csmooth24
04-25-2006, 02:26 PM
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/artsentertainment/2002951082_pearljam25new.html
Pearl Jam is back with new vitality
By Patrick MacDonald (pmacdonald@seattletimes.com)
Seattle Times music critic
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"Pearl Jam"
Pearl Jam
J Records
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2006/04/24/2002950785.jpg (javascript:PopoffWindow('2002951083','750','675', 'http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/zoom/html/2002951083.html','yes','no');)
Available May 2. Pre-orders accepted now at www.pearljam.com (http://www.pearljam.com)
Now that's more like it.
"Pearl Jam,' the band's debut CD on its new label, J Records, set for release May 2, is its best studio album in more than a decade.
It represents a new burst of energy and creativity for the grunge veterans, as they approach their 15th anniversary.
The 13-song set includes Eddie Vedder's best vocal performance ever, on an aching, slow blues called "Come Back." He embraces its dramatic lyric one of Pearl Jam's best with passion and deep emotion. "It's OK, it's OK," he concludes in almost conversational tones, "come back, I'll be here," before fading off with beautiful, wistful "woo-woos," reminiscent of Springsteen.
"Come Back" is one of only two slow songs, the other being the simple, almost naive love ballad, "Parachutes." It has a few clunky verses but features great musicianship, especially on guitar and keyboards, including soulful organ (the advance disc had no songwriting or other credits). The two mellow tunes will be perfect for the inevitable "acoustic set" on the upcoming tour.
The album opens with the powerful jolt of "Life Wasted," a good old-fashioned guitar romp that announces, with a bang, that the Pearl Jam of old is back. The guitar solo is bracing, and Vedder is so at ease with his vocal he even laughs. "I'm never going back again," he repeats several times, a line that underscores the sense of new beginning that permeates the recording.
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"World Wide Suicide," the first single from the CD and an instant hit, is a swirling whirlwind of political frustration and anger, with Vedder doing one of his signature muddled, clenched-mouth vocals, which makes it hard to understand what he's singing. Despite its seething intensity, the song is eminently danceable and sure to be a concert favorite.
"Comatose" is equally powerful, with more great guitar, including a potent solo and creative, angular duos. The song is about the frustration of trying to escape current political realities. "Put me in a vacuum," the lyric pleads, "free of convictions." It's like a serious version of The Ramones' "I Wanna Be Sedated."
"Severed Hand" and "Inside Job" both echo the '60s, with feedback, tape loops and classic guitar. "Severed Hand" has a distinctive, choppy guitar opening, jangly guitar textures and a sweet finale, with a nod to Hendrix. "Inside Job" has a long, pleasant guitar-and-piano opening before it heats up, with Vedder singing, clearly and movingly, about regrets, frustrations and his "broken soul."
"Unemployable" also has a '60s feel, with a psychedelic vibe. "I've seen the light," Vedder sings, adding some "oh, oh, ohs."
"Marker in the Sand" evokes the Middle East in its title, but not specifically in the lyric, which suffers from awkward clich้s, such as "walking a tightrope high over moral ground." But it, too, will work well in concert, with its dance-in-a-circle ending.
"Gone" is another restless political song, about no longer believing "this American dream." The uneven lyric has some beautiful imagery "in the far-off distance, as my tail lights fade" and some well-meaning but wince-worthy lines, like "gas in my tank is like money in the bank." Huh?
"Army Reserve" is surprisingly sunny, at least in its beat and in the music. But the lyrics are mostly undecipherable so, once we get a lyric sheet, maybe it won't be such a nice song after all.
The publicity juggernaut of J Records headed by that master of hype, Clive Davis is already in high gear, and has whetted appetites for the album online and at commercial outlets. Look for "Pearl Jam" to debut at No. 1 in Billboard, which hasn't happened since "Vitalogy" in 1994. It will surely be the band's biggest seller since that album, and maybe its biggest since its 1991 debut, "Ten" which has sold more than 12 million copies.
The band has already done more publicity for this album than for any other, and the campaign is going to continue through the whole world tour (which includes shows at the Gorge July 22 and 23).
Don't be surprised if the band gets back to making videos (Davis is probably insisting). The popularity of the album will be a good excuse to get back to them, and will help sales go through the roof.
Pearl Jam has done a good job of dismantling its career, apparently to safeguard its own sanity, but that's over. The band has grown up and embraced its destiny. Pearl Jam is back!
