Let’s face it, it’s been since “Yield” that Pearl Jam released an album really worth buying. Not that “Binaural”, “Riot Act” or their self-titled album were clunkers, but they paled in comparison to some of their earlier work. It seems as if they themselves realised this as well (possibly thanks to the re-release of their debut?). Whatever the reason may be, on their new album “Backspacer”, they’re back in full force with producer Brendan O’Brien back aboard for the first time in ten years.
“Gonna See My Friend”, “Got Some” and “The Fixer” are some of the most direct rock bursts these guys have ever written and they will grab the attention of every fan whose attention might have been wavering. Vedder’s work on the “Into The Wild” soundtrack left some marks as well as can be heard on fragile songs like “Just Breathe”, “Speed Of Sound” and “The End”. And then there’s the in-between songs like “Amongst The Waves” and “Unthought Known”.
Whatever route they choose, it all deserves to be heard. You can’t really call it a comeback since they’ve never really been away that far, but it’s most definitely a return to form. And a kick in the ass for a lot of other bands out there.
Here’s a band that has been around for almost 20 years, a band that’s still perfectly in touch with all of its youthful abundance and a band who just delivered their most exciting album in ten years and their most direct album ever while channeling their influences (The Who, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen,…) into eleven perfect rock songs.
Score: 9 out of 10
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