Pearl Jam - Ten (1991)



Tracklisting

1. Once
2. Even Flow
3. Alive
4. Why Go
5. Black
6. Jeremy
7. Oceans
8. Porch
9. Garden
10. Deep
11. Release

Considered by some to be a member of the upper tier of great grunge albums, alongside Nirvana's Nevermind, Soundgarden's Superunkown, and Alice in Chain's Dirt, Pearl Jam burst on to the music scene with this incredible debut. It was released on August 27th, 1991, a seminal day in music. This album boasted several hit singles for Pearl Jam, tracks like "Even Flow", "Alive", and the biggest hit of all, "Jeremy". Although they are exquisite tracks, other songs like "Black", "Oceans", and "Release" seem to be superior with poetic lyrics and great melodies.

"Black" tells a tale that is familiar to most, it is about losing someone you love, whether it be death or a breakup, the lyrics are spectacular. Towards the end of the song, as it builds toward an epic climax, piano playing, singer Eddie Vedder screams "I know someday you'll have a beautiful life, I know you'll be a star/in somebody else's sky, so why/why, why can't it be, why can't it be mine?", you can't help but feel his pain.

There is also some storytelling involved on this album, the tracks "Alive", "Once", and a B-side "Footsteps" form what is called the "Mamason Trilogy". This is a disturbing story where the song "Alive" recounts a boy having sex with his mother. This boy grows up to be a serial killer in the song "Once", and the song "Footsteps" is him making his way to be executed. This shows Eddie Vedder's natural ability to weave incredible stories.

Ten is an essential album in any music fan's collection, with tracks like "Black", "Once", "Release", "Oceans", "Porch", and "Alive", you can't go wrong. The first album on the essentials list is 1991's Ten, pick it up.