Just a thought:

I was just listening to PJ and Neil Young performing Rockin' in the Free World. I remember this performance on MTV I think sometime in 1994, correct me if I'm wrong.

Anyway Dave A was on drums and Mike still had long hair. It was a different PJ sound of times past. It took me back to when I first saw them in 1993, also with Neil Young. Mosh pits and crowd surffing!

I've grown older with Pearl Jam and still dig their sound live. They're tighter as a band, and Matt is king!

But damn...they had somethin' goin' on back then!

Their older stuff is better, more mature.....I mean, honestly, they were a better band for me when I was 17 or 18. Being older, they do alot more musically now then they ever have and my sounds have expanded as I have gotten older and they satisfy that appetite now. I love their 'old' sound, but in all honesty anything Yield/Avocado beat the first 4 albums, imo.

I don't get why people feel Pearl Jam is "mature" or they have a "mature" sound now. So they've branched out and explored some new sounds, but how is that more mature? That kind of synopsis just kind of reeks of pretentious, look how smart and deep I am elitism.

Anyway, Pearl Jam when they were the least self-conscious (and when their fans were too) was the best. Pre No Code, Old School all the way.

I'm pretty sure the band was extremely self-conscious well before No Code. See Vs. for example.

I must admit I did not understand a word of your first paragraph, but totally agree with your second statement. At the same time we have to remember we were different beings back in the early days. It is hard to follow Ten (which is about my fourth favorite album) none the less it is a classic. Do I like them as much now? I like them more! I prefer ealier material but still at 28 can't wait for something new to hit home. It took me 6 years to really get into Yield, now it is my favorite album!!

I gotcha man, but Vs. isn't even 1/10 of how self indulgent No Code is, and yes, I know that they needed to go that route to stay together but I still don't like that kind of shit

I just don't get using the "mature" label for later material. If nothing else, it just seems like the wrong adjective to use to me, a bit of a misnomer. I guess I can kind of see how some people would refer to something that is a little less accessible as mature, but I've always thought calling something less accessible was a euphemism for crappy in a lot of instances as well.

I mean, I've grown with the band as well, but the first three albums are still my favorite, and even though I would say I've grown as a person as well, none of the other albums have grown on me. If anything, I appreciate the early stuff more now because I can really appreciate how great they are and how that was a special time for PJ and music in general

Self-indulgent? Who is making the music? They don't ask anyone to like it - if that is what they wanted to create so be it. That being said, my favourite era of PJ is Vitalogy --> Yield. Binaural is probably the album that has grown on me the most...

But the biggest thing to this all and why so many opinions will differ is that each of us has different experiences and have grown since we first heard PJ. For example I am so into Avocado - I love it to death, but this is influenced by my current experience in my life that I have been coping with. Similarly with No Code. I have an affinity to No Code that will not dissipate. I can see this as being the same with Avocado... it is our personal experiences that shape our understanding and connnection.

Well, I'm not talking just musically. I think the lyrics are alot better now. MITS is fucking brilliant and I don't think they could have written that song in the early years. Another thing, what I meant by mature, is their sound in general expanding. I enjoy hearing the new sounds and I find that the latter records are varied quite a bit more.

I barely ever listen to the first 3 records anymore...its been years and the only time I hear those songs is off of bootlegs or when I see them live. Sure, they are great songs and I'm not denying that. For me, I think Yield and Avocado are the best albums they have released...No Code would be right there as well.

If PJ sounded like the ten - Vitalogy era, I would have lost interest along time ago. But, that is just how I feel...and no, I'm not tripping on my elitism over my musical taste as one poster suggested earlier because I find their last 4 albums just because of find 'new' PJ more mature lyrically and musically.

Exactly.

Except include Vitalogy too (and subtract Riot Act )

Fair enough

Right on.

With talk of old pearl jam and new pearl jam sound; maturity and what not. If you look at any concert they put on today they can play Betterman then Comeback then SOLAT then Black (songs off the 3rd album, 8th album, ten era b-side and their 1st album, respectively) and it all comes off as a great, coheisive sound. They are a band that has always written great songs, but has never sounded better, to me.

I gotta say old pearl jam! They definately had something huge going! I often wonder how the music would have sounded if people gave Ed the privacy he wanted. I just fucking love those anthem songs the band used to write. I just cannot put these new songs over the classic songs such as Immortality, Black, Release, Indifference, rearviewmirror, Jeremy... the list goes on! When I hear a song like cropduster written by the same band makes me cry!

However, I truly enjoy this new album! Riot Act was a huge dissapointment to me, so Avocado comes as a blessing. Like a 'Don't worry Niko, we can still fuck you up!

Great stuff!

I have no problems in life: was just the right age when Ten came out, was in awe of Vitalogy, was exactly in the mood for No Code, was expecting nothing but what they wanted to give me from Binaural and Riot Act, and now... I'm just as pumped up for this record and the tour as if they had played my backyard in 1991, yeahh.

I'm with rohfe100. but then again I think he, coach, and myself are the three biggest old record partisans on the board.

They have more variety in their sound now, and musically they are probably a better band, but they write fewer titanic riffs these days, and while Eddie is probably a better singer, his voice isn't nearly as powerful as it used to be, and overall he comes out behind in that trade off.

Lyrically Eddie's lyrics are a bit better on average these days, but his best stuff lyrically from the earlier records is still the best stuff he ever did. Lyrically they deal with a wider variety of themes, but I'm not comfortable calling the older records immature. There is nothing immature about Immortality, Indifference, Small town, nothingman, betterman, etc.

The biggest thing for me is the vocals. New Eddie can't hold a candle to old eddie. avocado was a step in the right direction though. He can't do what he used to, but it sounds that he at least wants to try again.

i did not get the opportunity to see them pre-98 but listening to the bootlegs the intensity of the performances seemed a little higher in 92-94 period. don't get me wrong, they can still bring the rock and are one of the best live shows, but eddie just seemed to have more of a fire in him. maybe it had something to do with the more anthemic songs being fresher then?

Their middle area is the best. Vitalogy, No Code, Yield. Vitalogy is the most raw and I think it really captures what Pearl Jam is at it's core and because of that I think this is the album that best defines the band. Vitalogy is my favorite Pearl Jam album. No Code features the band in its most experimental period. On this album there seems to a theme of finding ones place in the world which I think applies not only to the individuals in the band, but also the band itself. Finally, to me Yield is their most complete and consistent album. It starts and finishes strong and manages to create a mood that is sustained throughout. Just some of the reasons I believe that their miffle period is the best.