Of all the bands to emerge from the early `90s grunge scene, Pearl Jam was easily the most consistently interesting and longest-lived. After several albums that found the group taking an increasingly experimental direction, the Seattle quintet returned to it’s straight ahead hard rock roots with 2006’s self-titled effort, but then, in 2009, surprised fans again with an album that was its catchiest-sounding effort up to that point. According to vocalist Eddie Vedder, the most of the new material was written prior to recording, which was a significant departure form the group’s usual in-studio jamming method of composition. The result is some of Peal Jam’s most focused and accessible work since the debut album TEN. The debut single “The Fixer” (written my drummer Matt Cameron) is a KISS-like bit of straight-up pop masquerading as hard rock, while “Just Breathe” is melancholy acoustic singer-songwriter music so sharply crafted it would fit well on an Jack Johnson album. Throughout, Pearl Jam performs with its trademark directness, with an earthy, cohesive sound that only veteran bands can deliver.

Tracklisting
1. Gonna See My Friend
2. Got Some
3. The Fixer
4. Johnny Guitar
5. Just Breathe
6. Amongst The Waves
7. Unthought Known
8. Supersonic
9. Speed Of Sound
10. Force Of Nature
11. The End

Professional Reviews
Rolling Stone (pp.73-74) – 4 stars out of 5 — “[W]ith the shortest, tightest, punkiest tunes they’ve ever banged out….Eddie Vedder’s heart-on-fire vocals are the main attraction, as always.”

Spin (p.76) – “The band hasn’t put together a trifecta this energized and from-the-gut in a decade…”

Billboard (p.52) – “The whole album has a pleasurable mix of lean, mean rock’n'roll and pensive ballads that reflect both the state of the world and the band’s place in it.”

Q (Magazine) (p.119) – 4 stars out of 5 — “[I]t’s largely characterised by joyous new wave-influenced rock’n'roll, and for the first time in their 19-year career, Pearl Jam actually sound — whisper it — fun.”

Paste (magazine) (p.50) – “Most of their new album’s first half alternates between gritty guitar-led jams and able pop-rock…”