Originally posted by FMF
Pearl Jam have never really been on my radar, I'll admit.
The latest album - I just let it play twice back to back - makes me think I haven't been missing much, unless this is an unrepresentative dud.
It seems very indistinct, no unexpected chords anywhere, no words that reach out and grab you.
A study in genericism and carefully callibrated mediocrity, almost?
What is the 'unique selling point' of this band?
Pearl Jam is about one album. The first one. 10 was and is a great album start to finish. Listening to 10, it may sound generalized but only because so many bands that came after them essentially copied their sound and song style.
Keep in mind, the mainstream radio (back when radio was relevant) at the time was not playing songs that sounded anything like the songs from 10. Soundgarden wasn't getting airplay, Smashing Pumpkins were toiling with an under-appreciated pre-siamese dream debut album called Gish and Sonic Youth was getting less air time than even Jane's Addiction. Radio was all Lennry Kravitz, Bell Biv Devo, Mariah Carey and Celine Dionne at the time. Nirvana opened the door to new sounds with Nevermind but Pearl Jam smashed it open with 10 and the song Even Flow. At the time, Even Flow sounded like something i, and most people, had never heard before.
With the exception of a handful of songs since 10 PJ haven't done anything new or interesting. The new album is no exception. But keep in mind, they broke the ground. It's up to new bands to keep pushing the limits instead of using the BS excuse of "well we are heavily influenced by this band from before so that's why we sound just like them". I say that's a cop-out. If you can't do something new, then throw your guitar away and let someone original get the spotlight.