Let’s get things straight, I’m a Pearl Jam mark so if you’re looking for something bad to be said about a Pearl Jam release, look elsewhere. The only time I’m ever going to say anything remotely negative is that I really think they didn’t go to the next level with their Storytellers performance on VH1, and that was kind of a bummer for me. Apart from that, no complaints to share.
That being said, this year has a couple of Pearl Jam releases starting off with Live on Ten Legs. If you like live albums, you won’t be disappointed because they show why they’re one of the top ten bands you should see before you die, period. Every track kicks in the gut and if you’ve gone to a Pearl Jam concert, you know the energy these guys play with.
The first track is a Joe Strummer cover and it kicks serious ass. If you’re a Pearl Jam mark, every single new track or cover you come along means that you’ll smile at your band doing the original proud. Highlights in this track go to Mike McCready’s riff and the excellent rhythm section of maestros Cameron and Ament. Without missing a beat, in flows World Wide Suicide, punchier than the album version. The punches don’t stop and one of the true highlights in the album is the live version of Got Some. Matt Cameron shows why he’s one of the best drummers in rock and roll and the track just begs you to want to jump around. The impressive thing is that even on this song, the live version has more energy than the recorded version, and that’s saying something.
The set continues with State of Love and Trust and there’s a reason why this is a fan favorite, just listen. Then you have I am Mine which is the best drinking song Pearl Jam has ever written (a personal take obviously since the lyrics have NOTHING to do with drinking). Afterwards, another track from the last album comes into the setlist in Unthought Known, a track that grows and grows until becoming an optimistic behemoth to further facilitate the communion of Pearl Jam fans. Following is another true highlight in this fantastic set, a version of Rearviewmirror with a musical breakdown that starts near the two minute mark with an improvised chant, drumming licks, great bass lines and a three guitar attack that has to be among their finest live highlights. Then you have a great rendition of The Fixer (one of the few instances where I think the recorded version has more energy than the live version), but is no less impressive.
Then you have Mike McCready tear the solos from Nothing as It Seems (3 total), reminding you that Binaural is one of those PJ albums that some people overlooked, but that they shouldn’t have. Afterwards comes one of my fav tracks off Yield, In Hiding in a great rendition that truly showcases how uplifting this band can be on some of their best tracks. Once that gem including some crowd participation ends, in comes Just Breathe, a beautiful song off the new album that shows Eddie Vedder traversing terrain more akin to his solo outing for the Into the Wild soundtrack, backed up by his band friends and a string section to take the song to the next level.
Then their biggest hit comes into the setlist, a song that has been largely absent from major live releases up until the Gorge Boxset. Jeremy still soars and shows that this band has gone their own route from the getgo. And then, in typical Pearl Jam fashion, they follow up their greatest hit with an obscure track from PiD titled Public Image followed up by a blistering rendition of Spin the Black Circle and the ever live classic of Porch. Simply put, if you’ve never heard Porch live, you’re missing out BIG TIME. Pretty much everyone goes crazy and push the frenzy way beyond the limit. To close the set, two absolute gems grace Live on Ten Legs, The epic Alive and one of their best closers, Yellow Ledbetter.
Yet again, Pearl Jam proves that they have more muscle in their metaphorical music pinky than most bands have in a career and that the spirit of The Who still lives strong in one of the greatest American Bands ever to explode onstage.
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