•
Rating: THE REVIEW
"It's a hopeless situation / And I'm starting to believe / That this hopeless situation / Is what I'm trying to achieve / But I try to run on / It's all or none / All or none..."
This new Pearl Jam album is a show of strength, no doubt about it. At times enjoyable, at times tedious with an annoying deja vu sensation.
It makes you smile at times, like in the song "Bushleager" where Eddie Vedder mocks the TV speeches of giorg_dabliù.
The seventh studio album from the Seattle kids, veterans of the grunge scene, tries to make an impact with a non-commercial fervor on the attentive listener.
It aims to be above the trends of the moment, in other words, different.
Listening to the sound of the Gibson Les Paul is always an emotion, especially when it's painted as skillfully as Stone Gossard does.
Eddie Vedder's voice is then as sensual and overwhelming as ever.
Overall though, the album is pleasing but not thrilling, intriguing but not captivating. In the past, it took a screwdriver to remove "Versus" from the CD player; this time just pressing "eject" will do.
The times of Ten and Vs. remain terribly distant, not only chronologically.
I still wonder, as an Italian writer did for another band, why did Dave Abruzzese leave the group?
Loading comments slowly
Summary by Bot
Pearl Jam's Riot Act showcases the band's strength with skilled instrumentation and Eddie Vedder's distinctive voice. While moments like the politically charged "Bushleager" bring a smile, the album overall feels more pleasing than thrilling. Compared to earlier landmark albums, Riot Act is less captivating, reflecting a band evolving but no longer as urgent or groundbreaking.
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1990, fronted by Eddie Vedder, known for landmark early albums and a reputation for intense live performances.71 Reviews
Other reviews
By Greg*89*
It is the voice of America against a historical moment of unease for a nation certain of its strength and values.
The Pearl Jam are and prove to remain something to believe in, something different, skilled artisans in telling all that cannot be measured with money.
By ashanti
The act of revolt announced in the title is completely unmet, not because generational anthems were expected, but precisely because the record itself is a symbol of inconsistency and fragility of that revolutionary claim intrinsic to the nature of rock ‘n roll.
Pearl Jam demonstrated multiple times a lack of personality, songs lacking bite, embarrassing if not downright ridiculous episodes, as in this album.
