Pearl Jam: Eddie Vedder (vocals); Jeff Ament, Matt Cameron, Mike McCready, Stone Gossard. Recording information: 1991 - 2003. Unquestionably one of the biggest rock bands of the 1990s, Pearl Jam, in many ways, were the star students of the grunge class. Though they didn't have the defiant, punk attitude of Nirvana nor the we-love-Sabbath metal edge of Soundgarden, the quintet found a huge audience for their relatively straightforward rock, thanks, in large part, to frontman Eddie Vedder's intense persona and distinctive vocals.

As the band grew to resent their success, their music became intentionally less accessible (and often more intriguing), and while their peers folded, Pearl Jam found themselves with a smaller, but still loyal, fanbase by the first years of the 21st century. Although this two-disc set draws from the first 12 years of Pearl Jam's history, its focus is clearly on the group's heyday, with more than 20 of the 33 tracks dating from 1991-'95.

The collection is cleverly divided into an "up side" and a "down side." The former features PJ's more rocked-out songs (the ominous "Once," the joyous "State of Love and Trust," the scathing "Not for You"), while the latter presents the ensemble's mellower tunes (the jangly "Daughter," the Eastern-tinged "Who Are You," the '50s ballad "Last Kiss"). Though fans may bemoan certain omissions, REARVIEWMIRROR shines the spotlight on underrated songs (the fierce "I Got ID" and the gorgeous "Off He Goes") and offers an excellent overview of this formidable band.

Rearviewmirror: Greatest Hits 1991-2003 CD

Category Rock/Pop, Rock, Grunge
Label Epic (USA)
Orig Year 2004
Discs 2
Street Date Nov 16, 2004
Studio/Live Studio
Mono/Stereo Stereo
Producer Pearl Jam; Brendan O'Brien; Adam Kasper; Brett Eliason; Tchad Blake

DISC 1: UP SIDE: REARVIEWMIRROR: GREATEST HITS 1991-2003:
1. Once - (2004 remix)
2. Alive - (2004 remix)
3. Even Flow
4. Jeremy
5. State Of Love And Trust
6. Animal
7. Go
8. Dissident
9. 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

DISC 2: DOWN SIDE: REARVIEWMIRROR: GREATEST HITS 1991-2003:
1. Black - (2004 remix)
2. Breath
3. Daughter
4. Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town
5. Immortality
6. Better Man
7. Nothingman
8. Who You Are
9. 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

Enjoy! and please seed..
Ekolb