NJ Picks Between Pearl Jam and Soundgarden

NJ Picks Between Pearl Jam and Soundgarden.  Or at least that’s what happened during First Call Last Call yesterday.  I posed a question related to the two wildly popular Seattle bands and was intrigued by the responses that I received.

At 5pm I play a themed block of tunes for your ride home based on the responses I get to the question of the day at the DHA Facebook page.  I usually post that about 4pm. Yesterday, I pointed out that in 1991 Soundgarden released “Badmotorfinger” and Pearl Jam put out their debut “TEN.”  I asked if you could only get one album which would you get?  The responses were pretty split and some listeners that picked one seem to beat up on the other band.

Both of these albums are top notch.  The song-writing, production value, and overall energy on each is so inspiring and never gets old.  Yet listeners have their favorites.  It’s just so hard for me to pick.  And thankfully, I don’t usually answer my own questions!  LOL

Ten is and always will be considered to many one of the best debuts ever.  It’s tight, polished and although it’s considered “grunge”, it actually has some of the biggest stadium anthems on it that Pearl Jam has ever recorded.  It flows beautifully from aggressive, to ballad, to exploratory emotional surreal guitar that moves you.  Eddie Vedder sounds angst ridden, heartfelt, and captivating all at once.  A phenomenal record!!

Badmotorfinger was really the album that broke the band into more of the mainstream.  And man does it take a lot of chances.  So odd at moments with really intriguing sounds and effects.  Then of course, heavy and rocking at other moments.  Plus, we get Chris Cornell with monstrous hypnotic vocals.  He sounds like a beast that you just can’t copy.  It’s a joy to listen to.  Darker than 10, but still with spots of hope.  Another terrific album!

While I think both records are a must-have in your collection, I understand people wanting to pick just one.  They’re extraordinary and if you do pick one – there’s no wrong choice!

 Let’s take a listen to a track from each!

Pearl Jam's latest album is their 12th studio album, I’ve spent some time going through it since its release on Friday. I have to say, it’s a really well-crafted record. It definitely warrants a listen even from non-Pearl Jam enthusiasts, because it’s so well done.

It is going to surprise some people how after all these years, they’re putting out such great tunes! Let’s take a look...

In interviews that circulated before the release, the band noted that this was going to be a heavier record than people would expect.

When we got the first single “Dark Matter”. The self-titled track, it was being compared to songs off their debut album “Ten”.

Even I made a comparison between that single and the days of “Vs” and “Vitalogy” mixed together. It was brooding and angst-ridden with a thumping heavier riff. I just thought it could fit in that section of the Pearl Jam catalog.

However here’s the thing – Although I’ve done this plenty of times and will probably continue to do it, it’s never good to judge an upcoming release based on one or even two songs. You just don’t know what you’re going to get.

And although I stand by my description of the sound of the song “Dark Matter”, the album "Dark Matter" by Pearl Jam is a different story.

What’s so great to me is that this sounds like a Pearl Jam that has looked back on its catalog and reflected on what worked and what didn’t. The songs on “Dark Matter” are a reflection of that, with a little bit of something from every one of their eras.

And that’s hard to do. It’s fan-pleasing without feeling like they forced themselves to churn it out. It’s just so diverse and encompasses their whole career that it’s quite an impressive job!

So, let’s take a look at 5 Standout moments from Pearl Jam’s latest album.

An Honest Take On Pearl Jam’s New Song Dark Matter

Looking for one that's just a banger that rocks? This should be right up your alley. It's got a sound the reminds me of something off of "Backspacer." And it's fun!

Here's one that perfectly balances that old school Pearl Jam sound, but still brings a fresh take.  It's modern and rocks a great chorus that is super melodic!

It's nearly 6 minutes, but doesn't feel long.  Eddie's vocals are awesome here.  And the band almost brings a trippy-like, spacey exploration.  It works really well!

Is this off a punk rock record?  Gives me those "Spin The Black Circle" feels.  It's upbeat with some chants.  Makes you want to sing along!

Right out of the days when they leaned towards that Neil Young sound.  It's really cool, beautiful and still rocks.  Great lyrics too!