it is what got me into the band. Lots of classic tracks but also a couple of misses
I liked it, but it isn't anything special to me.
It's overplayed, but still a classic
This was better than I remember it. I wasn't expecting to like it at much as I did, but it seemed to hold up pretty well.
Gotta be honest I don’t think I’m a huge Pearl Jam person but it’s time to try something new. I think what I’m learning about myself through this project is that… maybe I don’t like 90s rock that much. Which feels like blasphemy. I do have a lot of respect for the guitar though… the guitar solo on “Alive” really got me. I think I’m giving this a 4 because I appreciate that it is good at what it’s doing.
I might get disowned if I don't give this album a perfect rating.
You could chop an easy 10 minutes of this and make it a better album, but the best tracks are undeniable
Probably my favourite album of all time. Greatest 4 song start to any album and plenty of other belters
Chill rock with a dash of nostalgia.
Duh. Top 10 classic albums of all time. Desert island album for sure.
Good but not fully sold yet
The contradiction of Pearl Jam is that their arrival, along with Nirvana and Alice in Chains and all the brothers-in-arms in grunge, was supposed to herald a new and raw and more authentic brand of rock—and yet this album, even more so than the hordes of hair metal slop being churned out in the late 80s, sounds tailor-made to be blasted over the PA system in your local Home Depot or beer garden. The formula for most of these songs is simple: enough heavy guitar to appeal to the average American macho man, but mild and hook-y enough to serve as inoffensive background music. I would argue Pearl Jam's music, and Ten specifically, became the blueprint for two whole decades of mainstream radio rock, the two decades that completely and utterly killed the format... yes, Pearl Jam fans must confront the uncomfortable reality that there is probably no Nickelback, no Creed, no Hoobastank without this album. Without those bands and their overpoweringly muddy and divisive sound, rock radio stations may never have fallen apart. Based on all this information, you might comfortably assume that the album is trash and it killed an entire genre of music’s mainstream relevance and so it should be hated for generations to come. But the contradiction spreads further and deeper, because you know what? This album really IS good. Like, all-hits-no-misses levels of good. This album's formula works. Pearl Jam knows how to write some melodies, and Eddie Vedder's unconventional wailing and moaning feels like it should be a huge miscue, but instead it suits those melodies perfectly. There really is realness, rawness, and edge here: a song like Jeremy would never have hit the radio before this album dropped, but these guys sell it perfectly. So what do you do with Ten? I would say you can't really blame a band for what record executives and hack imitators choose to do with their style; it would be foolish to blame the Beatles for every two-bit boy band that came in their wake, after all. Still, I don't blame anyone for passing on this one just for how overdone its sound became, and for all it represents. I find it fascinating how you could point to it as the root of rock radio’s demise, but I'm happy to enjoy it for what it is. Best song: Jeremy
Excellent album
My favourite album of 1991, one of the most important years in music history that included (but not limited to) the following albums: Nevermind by Nirvana Achtung Baby by U2 Screamadelica by Primal Scream Loveless by My Bloody Valentine Blood Sugar Sex Magik by Red Hot Chili Peppers The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest Blue Lines by Massive Attack Foxbase Alpha by Saint Etienne Apocalypse 91 by Public Enemy Dangerous by Michael Jackson Black Album by Metallica Out of Time by R.E.M Use Your Illusion I and II by Guns N’ Roses Its just that good. Every song is utterly timeless.
Taken as a whole
The definitive all killer no filler album. Realistically any of these songs could have been a single; the ones they did pick were the best ones though. This album has so many great riffs and vocal melodies, it's hard not to song along to. One of the few albums I think may be perfect.
