Oceans [Single] - Pearl Jam (CD 1995)

Since it s been a while for a Pearl Jam review I figured I might as well go for the throat and dig out an old maxi single from 1992. It was an era when the grunge explosion showed no real signs of letting go of the media stronghold it fought so hard to battle. The version I own is imported from Australia [version number 658472 2] and set me back about $12.99 USD. However, this was when anything with the Pearl Jam name on it from lunch boxes to underwear was selling for obnoxious amounts of money. However, as I have said many times, if you are a fan, you will pay for it and smile all the way...

I have to admit, I've never been a huge fan of Oceans. For me, it was always a nice bridge between Jeremy and Porch. Short enough not to skip but not captivating enough to really be enthralled with. However, as time has gone by, I've grown to appreciate it more and more. It's still nowhere near one of my favorites, but I do enjoy listening to it. The sweet lyrics display Eddie Vedder's love of the Pacific. The song's soft, ambient mood fits the theme perfectly, making you feel as if you are floating along in the water, without a single care, just enjoying the tranquility of it all. The...

From the beginning of their career, it seems Pearl Jam have wanted to distance themselves from fame. More specifically, the negatives that come with popularity. Before their battle with Ticketmaster, before they stopped doing videos, Pearl Jam made the decision to release "Oceans" as the fourth and final single off of their smash debut album, Ten. What does that have to do with avoiding excessive fame? Everyone including their record company, Epic, and nearly every rock radio station was pushing the band to release the beautiful ballad "Black" as the single to follow "Jeremy". If they would...