I got home from SXSW last night and drove straight from the airport to the office to pick up my copy of the "Super Deluxe" Ten reissue — which was released today in a variety of different complexities — and then drove straight home to devour it, without so much as collecting dinner or bothering to take my suitcase out of the car. And here is my snap judgment:
I can’t make a snap judgment on this! WTF are you talking about? In my possession I now have the original remastered version of Ten, a remixed version from Brendan O’Brien that includes a bunch of bonus tracks, a demo cassette, a wax paper packet of photos and stickers and ticket replicas, a composition notebook that serves as a photo album, a DVD of the band’s MTV Unplugged show, and three vinyl LPs, including the 1992 Drop in the Park concert. The record sleeve for the latter depicts Vedder soaring over a flannel-drenched crowd. I spent 20 minutes staring at it last night. I also spent most of my week in Texas driving around with the O’Brien remix advance in the car stereo, and am still finding new and exciting tweaks to these songs I’ve known for half my life. Absorbing all of this is going to take some time.
Additionally — and perhaps more shamefully* — I don’t own a record player, and neither Best Buy nor my local music equipment store were able to sell me one this morning. (Apparently the only people still in the market for turntables are DJs, and I do not require the technology for "scratching.") So while I wait for a Craigslist transaction to go through in order to properly review this thing, I open the floor to you, M-Dubs: Who’s got a copy? Who’s got an opinion? Share it in the comments! And meanwhile, check out this phenomenal hip-hop cover of “Why Go,” which incorporates nearly everything this post was about!
*please do not take the time to write in just to troll me for not owning a record player. I KNOW. and I’d make excuses, but whatever. the situation is being rectified. thank you for understanding.
I have never wanted anything more in my entire life!
Dude, props. Would love to see anyone else attempt this. Lot of respect for you, great diversity.
OOOOHHHHH!!!! I have been counting down the seconds to this reissue. I grew up back east on this, my all time favorite album. But I’ve lived here in Seattle for 10 years and have to say what a thrill it was to buy the reissue right here where it all started (infact only about 10 blocks from their apartment building in Singles) I know that’s geeky, but whatever – this is only gonna happen ONCE in my life. My Highlight so far is having the one take State Of Love And Trust with Eddie’s little lead in and Jeff talking at the end. Also can’t stop listening to the remixed Garden intro.
my birthday isn’t for almost two months, but my husband bought me the Collectors Edition as well (as I would have bought the set with the MTV Unplugged yesterday), and frick it is awesome! I spent about a half hour on the couch looking at everything in it and listening to the remixed version on vinyl, AWESOME!! I can’t wait to get home from work today to listen to more of it and much closer. PJ rocks even more for doing this!!
Santos is my b^tch
I think that all people with middle eastern names are terrorist
TenClub=the Bush Administration
Picked up the ‘deluxe’ edition yesterday at my local record store. I was a little nervous when I first heard about O’Brien remixing what many consider the bible of hard rock music; however, he did a fantastic job.
Also, anyone know why MTV never aired the unplugged versions of ‘Oceans’ or ‘State of Love and Trust’? I had a few guesses after watching them last night.
1. PJ was only ‘warming up’ during “Oceans”
2. Eddie was wearing a hat during “Oceans” and “State of Love and Trust”, but the hat was removed for the other songs
3. Eddie formed his hands into a gun and put it into his mouth during “State of Love and Trust”
4. MTV had to cut the two songs due to time constraints?
Unplugged: I watched the premiere, and it was an hour. It included State Of Love And Trust and Breath.
I think MTV cut it down to a half hour for reairing.
But I do still have the VHS tape of the original broadcast!
Picked this up and have been completely blown away so far. While the price is still a bit hefty (despite all you get), this is one of the best, most polished box set releases I’ve ever seen. The box itself is a sturdy, classy product, and the artwork is in no way lacking. Pearl Jam fans will no doubt enjoy poring over the pages in the faux composition notebook and the contents of the wax envelope.
As for the music, however, there is no Pearl Jam fan in the world who should be without one of the versions of this release (I believe the most stripped-down edition can be got for under $15 and includes both new versions of the album). I’ve always loved Ten, but IMO, it seriously needed a shiny new mastering job…and that’s just what it got. After first listen, I have no complaints, it’s simply Ten sounding a little more live. The O’Brian remix, however, is a masterpiece. This will replace the original mix when I go to listen to Ten. (PS: Haven’t done the cassette or DVD yet)
Target sells record players my friend. Works pretty well too.
I’m finding it hard to stop listening to the Remix for an hour, everything about it is amazing, I believe it’s the greatest album ever recorded, and the story of how PJ started is nothing but divine destiny… what a time, what a place… I’ve seen PJ 65 times in the past 18 years and they still remain the closest thing I have to a religion… hail, hail!!!
I have been fortunate to be in the fan club since 1994 and this compilation IS GREAT!
Particularly the 1992 Unplugged show with EdVed off the hook and Jeff Ament showing his strut… they are the best band to see live these days -
Highly recommended!
All I gotta say is: WAAAWOWDOODDIWODIWDOIWODIWODIAWWWWW