10 Musical Left Turns NOBODY Saw Coming
6. Vitalogy - Pearl Jam
By the mid 90's, Eddie Vedder was at the end of his rope. His band Pearl Jam were on top of the world, but Vedder could not have been more cynical. He had not enjoyed the rapid ascent of the grunge fad that had taken the world by storm.
To test their audience, Pearl Jam released Vitalogy in 1994. Instead of the 4-minute stomper tracks that hit hard, fans were met with a mixture of musical styles. There was punk on songs like "Spin the Black Circle," balladry on "Better Man" and experimental tracks like the dumpy "Bugs" and the closing sound collage "Stupid Mop."
This record was a perplexing listen for most fans. At the time, even the band weren't quite sure what to make of the record. However as the years go by, this album holds up as an engaging art project that shows the band's rawest moments both musically and emotionally.
As the band continues to follow their instincts into the 2000's and beyond, many cuts from Vitalogy still find their way into the band's setlist. Though Pearl Jam have had greater highs, this record shows the band being themselves more than any other record in their discography.