In Pearl Jam's latest album -- its first release in two years -- the compelling force that has traditionally characterized the band, with eruption of song, clashing drums and electric guitar behind a forceful vocal, is too often left adrift in a slowly fading tune whose expectations dwindle to a compromised anticlimax.
For "Binaural," 35-year-old Eddie Vedder and his crew -- including former Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron -- collaborated on writing songs, but retained Vedder's style. The new songs play off of Vedder's past work, attempting to increasingly stylize his music to modern trends.
Lyrics of frustration in a modern, highly structured society serve as the basis for tunes like 'Insignificance,' 'Sleight of Hand' and 'Soon Forget.'
Vedder also offers low and brooding love-lost confessionals to distant relationships, such as in 'Light Years' and 'Of The Girl.'
The Pearl Jam listener should have a clean slate for "Binaural," and should not expect to compare this album to the break-out "Ten," whose raw guitar power and high-energy vocals maintained a superhuman pace for the younger grunge-rockers.
"Binaural" doesn't have Pearl Jam abandon its roots. A close listen is reminiscent of the Pearl Jam style that has came to influence rock in the '90s and still appeals to the hard rock fan. However, high-paced tunes like the opening tracks, 'Breakerfall,' 'God's Dice,' and 'Evacuation,' do not have the intensity and lyrical precision of songs like "Ten's" 'Even Flow' or 'Once.'
'Breakerfall' is a short, hard song with guttural yelling and a yearning Vedder voice. 'God's Dice' is another hard tune, with few verses and short lines. It relies on the impact of accentuated words, but falls far short of the more understandable and appealing effect that Vedder was able to achieve with songs like "Vitalogy's" 'Better Man.' The songs at times seem to fall short of a powerful emotional fulfillment, tampering with an explosion and then receding.
The fourth track, 'Light Years,' is probably the best song on the album and the best example of what Pearl Jam is now trying to achieve. A cool beat opens to a quivering Vedder voice, adding authenticity to the lyrics which are strongly supported by a back-beat drum and electric guitar wanderings.
With lyrics written by Jeff Ament, the current radio song 'Nothing as it Seems' combines acoustic twangs with a brooding cello in a slow and drawn out tune. Behind the pronounced Vedder lyrics, the guitar revels, drives and searches in a spacey type sound that echoes with the cello behind it.
The following track, 'Thin Air,' is still soft and reflective, with a cool beat before the high energy 'Insignificance,' which probably has the most potential of any song on the album. Vedder yells with energy and forceful feeling, "Bombs, dropping down/ overhead, underground/ it's instilled, to wanna live."
This new take by Pearl Jam is worthwhile and different, while still retaining a semblance of a harder grunge-rock past. Those thinking they'll get a remake of "Ten" or "Vs." will be disappointed as the decade-long Pearl Jam career has kept the band avoiding predictability.
"Binaural" doesn't appeal to the blood rushing testosterone-filled music of Pearl Jam's past, although the pace has picked up a bit. But for those who appreciate the passionate, and at times, guttural vocals of Eddie Vedder, it's worth checking out. Pearl Jam is currently touring in Europe and will soon return for a 40 city United States tour, which, though it won't see Vedder swinging from the rafters, will see a high energy setlist with 20 or more songs.
