#485

Impressions:  Let’s start with this: I don’t hate Pearl Jam, nor do I love them. For whatever reason, they generally fail to leave a mark, but let’s give them a fair shake shall we? Album ON! The dry, unadorned production helps the songs like the opener “Last Exit” and the punk-tempoed “Spin The Black Circle” and the hits like “Not For You” “Nothingman,” “Better Man.” But these songs seem like they are aiming for classic rock radio rotation twenty years in the future: solidly played, lean singing style, basic undated production, and nothing added to the songs to root them to a particular time period. Sure this is fine, but sometimes a little boring for me. Most of the songs are squarely in this “rock music: no frills” category but some tracks (“Bugs,” “Pry, To”) are experimental, by which I mean; forgettable. When Eddie Vedder and Co. stick to their strengths, they do alright; like with the spooky atmosphere and massive guitar riff in “Corduroy.” Then, they rise to put together the kind of song I wouldn’t automatically change the channel on if it came on in the car, unless someone in the car with me instructed me to. (High praise indeed!)