Ten: A New Classic
A Volcanic Burst

Pearl Jam's Ten, a tight, anthemic, and passionate record that would eventually become one of the most popular and influential debut records in the history of rock & roll, initially had a hard time getting noticed. Featuring an unknown surfer named Eddie Vedder on lead vocals, it seemed a too earnest and a bit obscure, coming out of that musical backwater called Seattle. But with sudden, volcanic force, it exploded, altering the direction of rock music in the 1990s.

to "Black"

Pearl Jam Essentials
The Great Unpredictables
List Price: $17.97
Our Price: $11.97

After the gigantic, anthemic guitar rock of their first two records, Ten and Vs., Pearl Jam's third record, Vitalogy, was an unexpected left turn, with no obvious hits and an artsy, fascinatingly eccentric sensibility. Such abrupt shifts in musical direction would eventually come to typify and define a band that refused to become trapped in a comfortable, but predictable, box.

to "Spin the Black Circle"

Quietly Yielding
From a Scream to a Whisper
List Price: $16.97
Our Price: $13.99

Following album four, No Code, Pearl Jam's fifth full-length studio record, Yield, marked the band's final journey from stadium-filling, anthem-rock gods to introspective iconoclasts. Fully removed from the trappings of the "Seattle sound" or "grunge rock," the band laid down a sometimes difficult, often beautiful mix of sloppy rockers and clear-eyed ballads that finally completed their reinvention.

to "Given to Fly"

Binaural
The Latest LP from Pearl Jam
List Price: $17.97
Our Price: $14.99

Pearl Jam has come along and given us a breath of fresh air with 'Binaural'. Another artsy rock album from the greatest rock band of the '90s. Heck, they're one of the greatest of the last 20 years. With songs like 'Evacuation', 'Insignificance', and my personal favorite 'Grievance', you have easily the best hard rock album so far this year.

to "Nothing As It Seems"

Pearl Jam Cajun Style
Live East Coast Dates Released

In an ambitious, unprecedented move, Pearl Jam are releasing their entire Binaural tour on CD--each documenting a different date on the band's itinerary. The European dates were released late last summer, and now they've got the East Coast leg of their American tour ready for public consumption (24 more West Coast dates will be released later this spring). Check out Amazon.com's list of American live recordings. Start with their show in New Orleans, dripping with late-summer heat and old-world charm.

Pearl Jam: Live in Europe
A Double-CD Odyssey
List Price: $16.97
Our Price: $13.99

Since Pearl Jam were kind enough to record them in their entirety, check out Amazon.com's list of European live recordings. One we recommend highly is a blistering show in Milan, Italy. Recorded over the summer solstice, it features a rousing, set-ending version of the Neil Young classic, "Rockin' in the Free World."

Grunge Classics
A Strange Noise from Seattle
List Price: $18.97
Our Price: $13.99

Pearl Jam's explosion into the mainstream was lumped in with Seattle's grunge sound, a lurching, slow-motion, guitar-driven crunch brought to passionate life by the likes of Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains. Pearl Jam's aesthetic came from a different, more classic rock vibe, but Eddie Vedder's unadorned growl will nevertheless always be associated with Chris Cornell's vocal gymnastics and Kurt Cobain's poetic wail. Check out this classic album from a musical movement that flashed only briefly, but with an incandescent brightness.

Five Against One
Books, Videos, and More Featuring Pearl Jam
List Price: $14.95
Our Price: $11.96

Kim Neely's Five Against One is an informative read for any casual fan, but doesn't neglect those looking for odd vignettes and quirks about what is, in the end, a very quirky band. We've got an entire list of Pearl Jam books, videos, and DVDs for those seeking deeper insights into the band's psyche.