Such a classic album
Very good
One of the most overrated albums of all time. Many heavy-handed riffs and even more heavy-handed guitar solos. Many useless dirges inside a lot of pointless compositions. Most of the chord progressions in those songs are lazy and predictable, and if Eddie Vedder's public persona suggests he is a good guy, generally speaking, his vocals are unfortunately displaying a lot of hackneyed inflexions. Worse, the sound of this album has aged like milk: the drums have that awful echoey sound only enhancing their one-trick poney nature, the guitar sound as if they were recorded in a bathroom, all wet and with no edge to them, and the mix is terrible -- with Eddie's vocals bobbing up and down the surface for no discernible reason. That such a record manages to almost reach a 4/5 global score on this app defies my imagination defies my imagination. What is wrong with you people? Why can't you hear what's so middle-of-the-road in those songs, and what's so predictable in those tracks? But maybe what I find appalling here are the very virtues nostalgic gen-x listeners find endearing. Waiting to hear what millenials and gen-z music fans have to say about this record. As of now, I haven't heard a single one of them mention it anyway. 1/5 for the purposes of this list of "essential albums" 6/10 for more general purposes (5 for musical competency and commercial success + 1 for the actual artistic flair). Number of albums left to review: 148 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 367 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 216 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 273 (including this one)
If you ever want to understand the grunge movement of the early 90s, this is an important album. It doesn't stand above the rest save for the occasional song pining for the unreachable particularly in "Black" and "Garden". This style allows for Vedder's singing to pop. The energetic songs lack the guitar stying needed for the songs to stand apart. "Release" is unique in its quiet hopefulness and length. I don't know if it's the best song, but the length allows for some transformations and only dips into soppiness for a moment here and there. Okay album.
Very grungey But also boring Didn’t love
Really liked it for awhile, but it got too repetitive
First time I actually listened to Pearl Jam. Enjoyed it.
Absolutely didn’t listen to it.
I'm forever grateful for what Grunge did to all the goofy viking, wizard and pirate metal from dressed up dudes I had regrettably used to... somehow like, before, so I don't even care - all of these albums are 5 stars. And I just had the run from Once to Black on headphones while taking a walk through a nice summer morning, listening to this after a way too long time, which may be two decades, and man. Nostalgia at play here, but: Inject this shit into my veins, ❤. Special mention: Vedder's vocals on Black. He does sometimes sound like a parody of himself, but when he doesn't: another ❤
Bunch of classics that my dad used to play. Don't listen to a lot of rock music but this album isn't too extreme for me to digest.
I swear to goodness, every album so far has been "Oh that's a genre/sound you don't really care for? Listen to one of the progenitor albums!" and it end up making me more open to the idea of exploring further. So it's been a cool exercise in growth but also, it'd be nice if at least one of these was something that really gripped me and flipped me upside down.
Este es uno de esos discos, cuya música nunca había escuchado voluntariamente, pero sin embargo conocía la mayoría de las canciones. Esto habla mucho de la immportancia y vigencia de este. Creo que no volveré a escuchar este disco, no porque no me haya gustado, me gustó, pero no es mi sonido. Si tuviese que mencionar canciones que volvería a escuchar, serían: "Black", "Alive" y "Once". Innegable valor, no mi sonido.
sorry satria but don't even try to tell me this is better grunge music than Nirvana... I'm not the biggest fan of the genre but bands like Nirvana and Alice in Chains impress me, and this isn't bad by any stretch of the imagination, but y'know, it's not my thing... Now that being said it's probably my favourite of the 3 stars I've given out but I can't justify putting it on the same level as the beastie boys album
Grunge at its most commercial and watered down. Just slightly about average because the singles are really good. Besides that, this is really exhausting to get through.
The best
Love this! Generational music...changed the sounds of music.
9/10 Fav track: Alive
