Music review: Pearl Jam — ‘Lightning Bolt’
I always feel a little nostalgic each time a new Pearl Jam album is released.
The Seattle-based band was my daughter鈥檚 first musical crush. Her fondness for the band during her teenage years resulted in countless days of having our home filled with sounds of 鈥淛eremy,鈥� 鈥淎nimal,鈥� 鈥淎live鈥� and 鈥淓ven Flow.鈥� Eventually, she managed to convert her mother and me over to the cathartic complexities of Eddie Vedder and crew.
I fondly recall taking her to see the band deliver a scorching set during the final show of the 2000 tour while my wife accompanied her to the 2005 PNC Park venue featuring Pearl Jam and the Rolling Stones.
As most of the alternative rock bands that shared Pearl Jam鈥檚 rise during the 1990s have died off or quietly faded away, Pearl Jam remains as relevant as ever. The band鈥檚 10th studio album follows the robust output of 2009鈥檚 鈥淏ackspacer鈥� with equal full-throttle intensity. 鈥淟ightning Bolt鈥� strikes fast and leaves a permanent mark as the band seems newly energized and purposeful. On 鈥淏ackspacer,鈥� Vedder asked if we wanted to hear something sick. Now, 鈥淟ightning Bolt鈥� opens with Vedder defiantly announcing, 鈥淓veryone鈥檚 a critic.鈥�
Perhaps throwing a vigorous nod to the Dead Kennedys, 鈥淢ind Your Manners鈥� is a hard-driving punk arrangement with an aggressive and raw feel. Yes, the band can still rock out with the best of them, but they offer some pretty convincing ballads as well. 鈥淪iren鈥� is a melodic acoustic ballad that accentuates Vedder鈥檚 haunting vocals reminiscent of the days of 鈥淏etter Man鈥� and 鈥淒aughter.鈥�
Also included is a newer version of 鈥淪leeping by Myself鈥� from Vedder鈥檚 2011 solo album 鈥淯kulele Songs.鈥� Closing on a tenderly vulnerable note, 鈥淔uture Days鈥� is a simplistic love song accented with piano and violin with Vedder tenderly confessing, 鈥淚 believe because I can see our future days.鈥� Indeed the future is still bright for Pearl
Jam as 鈥淟ightning Bolt鈥� is sure to draw a new generation of fans into the fold.
My daughter now calls New Orleans home, but the sounds of Pearl Jam continue to resonate from our home in Belle Vernon with each song evoking an abundance of heartwarming memories.