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Rating: If "Nevermind" is considered the quintessential Grunge album, the best known and the greatest; "Ten" will go down in history as the most multifaceted and versatile Grunge record. Right from the start, the opening is atypical for a work of that genre; "Once" rises from the shadows, grows steadily and just when it seems to explode, it actually cradles on Eddie Vedder's vocals and restless guitars, never exceeding the limits.
We are far removed from Nirvana's philosophy. "Even Flow" only reinforces this idea; while the roaring guitars never soften their tones, the hypnotic melody of the refrain and the brazen rhythm provide that touch of originality that might otherwise be missing. "Alive" is one of the group’s most famous songs; a hybrid hard rock with calm tones, emotional and unstable, boasting an epic and catchy chorus and the final solo, so predictable at first, yet so inescapably poignant and loaded that it rises to the level of true hard rock, transcending it at times. Then we find purely Grunge tracks like "Why Go" and "Porch"; fast rhythms and tight lyrics, soaring refrains, immense voice as always. These pieces lack the destructive and psychological power of Nirvana, leaning more towards visceral blues rather than nihilistic punk; it is perhaps here that we find the true reason why "Ten" stands apart from other more classically Grunge works. The peaks are not reached with punk-rock; rather with hard-rock or psychedelic ballads, but not with punk-rock. Indeed, two excellent tracks on the album are "Oceans" and "Garden"; the first is a lunar ballad, the voice surreal, the atmosphere intense and the atypical structure make it an acoustic gem. The second is a delicate and enchanted trip. The guitars paint the mist where the voice wanders, among evanescent apparitions and sudden powerful outbursts.
"Black" and "Jeremy" are probably the absolute peak of Pearl Jam and, in my opinion, of the entire Grunge movement, precisely because they evade that style while maintaining its visceral and existential character. The anger expressed in two nearly opposite forms. The broad spaces traversed by the guitar, the desolate singing, the sweet piano, the magnificent crescendo and the raging voice come together in a splendid track like "Black", moving and indefinable. Resigned lightness with a deep soul. "Jeremy" is a fiery and restless ride; perfectly balanced between the shaded melody, electric guitars supported by gentle orchestrations, a bitter text and the extremely communicative voice (as always). The peak is reached at the end with guitars chasing each other amidst laborious sighs; if you’re asked what Grunge is, let them hear the end of "Jeremy" and they will understand everything. "Deep" is nothing more than a canonical Melvins-style track, with noise guitars and hypnotic sounds interwoven.
The finale is entrusted to the beautiful nine minutes of "Release", a sort of reprise of various themes from the album, with an extra dose of melancholy and catharsis. In conclusion, "Ten" is an excellent work, capable of combining typically Grunge sounds with moving emotional crescendos, hard-rock power, and punk anger. Perhaps it does not have the destructive power nor the desolation of 'Nevermind', but it remains a milestone for the Grunge movement. If Nirvana's album was the contemplation of pain, this is the way out of it.
A complete and essential album in music history.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Once (03:51)
I admit it -- what's to say? Yeah...
I'll relive it without pain...
Backstreet lover on the side of the road,
I got a bomb in my temple that is gonna explode.
I got a sixteen gauge buried under my clothes, I play...
Once upon a time, I could control myself.
Ooh, once upon a time, I could lose myself, yeah...
Oh, try and mimic what's insane -- ooh, yeah...
I am in it -- where do I stand?
Oh, Indian summer and I hate the heat,
I got a backstreet lover on the passenger seat.
I got my hand in my pocket, so determined, discreet...
I pray...
Once upon a time I could control myself.
Ooh, once upon a time I could lose myself, yeah, yeah...
You think I got my eyes closed,
But I'm lookin' at you the whole fuckin' time...
Ooh, once upon a time I could control myself, yeah...
Once upon a time I could lose myself, yeah, yeah, yeah...
Once, upon a time I could love myself, yeah...
Once upon a time I could love you, yeah, yeah, yeah...
Once, once, once, once...
Yeah...once, once...yeah, yeah...
Yeah...yeah, yeah...yeah, yeah...
02 Even Flow (04:53)
Freezin', rests his head on a pillow made of concrete, again.
