10 Most Underrated Rock Albums Of All Time
5. Yield - Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam were never a band that sought to be huge rock stars. After going to the top of the rock charts on the strength of albums like Ten and Vs., the band became disillusioned when millions of people started to pay attention to their new sound. The band initially tried to run as far away from the mainstream as possible, but once they settled in, they could still make some kickass rock music.
Though the band's previous effort No Code is still one of the more challenging listens in their catalog, Yield is one of the most radio-ready albums they have released since their debut. Instead of trying to take their sound in bold new directions, this is the sound of a bunch of guys kicking back and getting reacquainted with why they loved rock in the first place.
Compared to the scattered nature of their previous albums, this album has a great flow to it, with firestarters like "Do the Evolution" being juxtaposed with more thoughtful material on songs like "Wishlist."
Even the more experimental stuff on songs like "Push Me Pull Me" are still fairly coherent and serve as dramatic interludes before the real meat of the record. Pearl Jam weren't necessarily rewriting their history with Yield, but it helped them get back on track with what their audience wanted to hear.