Pearl Jam - Lost Dogs
My Thoughts: (Reviewed by K-Billy)
After Seven studio albums and countless live bootlegs Pearl Jam has decided to release a double album of B Sides and Rarities to mark their split from longtime record label Epic. As stated above the release is split into two discs. All in all there are thirty tracks to be listened to that range from Pearl Jam’s earliest work in the Ten era to songs that just missed the cut on Riot Act. However coming into this cd thinking that you’re going to hear the songs that weren’t good enough to make the albums would be foolish for make no mistake these songs are classics in their own right and for the most part are only B Sides because they didn’t fit the tone of a a cd. The first disc is definitely the more rock oriented of the two with the first track “All Night” showcasing Pearl Jam’s amazing arrangements, from there it only gets better with the wonderful guitar on “Sad” and the quiet easygoing nature of “Down” As a special treat to a true fan “Don’t Gimme No Lip” features Stone’s first contribution with lead vocals and was one of the first songs he wrote, it’s simply worded yet entertaining none the less. Songs like “Alone” remind you of the larger then life rock Pearl Jam used to crank out during the Ten era and songs like “In The Moonlight” and “Education” showcase the wiser older bands stylings. From there the band delves into wonderfully introspective rockers like “You” and oddly arranged alternative tracks like the “Whale Song” sung by former drummer Jack Irons during the Yield sessions. The real treat comes in the final track of the first disc. “Yellow Ledbetter” may be the greatest Pearl Jam song ever with a warm rich guitar riff that draws you in to the casual flow of the song. With Vedder slurring all his words it’s impossible to understand him but his vocals are just amazing.
Disc 2 is much more subdued with many of it’s songs being acoustic. It starts off with the amazing “Fatal” taken from the Binaural album. “Hard To Imagine” may now be one of my favorite Pearl Jam songs as well with one of the greatest vocal deliveries I’ve ever heard once Vedder kicks it into high gear with the beautfiul lyrics, “Things were different then, All is different now, I tried to explain, somehow” And after that it’s the raw acoustic track “Footsteps” which is equally amazing. The reason it all works so well is that the quality of the songs never falters, the mood shifts from the quiet love ballad “Last Kiss” to the humorous “Dirty Frank” which sounds quite like the Chili Peppers.
There’s a subtle brilliance to the whole record. I at first didn’t enjoy the fact that the band loaded up the rockers on the first disc and rolled out the acoustics for the second but it doesn’t bother you as a listener. The song writing is of such a high level that it transcends the genres of rock each individual song fits into. In this sense the shift from heavy to soft never really tends to bother you. Nothing sounds repetitive so why should it matter. In it’s own way Lost Dogs is almost a teaser. Pearl Jam dangles these songs in front of us all the while knowing that the hardcore fan will have to think about the possibilty of how many songs they really have locked away in their studios. Who even knows how many compilation albums like this the band could churn out without even breaking a sweat. I mean we are talking about the Guiness World Record holders for most albums released in a year for their countless amount of bootleg concert cds. I wouldn’t go so far as to say the cds perfect for some of the songs are definitely novelty releases such as “Gremmie Out Of Control” which if nothing else showcases that Eddie’s a surfer at heart. But simply put this is the best compilation of B sides and such that I’ve ever heard. Great music from a great band...K-Billy
Key Tracks:
Sad
Alone
Yellow Ledbetter
Education
You
Hard To Imagine
Footsteps
Driftin
Last Kiss