Much like Vedder’s political actions, “Porch” is a relentless closer that brings MTV Unplugged to a climatic close. For a closer, Pearl Jam dives into the fast paced and intense “Porch” which will likely best be remembered as Vedder took the chance to write “pro-choice” on his arms during the performance – a massive act of protest when you consider how big the band was quickly becoming and the audience they were reaching through MTV. Much like “Alive”, “Even Flow” again brings a driving rock performance to the acoustic setting. Vedder’s vocals and ability to bring a raw sense of emotion to his performance particularly shines here. “Alive” with its lengthy solo section certainly brings a a show-stopping sense of excitement, while ballads “Black” and “Jeremy” feel like a natural shift from electric to acoustic. The remaining five songs take the listener through some of Pearl Jam’s biggest hits from Ten. It is here that one will notice that rather than write alternative arrangements or choose a selection of songs that would lend themselves to an acoustic setting, Pearl Jam have simply swapped out the amps for acoustic guitars and, in a refreshing twist, have maintained the feel, integrity, and style of their work which, in some sense brings a different sense of life to the performance and, ultimately, makes for a unique acoustic performance, even 28 years later. The band, consisting of Mike McCready and Stone Gossard on acoustic guitars, Jeff Ament with a subdued but plugged in bass, and original drummer Dave Abbruzzese, follow Vedder through the soaring artistic highs of the alternative ballad before kicking off into the up-tempo hard-rocking – and originally unreleased B-side, “State Of Love And Trust”. Opening with the lush chords and Eddie Vedder’s melodic musings on “Oceans”, MTV Unplugged gets off to a slow introduction that quickly grows in scale and intensity. Having been issued on vinyl for Record Store Day 2019, Pearl Jam have now officially released MTV Unplugged on all platforms to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their first ever performance as a band. While few, if any, will ever surpass the live albums from Nirvana and Alice In Chains’ respective sessions, Pearl Jam’s 1992 concert has long been sought out as a bootleg. MTV’s unplugged concert series spawned iconic performances throughout the ‘90s.
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