File under 'Criminal Neglect'...

While Nirvana were blazing an ultimately self destructive trail across the West Coast sky, and Mudhoney were out-garaging Arnold Clark (automotive retail monopolist in the West of Scotland); Pearl Jam were making music with a soulful and spiritual ease that belied the immense legacy they were creating. Okay, perhaps 'ease' is not the right word, as their distinct discomfort at the close attention of the industry machine was marked and appears to remain today, but to me that only gives their music a greater authenticity, an aura of truth that is rare in today's packaged and categorised world of media-ocrity.

It is utterly pointless for me to recommend a place to start with Pearl Jam, a route into their aural cornucopia. The depth, breadth and height, the variety and the consistency of their back catalog is truly staggering. The good news is that it is unnecessary for me to try, because you can start anywhere from 1992's debut 'Ten' to the last studio release 'Pearl Jam' in 2006, and anywhere in between, and I believe that you will be as enthralled, energised, enraptured as I have always been. But if you really do have the attention span of a mayfly with ADD here is my suggestion for the mother load (in no order but date).

Even Flow (from 'Ten' 1992)
Daughter (from 'Vs.' 1993)
rearviewmirror (from 'Vs.' 1993)
Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town (from 'Vs.' 1993)
Spin The Black Circle (from 'Vitalogy' 1994)
Better Man (from 'Vitalogy' 1994)

Who You Are (from 'No Code' 1996)
Low Light (from 'Yield' 1998)
Light Years (from 'Binaural' 2000)

Cropduster (from 'Riot Act' 2002)
Bushleager (from 'Riot Act' 2002)
Unemployable (from 'Pearl Jam' 2006)