Pearl Jam - No Code

Sometimes - 3
Hail, Hail - 3
Who You Are - 4
In My Tree - 3
Smile - 3
Off He Goes - 3
Habit - 3
Red Mosquito - 3
Lukin - 4
Present Tense - 4
Mankind - 3
I'm Open - 4
Around The Bend - 3
Total - 43 stars / 13 tracks = 3.31 stars, normalized to 3.4 stars

I'm sure this has been said before, but the problem I keep having with Pearl Jam doesn't have much to do with the quality of their music, but more with my own expectations. Then again, my expectations are Pearl Jam's fault, so, they really are to blame for it. The main problem is that Ten was just so. damned. good. With an introduction like that, even a solid album like No Code feels like a let down.

Many of the better tracks on the album vary from conventional song-writing. "Lukin" is a short, but strong, screaming song. "Present Tense" is a subdued, plodding reflective piece. "I'm Open" is hypnotic in its speaking narration, leaving listeners enraptured like children at a parent's knee at story time.

So when you listen to this album, don't make the mistake of hoping to hear another Ten. It's not, and there will likely never be another one, so feel free to take No Code for what it is, because there's plenty there to enjoy.