À partir de 1991, l'étiquette grunge va coller à la peau de nombreux groupes comme Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Rage Against the Machine et bien entendu Pearl Jam. Concernant Pearl Jam et je vais être clair, au début des années 90, j'étais plus punk que metal donc Nirvana m'a tout de suite beaucoup plus intéressé et j'ai délaissé les autres groupes. Je découvre donc et avec 30 ans de retard, le 1er album de Pearl Jam et je suis, j'avoue déconcerté. Car "Ten", pour ma part fut une expérience schizophrénique qui me pousse à lui attribuer la note la plus sévère, et malgré une reconnaissance intellectuelle de ses qualités. Car si ma tête peut concevoir la puissance de l'oeuvre, mes oreilles, elles, la rejettent en bloc. Soyons clairs d'emblée : je ne nie pas l'évidence. Cet album est une collection de morceaux formidablement bien écrits, dotés d'une énergie brute et d'une efficacité redoutable. Comment ne pas sentir le frisson sur l'introduction de "Once", l'appel à la révolte adolescent de "Jeremy" ou la puissance fédératrice de "Alive" ? Ces chansons sont des monstres de composition, des vagues d'émotions portées par la voix habitée d'un Eddie Vedder au charisme vocal indéniable. On sent le feu, la rage, la tristesse. On perçoit la virtuosité des musiciens, la solidité de la section rythmique et, surtout, les riffs et les soli de guitare de Mike McCready, qui transpirent une maîtrise quasi insolente. Chaque morceau est une cathédrale sonore, bâtie pour traverser le temps et remplir les stades. Et c'est précisément là que le bât blesse, et que mon plaisir s'est transformé en supplice. Car derrière le vernis "alternatif" et l'étiquette "grunge" de Seattle, se cache une production et une esthétique sonore qui heurtent de plein fouet tout ce que je déprécie en musique. Le son de "Ten" n'est pas celui de la crasse et de l'urgence punk. C'est un son massif, gonflé aux stéroïdes, qui puise ses racines directement dans le hard rock le plus emphatique des années 70. Chaque coup de cymbale résonne avec une réverbération de cathédrale, chaque solo de guitare s'étire dans une démonstration de virtuosité grandiloquente, chaque ligne de basse semble vouloir faire trembler les fondations du monde. C'est trop propre, trop ample, trop... metal. L'ombre qui plane sur tout le disque, et qui a achevé de me faire détester l'expérience, est celle de Led Zeppelin. Cette filiation, souvent revendiquée par les admirateurs du groupe comme une qualité, est pour moi le péché originel. J'ai entendu dans "Ten" non pas la relève de Nirvana ou de Mudhoney, mais l'héritier direct de ce rock bluesy, lourd et pompeux que je ne supporte pas. Les envolées lyriques de Vedder rappellent la démesure d'un Plant ; les soli pentatoniques à rallonge de McCready évoquent un Page qui aurait troqué son pantalon à pattes d'éléphant pour un bermuda de surfeur. Cette lourdeur, cette tendance à privilégier l'épique sur le viscéral, est un repoussoir absolu. L'écoute est devenue une lutte, où chaque riff puissant était immédiatement saboté à mes oreilles par une production trop démonstrative. Alors oui, paradoxalement, j'ai pris un certain plaisir à disséquer ce disque. Un plaisir quasi masochiste, celui de comprendre pourquoi une oeuvre si unanimement saluée pouvait me provoquer un tel rejet épidermique. C'est l'étrange sensation d'admirer la mécanique d'une voiture de sport tout en détestant sa couleur criarde et le bruit assourdissant de son moteur. J'ai reconnu le talent, mais j'ai détesté le résultat. Au final, cette écoute fut une expérience unique, dans le sens où elle restera unique. Je n'y retournerai pas. On me dit que "Vitalogy" est leur véritable chef-d'oeuvre, plus expérimental, plus brut. Peut-être. Mais le son de "Ten" a été si rédhibitoire qu'il a éteint toute curiosité. La porte s'est ouverte sur l'univers de Pearl Jam, j'ai jeté un oeil à l'intérieur, et j'ai vu un temple érigé à la gloire d'un son que je fuis. Trop, c'est trop. Je préfère refermer la parenthèse et laisser ce monument à ceux qui savent l'apprécier. Pour moi, ce fut une rencontre manquée, un dialogue de sourds entre une musique puissante et une oreille inflexible.
Levyllä aika monta bängeriä, mutta silti aika keskinkertaista, mutta hyvää. Eddie Vedderin laulu on myös oma juttunsa, tykkää tai ei. Ei tarjonnut kummiskaan mitään uutta sen lisäks mitä Pear Jamista jo tiesin. Parhaat: Even Flow, Alive, Black, Jeremy
I should probably like Pearl Jam more than I do. There is just something about the lyrics that seem impersonal to me, and something about the guitar sound that is more like typical rock music than grunge/punk.
Obra de arte maxima do Grunge
has some real bangers on it, but i cannot unhear that the bass line in alive sounds like the first portion of the bass line from give it away by rhcp
black does get me in my feelings but the rest makes me want to die i'm sorry bernon.
my only takeaway from this album is that i suddenly want to paint my nails brown and put on merlot colored lipstick and go watch my so called life WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME
why did i know so many of these.... guess im a secret pearl jam stan... anyway i had alive in my head all day after this and it made me mad it's been 18 years and this album isn't over... send help
wow lemme tell you i had NO idea while listening to this that pulling up genius.com to decipher the rest of what he's singing would be how i found out the ohhhhhhimstillaliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive song is about incest. weird day!
