Pearl Jam

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Pearl Jam

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It's quite possible that Pearl Jam is more revered in retrospect than for their musical offerings from the last 5-6 years. Their name is legendary. And their initial 2-3 albums are considered classics. But what have they done lately that hasn't sounded tired and stale?

Even though I'd been burned by PJ's albums in the past, I took a chance on this new one, simply titled Pearl Jam.

Wow. Am I glad I did. Pearl Jam has been reborn!

This album sounds fresh, alive and -- dare I say it? -- vital. They retained their trademark garage band sound and Eddie's sometimes mumbly (but powerful) baritone. But there are melodies and hooks on this album that are infectious. And the playing sounds like a Pearl Jam I haven't heard in a long, long time. It's energetic and meaty.

The album kicks off with the guitar-heavy, toe tapping "Life Wasted," which sports typical Pearl Jam chord progressions but with more oomph behind them.

"World Wide Suicide," the next track, features a sound and energy reminiscent of anything off Vs. or their debut CD (1993 and 1991, respectively).

"Comatose" begins with a Tom Petty-like guitar riff and then explodes in Eddie's growling vocal and bashing, punk-like guitars that would make the Sex Pistols proud.

One of my favorite tracks follows "Comatose": "Severed Hand," which begins with swirling, mysterious-sounding backward-played guitar noodlings before turning into another free-for-all garage band extravaganza.

"Parachutes," a Beatle-esque song featuring acoustic guitar, a jaunty beat and tight vocal arrangements, is a nice change of pace after so many balls-out tracks.

"Unemployable," the next track, is a great riff. Very catchy and upbeat. It reminds me of R.E.M. Very tasty guitar work.

"Wasted Reprise" is totally captivating. Haunting, even. It's less than a minute long, but there's something about it that I absolutely love. The lyrics are sung with such emotion: "I have faced it, a life wasted, I am never going back again."

I can't say enough about this album. It's chock-full of big, BIG guitar riffs, Eddie's over-the-top screaming, crisp production, and heart-on-sleeve lyrics. It's a Pearl Jam you haven't heard in a very long time.

I strongly urge you to buy this new album from Pearl Jam. You won't be sorry.

I mean no disrespect to Pearl Jam with this review: they are a band with an all-around excellent ethic AND Stone Gossard and Jeff McCready are one ferocious guitar tandem, to name only two among a host of virtues the band possesses. I mean no disrespect to the enthusiastic reviews on this page: I'm glad lots of music fans are getting excited about something other than American Idol, for one thing. Who am I to take away your joy having to do with a band who has provided me countless hours of listening pleasure?

That being said, this is only an average Pearl Jam effort. Nothing stands out as poor on this one, but then again little stands out as particularly earth-shattering either. Contrary to what so many others say here and elsewhere, PJ really aren't stepping all that far out of the box they kind of solidified with _Yield_ four albums back. And that's when this model worked best. Again, don't get me wrong: I have a soft spot for radio-friendly grunge protests like "World Wide Suicide." But they already mined this vein to mixed success on _Riot Act_. Noble: sure. But I don't tend to listen to rock bands because they're noble or for their ethics or whatever. If my fave bands have these traits, fine: As long as they rock me into dimensions I've never known before. _Pearl Jam_ tends not to do that.

The record forcibly starts for me on track six, the Hammond B-3 fueled midtempo piece called "Parachutes." The Beatlesesque feel to this one isn't exactly unprecedented in the PJ catalog, but the overall structure puts it on its own wave, providing for a pleasant and rich listen. On the first five songs, I hear them doing almost the exact sort of thing they did with "Spin the Black Circle" ten years ago. I can't help but wondering if they packed the beginning of the album with up-tempo grunge rockers to hook new listeners with more of what came before. It seems we get to hear what Pearl Jam is all about these days from "Parachutes" on. Song seven, "Unemployable," is another mid-tempo piece that sounds natural for these guys, with sparkling guitar and intermediately depressing lyrics about a person with no employment abilities. My favorite of all is "Come Back," a gospel-tinged piece that has Eddie crooning with as much suavity and soul as Ben E. King. Again, this is somewhat new ground for Pearl Jam, and they sound very comfortable here (best of all, there's another go on the Hammond). And again, this is not an up-tempo piece, it is slow tempo.

I hate to say it, but Pearl Jam is getting up there in years and they just aren't the rebellious lads straight out of Green River and Mother Love Bone any more. They are middle-aged men with children and wives. It is appropriate that they don't have many more convincing versions of "Once" and "Go" in them any longer (think the Stones--sixty-five year old men just shouldn't be making regurgitated versions of "Brown Sugar," even in the age of Viagra). Rather, they sound most like themselves when they settle into a groove and sing about subjects more suitable to where they are in life at this moment. Fist-shaking rage just isn't it any longer. I'm not saying they have no more furious rock left in them any longer. I'm just saying they don't convince me on this release. Their true evolution is represented on the mellower pieces that occur in the last half of the album and for these pieces alone the album is worth several listens. And if you are prepared for a mix of more of the same with some more serious soul-searching from these guys, you should also shell out the money for this one.