"I Wanna Live My Life With the Volume Full."
Written: Sep 25 '09 (Updated Sep 25 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Strong mix of rip-roaring hard rock and beautiful, introspective slow songs
Cons: Could use more hard rockers
The Bottom Line: Solid album that helps Pearl Jam remain one of the world's top rock acts
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| PacManY2J's Full Review: Backspacer [Digipak] by Pearl Jam |
I always have high hopes for a new Pearl Jam album, but Backspacer just might have raised my expectations higher than usual. First off, it's the followup to what I feel is their best work of the decade, 2006's Pearl Jam (a.k.a. "Avacado"). Add to that a strong first single in "The Fixer," odd and vibrant cartoon artwork from This Modern World's Tom Tomorrow, and the promise of two free concert downloads, and we're talking about one high bar, even for this Pearl Jam die-hard. Does Backspacer live up to the hype? For the most part, absolutely.
Following the re-energized vibe of Avacado, this album has a good deal of lively material that has the band replacing anger with youthful joy (you have to believe the White House's change in occupants played a big role in that). There's been a lot of talk so far about the first three tracks, and with good reason. "Gonna See My Friend" is a hip-shaking garage rocker with a feelgood vibe, even if the lyrics aren't totally optimistic. Eddie Vedder raspily sings "I'm sick of everything" but follows it with "I'm gonna see my friend / Make it go away." Perhaps this admission of escapism over activism is the band's way of saying it's been a long eight years and now's the time to enjoy life before fighting the system again. It's kind of a more exuberant update to '98's "No Way." Next up is "Got Some," another urgent hard rocker that orders anyone not already energized by the first track to get in on the party: "Get it now / Set it off / Before it's gone." Rounding out the 1-2-3 punch combo is "The Fixer," one of the catchiest PJ tracks in years. Here Vedder expresses a basic desire to make the world a better place - "When something's broke / I wanna put a bit of fixing on it" - as well as to hold onto the things he holds dearest. When he wails "When something's gone / I wanna fight to get it back again." It's as if Pearl Jam recognizes their age but refuse to relinquish their fighting spirit. If the fire of their youth is what they're trying to retrieve, these three songs prove they've got it.
The band doesn't use up all their energy in the beginning though. "Johnny Guitar" is another garage rocker that exudes a Springsteen-ish classic rock feel thanks in part to lyrics that have Vedder taking the band into less familiar territory, lamenting unrequited love but in a fun way. "Force of Nature" took a little while to stand out for me, but this mid-tempo track packs a decent punch as it fights to be heard amidst the gritty bar rock. "Supersonic" is the album's most energetic, the kind of speedy rocker usually reserved for an opening track, this time picking up the pace in the album's later half while emphatically proclaiming, "I wanna live my life with the volume full."
Not that the volume is cranked all the way throughout. The gentleness of Vedder's solo project, the Into the Wild soundtrack, is revisited in "Just Breathe," a touching reflection on life and love: "I'm a lucky man to count on both hands / The ones I love." "Amongst the Waves" is a powerful, arms-to-the-sky track that once again has Vedder revealing the spiritual impact of surfing: "Riding high amongst the waves / I can feel like I / Have a soul that has been saved." This one would sound right at home on Yield and the guitar solo should help pacify some of those still hoping for Ten v2.0. "Unthought Known" is another one that starts slow and builds to a strong chorus, though it may at first go unnoticed, being placed immediately after "Amongst the Waves." Another track list issue I have is with "Speed of Sound," which takes the juice out of the album by following "Supersonic." Despite that, it's a beautiful number with more discussion of life's heartaches, still a pleasant-sounding complement to the somber closing track, the heart-wrenching death reflection "The End." On all these songs, Vedder's voice bleeds with conviction and emotion, allowing you to feel to your core the joy or pain with which he sings.
With only 11 tracks totaling around 37 minutes, this album really could have made way for more hard rock. The slower ones are excellent, but after barnburners like "Supersonic" and "Got Some," I'm left salivating for lots more. Nevertheless, Backspacer is a tremendous album worth many, many listens. I wouldn't call it a classic, but it is a strong piece of work that shows Pearl Jam, nearly two decades into their career, remaining relevant and still ripping it up.
Also from Pearl Jam:
Full Lengths: Ten / Vs. / Vitalogy / No Code / Yield / Binaural / Riot Act / Lost Dogs / Pearl Jam
Singles: Even Flow / Jeremy / Oceans / Daughter / Go / Spin the Black Circle / Not For You / Merkin Ball / Who You Are / Given to Fly / Wishlist / Last Kiss / Nothing As It Seems / Save You
Live: Live At Benaroya Hall / Hartford, CT 9-13-98 / Saratoga, NY 8-27-00
DVD: Touring Band 2000 / Live At the Garden / Immagine in Cornice
Books: Five Against One by Kim Neely / Star Profile
Recommended:
Yes
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PacManY2J
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Member: Matt
Location: Kentucky
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"I wanna live my life with the volume full."
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