Pearl Jam - Ten (Redux)

Once - 5
Even Flow - 4
Alive - 4
Why Go - 3
Black - 4
Jeremy - 3
Oceans - 3
Porch - 4
Garden - 4
Deep - 3
Release - 4
Brother - 4
Just A Girl - 3
Breath And A Scream - 3
State Of Love And Trust - 3
2,000 Mile Blues - 3
Evil Little Goat - 4
Total - 61 stars / 17 tracks = 3.59 stars

One thing you may notice is that not all of these ratings match up with my "Pearl Jam - Greatest Hits" review. That's banking on the fact that you've actually read through my other reviews, which I sincerely doubt. Either way, there are two different explanations. One, is that the version of "Ten" that I listened to was not the original release. It was the "Redux" CD from the 2009 Remastered release, wherein all of the songs from the original album have been remixed. The other possible reason is that after hearing the songs again, I have developped a different relationship with them.

For instance, in the original review, I gave "Black" 5 stars. Its reduction to a 4-star may be due to the remix, but more likely, the original 5-star was partially inflated because of my recent trip to a Pearl Jam concert, where the live performance of "Black" and the audience's sing-along "doo, doo doot, doo, doo-doo-doo" was an altogether sublime experience. Now, a few months later, I am listening to the song more objectively, and without many traces of that experiences, except for fond memory.

The other thing that is "special" about this album, is its bonus tracks. Everything from "Brother" to the end of the album is bonus. I have already ranted about "bonus" tracks that detract from the quality of the original album, in my review of Simon & Garfunkel's "Sounds Of Silence". This is another album that suffers for its additions. Aside from "Brother," the rest of the tracks drag the quality of the rest of the album down, ultimately marring the experience. In case you're keeping track, without the bonus tracks, the album would have come in at a 3.73.

After all that, I should say a word or two about why I liked the rest of the album so much. When Pearl Jam is "on," they offer challenging lyrics with choruses that are nearly impossible to not sing along to. "Once" ends up coming in as my favourite because of its wicked riff, and the vulnerability that frontman Eddie Vedder is willing to let show by pushing his voice past where it wants to go.

A lot of people refer to "Ten" as one of the greatest debut albums of all time. Due to my general musical ignorance, I'm not necessarily comfortable staking my life on that claim, but I'll say this: I wouldn't be surprised if five years down the line I became one of those people.