Oh, feelin' maybe he'll see a little better, set a days, ooh, yeah.
Oh, hand out, faces that he sees time again ain't that familiar, oh yeah.
Oh, dark grin, he can't help, when he's happy looks insane, oh yeah.
Even flow, thoughts arrive like butterflies.
Oh, he don't know, so he chases them away.
Someday yet, he'll begin his life again.
Life again, life again...
Kneelin', looking through the paper though he doesn't know to read, ooh yeah.
Oh, prayin', now to something that has never showed him anything.
Oh, feelin', understands the weather of the winters on its way.
Oh, ceilings, few and far between all the legal halls of shame, yeah.
Even flow, thoughts arrive like butterflies.
Oh, he don't know, so he chases them away.
Someday yet, he'll begin his life again.
Whispering hands, gently lead him away.
Him away, him away...
Yeah!
Woo...ah yeah...fuck it up...
Even flow, thoughts arrive like butterflies.
Oh, he don't know, so he chases them away.
Someday yet, he'll begin his life again, yeah.
Oh, whispering hands, gently lead him away.
Him away, him away...
Yeah!
Woo...uh huh...yeah, yeah, mommy,mommy...
03 Alive (05:41)
Son, she said, have I got a little story for you
What you thought was your daddy was nothin' but a
While you were sittin' home alone at age thirteen
Your real daddy was dyin'
Sorry you didn't see him
But I'm glad we talked
Oh I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey, I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey, oh
Oh, she walks slowly, across a young man's room
She said I'm ready for you
I can't remember anything to this very day
'Cept the look, the look
Oh, you know where
Now I can't see, I just stare
I, I'm still alive
Hey I, but, I'm still alive
Hey I, boy, I'm still alive
Hey I, I, I'm still alive, yeah
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh, oh
Is something wrong, she said
Well of course there is
You're still alive, she said
Oh, and do I deserve to be
Is that the question
And if so, if so, who answers, who answers
I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey I, but, I'm still alive
Yeah I, oh, I'm still alive
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Uh huh
Yeah, uh huh
Uh huh
Yeah, uh huh
Yeah, yeah, yeah
05 Black (05:43)
Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay,
Her legs spread out before me as her body was still.
All five horizons revolved around her soul as the Earth to the Sun.
Now the air I tasted and breathed has taken a turn.
Ooh, and all I taught her was everything.
Ooh, I know she gave me all that she wore.
And now my bitter hands shake beneath the clouds of what was everything.
All the pictures have all been washed in black,
Tattooed everything...
I take a walk outside,
I'm surrounded by some kids at play.
I can feel their laughter, so why do I sear?
And twisted thoughts that spin round my head,
I'm spinning, oh, I'm spinning...
How quick the sun can drop away,
And now my bitter hands cradle broken glass of what was everything.
All the pictures have all been washed in black,
Tattooed everything...
All the love gone bad turned my world to black,
Tattooed all I see, all that I am, all I'll be, yeah.
I know someday you'll have a beautiful life,
I know you'll be a star in somebody else's sky,
But why, why, why can't it be, why can't it be mine?
06 Jeremy (05:19)
At home, drawing pictures
Of mountain tops
With him on top
Lemon yellow sun
Arms raised in a V
And the dead lay in
Pools of maroon below
Daddy didn't give attention
Oh, to the fact
That mommy didn't care
King Jeremy the wicked
Oh ruled his world
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
Clearly I remember
Picking on the boy
Seemed a harmless little fuck
Oh, but we unleashed a lion
Gnashed his teeth and
Bit the recess lady's breast
How could I forget?
And he hit me
With a surprise left
My jaw left hurting
Oooh dropped wide open
Just like the day
Oh like the day I heard
Daddy didn't give affection, no
And the boy was something
That mommy wouldn't wear
King Jeremy the wicked
Oh, ruled his world
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
Whoa... (x15)
Try to forget this
(Try) to forget this
(Try) to erase this
From the black board
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in class today
Jeremy spoke in, spoke in...
Jeremy spoke in, spoke in...
