I loved Pearl Jam's first two albums.. downhill from there as Vedder started taking himself waaaay too seriously. I'm giving REM a vote for doing the exact opposite and not taking themselves very seriously at all.
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This. I even stated something very similar about Pearl Jam in their last "competition." That being said, it really is a mood thing... but, I can honestly say that I find myself listening to REM songs a lot more. <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pudOFG5X6uA&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pudOFG5X6uA&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>
One of the more "could care less" match-ups for me, but while REM continually put out stuff I don't like, Pearl Jam would occasionally surprise with a decent Rock tune (ala Do The Evolution). Then of course there was the recent VH1 Honors show where they upstaged The Who - playing one of their songs. Point - Pearl jam <object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aDaOgu2CQtI&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aDaOgu2CQtI&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>
