Lead singer/guitarist Eddie Vedder’s predominantly neutral stream of consciousness gives way to positive sentiments about the world’s ability to change (“Brain of J.”), self-improvement (“Wishlist”) and the liberation found in loving others unconditionally (“Given to Fly”). God hears men’s prayers on “Faithful.” Vedder condemns “taking pills to get along” (“All Those Yesterdays”). In contrast to his former angst, the artist surveys life and claims to be “fine” on “Push Me, Pull Me”-an improvement.
Obscenities. The f-word appears on “MFC” and “Given to Fly.” “Do the Evolution” is unsettling due to the unclear context of lines such as “I’m at peace with my lust/I can kill ’cause I trust in God” and “I’ll do what I want, but irresponsibly.”
With the release of No Code, Vedder and the boys finally began to appreciate the daily gift of taking in oxygen. Less angst and despair. This disc reflects that introspective progress as well. In fact, Entertainment Weekly [2/6/98] described Pearl Jam’s latest as “less pretentious than in the past, reflecting a looser, even marginally whimsical, worldview.” Sadly, Yield‘s obscenities and ambiguity signal “do not enter.”
