BBC Review
The remastered album offers up a far rawer and pleasing sound
Ian Wade 2009-03-20
There are several reasons why people disliked Pearl Jam. Some of theses reasons may not have quite the potency they did: mainly they were seen as a far more corporated rock proposition compared to the cooler, 'no sell out' purism of Nirvana (though Kurt Cobain not liking Pearl Jam probably did them more favours in the long run); oh, and let's not forget their responsibility in popularising the ghastly long shorts that blighted men’s fashion during that period.
Formed from the remnants of Seattle bands - the highly regarded Green River and the wonky glam tartery Mother Love Bone – Pearl Jam had plenty going for them, but suffered at the hands and snobbery of the purists who found such things as ambition offensive. Originally released in the US in August 1991 – a month before Nevermind - Ten, thus, arrived over in the UK in the midst of a mildly embarrassing 'grunge explosion' in February 1992.
Ten offered up a selection of some of the band's best tunes – Alive, Even Flow, Once and Jeremy all feature on here – all far more indebted to classic rock structures than aping the Pixies. The remastered album offers up a far rawer and pleasing sound, more akin to the band's true sound. These four special deluxe editions go a bit overboard with their various formats. Why now? It's not entirely certain. A couple more years and it'll be the twentieth anniversary of its release. Perhaps someone doesn't want to re-live that era of being overshadowed by Nevermind again.
Now in the 18 years since they fled the picky spotlight and offers of grunge fashion spreads, they've gradually became one of America's great rock bands, finally matching the ambition that they were so sneered at for having. They've taken on Ticketmaster, continued to carry on filling vast sheds the world over. Their contemporaries? Well with Nirvana we have an idea, however for Screaming Trees, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden and anyone else capable of wearing a plaid shirt correctly, it all went to various levels of hell. Pearl jam, and Ten both abide, thanks very much
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Ten was the soundtrack to my university years. It's such an epic album, every track demands your attention. Such a shame PJ never managed to reach such heights again.
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A true classic album, with Alive and Black the standout tracks. You can argue all day long that they never made a better album, but when a debut album is this good is it really realistic to try?
A must own album for all rock fans, sounds as good know as it did then (well at least to me anyway!!)
Rock on Eddie, Mike, Stone, Jeff and Matt! and tour England more!!!
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You asked why re-release it now....the answer is on their website.....
"The reissue of Ten serves as the launch of a planned two-year catalogue re-release campaign leading up to the band’s 20th anniversary in 2011"
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20 years almost???
I must be really getting old, but that record is like the wine, gets better year after year. It is definetively among my top five of all times.
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I've been a fan since 1991 when I first heard "Alive". I like and enjoy lots of different types and genres of music but their music (and Eddie's voice) is like coming home to me. It's a constant in my life.
Personally I think that people are constantly misunderstanding Pearl Jam, maybe due to biased reporting in the music press which seemed to unanimously prefer Nirvana back in the day. To me Nirvana were the real corporate sell-outs, not PJ, and were the first to sign to a corporate label. That Kurt had a real cheek to label Pearl Jam sellouts when in fact he was one too.
I really admire Pearl Jam as they have consistently done things their own way, stayed out of the limelight because they wanted to, yet are still successful. Pearl Jam challenged ticketmaster to make prices lower for fans. They have refused to do videos to minimise their exposure, they were one of the very first bands to embrace digital media to keep in touch with the fans. They are also one of the best, if not the best, live touring bands around, something which I think they love more than anything too. And they should tour Britain now!
PS: Ten was a genius album, but I much preferred No Code and Yield. It's unfair to hear some people say that they have never bettered Ten - usually by people who have never heard anything else by them.
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My uncle bought this for me as a birthday gift the year this came out on cassette!!!Just bought my 3rd replacement copy on CD having lent it out to mates and not getting it back.This is a true classic,in every sense of the word.Their first 3 albums (Ten,V's,Vitalogy) are regular visitors to my player.Not many bands can evoke the level of emotion and keep it up for as long as they do.Still Alive!!!!
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Pearl Jam played for three hours at Bonnaroo 2008 on the main stage on Saturday night. After the set concluded all in attendance knew that there is a God.
winthrop,
manchester, tn, usa
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Spot on missRosie.
Yield is an excellent album. Following Ten, Vs was very good but Vitology was pretty average and that's when the sales faltered! They've got an awesome back catelogy of which is very little know. I'd urge anyone to go buy their later work.
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To lump together bands of a certain era is an unfortunate and lazy shortcut favoured by most of the barely literate hacks that pass for the British music press; hampered by the jingoistic flag-waving of the later 90s in the UK, all American bands were reduced to eternal bridesmaids.
