Pearl Jam - Backspacer: A Review
Discussion
I'm a big Pearl Jam fan. I wanted to give their 9th studio album - Backspacer - a while to settle in my ears before I really thought about each song.
Track 1: Gonna See My Friend. Starts with a joyful fury - the instruments sound as if they have been unleashed from a sound-proofed captivity, and when Vedder joins in, his voice almost cracks with the effort and adds to the scorched effect of the song. 9/10.
Track 2: Got Some. Rolling drums kick this into action. For me, this song is the weakest on the album - although that's not to say it's bad per se. Almost formulaic and contains none of the stop-you-in-your-tracks special moments so common in other PJ songs. 6/10.
Track 3: The Fixer. The first single from the album, and a bit of a departure from the norm. Quite upbeat, both musically and lyrically, I would say that this is the closest PJ have ever come to pop-rock and would be accessible to most people. 8/10.
Track 4: Johnny Guitar. A really solid rock track which I have interpreted as a song about longing. Fairly dark lyrics delivered in normal superb style atop a punky backing. 9/10.
Track 5: Just Breathe. EV described this as the only love song PJ had ever written. As heart-wrenching and beautiful as you would expect. However, this is not the lament of a song like "Black". There is again positivity in it's themes. 8/10.
Track 6: Amongst the Waves. The classic Pearl Jam anthem that is so good at painting pictures in your mind. Uplifting and inspirational: "Riding high amongst the waves / I can feel like I have a soul that has been saved / I can see the light coming through the clouds in rays". 9/10.
Track 7: Unthought Known. The kind of track you want to close your eyes to. The soundscapes created by the piano underlying Vedder's soaring voice just take me to another place. 9/10.
Track 8: Supersonic. Fast and aggressive, with - yet again - a positive message: "I wanna live my life with the volume full...". Even contains a slightly cheesy Mike McCready solo that wouldn't be out of place on a "The Darkness" album, not that that's a bad thing. 7/10.
Track 9: Speed of Sound. This sounds similar to the "Into the Wild" soundtrack with the addition of a full band. Moody and heartfelt. 8/10.
Track 10: Force of Nature. Lyrically and vocally this sounds like a track expressing loneliness and hopelessness. 8/10.
Track 11: The End. Again, could have been transplanted from "Into the Wild". It had to happen - the happy-go-lucky nature of the rest of the record is cancelled out here. A truly beautiful Vedder and a guitar acoustic number, that builds with strings in the background. Vocally, if you are a fan, this is a standout track. It finishes in a surprising way too: "My dear / The end / comes near / I'm here / But not much longer...". 9/10.
Conclusion: Buy it.
Track 1: Gonna See My Friend. Starts with a joyful fury - the instruments sound as if they have been unleashed from a sound-proofed captivity, and when Vedder joins in, his voice almost cracks with the effort and adds to the scorched effect of the song. 9/10.
Track 2: Got Some. Rolling drums kick this into action. For me, this song is the weakest on the album - although that's not to say it's bad per se. Almost formulaic and contains none of the stop-you-in-your-tracks special moments so common in other PJ songs. 6/10.
Track 3: The Fixer. The first single from the album, and a bit of a departure from the norm. Quite upbeat, both musically and lyrically, I would say that this is the closest PJ have ever come to pop-rock and would be accessible to most people. 8/10.
Track 4: Johnny Guitar. A really solid rock track which I have interpreted as a song about longing. Fairly dark lyrics delivered in normal superb style atop a punky backing. 9/10.
Track 5: Just Breathe. EV described this as the only love song PJ had ever written. As heart-wrenching and beautiful as you would expect. However, this is not the lament of a song like "Black". There is again positivity in it's themes. 8/10.
Track 6: Amongst the Waves. The classic Pearl Jam anthem that is so good at painting pictures in your mind. Uplifting and inspirational: "Riding high amongst the waves / I can feel like I have a soul that has been saved / I can see the light coming through the clouds in rays". 9/10.
Track 7: Unthought Known. The kind of track you want to close your eyes to. The soundscapes created by the piano underlying Vedder's soaring voice just take me to another place. 9/10.
Track 8: Supersonic. Fast and aggressive, with - yet again - a positive message: "I wanna live my life with the volume full...". Even contains a slightly cheesy Mike McCready solo that wouldn't be out of place on a "The Darkness" album, not that that's a bad thing. 7/10.
Track 9: Speed of Sound. This sounds similar to the "Into the Wild" soundtrack with the addition of a full band. Moody and heartfelt. 8/10.
Track 10: Force of Nature. Lyrically and vocally this sounds like a track expressing loneliness and hopelessness. 8/10.
Track 11: The End. Again, could have been transplanted from "Into the Wild". It had to happen - the happy-go-lucky nature of the rest of the record is cancelled out here. A truly beautiful Vedder and a guitar acoustic number, that builds with strings in the background. Vocally, if you are a fan, this is a standout track. It finishes in a surprising way too: "My dear / The end / comes near / I'm here / But not much longer...". 9/10.
Conclusion: Buy it.
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