Album Review

Pearl Jam – Vitalogy – Definitive Legacy Editions

• 8th Mar 2011

After introducing the world to what the alternative rock movement could offer-and more-with ‘Ten’, Pearl Jam continually kept rising with ‘Vs’, doing that rarest of things: redefining and in many ways improving their own sound as they went, during the touring of ‘Vs’ they recorded ‘Vitalogy’, their third studio album. Now that album has been re-mastered and re-released.

Naturally the re-issue of such a pivotal album is inevitable, and one which allows a reassessment of the work, and possibly more importantly an introduction for a whole new generation unfamiliar with Pearl Jam.

Numerous versions will be released, box-sets with live albums included-dedicated fans will have an enormous choice, but all editions contain the album, re-mastered with three additional unreleased versions of tracks, ‘Betterman’, ‘Corduroy’& ‘Nothingman’.

‘Vitalogy’ represented a junction for Pearl jam, writing on the road can put different perspectives on subject matters, time constraints change, musical and business pressures come to bear. For some it can be almost impossible to maintain creativity whilst in the bubble of a tour, others it will bring up a darker side that comes with the realization of the unpleasant aspects of fame.

It’s well documented how this album raised tensions and caused difficulties internally-Macready entering rehabilitation and Vedder moving to band leader and decision maker, later after recording had finished drummer Dave Abbruzzese was replaced.

Time has been very kind to ‘Vitalogy’ though, still sounding fresh, exhilarating and dangerously unexpected; the band overcoming their trails, and the fact that they are still here some six albums later is testament to their want to survive.

It’s the experimental aspect of ‘Vitalogy’ that alienated some listeners, it’s difficult not to believe it was made to be intentionally difficult to listen too when hearing ‘Bugs’ or ‘Aye Davanita ‘, but these are minors diversions that when taken as a whole remove nothing from the music, and the times when it is used sparingly i.e. the beginning of ‘Last exit’ it’s welcomingly refreshing.

Sometimes writing the songs minutes before recording-as some sessions were- can add an intimacy and immediacy to songs, and other occasions can show the short comings that a fresh pair of ears may have re-wrote or even left out. With ‘Vitalolgy’ that’s embraced and enhances, for the most parts the whole album.

Virtually solo free there’s a heavy lean towards rhythms on ‘Vitalogy’. Experiments with polka, free form, even jazz to a lesser extent, there’s a strong punkish abandon playing throughout ‘Spin the black circle’, and it’s that abandon that propels the song along-an ode to vinyl it’s fitting that the re-releases with have a vinyl counterpart.

Looking back at reviews and critical response, there seems to be the feeling this album was a maturing process for the band, and indeed when listening again the first three tracks could have appeared on ‘Ten’ or ‘Vs’, it’s only when ‘Not for you’ and ‘Tremor Christ’ come to the front that the tone of the album becomes darker, and more personal.

The real question is “What do the unreleased tracks bring?” ‘Betterman’ feel’s the most telling, guitar and organ only, it’s as stripped down as Pearl Jam may have ever been-every nuance of Vedder’s voice is laid out to consider, with the organ ebbing in the background-it could well be better than the original as it reduces the song to its beautiful soul.

‘Corduroy’ is a subtler difference, more ragged, which may even give it the edge over the original- the ‘Nothingman’ demo, with Richard Stuverud on drums, feels again somehow more personal and intimate.

It’s possible that Pearl jam were trying to find the space between punk, rock, and the delicate ballad, it’s entirely likely these recording sessions would have derived a tremendous of outtakes, but what this release does support is that the band were evolving, painfully at times, heartbreaking at others, but always sincere with intense honesty.

Ultimately the album was commercially successful and critically lauded, and now some ten years on songs like ‘Nothing man’ and ‘Corduroy’ still make it into the set-proof enough of their musical worth and the bands feelings on the material produced.

Fans familiar with the album will find the extra tracks interesting and engaging, whereas newer fans have another opportunity to hear an album made in difficult times, by a band that have long reflected the conscious of a country and a generation.