Less arch, less cool, less ironic, less British, less like the bloomin' Beatles and the Kinks, and supposedly less fun.
This led to Pearl Jam and many other bands dropping off the radar in the UK (to the extent that Joolz Holland rather embarrassingly asked them to perform their completely overplayed breakthrough single while promoting their latest album on Later...) and to our almost total insularity from musical trends and development in the US.
This band's later work is reflected in the brasher, tighter rework here and Ten's previous shimmer is replaced with a more tangible and visceral context, showing Pearl Jam's affection for the psychedelic energy and pomp of British rock and pop, such as the Who and Mike Scott.
The breadth and scope of their career to date should not be dismissed, though i trust the band's planned future reissues will meet with similarly bemused reviews.
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Truly one of the best albums of all time. The fact that they are still so loved shows how great a band they are. This and Vs are my favorites, tho their later albums have shown how they have matured.
Also on a £25 special edition you also get the unplugged set finally won't have to listen to my ropey bootleg!
If anyone has sold out it's the chilli peppers!! Gone from genius to utter pap
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This review is an insult. Not only is it full of grammatical errors, its tone is patronising and uninformed. Is it too much to ask that someone who actually has an appreciation for the genre be asked to review what is unquestionably a seminal album representing a specific moment in musical history? I wouldn't attempt to review a Drum and Bass album,and if I want to know whether the album is worth buying, I'd like the opinion of someone else who actually might appreciate the genre.
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I agree with MrESheep, this 'review' is a joke for it's misuse of the English language, let alone for the content. Interesting that all the other comments focus on the music and not the ignorant review. '...a far rawer and pleasing sound...' misses the point that the grunge generation didn't want a clean crisp sound. They eschewed studio purity for a dirty, loud and angst ridden noise in an attempt to separate them from the mainstream sound of the time.
I would suggest to Mr Wade, if you do ever write another review; stick to a musical genre you know something about.
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I hated Peal Jam in 1993 because Kurt hated them. Fifteen years on, I have sold all my Nirvana cd's - circa 1998 when they were doing the fashion rounds again - and amassed pretty much everything Peal Jam ever made.
Nirvana 'Nevermind' is constantly hailed my the popular indie press as a 'top ten greatest ever' but it's as poppy as they come, lythe with teen spirit and abundant teen angst to boot. Their authentic grunge sound was all prior to this album and most of it is quite honestly pants.
Meanwhile Pearl Jams efforts, V's, Vitology, Yeild, and the excellent recent 'Peal Jam' (ok maybe two duffers in between), all rank amongst my all time top 100 albums. I too was hooked on 'Alive', 'Jeremy' and 'Even Flow' but ask me now and i'll tell you that much better are the harrowing 'Nothingman', adreniline fueled 'Rearviewmirrow', and the rawness (despite their years) of 'worldwide suicide'. Pearl Jam get exponentially better the more you listen to them.
I missed them play at Blackpool's 'Keg' because I was one year too young and strung up on Nirvana. In 2006 I finally managed to see PJ play at the Reading music festival and they were absolutley magnificent. They played about 30 songs, all of which are reproduced in the various, studio, soundtrack, tribute and b sides albums - of which their are much more than you'd think - they have produced throughout their career and each one a gem. They were raw, honest and passionate about their music, they played as if it was their first ever tour (not many aging headliners do that anymore); and I was able to download the album of this gig from their website for a nominal fee.
Whatever Kurt may have wanted, Nirvana have become the darlings of the popular music establishment. Pearl Jam, on the other hand, turned their back on the establishment not long after the release of this album and have been writing music for their fans and themselves ever since.
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I adore this album. I know I'll probably be hung for this, but I feel Ten was more influential then Nevermind in the whole "Grunge" genre where I happily wallowed for so long. The album has some amazing tracks especially Black and Jeremy
By pure coincidence I rediscovered Ten last week and then played it on a long journey in my car. Within seconds I was taken back to university and when the haunting intro to Black began I was in a different world (not good when your driving). By the end of the 1 hour drive I had sung to Jeremy so much that my voice had completely gone.
I can't wait to listen to the Deluxe edition and can't believe where the last 18 years have gone.
Long live Aunt Pearl's Jam!!!!
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I'm sure there are many who love this album, but WHY OH WHY is this linked from Nirvana's Bleach as "Like this? Try these..."?
There is little similarity and despite trying to get into them a few times, I find Pearl Jam just plain irritating to listen to.
Sorry to the fans visiting this page, but if you like Nirvana's Bleach, you won't automatically like this.
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