I didn't get to listen, but rating it a 5 star because it's Vernons favorite.
favorites: porch, even flow and jeremy
this is the best album that has ever been made. i understand some may disagree, but some people think murder is a good idea, too
i heard jeremy when i was like 12 and it quite literally changed my life like idk white people need rights after this album. sorry.
genuinely disturbed that some of these songs were Familiar to me......... this will never be incubus but this was cute! some songs really ruined my life but others were so fun they helped me forget the bad ones
Yuck, Ten. *URGH* I loved this stuff upon release; I was 17 years old. *ROWWWWRRR* But I hate listening to this record now. *EEEEEE* Why in the world did this band let Vedder grunt and grimace and emote from his calculatedly tortured guts in every space available to him? *EEEOOOH* Who green-lit this approach? *UNNNNGH* One star, plus one star for Release, which I still love. *OOOOOH* There are also a couple of gems among the various b-sides and toss-offs from this period. *ARGGHGLLLEBARGLE-HUH!* But give me No Code or Yield any day of the week. *UNNNGH* This record is gross. *HUNH* And the 20 year anniversary \"redux\" remix is even more unlistenable. *YEEEUGH* There's no salvaging this thing, sorry. *AAAAAOOOORGH*
classic
Not the biggest fan but even flow and Black rule.
Oh
A PJ masterpiece!
Classic
What an album. I listened to the remaster too - stripped back and less of stadium produced sound. Huge album!
This album comes out of the blocks running. 'Once', 'Even Flow', 'Alive' & 'Black' are all great tracks. The sound is a little bit smoother than other grunge bands but it definitely packs a mighty punch. The quality of the songs do start to tail off towards the end and I guess this stops it from getting all 5 stars. 4+ Stars (12/15)
One of my all time favorite albums, I own a copy on Vinyl.
7/10
2,5
A cool grunge record, a classic of sorts. It's got a few songs on the first side which I'd say are really good but I think as we move into the second side it loses speed. If I bought it I'd only play the first and then move on. Fav songs: - Even Flow - Alive - Black
Alive and Even Flow are fun songs and are well produced ... but the others to me are so over the top or over produced or dramatized in their melodies which I don't like. It's not terrible but not one that I found enjoyable to listen to.
A lot of nice songs
One of the best debuted albums ever. . Has Best ballad ever. It’s crazy how many hits are on this. Loooove. I know someday you’ll be a star I’m somebody else’s sky But whyyyyyy can’t it be miiiine Tudu du du
Nice album. My boyfriend really loves this band. Cannot give this less than 5.
Amazing Already knew all the songs and still love the album after all these yearsyears Alive was my favourite song when I was 7 years old and still has a special place in my heart
Quite a good surprise with this album. Strangely enough, I can't single out one particular song that I liked most - it all seemed to flow into a single thing with a side of tasty guitar solos.
1-5 is 5 star. 6-10 is 2.5 star-ish. A 4 then
v good album
Classic
You hope that an album like this makes you go "fuck yeah!" Unfortunately I didn't feel quite so enthusiastic as it wen on.
As solid as I remembered it being.
I am no longer a pearl jam hater
This album is called ten because it's literally a ten out of ten.
I’m sorry Seattle
I mean, this is the premier album of the Grunge movement, more so than even Nevermind. The album is full of rage yet utterly accessible in ways that Nevermind isn't. It is jam packed with stories of loss, abandonment, and sorrow. Probably the best song is Jeremy, a true story of a neglected, picked on kid that committed murder in a fit of rage. A close second is the radio favorite, Alive. An autobiographical song about Eddie Vetter finding out that his father was not his birth father. These are songs of amazing disfunction showing a side of middle class America that most of us would rather ignore. Despite the subject matter, it is a lyrical album with recognizable song structures and real tunes you can sing. A true classic of modern rock.
Amazing first album to start this journey on. One I already mostly know and love, full of many of Pearl Jams best hits. Somehow I have never heard Release before, and that was a great discovery!
That’s fucking rock and roll boys
This album is either very dated, not for me, or both. The songs are all peak generic dad rock and I associate them with guitar hero / rock band. It doesn't help that my friend Sal always blasts Pearl Jam as a joke. 4/10. Sorry to dads everywhere.
It’s hard to listen to this one with fresh ears when the songs on it have been so overplayed on the radio over the course of the past 30 years. I sincerely would be happy to never hear the song Jeremy again. However, reading about it and remembering this was their debut album, and seeing how early it came out, I do have to respect this one. May not be one of my personal favorites, (I prefer Temple of the Dog, which was released the same year), but this has become a “classic” for a reason.
