2LP – Neil Young – Mirror Ball

2LP – Neil Young Archive release

Mirror Ball is a 1995 collaboration between Neil Young and members of Pearl Jam, released through Reprise Records during the height of the grunge era. Recorded largely live in the studio over a handful of sessions in Seattle, the album captures a loose, raw sound that blends Youngs songwriting with Pearl Jams dense guitar interplay and rhythm section.

The project grew out of Youngs friendship with the band following several live performances together in the early 1990s. Songs like Song X, Downtown, Im the Ocean, and Throw Your Hatred Down reflect themes of conflict, idealism, and social tension, while the recordings retain an unpolished, spontaneous feel with audible studio chatter and extended jams throughout.

Although only Youngs name appeared on the cover due to label issues, Pearl Jams members are credited throughout the album and later released the companion EP Merkin Ball. Mirror Ball reached number five on the Billboard 200 and remains one of the more distinctive collaborations of the 1990s alternative rock era.