Pearl Jam is back with new vitality
By Patrick MacDonald (pmacdonald@seattletimes.com)
Seattle Times music critic
<!-- start photo --><TABLE style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 6px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=200 border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- end photo -->
"Pearl Jam"
Pearl Jam
J Records
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2006/04/24/2002950785.jpg (javascript:PopoffWindow('2002951083','750','675', 'http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/zoom/html/2002951083.html','yes','no');)
Available May 2. Pre-orders accepted now at www.pearljam.com (http://www.pearljam.com)
Now that's more like it.
"Pearl Jam,' the band's debut CD on its new label, J Records, set for release May 2, is its best studio album in more than a decade.
It represents a new burst of energy and creativity for the grunge veterans, as they approach their 15th anniversary.
The 13-song set includes Eddie Vedder's best vocal performance ever, on an aching, slow blues called "Come Back." He embraces its dramatic lyric one of Pearl Jam's best with passion and deep emotion. "It's OK, it's OK," he concludes in almost conversational tones, "come back, I'll be here," before fading off with beautiful, wistful "woo-woos," reminiscent of Springsteen.
"Come Back" is one of only two slow songs, the other being the simple, almost naive love ballad, "Parachutes." It has a few clunky verses but features great musicianship, especially on guitar and keyboards, including soulful organ (the advance disc had no songwriting or other credits). The two mellow tunes will be perfect for the inevitable "acoustic set" on the upcoming tour.
The album opens with the powerful jolt of "Life Wasted," a good old-fashioned guitar romp that announces, with a bang, that the Pearl Jam of old is back. The guitar solo is bracing, and Vedder is so at ease with his vocal he even laughs. "I'm never going back again," he repeats several times, a line that underscores the sense of new beginning that permeates the recording.
<!--AB IF="Story_Ads"-->
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!--AB ENDIF="Story_Ads"-->
"World Wide Suicide," the first single from the CD and an instant hit, is a swirling whirlwind of political frustration and anger, with Vedder doing one of his signature muddled, clenched-mouth vocals, which makes it hard to understand what he's singing. Despite its seething intensity, the song is eminently danceable and sure to be a concert favorite.
"Comatose" is equally powerful, with more great guitar, including a potent solo and creative, angular duos. The song is about the frustration of trying to escape current political realities. "Put me in a vacuum," the lyric pleads, "free of convictions." It's like a serious version of The Ramones' "I Wanna Be Sedated."
"Severed Hand" and "Inside Job" both echo the '60s, with feedback, tape loops and classic guitar. "Severed Hand" has a distinctive, choppy guitar opening, jangly guitar textures and a sweet finale, with a nod to Hendrix. "Inside Job" has a long, pleasant guitar-and-piano opening before it heats up, with Vedder singing, clearly and movingly, about regrets, frustrations and his "broken soul."
"Unemployable" also has a '60s feel, with a psychedelic vibe. "I've seen the light," Vedder sings, adding some "oh, oh, ohs."
"Marker in the Sand" evokes the Middle East in its title, but not specifically in the lyric, which suffers from awkward clich้s, such as "walking a tightrope high over moral ground." But it, too, will work well in concert, with its dance-in-a-circle ending.
"Gone" is another restless political song, about no longer believing "this American dream." The uneven lyric has some beautiful imagery "in the far-off distance, as my tail lights fade" and some well-meaning but wince-worthy lines, like "gas in my tank is like money in the bank." Huh?
"Army Reserve" is surprisingly sunny, at least in its beat and in the music. But the lyrics are mostly undecipherable so, once we get a lyric sheet, maybe it won't be such a nice song after all.
The publicity juggernaut of J Records headed by that master of hype, Clive Davis is already in high gear, and has whetted appetites for the album online and at commercial outlets. Look for "Pearl Jam" to debut at No. 1 in Billboard, which hasn't happened since "Vitalogy" in 1994. It will surely be the band's biggest seller since that album, and maybe its biggest since its 1991 debut, "Ten" which has sold more than 12 million copies.
The band has already done more publicity for this album than for any other, and the campaign is going to continue through the whole world tour (which includes shows at the Gorge July 22 and 23).
Don't be surprised if the band gets back to making videos (Davis is probably insisting). The popularity of the album will be a good excuse to get back to them, and will help sales go through the roof.
Pearl Jam has done a good job of dismantling its career, apparently to safeguard its own sanity, but that's over. The band has grown up and embraced its destiny. Pearl Jam is back!