Pearl Jam - Backspacer [Album]

Island

October 1, 2009, 10:30 PM

Views: 1083   Comments: 4

Buy Pearl Jam - Backspacer [Album] From Amazon.com

"Backspacer" as a whole is Pearl Jam’s shortest album; running in at 36 minutes and 38 seconds it gives the album the clarity of a classic rock and roll record and makes it more accessibly listenable to a wider audience. However after giving "Backspacer" a listen it does not leave the avid Pearl Jam fan disappointed within the knowledge that Pearl Jam are seeking a new commercial appreciation - it just leaves us asking for more.

The opening track ‘Gonna See My Friend’ begins ferociously with wailing guitar notes supplemented by a punchy and tight rhythm section. From first impressions you can see that the current sound of Pearl Jam has traveled long distances since its grunge inception in 1991 and have arrived at a modern, substantial point with a statement of intent of appealing to a much wider audience. ‘‘You wanna hear something sick, we are but victims of desire’’ screams Vocalist Eddie Vedder in the first few lines of ‘Gonna See My Friend’ giving the listener the feel that this is an angst driven opener and a message to society. The song continues with the standard classic rock structure that includes a catchy chorus with a thought provoking lyrical bridge craving for escapism ‘‘Wanna leave it all, Wanna give it up’’ with a lust to stay with the new mental state ‘‘Wanna be there, Hard as a statue, Black as a tattoo, never to wash away.’’

‘Got Some’ gives a similar feel to the opening title of "Backspacer" yet breathes new energy with a punk sounding raunchiness and follows on from the previous track perfectly keeping up the flow of the album to give a somewhat live feel to it. ‘‘Got some if you need it’’ chants Vedder along to an energetic musical ensemble of fast paced energy creating the image of a band still going strong after almost 20 years. The current energetic feel is no different when the bands new single ‘The Fixer’ is introduced as track number three on the album and is by far the most poignant 3 minutes on the record; flowing with a sing-along chorus ‘‘Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah’’ and with classic guitar riffs throughout.

However do not let the simplicity of the chorus distract from the lyrical value of the verse; when asked about the song, Vedder states it is ‘‘a human trait to fix things’’ this is an obvious statement of the song that it is a trait that can be better or for worse ‘‘When something’s cold, Lemme put a little fire on it.’’ The classic rock fade out implemented at the end the song is not just an ending to ‘The Fixer’ but an outro to the 9 minutes of energy and pace that is introduced to the listener for their introduction of Pearl Jams latest work.


‘Johnny Guitar’ is clearly the band simply having some fun; not really standing out for its song structure or melody it simply just sits in the background and passes by like traffic in the street. However ‘Just Breathe’ brings back the sheer brilliance of Eddie Vedder’s simplicity throughout and is reminiscent of his solo work on the ‘Into the Wild’ soundtrack. The statement of ‘Just Breathe’ is one of a grateful one ‘‘I’m a lucky man to count on both hands the ones I love, some folks have one, others they have got none.’’ To accompany the thoughtful lyrics the song features a well composed string section and beautiful vocal harmonies that help to tie the songs simplicity together. Pearl Jam is then once again introduced slowly into the track ‘Amongst the Waves’ that features a strong and up lifting chorus followed by a wailing guitar solo. On first impressions one would view 'Amongst The Waves' as a reference to surfing; however it is obviously one of mental well being that is evoked from the feeling of finding love and comparing it to the peaceful solitude that is found with the water ‘‘If not for love I would be drowning, I’ve seen it work both ways but I am up.’’ Structurally there are great similarities with the track ‘Unthought Known’’ and its predecessor; it equally slowly rises as more instruments are introduced and has ballad-esque tendencies throughout, however it climaxes with a minor feel, not a major one.

We are then brought back to the energetic feel of the album with the rollercoaster track entitled ‘Supersonic.’ With a chest thumping intro and fast flowing melody it is clear here that the verses are similarly shaped to those of the Ramones and that Pearl Jam are definitely a guitar driven band. The fast paced energy coincides with Eddie Vedder’s choice of lyrics for the track and also signify that the band is still simply having fun playing music together. ‘‘I wanna live my life with the volume full.’’ ‘Speed of Sound’ is an ode to the maturity of the band and has Eddie Vedder looking back at how life can go by so quickly ‘‘it’s hard to remember anything, moving at the speed of sound.’’ It is a thought provoking ballad that is driven mainly by the keys of the Piano and the simplicity of the rhythm section. ‘Force of Nature’ is driven by the "wah wah" effect of the guitar and it sounds completely different to the rest of the album and is a refreshing insight into the writing techniques of the band; there is no chorus as such but instead a story about a man waiting for love, yet somewhat afraid of its consequences ‘‘He don’t stand a chance, Wonderland pulling Alice in the hole, no way to save someone who won’t take the rope’’.

"Backspacer"’s conclusion is entitled ironically ‘The End’ and is a song about a terminally ill man that is contemplating what he will be leaving behind, ‘‘How it pains to leave you here with the kids on your own.’’ Similar to Vedder’s work on ‘Into the Wild’ it sits beautifully subtle with finger picked acoustic guitar and a string ensemble; leaving the listener glued to Eddie Vedder’s voice until the abrupt ending to the song ‘‘My dear, The end, Comes near, I’m here, But not much longer.’’

"Backspacer" is clearly a well thought out album from a band who blatantly still enjoys playing together still after nearly two decades; some would see it as more of a pop record in comparison to their earlier work as it is shorter in running time and is a very well produced album. However the more you listen to "Backspacer" the more you realise that its simplicity is its strong point; it is a lyrical and musical celebration of the bands work throughout their career showing that Pearl Jam still can put out a thought provoking and enjoyable record.

#1 | Subscribe | Send to Friend | Print | Discipline | Report