In an era when pop nihilism fulfilled its dark promise all too regularly, Pearl Jam not only survived, but thrived to become one of rock's greatest bands. This 33-track double-disc career retrospective documents the arc of a career that went from arena and radio triumphs in the early 90's (while Nirvana's promise imploded in the wake of hype, Pearl Jam's crowd-pleasing fame only burgeoned) to the uncompromising, core audience-focused tack that carried the band into the 21st century. Shrewdly compiled by the band into an "Up" disc that chronicles the band's driving, Stone Gossard-Mike McCready fueled hard rock dramatics (including such early career landmarks as "Jeremy," "Alive" and "Even Flow" alongside more aggressive fare like "Go" and "Spin the Black Circle") and a "Down" side that focuses more on Eddie Vedder's brooding, often dark ballads ("Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town," "Yellow Ledbetter," their unlikely hit cover of the oldie "Last Kiss"), it's a collection that underscores both the band's range and musical integrity. Though centered largely on the band's pre-Vitalogy studio era and containing no new material, longtime producer/collaborator Brendan O'Brien contributes remixes of "Once," "Alive" and "Black" that offer new insights on the familiar, while non-album tracks like "Man of the Hour" and "State of Love and Trust" considerably enhance the overall listening perspective here. --Jerry McCulley ”
Track Listing ------------- CD1
[01]. Once - (2004 remix) [02]. Alive - (2004 remix) [03]. Even Flow [04]. Jeremy [05]. State Of Love And Trust [06]. Animal [07]. Go [08]. Dissident [09]. Rearviewmirror [10]. Spin The Black Circle [11]. Corduroy [12]. Not For You [13]. I Got ID [14]. Hail, Hail [15]. Do The Evolution [16]. Save You
CD2
[01]. Black - (2004 remix) [02]. Breath [03]. Daughter [04]. Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town [05]. Immortality [06]. Better Man [07]. Nothingman [08]. Who You Are [09]. Off He Goes [10]. Given To Fly [11]. Wishlist [12]. Last Kiss [13]. Nothing As It Seems [14]. Light Years [15]. I Am Mine [16]. Man Of The Hour [17]. Yellow Ledbetter
