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Still rolling with the oysters
Pearl Jam’s self-titled album adds more songs to the set list
By Andrew Rooney
The entire band is in great form throughout the album, especially guitarists McCready and Gossard, who have not ripped up the chords like this in years.
As long as Pearl Jam keeps writing music that does not sound like “Alive,” “Jeremy,” “Go” and other early ’90s gems, fans will always find something to complain about.
Such is the case with Pearl Jam’s self-titled album which came out this past Tuesday. It is sure to soon be known as “that avocado album.”
Pearl Jam fans have come to expect a lot from “their” boys out of the Northeast. In this self-titled album, the boys deliver what is arguably their best album since 1996’s “No Code.”
“Life Wasted” is Pearl Jam’s best album opener since “Last Exit,” off of the masterpiece that was “Vitalogy.” The single “World Wide Suicide” follows and although frequent airplay has made it lose some appeal, the song maintains the energy kicked off by “Life Wasted.”
The next three songs round out a five-song punch whose liveliness could rival that of a Pearl Jam concert. The Beatlesesque “Parachutes” slows things down a bit and, while it is one of the weaker album cuts, Vedder’s voice and Gossard’s strumming are worth a listen.
“Unemployable” and “Big Wave” maintain the consistency of the album and remind us of why Eddie Vedder is one of the best lyricists of our generation. The entire band is in great form throughout the album, especially guitarists McCready and Gossard, who have not ripped up the chords like this in years.
“Come Back” and “Inside Job” round out the album on a quieter note and fans can expect the two songs to rival fan favorite “Yellow Ledbetter” as concert closers this summer.
Pearl Jam is known for their great live performances highlighted by a never-ending supply of energy and, unlike their contemporaries, changing set lists. The songs off of “Pearl Jam” will fit in nicely with the band’s endless catalogue of classics.
“Pearl Jam” may lack the urgency and energy of “Ten” and it may not be as varied as “Vitalogy,” however, the veterans deliver the goods on what is their eighth studio release. Perhaps it is the current political atmosphere that is fueling Pearl Jam, or maybe they are just getting ready for another great run of summer concerts.
Regardless, Pearl Jam’s upcoming shows in Milwaukee, June 29 and 30 at Summerfest with Tom Petty, are sure to provide a splendid time for all involved. Really, how can those shows not get the whole city partying like it’s 1991?
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