The days of grunge are long gone, and so are most of the bands that grew out of the musical genre born out of Seattle, Washington. Yet one band seems to continue to come back with albums that still intrigue its fan base and inspire the musicians of the ‘00s.
Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready, Matt Cameron, and front man Eddie Vedder are back with their ninth album “Backspacer,” and while they maintain a few remnants from the days of their grunge classics “Ten,” “Vs.,” and “Vitalogy,” the new album has a lighter more optimistic feel that creates a feeling of jamming amidst a sunny spring scenic drive.
The lead-in track, “Gonna See My Friend,” hits the ground running with a high paced electric guitar riff, and lyrics which allude to the a pain killing drug addiction, to promptly kick into the follow up track “Got Some,” a telling tale of American consumerism.
“The Fixer” with is catchy melodic semi-fast paced track about our need to always perfect, correct, and pursue.
“Johnny Guitar” is “Backspacer”’s only dud, if there must be one.
“Just Breathe,” an acoustic love song expressing one’s desire to simply “just breath” with one’s loved one, begs you to twist the volume slowly louder and louder, while “Amongst the Waves” tips of the hat to the long time front man Vedder’s surfer side and speaks to the challenges of “riding high” in life.
“Unthought Known” and “Super Sonic” bear the Vedder classically questionable lyrical meaning, but the Pearl Jam aesthetic you are proud to rhythmically nod your head to.
“Speed of Sound” keeps hope alive in an attempted optimistic tune.
“Force of Nature” tells a tale of a dependable guy trying to help save his love who bears an addiction that is pulling her down the “rabbit hole.” It might be interpreted that the man is Pearl Jam and the woman is a symbol of music fans amidst the underperforming, overproduced climate of modern mainstream music. Nevertheless, “Forces of Nature” is an instant classic tune.
Vedder and Pearl Jam close out Backspacer with a fittingly titled track, “The End,” a ballad from an old-timer on his way out. The track invites you in with a light acoustic intro which builds to a crescendo that abruptly ends with Vedder singing, “I am here, but not much longer.”
If the character Jeremy, from Pearl Jam’s early 90’s album “Ten,” were representative of Pearl Jam as a band, he has certainly grown up and gotten through the dark days and growing pains of the adolescent years. And like a fine bottle of wine, used to be grunge but still a bit grunge/alternative, Pearl Jam certainly seems to get better and better with age. ... And I am still sipping!
