No Code is the fourth studio album by Pearl Jam, released on August 27, 1996 through Epic Records. Pearl Jam released 3 singles in support of their No Code album: Who You Are, released on July 30, 1996, Hail, Hail released on October 21, 1996 and Off He Goes released on January 11, 1997.
Following a troubled tour for its previous album, Vitalogy (1994), in which Pearl Jam engaged in a much publicized boycott of Ticketmaster, the band went into the studio to record its follow-up. The music on the record was more diverse than what the band had done on previous releases, incorporating elements of garage rock and worldbeat.
Although No Code debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making it Pearl Jam‘s third consecutive number one album, it left a large section of the band’s fanbase unsatisfied and quickly fell down the charts.
Critical reviews were also mixed, with praise to the musical variety but criticism to the album’s inconsistency. The album became the first Pearl Jam album to not reach multi-platinum status, receiving a single platinum certification by (RIAA) in the United States.
Tracklist:
- Sometimes
- Hail, Hail
- Who You Are
- In My Tree
- Smile
- Off He Goes
- Habit
- Red Mosquito
- Lukin
- Present Tense
- Mankind
- I’m Open
- Around the Bend
The No Code album package consists of 156 Polaroid photos that unfold into a 2×2 square. The Polaroid photos are seemingly random. One of the photos featured on the front cover is the eyeball of Dennis Rodman, former Chicago Bulls player and friend of the band, while another photo is of Vedder‘s foot after he had been stung by a stingray. The pictures, when viewed from afar, blend to form the No Code triangle/eyeball logo that is the theme throughout the album.
Later pressings of the CD featured a 1×4 format packaging, losing the hidden message effect. The CD and vinyl came with lyrics printed on the back of replica Polaroids. Only nine Polaroids came in a set, leaving one to have to obtain another set to accumulate all thirteen songs. When discussing the album’s title, Vedder said “it’s called No Code because it’s full of code. It’s misinformation.” In medical terminology, a “no code” order is a medical order to withhold CPR on a patient. It is also known as a “do not resuscitate” order.
In another interview, Vedder said that “if the record is a complete failure you’ve kind of owned up to it in a subliminal way. No Code was the same thing. For me, No Code meant ‘Do Not Resuscitate’
Pearl Jam
Jeff Ament: bass guitar, vocals, guitar on “Smile”, Chapman, Polaroids, black-and-white photography
Stone Gossard: guitar, vocals, piano, lead vocals on “Mankind”
Jack Irons: drums
Mike McCready: guitar, piano on “Sometimes”, Polaroids
Eddie Vedder: lead vocals, guitar, harmonica, electric sitar, Polaroids; credited as “Jerome Turner” for layout, concept of No Code
Production
Barry Ament, Chris McGann: Polaroids, layout
Matt Bayles, Caram Costanzo, Jeff Lane: assistant engineering
Dr. Paul J. Bubak, A. Fields: Polaroids
Nick DiDia: mixing, recording
Bob Ludwig: mastering
Lance Mercer: Polaroids, black-and-white photography
Brendan O’Brien: production, mixing, piano
Pearl Jam: production
