Lost Dogs - Pearl Jam (CD 2003)

There comes a time in every reviewer's life when that reviewer must shirk all notions of objectivity. It's sort of a necessity-- sure, you attempt to write from a non-biased standpoint, devoid of pesky personal pronouns and full of cheeky reference points to other artists, but everyone's got an artist (or at least an album) that provokes such a reaction in the reviewer that the reviewer must then forewarn his (hopefully captive) audience that he's about to go blithering freaking fanboy on y'all and then proceed to do so. My objectivity has been challenged. My number has been called. My time,..

My ever-intense obsession with the ROCK GODS (oh yeah!) that are Pearl Jam have taken me in a lot of directions, to a lot of places, in search of the elusive Pearl Jam rarity. Most common destination? EBay. Inexplicably, I've never joined up with the Ten Club, a Club in which members get perks like first access to concert tickets, first access to some new releases, and, perhaps most importantly, a bonus otherwise unavailable 7" record with some tasty rare treats at the end of every year. So EBay it is, to find the next rarity for my collection (next on the list...the '93 fan club single,...

Guess what? More Pearl Jam! Yes, that s right people, I finally return to the second best band in the world, after a month s hiatus! Well, something like that, but it s been a long while since I wrote a Pearl Jam review. And for all of those who thought I was finished writing about this legendary band, screw you! Do you honestly think that I would not have bought the band s brand spanking new two-disc wonder, filled to the brim with all manner of b*tchin B-sides and rockin rarities? As a matter of fact, I was there on the day it was released; sweat rapidly gathering on my brow, palms, fingers.

"Sit down, make yourselves comfortable, we're gonna be here a while..." For more than a few years now, Pearl Jam fans have been clamoring for the long rumored, never quite done, rarities and b-sides album. This thing has been rumored to be in the works so many times, that when the band themselves promised it to fans earlier this year, many said fans kind of said "yeah, we'll believe it when we see it." And then, last month, came the announcement. November 11th, 2003. 2 Discs. To be released the same day as a 2 DVD set of the band's performance at Madison Square Garden. Christmas came early...