Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
(J)
After tearing the roof off of the Metro Center last September, Pearl Jam headed back into the studio to complete work on its self-titled eighth album. During the considerable downtime between studio releases, Pearl Jam continued to satisfy fans with a b-sides compilation, a greatest hits package and an acoustic live album (not to mention the countless bootlegs). Pearl Jam is well worth the wait. This is easily one of their most accessible and potent releases since 1993’s Vs., from the aggressive lead single “Worldwide Suicide” to the hauntingly beautiful “Come Back.” The eponymous album is a straight-ahead rock outing, one of the best to be released in 2006.
—Trevor Savory

This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.