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Music
CHUCK ARNOLD; JENNIFER ODELL

8 May 2006
People Magazine
45

Pearl Jam Pearl Jam

REVIEWED BY CHUCK ARNOLD

CRITIC'S CHOICE

ROCK

Since the turn of the 21st century, Pearl Jam had seemed to be left behind in the last millennium. Although the '90s grunge gods released two studio albums (2000's Binaural and 2002's Riot Act ), a rarities disc (2003's Lost Dogs ) and a ridiculous 177 official concert bootlegs, the band's relevance appeared to have gone the way of the flannel shirt. That's what makes this self-titled CD such a monster comeback for the hard-rocking quintet, which suddenly has come roaring back to life. "I escaped it, a life wasted/ I'm never going back again," sings frontman Eddie Vedder on the urgent opener "Life Wasted," as if his very existence depended on it.

Indeed, Pearl Jam grabs ahold with a vengeance and doesn't let go, launching into the ferocious first single, "World Wide Suicide," an antiwar anthem that, behind a blistering guitar and drum attack, unleashes Vedder's rage: "Medals on a wooden mantel next to a handsome face/ That the President took for granted/ Writing checks that others pay." High-octane tracks like these and the animalistic "Comatose" recapture their Vs. mojo without sounding like grunge retreads.

When Pearl Jam shifts gears, though, the disc hardly lags: "Gone"- -on which a disillusioned Vedder muses, "If nothing is everything, I'll have it all"--is a moody gem in the vein of "Jeremy" or "Daughter"; "Come Back" is a surprisingly soulful ballad that builds to a soaring, U2-like climax; and "Unemployable" is a better R.E.M. song than R.E.M. has done in years. A real revelation, "Unemployable" details the plight of a newly fired man who's "jumping trains just to survive." After 15 years, it's evident that Pearl Jam is not only surviving but thriving. [4 stars]

DOWNLOAD THIS: "World Wide Suicide"

Actually a really good review considering it's People magazine.

People magazine reviews music?

who'da thunk it - that's a well-written review by Mr. Arnold.

What's next? Us Weekly? Perhaps In Touch will give it classic status.

I'm personally looking forward to the review in O.

reviews like this are important, since people who read people are not necessarily going to read reviews from more 'traditional' music sources.

Hey, maybe Oprah will give everyone in the studio audience copies of the album. "That's right ladies ... Pearrrrrrrrlllllllll Jaaaaaaaaaaammmmmm!!!" audience screams in rapturous hysteria/passes out.

haha, i could picture that perfectly

I can clearly envision the fury in Oprah's eyes when, after publically declaring Satan's Bed her favourite song, The Smoking Gun uncovers that Ed's partner is a former model.

Imagine her fury when she discovers that Ed himself is a *gasp* former model.