Pearl Jam - Rearviewmirror: Greatest Hits 1991-2003
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Free Music Notes for Rearviewmirror: Greatest Hits 1991-2003
Free Music Review: Battle of the Greatest Hits: Creed vs. Pearl Jam
Hit: 5 Stars
Welcome, ladies and gents, prepubescent young boys and girls alike, to the musical contest of the CENTURY!!! Tonight's fight will feature two of the most heinously popular rock groups of the 1990s, clashing mightily in a contest to expose which `Greatest Hits' package will rise to superiority over the failing party.
In the corner to my left, let me introduce Creed's greatest hits, splendidly titled "Creed: Greatest Hits"! This collection weighs in at a near-pathetic 13 tracks, which include some of the biggest hits from one of the biggest bands in recent memory (of Creed's three recorded albums, 23 million total copies have been sold worldwide). A bonus DVD helps to give this album a bit more bite to its bark, toting three live performances and Creed's entire collection of videos. Slightly impressive, but "Creed: Greatest Hits" somehow seems a bit of a lightweight competitor, never mind how many albums they've sold.
In the opposing corner, let me introduce Pearl Jam's "Rearviewmirror"!!! Weighing in with 33 of the band's most successful tracks during last 14 years, this double-disc set is divided onto an `Upside' and a `Downside' disc; `Upside' serving as a collection of harder rock songs, and `Downside' stepping up with a plethora of PJ ballads. With such an obese amount of incredibly emotive, powerful rock anthems on "Rearviewmirror", it's already beginning to look bad for post-grunge Creed enthusiasts.
The bell sounds and the match begins. Creed starts off with its album's strongest track, `Torn', which rocks slowly and moodily, building to a powerful crescendo . . . until Pearl Jam leaps into action, whipping out a scathing triple-combo from the `Upside' disc: `Once', `Even Flow', and `Alive'. Each of these legendary songs systematically beat, pound, poke and slam `Torn' into the dust, utterly stripping it of any redeeming qualities by simply taking the same rage, same mood and same rowdiness that `Torn' utilizes, and then transcends it until it's an exhilarating, majestic, and effectively elegant rage, mood and rowdiness. The anger in `Once' is unequaled and nearly tangible; the frustration in `Even Flow' bleeds from each note and lyric; the majesty of `Alive' is impossible in every emotional and musical aspect, and `Torn' is reduced to nothing, stumbling to it's small corner in disbelief and shame.
For each song Creed presents in it's defense, Pearl Jam has three more to destroy it. The heavy crunching of Creed's `Bullets' explodes and singes the air, but PJ's `Animal', `Do The Evolution' and `State of Love and Trust' wrestles it to the ground and beats it mercilessly, utilizing incredible passion to great effect. The hypnotically affecting `Jeremy' and pleading power of `Corduroy' peel Creed's `My Own Prison' apart like a rotten banana. For every `Arms Wide Open' from Creed, Pearl Jam unleashes an unrealistically beautiful `Black', or a patently euphoric `Man of the Hour', or a relentlessly sincere `Elderly Woman...', or the gorgeous magnificence of `Nothingman', (all courtesy of the `Downside' disc) to smack it around like a sterile, soggy tennis ball.
Which isn't to say Creed doesn't put up a fairly strong fight. The first four tracks on Creed's `hits' album are among the best songs the band ever produced. The music videos are a nice touch too, but all of them together still can't scratch the immortal surface of Pearl Jam's own `Jeremy' video. The three live songs are pretty cool, but ultimately fail to bring anything new to the original tracks.
In short, it's obvious that this fight was entirely unfair. Each and every song (almost) that Pearl Jam presents to the listener on "Rearviewmirror" is improvement on perfection. Creed has garnered a ridiculous amount of success in its short history, and while their music is sometimes powerful and engaging, it can't stand against Pearl Jam. If you asked Santa for any `Greatest Hits' package last year, it should've been "Rearviewmirror".
Free Music Review: AS A HUGE PJ FAN - I AGREE WITH THIS COMPILATION HITS HIGHLY
Hit: 5 Stars
Many Pearl Jam fans on message boards & such have claimed they're not getting the greatest hits for reasons such as
1) We already have the songs
2) There's nothing new, not even lyrics, only pictures of the band
- So I'll explain why the PJ fans more aware of their music should purchase it first
- First I'd like to address these subjects by saying..
You DON'T have the songs - There are remastered versions of 'Once', 'Alive', & 'Black'... the most noticable change in 'Black', as well as altered versions of 'State of Love & Trust,' & 'Do the Evolution', & 'Who You Are' - & 'Even Flow' is the RADIO version, the MUSIC VIDEO version, NOT the 'Ten' album version -
- 2ndly, even if there isn't a more interesting insert like there is on 'Lost Dogs', the pictures are still very cool & the whole package is nice... but the fact the some of the songs have been altered, aswell as it being the 1st greatest hits album, why do you have to be convinced to buy it? -
Now to explain why 'Rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 91-03) is perfect -
Many Pearl Jam fans have been discussing whether this was going to be 1 cd, or 2cds, when we got the news long time ago that there was going to be a best-of cd released... & we all knew it couldn't of rightfully been 1 cd... so the fact they DID release 2 cd's (for the price of one album) is great right there -
There are many songs on here that I was very surprised to see make the list... 'Off He Goes'? seriously, did ANY Pearl Jam fan expect songs such as 'Off He Goes', 'Who You Are', 'Nothing As it Seems', 'Man of the Hour', 'Nothingman', etc.. to make the greatest hits album?
