The reason Vs is not as good is because it can't measure up to these conditions as often as its predecessor. Sure the musicians are still as talented, and it's not like it's getting any easier to figure out what Vedder is trying to say. But the actual quality of some of the tracks are a little lacking, while their delivery is also not as good.
Still the album cemented Pearl Jam as a very good rock band. Rather than being a bunch of idiots trying to see how much noise they could make, Vs is a very thoughtful album with some killer guitar riffs and a host of meaningful songs. Take "Animal" which covers the band's famous dispute with Ticketmaster, who they accused of ripping off the fans. It is intoxicating to hear the venom in Vedder's voice as well as the power of the guitar and drumming as Pearl Jam stick up for their fans.
"Daughter," probably the best track on the album, deals with the strained relationship of a confused parent and her dyslexic child. Again the band give a tight performance which really highlights the torment of the situation. Another song along the same emotional lines is "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town." About an old relationship the subject once had with the customer, it captures well her feelings of guilt and embarrassment.
This ability to tell a story and appeal to the listener's feelings is one of the things Pearl Jam does very well, and not just on this album either. Again it demonstrates their intelligence and helps to wipe away the stereotype of the dumb rocker with nothing to say. This is when the band is at their best.
However it sometimes seems that they unintentionally revert to the stereotype, perhaps out of habit or maybe because they're expected to. For example, "Go" is as appealing as any of their songs, but somehow drifts into a whole heap of gratuitous guitar at the end.
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