release date: Feb. 11, 2022
format: digital (13 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]
producer: Andrew Watt
label: Seattle Surf Co. / Republic Records - nationality: USA
Track highlights: 1. "Invincible" (live) - 2. "Power of Right" - 3. "Long Way" - 4. "Brother the Cloud" - 6. "The Dark" - 9. "Rose of Jericho" - 10. "Try" - 11. "Picture" - 13. "On My Way"
3rd solo album from Eddie Vedder released nearly 11 full years following Ukulele Songs (May 2011) and two years after Pearl Jam's latest Gigaton (Mar. 2020). Bearing the span of years in between solo-releases it may seem a little sought after to make comparisons, and you may better look at the latest works by Pearl Jam, or: just not compare at all! It's nevertheless interesting to focus on who, he has chosen to co-operate with, and here you find former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghofer as co-composer on all 13 tracks - as many recall, he substituted John Frusciante in Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2009, only to be sacrifised (sat free) in 2020 when the very same Frusciante returned, thus participating on Unlimited Love (Apr. 2020). Apart from Klinghofer all tracks are credited Vedder and producer Andrew Watt (aka Andrew Wotman), who is also creditered as multi-instrumentalist - mostly on bass and guitar. Red Hot Chili Peppers' drummer Chad Smith is credited as co-composer on seven songs and he plays on nine. A small army of acclaimed artists partecipate on the individual tracks, e.g. Stevie Wonder on jews harp on "Try", Elton John as co-composer and vocalist on "Picture", where you allso find drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. (from Paul McCartney's touring band) and keyboardist Benmont Tench (from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) on Hammond organ, and on the Beatles-inspired "Mrs. Mills" we find... Ringo Starr on drums.
Once again, Vedder sings the way he does, and it's with a vocal with a clear structure and sound, which has its very own spot in the great American rock-history. On Earthling he delivers as vocalist on melodic tunes in the popular end of pop / rock - at least compared to his contributions with Pearl Jam, who embraces a harder and bolder alt. rock than found here. In that way, it's Vedder in a safe melodic rock-context for warranting an equilibrium of ballads and sheer amounts of juvenile smartness, as if to demonstrate there's still a spark in his musical foundation. The album conatins a few uptempo energetic tracks with a clear taste of Pearl Jam, you'll find melodic heartland rock and soft ballads, and in between it songs and pieces which is there to balance it all. Elton John immitates Elvis Costello on a decent track, although it's all heard before, and that's basically a notion you'll remind yourself of when Vedder builds as much as he does on his own back catalog with apparent inspiration from Springsteen, Tom Petty, The Beatles, U2 and from the great immitators: The Killers.
Overall, the album is quite nicely produced and sewn together, and it doesn't stir up any stylistic conventions. Vedder sings in a way that no panties are left dry, securing that all (real) men rock along. It may touch on predictable and not highly original, but on the other hand, when Pearl Jam are perfectly content in copying themselves over and over again, Vedder might as well just deliver as the lightning image of who he should be. I only miss, he had something to say but then again, I also find the pleasure in simply listening to his unique voice just the way it shines so bright. It's dad-rock and it's stadium-rock, and it's well-produced through and through as clever genuine craftsmanship.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, 👍Classic Rock 3,5 / 5, Pitchfork 6.7 / 10, NME 3 / 5 stars ]