I approve of this so much, because during this album, new fans to Pearl Jam will hear everything from their most accessible songs, to some of their more hard to get into songs, such as the songs I listed above - This inspires new, & returning Pearl Jam fans to listen to songs such as 'Light Years', & 'I Am Mine' to pick up their latter albums... 'Rearviewmirror' has enough influenced to cause the casual PJ fan to pick up all their studio albums... which I couldn't be happier about
However, only 12 of the songs on here are post-Vitalogy songs... but I understand that completely, they are not implying that PJ has declined over the years.. what it is implying, is that PJ has gone into depths of experimentation with rock n roll which isn't accessible enough to be a 'hit', which is what I prefer..
The songs on here are designed to keep the casual, or new, or returning PJ fan listening to it, but also the 12 songs that are post-Vitalogy are squeezed in in such a way that it will, like I wrote above.. influence them to look into buying latter PJ albums
This is why 'Rearviewmirror' is a perfect compilation - I've been a hardcore Pearl Jam fan for years, & they've been my fav. band of all time for years... I was dreading the release of this greatest hits, worried that there would be too many songs left off... I can honestly say I'm completely satisfied, & approve of it as much as possible, it's perfect for everyone... new PJ fans, or hardcore PJ fans that want to hear remastered versions
- Take it from a hardcore Pj fan -... Every PJ fan reading this, or to-be PJ fan reading this... or huge PJ fan reading this - No matter who you are.... you need to have this album
Pearl Jam - best band in the world...
Now has the best-of album more accurate than any other best-of album in the world
Free Music Review: Life beyond "Alive"
Hit: 5 Stars
I love all of these reviews which seem to be testimonials as to the degree of one's loyalty to the band. There is a lot of passion in the Pearl Jam fanbase and a lot of discussion around whether such an album should exist. I think this album is great. Here is my review...
SONG SOURCES/DISTRIBUTION
Here is the distribution of songs by album... Ten(5), Vs.(6), Vitalogy(6), No Code(3), Yield(3), Binaural(2), Riot Act(2), From singles-not on an album (3), From movie soundtracks (3).
SONGS THAT WERE (RADIO) HITS NOT INCLUDED
Glorified G (Vs.)
Rats (Vs.)
Tremor Christ (Vitalogy)
Smile (No Code)
In Hiding (Yield)
SONGS I AS A FAN WISHED WERE INCLUDED IN ADDITION TO EXCLUDED RADIO HITS
In My Tree (No Code)
VERSIONS DIFFERENT THAN ON THE ALBUM
Once, Alive and Black come with an asterisk stating they were remixed by Brendan O'Brian. I found them to be clearer and slightly more raw sounding. Like the difference between the Lost Dogs version of "Alone" as compared to the B-side version. Very slight difference from the original in my opinion. Some of the alteration in Lost Dogs versions of songs were drastic as compared to this.
Evenflow is an entirely different take. Another reviewer said it was the music video version. This is not a re-mix, an entirely different recording. Sounds live from a studio. Similar in recording style to Zeppelin's "I can't quit you" from the Coda album.
State of Love and Trust is the most radically changed song. Delay added to the backup vocals, echo added to the guitar solos, vocals more pronounced and forward, mixed louder and clearer. In my opinion, long needed change. The singles soundtrack recordings were not good recordings and this clears it up.
Breath was mixed louder and clearer as it was lower and muddier on the original.
Yellow Ledbetter was cut short on the final note in Lost Dogs. Fixed on this album.
SOUND QUALITY
Very good and consistent. The risk you run with a 13 year span of hits put on an album is having hiss on some songs, not others, different recording levels, etc. This doesn't occur on this collection.
OPINION AND OBSERVATIONS
I think this is a perfect collection. The distribution follows radio hits from the earlier albums, and contains what were released as singles from the later albums. Collectors get cleaned up and some different versions. Casual fans get 30+ great tracks. People who bought Ten and Vs. and then lost interest get to see great things Pearl Jam has done since and may want to get reacquainted. Separating hard rock (disk 1) and softer (disk 2) is good for parties, moods, etc. Put it in and play!
A great companion to this is "Lost Dogs". Fame freaked out the bandmembers and in later years, they decided to manage it by not putting catchy hooks in some songs, excluding songs that were obvious hits, not doing videos, keeping out of the news, etc. Lost Dogs has some of these songs. For example, if "Sad" would have been included in Binaural originally, I bet it would have been included as one of the greatest of hits on this album now. Lost Dogs also has B-sides, Xmas singles, soundtrack songs, and a bone chilling tribute to the late Layne Staley.
