Pearl Jam [Digipak] - Pearl Jam (CD 2006)

Rejuvenated.

That is the word that keeps coming to mind whenever someone asks me what the new Pearl Jam album sounds like. The band truly does sound like they've rediscovered their love of being Pearl Jam. That's not to say their last couple albums were bad or lacking feeling; Binaural and Riot Act both have their share of great songs. It's just that this latest, self-titled effort shows the band recording with the same intensity found in their live performances, something their most recent albums haven't been able to capture.

Whereas Riot Act's Bu$hleaguer railed against the president with an experimental, almost lazy sound, Pearl Jam's first single World Wide Suicide employs a much more rocking style. Not only did that style make WWS a massive hit, it brought their political message to the masses in a way that Bu$hleaguer could never do.

But even before the headbanging World Wide Suicide kicks in, we get an immediate sign of the band's rejuvenation in opening track Life Wasted, which has become another huge hit. The fire with which they deliver this song perfectly matches its subject matter. Eddie Vedder belts out lines encouraging us not to dwell on the hard times: "You're always saying that there's something wrong/ I'm starting to believe it's your plan all along" and then gives us a chorus revealing his own relief at being able to look at life more positively: "I escaped it/ A life wasted/ I'm never going back again." Life Wasted is a perfect intro to this album as well as a great anthem for anyone struggling to break through life's darkness.

More hard rocking abounds on this album; Comatose, for example, demonstrates that classic Pearl Jam freneticism. Unemployable is one of the album's catchiest despite telling a sad tale of a man who just lost his job: "He's got a big gold ring what says Jesus Saves/ And it's dented from the punch thrown at work that day/ When he smashed the metal locker where he kept his things/ After the big boss say, 'You best be on your way.'" And the garage-y surf-rock of Big Wave doesn't fit in perfectly but still makes for a fun piece of summertime rock made to be cranked up.

Even the slow songs have more fire behind them. Gone starts off soft and dark, but almost as if the band can't stay that way if they try, the song gradually rises into an uplifting piece. Parachutes is a pretty little ditty that could be categorized as filler, but its swaying, feelgood mood makes you glad its there. The same can be said for the reprise to Life Wasted, which clocks in at less than a minute, as Vedder, backed by an organ, slows the pace of the original rocker's chorus, making it just as powerful in a completely different style. Come Back simply exudes emotion, making it the song that just might surprise you by becoming your favorite on the disc, and another surprise comes from guitarist Mike McCready who wrote the lengthy closing track Inside Job, which has a dark sound contrasting lyrics that beautifully reinforce the album's optimistic theme: "Let me run into the rain/ To shine a human light today."

Despite what many people will say, Pearl Jam never went away. While their mainstream appeal spent the past decade in decline, their fanbase has remained strong thanks mainly to their touring prowess. But with their self-titled album, Pearl Jam have shown those fairweather fans that they can still rock the mainstream airwaves. A huge marketing campaign, some killer singles, and the first studio album in a while to capture the energy of a live PJ show have put them back in the mainstream rock scene. But really, is mainstream success all that important to the band? Probably not as important as showing their loyal fans that the fire still burns and will for a long time.


Also from Pearl Jam:

Full Lengths: Ten / Vs. / Vitalogy / No Code / Yield / Binaural / Riot Act / Lost Dogs

Singles: Even Flow / Jeremy / Oceans / Daughter / Go / Spin the Black Circle / Not For You / Merkin Ball / Who You Are / Wishlist / Last Kiss / Nothing As It Seems / Save You

Live: Live At Benaroya Hall / Hartford, CT 9-13-98 / Saratoga, NY 8-27-00

DVD: Touring Band 2000 / Live At the Garden / Immagine in Cornice

Books: Five Against One by Kim Neely / Star Profile


::: Looking to trade some live Pearl Jam shows? Leave me a comment or email mreno81@yahoo.com. :::