For just over nine minutes at the start of ‘Lightning Bolt’, Pearl Jam are on a roll. The grunge legends have been away for a while - ‘Backspacer’ is now four years old, the ‘Ten’ reissue two - but Getaway, Mind Your Manners and My Father’s Son find them in eye-popping form.
Eddie Vedder’s vocals are vital and raw, drummer Matt Cameron thrashes his way through the ‘80s hardcore of Mind Your Manners, while Stone Gossard and Mike McCready trade clipped, effective guitar lines. But then, almost as quickly as it started, it stops.
The fourth track here, Sirens, is a gateway into another realm of Pearl Jam’s sound, one awash with ballads and soft rock solos. ‘Ten’ is now 22 years old and Pearl Jam have weathered their fair share of trends and fads in the pursuit of growing old, if not gracefully, then relevant.
That’s exactly what they are at times here, but too much of ‘Lightning Bolt’ unravels in slow motion. Next to its opening salvo, the title track and Swallowed Whole are satisfying rock songs, but elsewhere there’s little to engage heart and mind. Sleeping By Myself, Yellow Moon and Future Days round off proceedings in insipid fashion, a far cry from the visceral rush of the record’s early moments.
When ‘Lightning Bolt’ hits its straps, it’s the best Pearl Jam record in a good while and proof that they still have enough piss and vinegar left to produce something special. When it settles into its armchair, it’s far too easy to dismiss. Their next move will be an interesting one.
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