No Code

by Pearl Jam

Overview

A strange phenomenon with anthemic hard rock bands is that when they begin to mature and branch out into new musical genres, they nearly always choose to embrace both the music and spirituality of the East and India, and Pearl Jam is no exception. Throughout No Code, Eddie Vedder expounds on his moral and spiritual dilemmas; where on previous albums his rage was virtually all-consuming, it is clear on No Code that he has embraced an unspecified religion as a way to ease his troubles. Fortunately, that has coincided with an expansion of the group's musical palette. From the subtle, winding opener, "Sometimes," and the near-prayer of the single, "Who You Are," the band reaches into new territory, working with droning, mantra-like riffs and vocals, layered exotic percussion, and a newfound subtlety. Of course, they haven't left behind hard rock, but like any Pearl Jam record, the heart of No Code doesn't lie in the harder songs, it lies in the slower numbers and the ballads, which give Vedder the best platform for his soul-searching: "Present Tense," "Off He Goes," "In My Tree," and "Around the Bend" equal the group's earlier masterpieces. While a bit incoherent, No Code is Pearl Jam's richest and most rewarding album to date, as well as their most human. They might be maturing in a fairly conventional method, but they still find new ways to state old truths. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	08/13/2021
Label:	Legacy / Sony Music
UPC:	0194398891613

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Pearl Jam   Primary Artist
Eddie Vedder   Guitar,Vocals,Harmonica
Jeff Ament   Bass,Guitar
Mike McCready   Piano,Guitar
Brendan O'Brien   Piano
Stone Gossard   Guitar,Vocals
Jack Irons   Drums

Technical Credits

Chris McGann   Artwork,Photography
Pearl Jam   Producer,Composer
Bob Ludwig   Mastering
Caram Costanzo   Assistant Engineer
Eddie Vedder   Composer,Photography
Carrie Akre   Composer
Jeff Lane   Assistant Engineer
Jeff Ament   Composer,Photography
Nick DiDia   Mixing,Engineer,Recording Technician
Mike McCready   Composer,Photography
Brendan O'Brien   Mixing,Producer
Stone Gossard   Composer
Jack Irons   Composer
Matt Bayles   Assistant Engineer
Barry Ament   Artwork,Photography
A. Fields   Photography
Jerome Turner   Artwork,Concept,Logo Art
Dr. Paul J. Bubak   Photography
Lance Mercer   Photography