In their ninth studio album, Backspacer, Pearl Jam is kind of what they have become these days — too old and too mature. Even though this is supposed to be the band’s big comeback album, with The fixer already topping the charts, it is not a great album. Not that Pearl Jam as a band has anything to prove to anyone. They are in a space where they can play with lyrics and genres. In fact, with the band’s experimentation with the new wave sound, this is definitely a different musical offering, but the tracks are slightly all over the place.

The whole vibe alternates between rock ’n’ roll in tracks like Gonna see my friend, Johnny guitar and Supersonic, and emotional ballads, such as Just breathe and The end. There are pop influences — in songs such as Unknown thought. There are a few moments in Amongst the waves and Johnny guitar that make you feel like you are listening to a Pearl Jam album. And Eddie Vedder’s vocals continue to remind why everyone loves him — the rawness in the shouting and the emotive rendition of simple lyrics are retained in his signature glory. Mike McCready’s guitar playing does meet some highs during the course of the album, but is nothing extraordinary to make you want go back to it. Sans the political aspects of the last few songs, Backspacer is a disappointment at many levels. Tracks that stand out in the album include The fixer, The end and Amongst the waves. 

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