Jeremy spoke in class today
Whoa (x25)
Whoa
Whoa
Whoa
yeah yeah!
07 Oceans (02:41)
Hold on to the thread
The currents will shift
Glide me towards...
You know something's left
And we're all allowed
To dream of the next
Oh, ohh the next, time we touch...
Oooh...
Oooh...
Oooh...
Oooh...
You don't have to stray
Tho oceans away
Waves roll in my thoughts
Hold tight the ring...
The sea will rise...
Please stand by the shore...
Oh, oh, oh, I will be...
I will be there once more...
Oooh...
Oooh...
Oooh...
Oooh...
Uh huh, oh yeah...
Uh huh, oh yeah...
08 Porch (03:30)
what the fuck is this world
Running to, you didn't
leave a message at least I
could have heard your voice one last time.
daily minefield, this could
be my time, by you?
would you hit me?
would you hit me?.......ohhhhhhhh oh oh
all the bills go by, and
initiatives are taken up
by the middle, there ain't gonna be any middle any more
and the cross i'm bearing home
ain't indicative of my place
left the porch
left the porch......ohhhhh oh
hear my name
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
walk beside me
I just need to say...
hear my name
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
I could not take a-just one day
I know that i would not ever touch you
hold you
feel you
ever hold...........
never again never again hey hey yeah
09 Garden (04:58)
She don't wander in...don't wander in here, she...
She don't wander in here...don't wander in here...
The direction of the eye, so misleading
The defection of the soul, nauseously quick
I don't question, our existence
I just question, our modern needs
She don't wander in...don't wander in here, she...
She don't wander in here...
I will walk...with my hands bound
I will walk...with my face blood
I will walk...with my shadow flag
Into your garden, garden of stone...yeah...
After all is done, and we're still alone
I won't be taken, yet I'll go...with my hands bound
I will walk...with my face blood
I will walk...with my shadow flag
Into your garden, garden of stone
I don't show...I don't share...
I don't need, yeah...What you have to give...
Oooh, I will walk...with my hands bound
I will walk...with my face blood
I will walk...with my shadow flag
Into your garden, garden...oh...
I will walk with my hands bound
I will walk into your garden, garden of stone...
I don't know...I don't care
I don't need, yeah...need to live...yeah, yeah, yeah, oh...
Uh huh huh... (8x)
10 Deep (04:18)
On the edge windowsill
Ponders his maker
Ponders his will
To the street below
He just ain't nothin'
But he's got a great view
And he sinks a needle deep
Can't touch the bottom
In too deep
Can't touch the bottom
On the edge of a
Know-nothing town
Feeling quite superior
The aged come
To the sky above
He just ain't nothin'
But he's got a great view
And he sinks a burning knife deep
Can't touch the bottom
In too deep
Can't touch the bottom
In too deep
On the edge of a
Christmas clean love
Young virgin from heaven visiting
To the man above her
She just ain't nothing
She doesn't like the view
Doesn't like the view
Doesn't like the view
But he sinks himself deep
Can't touch the bottom
In too deep
Can't touch the bottom
Can't touch the bottom
Deep
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Other reviews
By charles
This is definitely one of the cornerstone albums of the grunge era, one of the three masterpieces alongside Nirvana’s 'Nevermind' and Soundgarden’s 'Sperunknown.'
The two-minute solo in 'Alive' is chilling... the lyrics of 'Jeremy' are very harsh, cruel... so much so that in ’91 in America, they led to many teenage suicides.
By Castaldo
If you consider it 'grunge', you are just misinformed.
Eddie Vedder... would become the messiah of wild rock, rising to rival Kurt Cobain in just a few months.
By Mariaelena
"The scream of rage from Eddie Vedder’s incredible and perfect voice remains fresh even 14 years after its release, listening to it now feels timeless."
"You feel [the tracks] penetrate your skin and flow through your veins like an electric shock... culminating in a multiple musical orgasm ranging from platonic to concrete."
By STIPE
Ten remains in many ways an unsurpassed record, an absolute symbol of Seattle’s sound and of that movement commonly referred to as grunge.
In the chorus, he says 'I’m still alive.' The theme will return in other tracks, like in 'Betterman.'
