It has been almost 20 years since the release of Pearl Jam's landmark debut, Ten. One would think, 20 years down the road, there is no way that a band would still exist. I mean, Guns N Roses - the true Guns N Roses lineup - only lasted six years. Always one for breaking convention, Pearl Jam is still around, kicking ass and taking names. In fact, the band released its newest album, Backspacer, just last week.
The first inception of Pearl Jam was the group, Temple of the Dog, which was essentially Pearl Jam plus ex-Soundgarden and Audioslave singer. Chris Cornell. The band produced only one album but it has been heralded as a supergroup.
In the early 1990s, the public viewed Pearl Jam as the "corporate grunge band." Most people gave preference to Nirvana at the time for being more "pure." What the public did not realize is that Pearl Jam was not trying to be a grunge band, but a straight up, no-frills rock powerhouse. Even after the demise of grunge rock, Pearl Jam kept putting out albums and kept touring, amassing one of the most eclectic and loyal fan bases in the world today.
One of Pearl Jam's most prominent influences has been classic rock band, The Who. Lead singer Eddie Vedder proclaimed the group as his favorite band of all time, and its influence on Pearl Jam's sound throughout the years is easy to hear. PJ's epic arena rockers shoot for the stars in the same way that "Baba O'Riley" and "Behind Blue Eyes" did back in the 1970s.
Backspacer channels the sort of fun pop-rock vibe of The Who's early work. All of the songs are radio length, none lasting much longer than four minutes. Vedder apparently gained new inspiration while composing the soundtrack for the film, Into the Wild, and the band has rode his creative wave ever since.
There is an overwhelming sense of positivity on the record, which Vedder credits to the election of President Barack Obama. Many of the songs are very upbeat, happy and quick.
The opening track, "Gonna See My Friend," a song about a guy who goes to his compadre to get off of drugs, is the most upbeat drug addiction song since Third Eye Blind's "Semi-Charmed Life".
The first single, "The Fixer", is a fun pop-rock romp through a bunch of different time signatures. The chorus is as catchy as swine flu. "Just Breathe" sounds like Vedder's work on the Into The Wild soundtrack, while "Amongst the Waves" is your classic mid-tempo Pearl Jam arena rock number.
This release from Pearl Jam is a good one. It sounds like a band at the top of its game. It also sounds like the group is having fun for the first time in a while. Many of its previous releases have been mired in pessimism, but Backspacer shines above them, serving as a reintroduction of Pearl Jam to a new audience. Keep in mind, Pearl Jam started nearly 20 years ago.
Backspacer is a listener-friendly record that can be played to the next generation of Pearl Jam fans. Overall, the album serves as another solid addition in the catalog of one of the best bands in the try.
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