Binaural

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
If "The Weight" hadn't been nabbed as a song title in the decade in which Pearl Jam's musical aesthetic was formed, it would have made an apt handle for the (uniquely) more Methodist than Bacchanalian rock band whose music has always been utter heaviness, if not actual weariness, incarnate. And nine years after Ten, that supremely weighty debut that's as much landmass as landmark on the American rock planet, on they trudge. And trudge, and trudge, dragging another too-long album which, though ably captured by Tchad Blake, will be greeted-like every predecessor without tracks called "Jeremy" and "Even flow"--with faint disappointment. Which isn't to say Binaural lacks the core Pearl Jam virtues: awe-inspiring live muscularity, determinedly unfashionable riffs and the achingly true-hearted Eddie Vedder's decade-defining howl and piled-high baggage of guilt, sincerity and humility which, perhaps alone in his line of work, he actually means. And in comparison to the awkward musical wilfulness of 1998's Yield, Binaural is a solid, straight-ahead reassertion of this most straight-ahead of bands' first principles. The roiling, Who-ish "Breakerfall" and nervy "God's Dice" kickoff with heads-down urgency; an almost airy "Soon Forget" does something charming with ukeleles; a yearning "Light Years" is the sweetest of the ballads and the fitful, no-more-grunge-titled "Grievance" takes on the World Trade Organisation. Although, unfortunately--and perhaps appropriately in a world made for strutting fakes and egotists rather than pure hearts--it's almost impossible, if anyone's listening, to decipher what Vedder's saying. --Jennifer Nine

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2008-03-27 rating:
Give it a chance
Upon first listen, Binaural became my least favourite PJ record. With the exception of Breakerfall, I felt this album offered nothing. Sometime later I did revisit the album and to my surprise found tracks like Nothing as it Seemed and Sleight of Hand, both brilliant. I don't know how I missed these the first time but somehow I did. As I listened to it more I found more tracks I liked like Parting Ways, Of the Girl and Insignificance. The album does seem to be blending a bit better too, asking to be heard in order in it's entirety as an album is meant to. The McCreedy influence is felt strongly throughout the record, which is fine as he does some of his best work on this record. Although the album is improving as I listen to it I am not yet at the point where I can call it a PJ great. It may eventually get to the point where it reaches 4 stars but currently I'm giving it 3 (really a 3.5). This album has some amazing songs but requires commitment from the listener; only fans need apply.

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review by: date: 2008-01-24 rating:
One of the very best PJ albums
Quite simply, this is my favourite since Vs. The songs are of a very good standard the whole way through the album and it's this consistency which raises Binaural above many albums in the band's arsenal. The production is also lovely and warm on this record which gives it a very friendly and inviting character. An intelligent rock album that rewards repeated listening.

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review by: date: 2007-01-19 rating:
Tidy sound
Binaural is an impressive CD. The produced sound is tight and fills the room.
What I especially like about the sound in this album is the humility of the vocals in the mix. They do not stand alone, overpower, grab the lead. As a result, the vocals are choral in attitude. They add to the music, the phrasing is percussive and the tune memorable.
When you consider how highly-regarded Eddie Vedder's voice is, that they are mixed down makes for a confidence that is noteworthy in such a Rock album. It also makes the album most-playable in a room where people want to talk to each other - it's great to slap on when a party is beginning to heat up.
Pearl Jam are an excellent outfit with a polished sound. They know their music and it shows. I highly recommend this Pearl Jam album.

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review by: date: 2004-07-31 rating:
Excellent; why does it get so much shit?
I don't understand this album, it'll always be something of an enigma to me. I can only assume the reason this gets slated so much by critics is because it was too commerical. Other than that it is track after track of modern, coherant, superior rock music. I love it.

Most Pearl Jam albums have a quirky, experimental side to them. This is perhaps the only one that doesn't. Even 'Yield' has "Push Me, Pull Me".

"Gods' Dice" is perhaps the finest fast-rocker since "Animal", "Light Years" is an excellent slow, almost ballady number followed by the single and perhaps strongest hit they've had since 'Ten'; "Nothing as it Seems", which I love. One of their strongest songs both lyrically and musically. This is in turn followed by another classic, beautiful song, "Thin Air", which is a Gossard number. Absolutely beautiful.

There are some other crackers here such as "Insignificance", "Rival" (love it) and of course the excellent "Parting Ways." The only song I'm not overly keen on is "Evacuation" but then again it is a Matt Cameron song, which isn't neccessarily a bad thing, just not classic Pearl Jam style. Finally we have "Of The Girl", probably the least accessible song on the entire album and yet one which I now love thanks to the acoustic rendition on the new acoustic double-CD, 'Live at Benaroya Hall'. If Pearl Jam can make an album as consistent, coherant and altogether brilliant as this again, then then will indeed be the greatest band of the 90's.

Beautiful, poignant and in some parts rockin'.

5 Stars.


review by: date: 2004-07-19 rating:
As always, very good
Pearl Jam seems to be one of the very few consistently great rock bands on the planet. 'Binaural' is no exception. Great guitar work, great melodies, great lyrics combined with an utter disregard for contemporary musical fashions make for an album well worth listening to. These guys seem proud of their ancestry (classic 'dinosaur' rock, punk), instead of attempting to camouflage it under pathetic reinventions and pseudo-elaborations of (sub)genres already out there. You work with what you've got, and Pearl Jam do that better than most. Even though you might feel a tad disappointed after your first listening, give it another spin. It may well be labelled 'an aquired taste', but 'Binaural' proves itself a worthy successor to the other great Pearl Jam albums floating around this rock-starved planet. There's no denying it: this is very good, altogether satisfactory rock music.

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