YIELD

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BOTH EPIC

The debut album from Seattle’s second most famous band had everything demanded by a great rock record. The riffs were heavyweight, the anger palpable, and yet every track dripped with hooks and choruses. Stunning songs such as “Evenflow”, “Jeremy” and “Alive” make it one of the essential ’90s albums.

Although it was an Uncut Album of the Month on its 1998 release, with the benefit of hindsight Pearl Jam’s career is a story of diminishing returns. Their fifth LP was a more traditional, hard-rocking affair after 1996’s semi-acoustic No Code. But the songs lack the imagination that made Ten such a breath of fresh air.