The thing "tweaking" me right now is when a song is over, I start playing the next one, from the original album, in my head, but an entirely different song plays instead. I'll survive. Enjoy this one!
Free Music Review: Musically complete and still searching
Hit: 5 Stars
Im writing reviews in search of broadening my musical horizons so to speak. its time to ditch the blink and killswitch and move on to the wide world of music. I grew up in Washington so i do love the alternative music. I hope i dont up in the same category either.
this review will truly have a bias because i am a pearl jam maniac. I am a true jammer that helps Pearl Jam arguably be the biggest cult band. this review is a great place to tell the story of how i came across this band. I had heard their names before, i dont know where, maybe just a mention. But it wasnt until Weight Training Freshman year that i found them. picture a geeky kid in weight training class frustrated as hell because all of his friends are lifting a lot more than he is with ease. I struggled and struggled but just could not keep up. frustrated, annoyed, and depressed i couldnt confide in anyone. One day i tried to do three reps of some ungodly weight for me and it did not turn out so pretty. My friends promptly did the same sets with ease and im sitting here just fumed. I overhear something though. "HUUUUUAAAAAHHH OHHHH OOOOOOHHHHHHH". it was beyond words. it was perfect, expressed all the feelings i had felt into this simple shout. I downloaded "Jeremy" as i found out that was what the song was called. then "Oceans" unplugged, then "Even Flow". i soon bought "Ten" and the rest is history.
Many people when through the same thing i had. sadly, after ten and maybe even "Vs." they stopped buying the records, maybe they moved on. I would have to... but the funny thing is they never really released another "Ten" like album, instead they grew as a band and so did i. my life and the albums perfectly coorellated. "Vs." Much more angrier and viciousely toned and so many different issues that i was getting to know about. "Vitalogy" where the anger peaks and frustration and depression seeps in. "No Code" The crossroad album where im influenced by anything and everything. "Yield" the new beginning not forgetting my roots, the simplicty of life, but treading new ground. "Binaural" the transition into experimentation. "Riot Act" accepting my human flaws and encompassing what is important.
the Greatest Hits doesnt take the same journey or a shortened version. it just highlights some of the points. I can see a casual listener not understanding how the transition between songs is so far apart. "Even flow" to "Hail Hail" everything is different. "Elderly Woman" to "Man of the Hour" the tone of the band is different. The band never changed, they just blossomed in different places. Its sad that the greatest hits concentrated on the early part of the band's career because it is a bit predictable even though we jammers love it.
In my opinion If you are a true pearl jam fan then you would not like it if "ten" like albums were still released. Instead you respect the blossoming. And if you are a new fan who doesnt "riot act", then start growing from the beginning and you will see how good "riot act" really grows into
Free Music Review: The perfect introduction for the new fan
Hit: 5 Stars
For a period of three years (1992-95), Pearl Jam was the biggest rock band in the world. Nowadays, their albums have trouble breaking the 500,000 sales mark ("Ten" sold over nine million). This was more because of a shift in mainstream tastes than any degradation in the band's quality of music. It's true that Pearl Jam largely abandoned the power rock that made them rock demi-gods and MTV darlings, but they continued to make great music. Of their four post-"Vitalogy" albums, I give all but one a solid recommendation (the exception being the muddled "Binaural"). Rather, it was that the average American person stopped listening to great music, in favor of whatever MTV told them was cool. Just look at last week's Billboard Top 200 albums, and tell me how many of those bands will be remembered fondly in ten years. "Rearviewmirror" chronicles Pearl Jam's journey from superstars to a beloved cult band largely in the way that last year's "Lost Dogs" did, but unlike "Lost Dogs" it mostly covers their radio hits.
Because "Rearviewmirror" is supposed to be a "Greatest Hits" and not "Best of", I have little complaints about the track listing. Every single one of these songs is great, and worthy of inclusion; most of them you've heard on the radio before. I was going to type a list of my favorite tracks on the album, but it would simply be too difficult to do. I will say that I'm delighted at the addition of such oddball choices as "Rearviewmirror", "Breath", and "Nothingman" (none of those were very big hits, except with Pearl Jam's hardcore base). It shows that even on their "Greatest Hits" album, Pearl Jam could not help but include some odd choices. I have some minor complaints- I don't like how both discs are in chronological order (exempting "Yellow Ledbetter", of course), and I think "Binaural" and "Riot Act" are virtually ignored. However, once again, these are supposed to be their greatest hits and not a definitive best-of collection. I think it's awesome that Pearl Jam divides the album into a heavy disc and a soft one, much like they did with "Lost Dogs".
"Rearviewmirror" is a perfect album to buy for new Pearl Jam fans (they're probably not that many of them). If you're a hardcore one like myself, you probably own most of these tracks, so the only reason to buy this album would be to add to your collection. However, this is an awesome history of one of the world's greatest bands. If anyone out there thinks that mainstream music sucks today, they should give their old reliable favorites another spin.