Good solid moments with some brilliant songs and production (No Code - Pearl Jam)

Member Name: underdog_78

Product:	No Code - Pearl Jam
Date:	30/06/09 (8 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The songs, the words and the sentiments, as always.

Disadvantages: Some may find it hard to get into.

First I have to say best album sleeve yet. For those who haven't notice fold out the sleeve fully so it's a big square and look at it from a distance you should see the bigger picture.

Most seem to rate this an OK collection of songs, maybe I am just too big a Pearl Jam fan but if this had been released by a new band it would have been hailed as album of the year.

There was a belief in the music press that the band were moving from their grunge roots, when in reality grunge was nothing more than label thought up for bands from Seattle, in reality the label covered Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Alice in Chains etc, all very different sounding bands completely.

Sometimes is a very eerie opener but it gets the point of sheer desperation across very well, and leads into an envious Hail Hail, a song for the lucky ones who are in love (though it is said with some cynicism)

In My Tree is wonderfully written and amazingly produced track that grows and builds without you noticing, like day light fading it just kind of becomes a huge son, when it started off with just a voice and a drum but you can pin point the part it became big. Wonderful.

Smile is another, the lyrics come from a note a support band left Eddie and it grew into a really nice bluesy song that we have here, and some lovely sentiments are included.

Off he goes and present Tense give us our lump in the throat moments, although two very different songs musically and topically.

A special mention goes to I'm Open, again Eddie doing his Jim Morrison impression and doing it well. Some well thought out words on why growing means losing the magic that childhood had for us.

Around the Bend, it sounds like a lullaby and that's exactly what it is, written by Eddie for Matt Cameron's daughter (before he joined the band) it ends the CD on a nice gentle note that kind of makes you sigh.

Summary: Good solid moments with some brilliant songs and production