No Code

Do The Reviewlution: Part 4.

No Code is an arty and slower look into Pearl Jam’s sound after the already pretty arty Vitalogy. We see more introspective cuts on No Code and while it makes for a slower album, when it hits it often hits hard. For once the second half is where the better tracks lie. The opening half is still amazing with tracks like Sometimes, Hail, Hail and In My Tree becoming some of the bands most varied and interesting material. In My Tree and Who You Are function so well as a duo, they borrow from afrobeat and world music quite well. The tribal percussion and the afrobeat feel fit the band like a glove here. Vedder sounds great on this album. Except for a few noticeable exceptions, he is pretty restrained on No Code. I actually think this version of Eddie fits the album's mold better and referring back to the overall sound, when he gets loud, it really feels impactful and like he’s letting his whole soul out.

The main track to back this point is Lukin, a short fast punk track that harkens back to Vitalogy’s Spin The Black Circle. The track is about a stalker that he had back then, it’s a clinical burst of energy and the energy it brings to No Code sets up the album for the last quarter of more mid tempo tracks. Hail, Hail is a cool track that actually feels like a precursor to something that Radiohead might have done on Ok Computer with those fuzzed out yet pretty guitars that feel warmer than a hug from the sun. Sometimes I feel that Off He Goes is an attempt at a Neil Young folk song that wanders on for too long while still remaining great. It’s really the playing that gets me on this track and Mike and Stone’s playing is still top notch as it was on VS. I even love the Stone Gossard led Mankind which feels like the band taking a slight risk by letting Eddie take a back seat on the track, I mean, the man is iconic.

I’m Open can be slightly pretentious and maybe gets a tad bit too heady for the listener but I really enjoy the spoken word and the sung refrain on the track. The delicacy of the track is immensely satisfying and more often than not the lyrics are superb. Habit is the hardest track here and I love the aggressive as fuck nature of the track. It honestly might be the heaviest track that Pearl Jam has ever made in regards to the guitar playing. No Code is a frankly weird album and leads me to think that the band really don’t want the fame they have, and that’s absolutely fine by me.

Best Tracks: Habit, Mankind, Hail, Hail.

Worst Tracks: Off He Goes, Around The Bend.