To be quite honest with you, I pretty much stopped listening to Pearl Jam after this album. Ten was so good that I was really surprised that VS. was better, but after that they kinda went downhill.
I think this review sums it up pretty good;
By E. Callaway
Pearl Jam has taken some pretty firm stances throughout their career on several social issues. Abortion, race relations, poverty, and the environment are just a few they have tackled throughout their time in the spotlight. You can get overtones of this social conscience in all other music. The concept of the broken home is also rather recurrent throughout their body of work.
“Vs.” is an extension of the aforementioned concepts. It is filled with amazing, and profoundly powerful, rock anthems. Songs like “Go,” “Dissident,” and “Leash” are great. “Dissident” did make its way to rock radio for some time. “Leash,” already mentioned above, is straight rock `n’ roll. The first single “Animal,” was a rather interesting choice for a single. Though I like the song, it isn’t exactly radio friendly.
Contrasting the rock anthems on the record was some very good melodic rock songs. The big single off of this record was “Daughter.” I never quite did get this song. But, nonetheless, it is pretty good. I think there are much better songs on the records than the ones that were released singles. “Indifference” a slow, bass laden slow song, has this “Twin Peaks” kind of feel to it. It is very cool. The song with the longest title I have ever heard in my life is one of the best songs: “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town.”
This record is one of the most prolific works of its time. It held the record for the “most records sold in the first week of availability” for several years. Before the concept of internet presale, this record went platinum in just over a week. It is amazing and a must have for any Pearl Jam fan.