Escuché este album hasta el cansancio. Muchos temas memorables que remiten inmediatamente a mi juventud. Definitivamente parte del soundtrack de mi vida.
What a great debut album
Tough to separate early 90s nostalgia from the music, but this has held up well, both as an end-to-end album and on the strength of its individual tracks. Seminal stuff. Makes me want to pay more attention to all the subsequent Pearl Jam albums I neglected over the years.
honorary 5 for fighting the good fight against the 10 ft. shitpile, aka ticketmaster once why go black jeremy porch
If this challenge has taught me anything, apparently, I missed my grunge phase when I was 13. Obviously, as an Alternative Rock Radio Girl™️ growing up, I’ve heard these singles, but I never really paid attention to them, and I definitely have never heard Ten front-to-back. Or any Pearl Jam album, for that matter. Right out the gate, I’m deeply impressed by the guitar work on this. It 100% doesn’t sound like what I thought it would sound like. It has a more CCR mixed with Stevie Ray Vaughn flavor to it, just cranked up to 11. But there’s also a lot of variance on display, and the dynamic range of the band is a lot more interesting than I would’ve expected (“Alive,” “Black,” “Release”). I can see why this gets the praise it does – it’s not a classic grunge album, it’s a classic rock album in the traditional sense. And while this normally isn’t my vibe, I am intrigued. That said, I’m also not sure if I am personally sold all the way. And one of my major holdups is Eddie Vedder. I don’t live under a rock; I know his singing style is divisive, to say the least, and I know the jokes. But even knowing what his voice sounds like, I still found it instantly shocking in the context of a full-listen. Like, I’m not sure if I’d go so far as to say it straight-up doesn’t work, because I think it does create a very unique vibe, and on some songs, it does click for me. But for the most part, I just think Vedder is more a distraction to me than an asset. Every single time I’m about to be like, “This song kicks ass,” I’m interrupted by Vedder’s howls, and each time, I said, “Ew, gross,” out loud to myself. It happened on “Once,” it happened “Why Go,” it happened on “Garden.” By the end, when it was happening, I just expected Vedder to ruin it the second his vocals kicked in. I would LOVE to hear Pearl Jam with a different vocalist. I can tell they kill live, I can tell they’re all amazing musicians and writers, and I would love to hear an instrumental version of Ten. But I need it all without Vedder’s moans. Still, Ten is a digestible, breezy listen with a lot to offer. It comes awfully close to a 4/5, though ultimately, its classic rock aesthetics and Vedder’s vocal styling both get in the way for me personally. It may be a grower with time, but if that happens, it’ll be a result of me listening to it track-by-track on shuffle, not in a single sitting again.
Me gusto
A fantastic debut album. Both the vocals and instrumentals sound great and flow well. The lyrics are meaningful as well. The only real issue is that it isn't always clear what Eddie is saying. Also, release feels like a weak ending. It lasts around 9 minutes, but spends around 4 minutes fading out with what something that sounds similar to Fallout tribal music. This sort of ruined it for me, so no 5 stars.
I have loved this album since I first started playing guitar. My favorite song used to be Alive but this time around it was even flow. But every song is super fun it’s a great blend of classic rock and grunge. S teir for sure
I like the sound but it all blended together. Felt kind of like one 45 minute song
Somehow this album reminds me of the flu. Weird, I know, but I got sick the day I bought it at a record shop on the Pearl Street Mall. Another weird thing: this album came out on my 11th birthday. Anyway, I loved Pearl Jam’s next two albums more than this one, which might be sacrilegious to hardcore fans, but the song I love most from this era was the one left off the album: Yellow Ledbetter. Either way, I fucking love Mookie Blaylock, even if there never was a psychedelic jam made by Aunt Pearl.
d por si no m gusta mucho pearl jam, los temas q mas m gustaron fueron los menos escuchados increiblemente, no se si ponerle 2 o 3 estrellas, creo q voy a elegir 3 pq cuando escucho even flow m acuerdo d jesus en skate
Forgot how much I loved this album. Turns out I still do.
Alright so I’m not a Pearl Jam fan at all. Everything feels forced. This album just isn’t my cup of tea. I gave 2 stars because I’m okay if someone likes it. The musicianship is good enough for 2 stars. If the melodies and singing was better maybe I would bring it up a star.
Have to give Five stars, one of the most important records of my formative years. Its not as diverse as Superunknown, as catchy as Nevermind, or as mysterious as Dirt, but its still a damn good rock n roll record.