Back from a small hiatus to work on various side projects, Pearl Jam released their ninth studio album Backspacer in September of 2009.
After weathering the Grunge era of the 1990s into the new millennium, this album has a bit of influence from all their past releases, almost chronicling the band’s evolving sound.
Lead by vocalist and guitarist Eddie Vedder, the band gives a ‘sampler’ of all their various work, from the passionate vocals of their 1991 breakout album Ten to the poetic lyrics of Vedder wrote in the Into the Wild soundtrack, his first ever solo venture.
By the second track of the album the band starts up with an upbeat mood in “Got Some” as well as later tracks like “Supersonic”.
This energetic feel is a major depart from the band’s self titled 2006 release Pearl Jam, where Eddie and the boys returned to their angst-ridden lyrics of the 1990s.
But fans of the ‘heavier’ Pearl Jam style can have their fix through tracks like “Amongst the Waves” and “Unknown Thought”, which highlights Vedder’s undeniable powerful voice and his never-ending ability to pen lyrics with the best of them.
Showing the band’s punk rock tendencies, the album’s first single “The Fixer” brings back the youthful spirit that made this and many of their previous singles more ‘radio friendly’ than most bands in Pearl Jam’s genre.
But by far the most mellowed out song of the entire album would have to be “Just Breathe,” a mixture of soft acoustics and simple yet inspiring lyrics sounds like a lost track from Vedder’s latest work in Into the Wild.
However, these tracks are completely different from the Pearl Jam of the past decade. They have most definitely strayed away from their roots of blaring vocals and dark focus that could be from in tracks like “Jeremy” and “Porch” from their beloved album Ten.
All bands grow and change with the years. And considering Pearl Jam is coming up of their 20th anniversary in 2011 they have all the right to switch up and explore all venues of the alternative, punk rock world.
Yet, this album could be called their first “pop” influenced endeavor. Very few tracks resemble the Godfathers’ of grudge that so many have come to know and love. But after surviving the better part of the past two decades, I personally feel that Pearl Jam has earned the right to create and experiment with their music.
The last track of the album is fittingly called “The End”, which on the surface tells the story of a relationship nearing disintegration with the lyrics “My dear…/ The end/ Comes near…/ I’m here…/ But not much longer.”
Yet, at second glance the lyrics could be a secret message from Eddie and company warning fans that the band’s lifetime is limited.
So, maybe instead of criticizing the band’s musical direction and we should all just simply appreciate the work from the musical legends like Pearl Jam.
