(Radiohead said its albums/styles are clustered in 3s: 1, pablo - ok computer, 2, kid a - hail to the thief, 3, in rainbows - ???)

for pj:

1) ten, vs, vitalogy, no code

2) yield, binaural, riot act, PJ

3) backspacer, ___, ____, _____ (will they make 3 more studio albums? they'd be knocking on 60 for that 4th one, assuming a new album every 3 - 4 years)

for the first two sets, the conceptual linearity seems pretty self-evident, with no-code serving as the logical response/answer to the questions posed in the first 3 albums. i particularly like the circle/meaning from yield -> s/t

I disagree.

I have no idea what criterias you use to put Yield and Binaural with Avocado.

Yeah, that really threw me off.

If we must "cluster" I say it's a bit more like:

1) ten, vs, vitalogy

2) no code, yield

3) ~binaural~

4) riot act, that last one with the fruit.

hopefully we are beginning a new phase with backspacer, or I'll be damn disappointed.

I agree with the first 2 clusters, but after that I think every album is on its own.

I don't think you can really group "Vitalogy" in with Ten and Vs.

I would say

Ten, Vs
Vitalogy, No Code, Yield
Binaural, Riot Act
Avocado

I don't know what put me more off:

Yield & Binaural with Avocado

or

No Code with Ten & Vs

some strange first post this.

The more I think about it, I think the only two you can put together are No Code and Yield. The rest are on their own.

:success:

I've never agreed with Vitalogy getting clumped in with Ten and Vs. I think the only reason to do so is on the basis of popularity/sales.
I would put them together as:
Ten/Vs
Vitalogy/No Code/Yield/Binaural
Riot Act/Pearl Jam

I just feel that Vitalogy and No Code are so fundamentally different in spirit, I can't see them as part of the same phase. for me No Code is like the calm after the storm.

That's how I see it too. Vitalogy is a violent storm, No Code is the calm after the storm while you're surveying the damage, and Yield is the next day when you've begun cleaning up.

Here is how I have always seen it...it has more to do with "historical era of music" than anything else:
1. Ten, Vs. Vitalogy - This period was their turn, albeit unwillingly, as the biggest act in hard rock. Ed is this brooding, angry, weird figure to most.

2. No Code, Yield - Great, inspired songwriting that came out amazingly, but confused some of their original fans- but these records as well as great great tours "earned" them the "hard core, with them to the death" fans. (us?)

3. Binaural, Riot Act- The.."You didnt really believe us when we said we werent rock stars, did you?"...phase. Ed's songwriting responds to the breakup of his marriage, the election of GWB and then 9/11 and the subsequent war. His transformation into a Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen type figure typifies this period, as does the bands new role as a Grateful Dead type of touring band. Not rock stars, but an important band with a past, present and future now.

4. Avacado, Backspacer- I know you Avacado haters arent gonna agree with me, but even if musically it is very different (better), it seems like this is a logical continuation of the transformation of the band that started with the last record and tour. Sorta a "we are going to lay the groundwork to be here to stay for a long long time, we are going to make several eclectic records, some you'll like, some you won't (a Neil Young idea) and put on great tours" phase.
A band thats headed for the R&R HOF, but still in with a lot to do yet.

conceptually ten and vs make some sense together--adverserial records about a world they feel alienated from/betrayed by

Vitalogy and No Code work together as well--the records about fame/corruption/commodification and then the peaceful resolution. Lumping these in with ten and versus makes some sense if you want to highlight the way the first 3 records all deal with some sense of unease that is resolved with No Code.

Yield either stands alone or continues developing some of the themes of No Code, but I don't think Yield has a tremendous amount of thematic continuity--in part because there were so many lyricists on that record. Certainly the 'yield' idea runs through quite a few songs, and the extent to which we emphasize that it makes some sense being attatched to No Code. If anything it represents the conclusion of the band making peace with itself

Binaural is a thematic mess--the recoord is a collection of songs unified by a production gimmick. Maybe a good set of songs but binaural's 'falvor' is entirelyu aural.



Even though they don't sound alike, I see Riot Act and S/T as being related albums--both clearly informed by 9/11 and the Bush administration. Different takes on that theme, but htis is the headspace the band seems to be writing from. I expect Backspacer may end up related to those records as a sort of conclusion, the way that no code (or yield) can be seen as a resolution of the conflcit in the previous records.

Excellent post, Stip. I agree with just about everything here

And Binaural and Riot Act are the well intended but poorly executed albums that your neighbor didnt take with him as he was evacuating his house, so they blew into your yard.

I kid, I like them. Mostly.

Yeah, great post Stip. Yours looks at the phases from the band's perspective...I sorta see mine now, after reading yours, as how I saw the band as an outsider go through these phases.

1) ten, vs

2) vitalogy

3) no code, yield

4) binaural, riot act

5) avocado, backspacer

I think Pearl Jam reconfigures itself whenever Ed tells them to or wants to..