The alternative rock era was still in its early stages, but it was destined to take over the music world in the 1990s. Otherwise known as the "grunge" movement, bands like Nirvana, Mother Love Bone, Soundgarden, and Alice In Chains were just a few that were some of the key players in that game. However, in what seems to be rock 'n roll's biggest achillie's heel - drug abuse - reared its ugly head and took the life of Andrew Wood, lead singer of Mother Love Bone, in 1990. As a tribute to their fallen friend, the remaining members of Mother Love Bone teamed up with their fellow commrade and Rock God Chris Cornell and formed Temple Of The Dog. Their self-titled release followed shortly after his death that same year, and also featured another friend and upcoming singer, Eddie Vedder. The brilliance exemplifed on Temple Of The Dog sparked interest in creating a new band with Vedder and the members of Mother Love Bone, it resulted in what we know today as Pearl Jam.

     Before deciding on the band name "Pearl Jam", which I must say is an awesome title for a band, they were briefly known as Mookie Blaylock, who was a professional basketball player back in the day. Indeed, Pearl Jam's debut album, Ten, is also the number of Blaylock's jersey. Anyway, the newly formed Pearl Jam was destined to take the grunge world by storm with their debut record. While Nirvana had released Nevermind that same year and was creating a whirlwind for the business, Pearl Jam's Ten would stabilize, solidify, and legitamize the grunge sound as one of the greatest forms of rock 'n roll in its illustrious history. It is simply put, a masterpiece, no other way to say it. I often use the word "iconic" in some of my reviews, and this is certainly an iconic album. From beginning to end, it is one of those few albums that is continuously strong throughout without any weak spots whatsoever.

     Ten is book-ended with a brief instrumental piece known as "Master Slave" and within that framework are eleven brilliant tracks. Many of them dealing with some very heavy issues like depression, death, love, violence, and childhood truama, as well as others, but while it delves into such material, it doesn't take away from the music at all, as it is quite radio-friendly, but still packs a might punch nonetheless. It is one of the most listenable and familiar sounding albums out there today, and the reason for that is it was so wildly popular back when it was released. The success of Ten propelled Pearl Jam to the top of the music scene and made them arguably the most popular band of the decade, perhaps even more so than Nirvana. Personally, I always felt they were better than Nirvana in many ways, because PJ had such a richer and warmer sound than its contemporaries. In any case, Pearl Jam quickly became a household name, and Ten earned its place as one of the most influential albums ever.

     Another great thing about Pearl Jam is that their sound was so much more balanced than any others in the grunge scene. They weren't quite as heavy as the greats like Alice In Chains or Soundgarden, and not quite as punky as Nirvana, and this likely made PJ more appealing to the mainstream audience. Again, this isn't to say that their work is at all compromised because of that, it is, if anything, a nod to their genius. It is their natural ability to sound as they do, and they just do it so well. They are all supremely talented musicians and songwriters, and that is obviously essential. Vedder is a strong lyricist and songwriter in his own write and has himself a very profound voice with tremendous emotional depth. The rythym section is very lively, and the guitar work is flawless and perfectly punctuates each song nicely.

     I could go on and on and start breaking down each song, but that would be verbose, and ultimately uncessary. The album simply speaks for itself, and it deserves a home in everyones collection. It is one of the greatest albums ever made, and I'm sure you have heard many of its tracks before because they have been so popular. If not though, you have certainly heard at least a glimpse of their undeniable influence on the rock scene. Once again, it is a masterpiece.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"Once"

"Evenflow"

"Alive"

"Why Go"

"Jeremy"

"Oceans"

"Garden"

"Porch"

-Kurt L.

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