Review Summary: Return to relevancy
Out of all of the double-edged swords that affect the way we perceive and interpret music, none may be as formidable as our expectations. This enigma has the capability to destroy our assessment of a highly anticipated album, due to copious praised that the band had received in the past. We see this happening on a yearly basis; when the next spectacular band is supposed to release that magnum opus that they may not have been capable of producing in the first place. On the contrary, minimal expectations generally yield much more favorable results, taking last year’s Alice in Chains record into consideration. Almost a decade following Layne Staley’s death, Alice in Chains acquired a new vocalist to record a new album, much to the skepticism of the band’s faithful. As if no time or chemistry was lost, Alice in Chains came roaring back with an album that left us scratching our heads for even doubting them for a second. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that a great deal of the release’s success was due to the fact that well, no one was expecting much.
Pearl Jam has been a group that has suffered and basked under what has been expected of them. When they came upon the music scene in the early-nineties, Pearl Jam had become an integral facet in a movement that had just begun to pick up steam, although constructing a completely isolated sound from their contemporaries. In the remnants of Mother Love Bone, guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament were successful in developing a cohesive unit; eventually taking vocalist Eddie Vedder off of his surfboard and into the recording studio. Needless to say, the band released one of the great debut albums of all-time in “Ten,” which sent their reputation to an astronomical level. It was then that Pearl Jam toiled in the aura of their classic album, as people expected more and more from them. Despite the eminence of several post-“Ten” albums such as “Vs.” and “Vitalogy,” disappointment seemed to stem from the thoughts of critics and fans, and progressed as time drifted onward. None of this appeared to disconcert the band however, for “Vitalogy” and “No Code” were products of the band’s experimentation with a more unconventional and varied sound. As this experimentation continued into the 2000’s, Pearl Jam had become more and more irrelevant (not necessarily to their fans), with the need for a comeback. By 2006, expectations were low.
A self-titled album generally entails that a band has gone through some sort of a re-evaluation stage and appears intent on addressing the issues that have plagued them in recent time. “Binaural” and “Riot Act,” while showcasing some intriguing and enjoyable material, left Pearl Jam in a position in which reassessment was vital. Self-titled was the end result of excessive experimentation being thrown by the wayside to make way for a more traditional approach. With self-titled, Pearl Jam came out rocking harder than they had in the entire decade.
Life Wasted illustrates Pearl Jam of old, utilizing a killer riff, wailing leads, and coarse vocals. The majority of the record seems to follow suit with lead single
World Wide Suicide and
Big Wave’s upbeat nature; only furthering the notion that the band has indicated that they are not ****ing around this time.
With all of that said however, Vedder and crew did not simply craft a collection of conventional rock tunes, but rather a varied album spanning over several genres. The record’s most atypical track comes in the form of
Parachutes; a spacey and implausibly placid song which is driven by Vedder’s melodious vocals. On the contrary,
Inside Job exemplifies a sort of ambitious aura that we have not seen the likes of before with Pearl Jam, and far more successful endeavor than most of their previous experimentation.
Inside Job is in every way intended to be the album’s epic closer, for it clocks in at over seven minutes and works in three sections. The piano and acoustic buildup is developed meticulously and the song transitions with exceptional execution. This track in particular represents tremendous musicianship and is potentially one of the greatest things the band has done to date.
Self-titled only furthers the discussion that Eddie Vedder has changed as a front man; no longer relying on the angst ridden vocals that were so prevalent in “Ten” and especially “Vs.,” but rather opting for a much more pure singing style. Not to say that the angst has completely disintegrated, for sections of
The Marker in the Sand and
Comatose are vintage Vedder, but the record gives off the vibe that the vocalist has a much more relaxed approach than before. This paves the way for mid-tempo and full blown ballads such as
Come Back and
Gone, in which are effective and quite pleasant. The former is a rather simplistic piece, but is elevated by Vedder’s passionate performance and Mike McCready’s perfectly fitting leads. Both are indications of moments of pure emotion, despite what the naysayers of self-titled believe. "Pearl Jam's" dark horse however, is contained in the roiling emotional package
Unemployable, which showcases some of the band’s greatest lyricism and Vedder’s most powerful vocal work. This track is a chronicle of a man’s struggle to survive without work, and is pulled off in such a compelling fashion.
In a sense, “Pearl Jam” may not have been the album that many expected or wanted however, for what it’s worth is an outstanding collection of songs. Unfortunately, many have dismissed the band’s post-“Ten” records due to unreasonable expectations, ultimately deterring them from what has become an illustrious discography. Self-titled is certainly no different in this light, and while not living up to the hype generated by the band in the early 1990’s, the album is Pearl Jam’s tightest work in some time. Some will argue that self-titled is the band stripped of their emotion, but this notion is contained in every belt from Vedder, wail from McCready, and fill from Mike Cameron. Low expectations could very well be the album’s most ubiquitous characteristic, in due course leaving self-titled as a pleasant surprise. Pearl Jam is a band reborn.
Recommended Tracks:
Life Wasted
Severed Hand
Unemployable
Gone
Come Back
Inside Job
