MMM: Dissident – Pearl Jam

Milo here.

O boi o boi Reubs’ is gon’ flip when I talk about PJ without him — oh wellsies. Today, we’re looking Dissident, the fourth single from the band’s sophomore beast Vs. Check the audio below:

UGHHHH those wails man. THOSE WAILLSSSSS BOI. You can’t not be instantly enthralled when that Slash-esque guitar lead kicks the door in, accompanied by more cymbals than a… cymbal factory. As it cools off on the verse, Eddie Vedder’s trademark growls sooth the listener into the sweet tragedy of the lyrics — bUT THEN IT KICKS OFF AGAIN WITH THAT FUCKIN’ GUITAR AHHHHHHH. Ok, I’ll contain myself, but why should I when the vocals hit a fever pitch in that chorus, as Dave Abbruzzese’s nomadic, cymbal-heavy drums crash around the listener like the Red Sea.
This song is the emotional peak of Vs. for me and, though there is an element of theatrics to it, the catharsis of those guitars and Vedder’s performance, especially near the end of it, give it a heightened sense of drama that Pearl Jam used quite frequently in their earlier career, with tracks like Alive and Jeremy. It’s no wonder they were one of the main inspirations for a lot of post-grunge in the late 90s/early 00s — if only any of it was actually good (lookin’ at you, Scott).

MORE PJ FOR YA PJS:

MMM: Alive
RRR: State of Love And Trust
RRR: Even Flow/Jeremy

Top Fifteen Grunge Songs – Milo
Top Fifteen Grunge Songs – Reuben

Lots of hugs, kisses and lacerations

Milo.