SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PEARL JAM – GIVE WAY (RECORD STORE DAY RELEASE)

Pearl Jam
Give Way (Record Store Day Release)
Epic Records

In 1998, Pearl Jam toured Australia in support of their new record, Yield. Their Melbourne date would be among the final shows with then drummer, Jack Irons and recordings of the performance have been a coveted bootleg; while it was recorded as a potential promo release, plans to release the live recordings were scrapped until now. In celebration of the 25th anniversary of Yield, Pearl Jam have released Give Way as a special; Record Store Day release.

Opening the live record with “Release”, Pearl Jam proves that you never know what you’ll get at one of their concerts, a sentiment that remains true today. Who else can open a show with a sparse ballad while captivating their audience? Furthermore, imagine the refined taste and restraint it must take for a band of young artists not to kick off with a larger-than-life rocker. Instead, the band follows the ballad with two blistering songs: “Brain Of J.” and “Animal”. As far as ways of opening a show, these three tracks together prove to be as unique as they are effective.

To say that Pearl Jam was firing on all cylinders feels like an understatement, ’98 after was a definite peak in the band’s illustrious career. Eddie Vedder sounds remarkable, Irons and Jeff Ament are a terribly underrated rhythm section, and the chemistry between guitarists Mike McCready and Stone Gossard is some of the best of the decade. From rockers like “Corduroy” and “Hail Hail” to mega-hits like “Even Flow”, “Do The Evolution”, and “Alive”, Give Way can stand alongside some of the greatest live cuts from Pearl Jam. Factor in the spectacular sound quality of the recording and a killer rendition of the fan-favourite “State Of Love And Trust” and the use of the somber ballad, “Immortality”, as a closer, and Pearl Jam have delivered a masterclass in modern rock performance.

There is something truly special in Give Way. ’98 saw Pearl Jam in a unique position, one which few artists ever are in, and even fewer document their live performances in such high quality in these moments. 1998 saw Pearl Jam approaching a time of transition as they began to move away from the visceral inspired punk and grunge sounds that made them one of the biggest bands of the decade. Before the unmatched precision of Matt Cameron and the polish of Boom Gaspar, and more recently, Josh Klinghoffer, Pearl Jam shined bright as a fiery rock outfit with an enriched and soulful sense of balladry, something unparalleled by even their greatest of peers. In this regard, Give Way captures a fleeting era where Pearl Jam was still dangerous, before it made a transition into something more refined and sustainable. While there is nothing wrong with where they are now – Pearl Jam never fails to illicit a sense of excitement – there is certainly something to be cherished about the sound and energy presented on Give Way.

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