There are good do-overs and bad do-overs.

George Lucas and Steven Spielberg going back and changing their movies? Bad do-overs. Pearl Jam getting their preferred producer Brendan O'Brien to go back and remix Ten? Coulda been a truly bad do-over. Turns out to be a great one.

The reason? It's not what O'Brien does; it's what he doesn't do. Instead of trying to fix what wasn't broke or put his own stamp on the proceedings, the star producer -- who previously remixed three of these tunes for a 2003 hits collection -- performs something akin to sonic liposuction, stripping away layers of echo, reverb and other sonic baffling that cluttered the 1991 version. The result? A leaner, cleaner and meaner-sounding album that honours the band's original vision while vastly improving the presentation.

Speaking of improved presentation, there are four versions of Ten: A two-disc Legacy version that includes the remastered original mix and O'Brien's new version; a vinyl version; a Deluxe Edition with the CDs and a DVD of their 1992 Unplugged appearance; and a $125 Super Deluxe Edition that includes the CDs, the DVD, the vinyl, two more LPs with a 1992 live concert, a cassette version of their original Momma-Son demo tape -- and pictures, a notebook, a two-sided print and other memorabilia.

ORIGINAL TRACKS

Once 3:52

The drums are snappier, the guitars are crisper, there's less reverb, more clarity and better separation. Basically, everything just sounds better. Cool so far.

Even Flow 4:53

Those big, booming vocals in the chorus? They've been toned way down. But the middle section now includes a spoken-word vocal from Eddie Vedder, begging for change.

Alive 5:41

The ringing, cavernous reverb has been stripped away to get at the song beneath. And here's a treat: Mike McCready's solo on the remastered version differs from the one on the remix.

Why Go 3:19

Again, there's less echo and more space, allowing Jeff Ament's muscular bassline and the interplay between McCready and Stone Gossard's guitars to take centre stage.

Black 5:39

The mono start is the same. But it opens wider than before, with vocals and guitars that are clearer and more nuanced. It's almost like hearing the song for the first time.

Jeremy 5:17

Ament's lumbering bass is more pointed and less rubbery, the guitars gnash their teeth with more ferocity, and the backups really come through. All subtle improvements.

Oceans 2:41

No major changes -- but then, it's a pretty simple, straightforward folk number. Still, this version seems less, er, watery than the original.

Porch 3:30

Brendan O'Brien tightens the drums and jacks the guitars way up, giving the song extra heft and momentum.

Garden 4:58

The original was sorta boomy and blah. O'Brien clarifies everything so you can hear what's going on and gain new appreciation for it.

Deep 4:18

More articulation and separation between McCready and Gossard's dueling guitars adds extra layers to this bluesy 6/8 rock waltz.

Release 8:59

The drony ballad benefits from the same crispness as the rest of the CD -- but O'Brien apparently snips away about 10 seconds from the hidden Master/Slave soundscape.

NEW TRACKS

Brother 4:00

It's a solid midtempo rocker -- but the preponderance of chunky power chords and clumsy drums make it seem a little amateurish.

Just A Girl 5:03

The mood is dark, the groove is sparsely funk but the chorus is weak and Eddie's vocals seem a little out of his comfort zone. Good, not great.

Breath 5:59

You might remember this lumbering rocker from the Singles soundtrack. This longer version is slightly heavier and slower.

State of Love and Trust 4:49

Another Singles track, but rawer and more deliberately paced. Some enthusiastic studio chatter at the end is a nice little bonus.

2000 Mile Blues 3:58

Yep, it's a blues jam. But a pretty decent one, thanks to some smoking solos from McCready.

Evil Little Goat 1:30

It might be the best PJ song title ever. But the tune itself is just a tossed-off improvisation that seems included here to end things on a light note. It works.