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Pearl Jam's ambitious and mystical NO CODE is no more a grunge album than Nirvana's MTV UNPLUGGED was a punk album, which shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody who's been listening all along. Even while helping to codify the droning heavy-metal blare of grunge, Pearl Jam has fought that code, breaking the rules of the music as defiantly as the band's business practices defy the rules of the music industry. By now, Pearl Jam can, and does, employ Indian drones, psychedelic rock, punk and folk without reaching.
NO CODE, the band's fourth album, opens with "Sometimes," a prayer that slowly rises toward an anthemic chorus. But the song pulls back before it gets there, as if the band's goal is to embody the smallness of all of us. Pearl Jam still, clearly, believes in the awesome power of rock: In "Habit," Eddie Vedder nearly goes hoarse ranting at a friend who's picked up a dangerous one, and in "Red Mosquito," the band works up from a folk-rocky waltz into a '60s acid-rock whirl. But much of NO CODE finds Pearl Jam pulling away from such large notions. "Who You Are," one of a few songs that seem directly inspired by Vedder's recent collaboration with Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (on the DEAD MAN WALKING soundtrack), features droning guitars, tribal drumming and a Buddhist lyric. Even within the Pete Townshend-like electric-guitar strum and vocal wailing of "In My Tree," Vedder seems to be searching not for rock and roll experience, but for spiritual innocence.
Recorded at Studio Litho, Seattle, Washington; Chicago, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia.
Personnel: Eddie Vedder (vocals, guitar, harmonica); Stone Gossard (vocals, guitar); Mike McCready (guitar, piano); Jeff Ament (guitar); Brendan O'Brien (piano); Jack Irons (drums).
Audio Mixers: Nick DiDia; Brendan O'Brien .
Recording information: Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Studio Litho, Seattle, WA.
Photographers: Eddie Vedder; A. Fields; Chris McGann; Lance Mercer; Dr. Paul J. Bubak; Barry Ament; Jeff Ament; Mike McCready.
Pearl Jam: Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard (vocals, guitar); Mike McCready (guitar); Jeff Ament (bass); Jack Irons (drums).
Rolling Stone (9/5/96, pp.59-60) - 4 Stars (out of the 5) - "...NO CODE...is abrubt in its mood swings almost to the point of vertigo....It is the kind of impulsive, quixotic, provocative ruckus that has become rare in a modern-rock mainstream largely distinquished by weary fatalism and anxiety over quick career burnout..."
Alternative Press (12/96, p.85) - 3 (out of five) - "...Instead of sinking into a rut of arena-rock boredom, they improve. They grow..."
Melody Maker (8/24/96, p.41) - "...It's unlikely, given its varied and reasonably ambitious nature, that NO CODE will replicate the monstrous success of its predecessors. Due to Vedder's discovery that you don't always have to scream to be heard, however, it's a real surprise and a welcome change..."
Musician (11/96, p.83) - "...The main feeling a listener gets from this...disc is warmth, and an empathic sense that Vedder is really a lot like you--he just worries more, is all....he's most intriguing when he's staring hard in the mirror..."
NME (Magazine) (8/24/96, p.50) - 7 (out of 10) - "...they are the hippies in big shorts, and they are very busy finding themselves....Vedder is still preoccupied with his own mortality, but now he appears more quasi-mystical than miserable....for all its relative placidity, NO CODE is still a difficult beast..."
Pearl Jam - No Code Songs
| 1 | Sometimes | 2:41 | $0.99 | |
| 2 | Hail, Hail | 3:42 | $0.99 | |
| 3 | Who You Are | 3:49 | $0.99 | |
| 4 | In My Tree | 3:59 | $0.99 | |
| 5 | Smile | 3:52 | $0.99 | |
| 6 | Off He Goes | 5:59 | $0.99 | |
| 7 | Habit | 3:36 | $0.99 | |
| 8 | Red Mosquito | 4:03 | $0.99 | |
| 9 | Lukin | 1:02 | $0.99 | |
| 10 | Present Tense | 5:47 | $0.99 | |
| 11 | Mankind | 3:29 | $0.99 | |
| 12 | I'm Open | 2:54 | $0.99 | |
| 13 | Around the Bend | 4:35 | $0.99 | |
No Code Music Review
Average Rating: (3.5 out of 5 stars)    List All 8 Reviews pretty good
in a time where gundge was dissapearing, this experimental album is pretty good. Not for heavy trashers, theres some balad, folk and rarities.
Submitted by hernancastaneda (Quito Ecuador)
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 Strange Album
The purpose of this album wasn't to go platinum, or for Pearl Jam to create the best-sounding music ever heard. So, as far as it being overly pleasing to the ear, or to fit into a category is like trying to figure out exactly what Picasso was thinking in any of his paintings (not trying to compare Pearl Jam to Picasso). But I think as a work of art and a musical reflection of life (good, bad, strange) it is very interesting.
Submitted by dgillan1 (Lincoln, NE)
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End of grunge. Period.
Undeterred, perhaps? Underlying; uncut. Very little airplay from this one. Wish-wash of an album (fast and slow). Decent.
Submitted by skank992002 (Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No No Code
Probably one of the coolest concepts to have been devised.That whole album cover and sleeves are a trip.The music inside is really fascinating.It can get spritual and moody.Gotta love the song "Habit" when Eddie Vedder goes hoarse reciting the lyrics,thats cool.
Submitted by Southsidaz1985 (Downey,Ca,Usa)
Was This Review Helpful? Yes No  not the most underrated album of Pearl Jam
Don't get me wrong. There are some songs worth listening to like "Sometimes" "Hail Hail" "Off He Goes" and perhaps "Red Mosquito" but the rest is pretty appalling compared to "Ten" "Vs" or even "Vitalogy". No effort from any member."Habit" and "Lukin" are absolute shockers on which Eddie Vedder sounds like a raped chicken."Who you are" is a joke."In My Tree",pointless. "Smile" not even worth thinking about. It has stupid lyrics and embarassing wanna be country musicians with cheap harmonicas."Present Tense" and "I am Open" are depressing, boring, as if Vedder was singing his epitaph or singing his famous last words, and last but not least "Mankind".That would probably have to be the worst track ever made in rock history;they wanted to give another band member the chance to sing.After all why not? What is there to lose?.
Indeed the album has no code;no style, no personality, no purpose.
Submitted by a reviewer (paris)
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