Pearl Jam- Rearviewmirror (Up disk)

This mid-career compilation was released in 2004.

Pearl Jam falls a long way from my normal listening taste, so for a song to rate highly here indicates it is very special indeed. In other words, if I'm overly critical, then "it's not you, it's me".

A fundamental problem here is I often struggle to distinguish the lyrics. This reduces many songs to riff rock. And while the instrumental side would be fine in a supporting role, as the centrepiece I find it gets stale after a couple of minutes. Examples of this problem are Hail Hail, Animal, Go, Do The Evolution and- dare I say it- Even Flow.

Overcoming this problem is the song Rearviewmirror. What I really dig about this song is the way the chorus hints at something big to follow. And when the promised unleashing arrives at the end of the song, it works a treat. This suspenseful structure is rare for Pearl Jam, but it is a real highlight for me.

Speaking of progressions within songs, Not For You has a wonderful energy pushing it along. Combined with the simple, yet effective chorus, it's one of my favourite Pearl Jam songs.

Save You has a standout chorus, unfortunately I feel that the rest of the song doesn't provide enough contrast, dulling its appeal. On the other hand, Corduroy shows that the band is able to use light-and-shade masterfully. Combined, of course, with yet another massive guitar riff!

Audio quality interlude: quite varied (pretty common for a compilation), but a common trend of being mildly flawed.

I am reminded of Screaming Jets for the song Spin The Black Circle. Unfortunately, it is a reminder of their mindless thrashy songs that I don't like. Another whinge is Jeremy, which feels like spoken word with token instrumental backing.

State Of Love And Trust turns up the energy and tempo a notch, and the result is fantastic. I find it works perfectly to inject some upbeat fun into proceedings.

The opening track, Once, kicks things off brilliantly. While the structure is a bit "verse, chorus, rinse, repeat", the nice scratchy guitar work and memorable chorus more than make up for it.

Saving the best for last, Alive is the quintessential lighter-waving classic. The singalong chorus and poetic storytelling are Pearl Jam in a nutshell. But the icing on the cake is the timeless guitar solo, with the rest of the band slowly working themselves into a frenzy in the background. It all leads up to an epic ending to a wonderful journey.

Favourite songs

Once, Alive, State Of Love And Trust, Rearviewmirror, Corduroy, Not For You

Worthwhile?

I must admit I really struggled to get through this album, because the overall mood isn't really compatible with me. But there are some great exceptions, so this handful of songs does make it an album I'm glad to have in my collection.