Last night on my way downtown I heard a familiar bit-o-music. A small piece from a song I once knew, then quickly remembered: it was a good song of epic proportions, performed and written perfectly by a favourite band of mine.

Except for one thing: it wasn't them singing it. As the raspy, unrefined vocals kicked in, I couldn't immediately tell who it was. Thoughts of Chris Cornell ran through my head as sugar plums do on Christmas Eve™. A few more seconds of exposure brought to my attention that it was, indeed, Pearl Jam: a paste of uncultured pearls.

First off, I like Pearl Jam. I dig some of the grunge, and even though Eddie Vedder just kinda stands there these days, they are very much enjoyable to at least listen to (i.e. not paying $100 to watch Vedder stand there and make stroke-face).

Getting back to last night, however, it was a complete and utter butchery of a song that should never really be covered in the first place. Perhaps I am biased since The Who are my number one band, but Pearl Jam's cover of Love Reign O'er Me was completely uncalled for and, quite frankly, terrible. Like a bull being castrated on a humid summer morn', so too did Eddie Vedder screech himself towards the final riff. The beauty of that song is its softness: from the synth/strings to the smooth yelling of one Roger Daltrey, it's like a musical king of love reigning over his completely lobotomized kingdom. Or something.

Anyway, I was so disgusted that I actually made Disgusting Face™ at another driver at the stop light.

I never want to hear it again. However, for your (dis)pleasure, here it is in all its UNglory for you to poke audio ice picks into your own ear drums.

Horrible.