Pearl Jam: Ranking Their Albums From Worst To Best

7. No Code

As was the case when The Beatles ventured into Transcendental Meditation and produced "Across the Universe" and "Within You, Without You," No Code represents a band seeking to mature by embracing Eastern philosophies. The religious aspects are a little murky, but that's probably how Eddie wanted it. There are several layers of subtlety at play on No Code, from the vague spiritual dilemmas he works through in the lyrics, to the understated harmonies and varied instrumentation. Though not exactly a "chill out record," it's certainly dulcet by PJ standards. There are the requisite rock anthems, of course, but those aren't the most interesting part of the album. In fact, the trudging "Habit" and "Hail, Hail" could be considered mere distractions from the real meat of the album, which resides in the slower paces and near-meditative choruses of songs like "Who You Are" and the beautiful closer, "Around the Bend." As with any "mature" album, though, there are a few dull spots, usually when the band seems to be trying a little too hard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjTVb1eSKZY