(Sony)
It's easy to over scrutinize a Pearl Jam album, because every rock fan considers at least one of their albums an indisputable classic. The signature Pearl Jam style is made up of three overwhelming guitars, which creates the big sound that caused them to lose their punk credibility but allows for gut-wrenching solos and mysterious noises. A great Pearl Jam song builds up and goes places, rather than just shoot out a catchy chorus. Riot Act, Pearl Jam's new release succeeds, for the majority of the time, in creating a full original album of quality songs.
Riot Act brings to the table a new perspective, one of disenfranchised youth who are reluctantly accepting the wisdom that comes with age. On \Love Boat Captain"" Eddie Vedder sings, ""And the young, they can lose hope because they can't see beyond today"" Although Vedder admits he has not lost hope, that doesn't stop his depressing cynicism. ""No matter how cold the winter, there's a spring time ahead/ I smile but who am I kidding?""
The lyrics come from an older, wiser smart-ass point of view, ""Don't see some men as half empty/ See them as half full of shit."" This experienced attitude calls for less screaming but that doesn't mean it's any less intense. The fast paced songs, which are limited to three '""Save You,"" ""Ghost"" and ""Green Disease""'have a sense of urgency but not extreme pain.
There is a new type of Pearl Jam song emerging and it is medium paced'calling for more of a foot tap than a head bang. Vedder takes on the voice of an introspective storyteller with original, mellow and interesting guitar riffs in the background. This doesn't mean all the songs on Riot Act are gems'there is particularly weak spot in the middle two songs ""You Are"" and ""Get Right""'but when Pearl Jam is on their game they more than make up for it. It's passionate and powerful, but when it doesn't come together it sounds like pretentious crap. And isn't that the risk of art? And isn't even asking that question pretentious crap?
This album varies in styles, but most songs are terrific and are able to remain creative. Vedder philosophizes with his words'""There's no wrong or right but I'm sure there's good and bad,"" for example'which occasionally comes off as corny and clich??d, and so can Mike McCready's solos.
But the genuine intensity of a wide range of emotions is what makes Pearl Jam more than just a rock band. Any album that can make you say that about a band, even it is reiterating what they already have accomplished, is one that should be kept in constant rotation.
