Pearl Jam have been recording, touring and releasing albums for nearly fifteen years now at a consistent rate. On average every two years the release a new album, go on a world tour and go home. Lather, rinse and repeat. Call it boring or call it professionalism, it works.
With grunge credentials and firm roots in the underground scene they have done all they can to escape from this image, whilst always moving slowly away from their contemporaries. While the Seattle scene went down in flames they were recording Vitalogy, a wonderful compilation of mumblings and rock guitars, with a song called Stupid Mop thrown in for good measure. Now they seemed to have, if the reviews are anything to go by, achieved their apparent ambition to become a Crazy Horse tribute band with their new album Riot Act.
But I digress. I love Yield. Actually I love the first half of Yield and the very end. The middle bit is where I always wander off to make dinner or have a shower. But the five tracks, right up until wishlist always hold me tight. But No Way is the lost track, it was placed directly after the fantastically sublime Faithfull and right before the resentfully sad Given To Fly. I think if placed anywhere else on the album it would have excelled. Here it just dies. It’s overpowered by the it’s neighbours and tends to be forgotten the instant it is over.
It shouldn’t be. It is a wonderful song in it’s own right. With and impossibly humable tune I often have it in my head for days on end. And the words and lyrics are entirely penned by Stone Gossard and are ever so sweet and sad. Written as clear and simple statement of fact about the authors desire to, like most of us, just to find someone to share his life with, about his need to searching and just settle down. It reads, like most of the lyrics on the album, as an ode to middle age and the desire to stop fighting battles you already lost years ago.
On the other hand a simpler review would read; egotistical, self-centred and even in its resignation melodramatic. Angst-me-me-me rock disguised as AOR.
It’s great.
Here's a token of my openness
Of my need to not disappear
How I'm feeling so revealing to me
I found my mind too clear
I just need someone to be there for.. me
I just want someone to be there for.. me
All the static in my attic a
Shoots down my ciatic nerve
To the ocean of my platitudes
Longitudes latitudes it's so absurd
I just need someone to be there for...
I just want someone to be there for ...
Someone to be there for...
'Cause I'll stop trying to make a difference
I'm not trying to make a difference
I'll stop trying to make a difference
No way
No way
Ooh, let's call in an angel
Ooh, let's call in an angel
Ooh, let's call in an angel
'Cause I'll stop trying to make a difference
I'm not trying to make a difference
I'll stop trying to make a difference
No way
'Cause I'll stop trying to make a difference
I’m not trying to make a difference
I’m not trying to make a difference
No way
No way, no way
Let's call in an angel
Who's calling an angel?
No Way, Yield, Pearl jam
Words and music – Stone Gossard