No Code (Pearl Jam album 1996)

[SnakeMcmillan]

Just wanted to know what everyone thought about Pearl Jam's fourth album, No Code. I personally think it's one of their best because it used a lot more unconventional elements than their first three albums.

I just thought the songs on No Code were more varied and different.

But what did you guys think about it?
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"Don't fight it, feel it."

[gtroda]

When it first came out I didn't like it at all. Ten and Vs. are among my favorite albums ever and both in my top 100. Vitalogy is also strong. It hinted at a change, but nothing as drastic as No Code. No Code seemed like a different band and that the band I loved so much had abandonded me.

I gradually started to come back to it when I would hear those songs on Pearl Jam's live recordings and official bootlegs. The songs kind of grew on me one at a time. Now, given the passage of time, I enjoy the album quite a bit. Present Tense and Off He Goes are among my favorite Pearl Jam songs. If our charts went to 200 No Code would be on it.

Looking back now I see why they had to make a change and reinvent their sound. They had to make music that they enjoyed and was challenging to them. I'm glad they did.

[thejoj96]

It's okay.

[pearljammer13]

It's a great album. Vitalogy what a conscious effort to shrink from the mainstream, effectively turning their fan base into a loyal bunch that would stick with whatever direction they chose to go. No Code was the next step in trying something new. Probably their most experimental work, although they were smart enough to hold onto their early sound just enough for it to still be a true Pearl Jam album. Sometimes is a slow, beautifully disarming opener. Then Hail, Hail breaks in and it sounds like them again. From there it continues to bounce back and forth. In My Tree is one of my absolute favorite Pearl Jam songs. Present Tense is a fantastically original song. Off He Goes is some of Eddie's best lyrical work (This is probably his best album all around lyrically). Red Mosquito has a great catchy chord progression mixed with awesome solos in an unorthodox song structure. Around The Bend a pretty, quiet acoustic closer. It's cool that you brought the album up in the forums, I definitely think it's their most underrated album. So many people only really know their first two albums. This is when they really dug deep and tried a lot of different things, almost all working well.