Change has come to the nation.
After channeling politics in their last album, Pearl Jam decided it was time to have some fun. Backspacer, Pearl Jam's ninth and latest album, contains no trace of anger. However, singer Eddie Vedder's lyrical voice remains intact, albeit without the social commentary.
Without the politics, the band sounds refreshed. The songs are performed with enormous enthusiasm and will sound even better in a live setting.
The album feels like a meeting with an old friend. Its 11 songs offer a mix of hard rock and slower jams that radiate warmth. Pearl Jam seems to rock out like it's 1994, no matter what year it is. And that's a good thing.
The first three tracks rock harder than most songs released so far this year.
Proving that Vedder's timeless vocals are captivating, even with the cheesiest of lyrics, he manages to make the line 'I got some if you need it' sound enticing in 'Got Some,' even if it has the prestige of a Motley Crue cover band.
With its slow paced, country-like tone, 'Just Breathe' provides a welcome break from the out-of-control nature of the previous tracks.
Showing an out of the wild, laid back lyrical approach in 'Amongst the Waves,' Vedder pens and orates his love of surfing and hell, his ability to write a good love song when he needs to.
'But I am up/ Riding high amongst the waves/ I can feel like I/ Have a soul that has been saved,' Vedder sings.
The tracks 'Speed of Sound' and 'Force of Nature' are thrown in near the end of the album and are too similar to make any progressive impression as the album approaches its finale.
Still, at 37 minutes, Pearl Jam has crafted an album that is tight without sounding forced. When the appropriately titled 'The End' abruptly cuts out, it leaves the listener craving more.
While Backspacer isn't Pearl Jam's best album, it is a welcome addition to the band's illustrious catalogue.
And sometimes a visit from an old friend is enough to brighten up the day.
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