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Pearl Jam Binaural CD Review

Pearl Jam

Binaural

(Epic)

two stars

Pearl Jam returns to their roots with this latest addition and thank God for that. At least they're headed in the right direction. This new album is a reminder of why people started to listen and enjoy them in the first place. Alas, it is only a reminder. They've settled down, let the swelling in their heads go down a little bit and gotten back to the music that started it all, yet it still doesn't quite compare to their debut.

Eddie Vedder is less whiny and more soulful than he has been - which is the way he should be. It is as though he's trying to prove that he can still sing. Fortunately for everyone involved, he still can. It's the writing that has slipped.

The band as a whole is a tighter unit than it has been in the past. While they've gotten back to the more rock 'n' roll feel they showed on Ten and Vs., they also demonstrate a maturity and a command over their instruments that they have gained over time. It just isn't enough though.

The main problem with Binaural is that the majority of the songs on it sound too much alike. There are a few exceptions to this, but for the most part, it is difficult to tell one apart from the others. It's like it's all one song with slight variations. Unlike a lot of bands that fall victim to this though, the song is a good one. Notwithstanding, that song will get old, just not as quickly.

The album is called Binaural, which means having or using both ears, but if you only use one, you won't miss much. You could even alternate between the two if you want to get fancy.

It's a decent album but don't worry about having to lie to your friends about how you got it before everyone else did. Just dig out Ten and start reminding people how long you've had that in your collection.-Zack Armstrong