The recent uncut Rolling Stone interview with Ed really brought this idea to my attention: the relative lack of additional instrumentation on Pearl Jam songs beyond the standard guitar/bass/drums/vocals rock and roll set-up. Occasionally a song will utilize piano, or cello--but more often than not, they don't. And I think this is one of the biggest criticisms from casual or non-fans, that they think every Pearl Jam album sounds essentially the same.

But in the RS interview, when asked about whether there would ever be horns or female vocals on a Pearl Jam record, Ed said that he'd love to do that someday, but that so far, they've really made a conscious decision to stick to the basic elements and see how far they could push themselves with those limitations. As an artist, I really admire the decision to push creativity by limiting one's palette. And hearing that Pearl Jam has purposefully done that just elevates my respect for them even more. Even if the method produces the occasional dull track, I think the latest group of songs really bears the fruit of their toil to keep the formula simple. I would love one day to hear Ed sing a Pearl Jam song fleshed out with pedal steel, or banjo, or even solo with a piano--but having faith in their intentions and direction is great too.

So the discussion I propose is to talk about the PJ songs that do utilize extra musical elements, and how those affect the music, the live performances, etc. Also talk about songs that strictly don't have other instruments--and how they would be improved or ruined by their addition.

I'm pretty sure there's not a thread on this already. I tried to search, but forgive me if there's one "in hiding".

My brother falls somewhere between a casual and a die-hard fan and this is his biggest criticism of the band. He says "the thing about Pearl Jam is they are still a grunge band."

I know they have experimented with some stuff on occasion, but I disagree on respecting them for seeing how far they can push themselves with musical limitations. My music teacher (I take a music class, I don't study music at a college level) always said you should write music without using any instruments so that it doesn't limit you.

I think instrument variety is one of the biggest things that made rock bands like The Beatles such a joy to listen to. I would love to see Pearl Jam add more musical elements to their music and I think this Ed quote (paraphrased) is kind of foolish:

"we'd love to do that someday, but so far, we've really made a conscious decision to stick to the basic elements and see how far we could push ourselves with those limitations."

If you want to do it...do it! What're you waiting for? Your music to suck? I mean, Ed always talks about how big a fan he is of evolution. They should evolve as a band.

don't most rock bands generally stick to the guitar/bass/drums setup?

I suppose so. There really isn't anything wrong with that, but if you know how to play other instruments and you would like to add new sounds to your music, I don't see the point in holding yourself back from it.

Pfft. I detest music that overproduces with strings and horns and shit like that. No music rocks me like a power trio. The simpler the better. White Stripes is a guitar and drums and vocals. Awesome.

It is a very rare song IMO, especially from PJ, that benefits from anything more than their standard bass, drums, and two or three guitars, and often I think the songs would be better with less guitars.

How about Parting Ways? Particularly the live version from Seattle 2000 with "real musicians." Just because additional instruments are being utilized doesn't necessarily mean they are being overdone. I don't see Pearl Jam having a problem with that.

I mean...for PJ's punk songs, I completely hear ya.

I always wanted to hear like an acoustic album with original material.

would we describe wilco as a rock band? if so, they do a magnificent job using other instruments.

I think that PJ should exhaust whatever time they have left as a "rawk" band since those times will probably come to an end soon. I hope after another couple of albums they venture into the Wilco/Radiohead/Beatles/Sonic Youth era and try other instruments/arrangements.

Not every band can be like the bands mentioned above (REM has tried I would say unsuccessfully) and it is possible that the guys in the band are not able to go beyond the instruments and arrangements that they have been using in a creative sense (at least not in a successful way). (though I hope this is not true)

In general I like that PJ doesnt add too many strings or keys to their songs. Ex) I like the Benaroyal Parting Ways much better than the album version. I think they have gotten more creative mileage out of the traditional set up than pretty much any other band and it doesnt seem like they have exhausted all of their creativity within the traditional set up.

With the exception of boom, what you see on stage is PJ and you do not have several additional musicians on stage during a show like some other bands. I think this gives people more of an emotional connection to the band.

Some bands, yes, they should try to widen rather than deepen. A great example is what E has done with his Eels with Strings project, which is just awe-inspiring.

But Pearl Jam? Bar the occasional sidestep into other... realms, I'd say the basic set-up suits them.

Experimental music or rock-with-extras is great, but most bands end up using it to mask their lack of inspiration and emotional depth.

I like that, couldn't agree with you more

Great responses from everyone. This is exactly the type of conversation I was hoping would happen.

I don't think I want to expect the same things from Pearl Jam that I do from Wilco, they operate on such different levels. The point is that they're each trying to succeed at what they're trying to do--so what constitutes success for both of them HAS to be different.

Me too, right on.

ahhhh, did you all forget about the Hammond B3 and a man named Boom Gaspar? There is your added instrumentation, and from what I read here, 1/2 of you hate the addition of Boom. I am sure female backup singers and a horn/string section would go over real well with pj fans in concert.

The Rollingstones have female backup singers at their concerts and a female singer appears on one of their best songs 'Gimme Shelter'. Also I thought Aerosmith did a pretty good job of using a horn section on a few of their songs. It really depends on how it is done, Pearl Jam could create some really cool stuff if they did it right.

the strings on parting ways are really good.

I don't know if I can even imagine PJ w/ a brass section...a lot of rock bands have pulled it off well like: The Kinks, Black Crowes, Rolling Stones, Beatles, and Wilco, but I just really can't see PJ ever using one...A saxaphone maybe, but not a whole brass section. Unless they made some really dark/eerie music w/ some brass, that would be unique, and interesting IMO.

When you're one of the greatest rock bands of all time you shouldn't feel the need to try other stuff for the sake of trying it. They've done a nice job encorporating boom into this album which is certainly a step in the right direction if you want more instruments, and the occasional harmonica (footsteps, drifting, smile) and cello (parting ways) were both done very well. Small variations to accent a song is fine. But frankly I'm not sure any of them are musicians enough in the broadest sense to pull off widespread instrumentation. No one is a mike mills (rem) able to hold together a record like out of time or automatic for the people, and if they tried to do something like that I could see it being a disaster unless they really got a strong producer to take the helm.

They could go the Bruce Springsteen route (they started with Boom) but how many people do you want in the band?

i like the occasional flourish but I don't want to see them write a song around using another instrument. I don't foresee good things

As far as backup singers go I'd be fine with a guest vocalist doing something with him as equals, but PJ doesn't need backup singers, at least in the studio. When Eddie Vedder is your vocalist you don't need them. What they did this time with the extra layering is perfectly fine.

String sections are so punk rock.

I saw dan bern tonight and he had his friend paul kuhn with him who plays a cellocaster--a violin/guitar hybrid he invented. it's cool shit. they should get in touch with him.