Yield
There is something disarming about Wishlist. A simple guitar figure, a measured vocal and a little patience are enough. Yield does not need Pearl Jam to sound permanently troubled in order to sound committed, and its quieter confidence gives the album much of its appeal.
Brain Of J. opens with a more immediate burst of guitar and a rough vocal performance from Eddie Vedder. Do The Evolution is similarly restless, turning its riff into a vehicle for a deliberately exaggerated delivery. These songs keep the record from becoming too comfortable, although the real strengths are often elsewhere.
Given To Fly makes its upward movement feel almost inevitable. The guitar figure leaves enough room for the voice to gather force, and the eventual release has a generosity that suits the whole band's playing. In Hiding is equally effective, with a chorus that opens the song out without making its earlier restraint feel like mere preparation. The emotional lift is built into the melody.
Jeff Ament's Low Light offers a gentler point of entry. Its unhurried movement and close attention to the vocal line make a small song feel substantial. The broader writing contributions across Yield matter because they give the music several ways to arrive at a shared sound. Jack Irons' drumming is especially useful in keeping the softer material active without crowding it.
Not every detour is essential. Push Me, Pull Me introduces an odd little soundscape that is intriguing on its own but less convincing as part of the flow. A few of the harder tracks also lack the distinctive melodic turn that makes the strongest songs so easy to remember. The album's steadiness sometimes comes close to plainness.
All Those Yesterdays makes a good final destination, with a reflective melody that leaves the record feeling open rather than exhausted. Yield works through the warmth of the ensemble and the clarity of its best songs. Its most satisfying moments are modest in construction and large in effect, which is a useful balance for Pearl Jam to find.
