This video is an intimate, engaging look at Pearl Jam in the studio rehearsing and recording the Yield album (and if I had to pick a favorite album that would possibly be the one). The members of the band speak individually about the songs' inceptions, life in the studio, life as a member of Pearl Jam, how things were and how they are. It's like getting to spend an hour or so just hanging out with the guys.

I am a musician, trying to get my own band started, and personally I found watching this to be inspirational to my causes. Everytime I watch it I get this urge to jump up, go take out a loan so I can buy up some studio time and just do it.

Surprisingly, at no time does Vedder take center stage here. Equal time is spent focusing on all five of them. My favorite insights arfe those given by bassist Jeff Ament about the intensity of playing music that you know is better than anything you've ever done before, and about the psychological power of music.

It's not the typical let's-watch-the-band-get-drunk-backstage video. It's intelligent, intimate, and most of all modest, which is a true rarity among rock and roll bands of this noteriety.


I'm not trying to make a difference   December 24, 2005
incubus1
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

Pearl Jam's Single Video Theory isn't what the title implies. There's no videos or any talk of videos, what this film is however, is a glimpse into what the members of PJ think of the songs off of the Yield release. Yield is one of my favorite CDs by Pearl Jam so to hear each song at least partially performed is gratifying enough. Hearing each member talk about the songs is something that I like about this DVD, I also like the fact that it's not just Ed talking, if anything Mike, Stone, and Jeff get more camera time. To know there's no real power struggle going on is a good pick-me-up. The sound quality is as if you're simply listening to the CD and Ed nails every lyric. To hear every song off Yield played was good because most of my favorites aren't songs I've ever heard PJ play live. Take No Way for instance, they don't play this song very much at all so to hear even the part of it they do play is good enough for me. Same goes for Brain Of J. Two of the songs played best were All Those Yesterdays and Given To Fly but those songs are always played with such emotion that it's hard to screw them up. I really like the way the band describes Given To Fly, I feel it gives the song that much more meaning. In Hiding has an interesting backstory to it and is played in full much to my delight. In Hiding is one of those songs that doesn't really take off till the chorus, so I'm glad they did the song justice and played it in it's entirety.

If you're expecting some stellar live footage, don't count on it, Pearl Jam is playing the songs in a studio. If you're expecting to hear some landmark songs that they've made over the years, don't count on it, Pearl Jam only plays the songs from Yield. If you're a fan of PJ then you're sure to see the beauty in this extremely minimal release. And if you like Yield, then you're bound to love it. I was surprised with what I was given with this DVD but by no means I disappointed. Single Video Theory is no Touring Band 2000, but it gets the job done.


It's Evolution Baby   July 20, 2000
Matthew Moore (NY, NY United States)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

This edition of Pearl Jam's Single Video Theory is a bit different from the VHS versions, though not drastically. For any fan though, it is a must have for its improved sound quality, better video quality, and little features which are not in the VHS version.


Album recording and interviews from a truly amazing band   January 29, 1999
mywaves7@aol.com (Boston, Ma)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

"Single Video Theory", the long awaited home video from one of the most amazing bands of our time. It's a glimpse at their recording process for their latest record "Yield", as well as live studio recording of those songs, candid interviews with band members, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Jack Irons, Mike McCready and Ed Vedder. I recommend this video for any fan of Pearl Jam or music similar to theirs; you'll recieve the truth behind this well-rumored band.


Something Better than PJ's Single Video   September 27, 2002
M. Swinney (Flower Mound, TX)
14 out of 18 found this review helpful

This is not just another narcissistic music video catalogue but an attempt to capture creativity and it is done artfully revealing some of the inner churnings of a band that is semi-elusive compared to their popularity, Pearl Jam.

What is surprising to me about ?Single Video Theory? is that it captures the ?everyday-ness? of the band members as they struggle and revel in the creation of their 5th studio album, ?Yield? And in that everyday-ness we are surprised to find that they come off as everyday people, albeit immensely talented rage rockers at that, but we are brought into the ?ordinary? of an ?extraordinary? band.

What's truly great in the interspersed nature of band interviews, improvs you don't hear on the record, versions of the songs in their early stages (also not on the record), and the pure love for music and creativity that comes across. PJ's best drummer to date (and their has been a few) Jack Irons soaks his arm in a vat of ice as he recoups to once again spread rhythmic intricacies across the skins. Eddie and Stone Gossard go back and forth about who does the e-bow in "Wishlist" and meanwhile we as viewers and fans have a window to the inception of songs. It is truly an irreplaceable experience.

This DVD shows the band at their peak. It doesn't feature some of the quirks of most DVD's like individual chapters or extras, but it does reveal the studio essence of the band...like an inside window to the soul for the opening band to the sun ever evolving.