Track Listing

1. Secret Girl
2. Day Brings
3. Lift
4. I Don't Know
5. Upon My Shoulders
6. Sweet Al George
7. Funeral Song
8. Circle And Line
9. Some Never Come Home
10. Candles
11. Those Three Words

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5608 in Music
• Released on: 1997-06-01
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

Well decorated
For years, Pearl Jam have tried to recapture the magic they had from their first two albums. While still a great band, who's musical evolution means they've passed the test of time, Binaural and Riot Act can't even be placed alongside Ten and Versus. Not many musicians can produce consistently good music all of their lives. For every Beck, there are many Neil Young's. So with this album being released in 1997, not long after the release of No Code, the expectations can't have been too high for Stone Gossard's side project. Perhaps it was just good timing, but Brad's debut album (not counting the collection of demos known as Shame) was a masterpiece.

Despite all the hype surrounding the band revolving around Stone, it didn't take long to work out that the mastermind behind this project was Satchel's Shawn Smith. The Prince-influenced singer/pianist demands attention with his soft, mesmorising vocal lines. Brad bear more resemblance to Satchel than Pearl Jam but Stone Gossard's subtle guitar work does add a lot to the mix. Always playing second fiddle to Mike McCready in Pearl Jam gives Stone the perfect experience of adding the parts to songs which you hardly notice when they are there, but would definitely notice if they weren't.

The album was never meant to change the world, but the quality of songwriting here is enough to win over most. Ranging from the lullaby serenity of 'Some Never Come Home' to the dirty grunge of 'Sweet Al George', the album caters for a lot of tastes.

Highlights of the album include the Pachelbel 'Canon In D' reminiscent 'The Day Brings', the haunting 'I Don't Know', the gentle 'Circle & Line' and the gorgeous 'Some Never Come Home'. Songs that captivate you from the very first listen.

There is one flaw on this album that seems to have put a lot of people off the band from the first listen. The problem is 'Secret Girl', the opening track. It's a no-brainer rock song that plods along with few redeaming features, and makes for good usage of the 'next' button on any stereo system. First impressions count and I know a lot of people who have never been able to see past the very average opening track. Despite 'Secret Girl' though, this album is a classic piece of work with every other track almost apologising for the opening number.

It's nothing too original, but the strength of the individual songs make that unimportant.

Well decorated
For years, Pearl Jam have tried to recapture the magic they had from their first two albums. While still a great band, who's musical evolution means they've passed the test of time, Binaural and Riot Act can't even be placed alongside Ten and Versus. Not many musicians can produce consistently good music all of their lives. For every Beck, there are many Neil Young's. So with this album being released in 1997, not long after the release of No Code, the expectations can't have been too high for Stone Gossard's side project. Perhaps it was just good timing, but Brad's debut album (not counting the collection of demos known as Shame) was a masterpiece.

Despite all the hype surrounding the band revolving around Stone, it didn't take long to work out that the mastermind behind this project was Satchel's Shawn Smith. The Prince-influenced singer/pianist demands attention with his soft, mesmorising vocal lines. Brad bear more resemblance to Satchel than Pearl Jam but Stone Gossard's subtle guitar work does add a lot to the mix. Always playing second fiddle to Mike McCready in Pearl Jam gives Stone the perfect experience of adding the parts to songs which you hardly notice when they are there, but would definitely notice if they weren't.

The album was never meant to change the world, but the quality of songwriting here is enough to win over most. Ranging from the lullaby serenity of 'Some Never Come Home' to the dirty grunge of 'Sweet Al George', the album caters for a lot of tastes.

Highlights of the album include the Pachelbel 'Canon In D' reminiscent 'The Day Brings', the haunting 'I Don't Know', the gentle 'Circle & Line' and the gorgeous 'Some Never Come Home'. Songs that captivate you from the very first listen.

There is one flaw on this album that seems to have put a lot of people off the band from the first listen. The problem is 'Secret Girl', the opening track. It's a no-brainer rock song that plods along with few redeaming features, and makes for good usage of the 'next' button on any stereo system. First impressions count and I know a lot of people who have never been able to see past the very average opening track. Despite 'Secret Girl' though, this album is a classic piece of work with every other track almost apologising for the opening number.

It's nothing too original, but the strength of the individual songs make that unimportant.

From Genre to Genre - buy it.
A fabulous album from start to finish. Shawn Smith, Stone Gossard and the boys do themselves proud. They take what they have learnt from Satchel, Pearl Jam etc and throw it in the bin, instead they bring us a mix of tunes from the piano ballads right up to the heavier rock themes. All are inspired and all have their own beauty. Smith's voice has improved and he now adds a touch of elegance to the tracks, who needs distortion when you can make a piano with a faint Gossard overlay sound sooo good.
I would have to advise anyone to buy this album, it isn't heavy it isn't soft, it is everything.
It is difficult to put in into a genre as such as there is such a range of compositions, even my mother would take a liking to some of the tracks on this wonderful album.
Oh and for those die hard Pearl Jammers, listen out for some great melodies from Mike McCready in the background of a couple of the tracks adding yet another level to the songs.