I've been fortunate enough to see Pearl Jam live three different times during this decade on three separate album tours and nothing has been more frustrating than to watch Eddie Vedder and company put on such absolutely stunning live shows, but, during it all, drop such terribly average albums onto the public. Why they haven't been able to capture and translate their tremendous live energy into the studio on any of their last three releases has been as mysterious as it's been maddening. Lest you think the luster has forever faded from the Pearl, however - Backspacer beats that notion into the ground like a 4/4 jackhammer. This has to be the most welcome surprise of the year, as Pearl Jam's ninth overall album and best since 1994's much heralded Vitalogy demonstrates with shine to spare that they've still got plenty of Jam in the jar.

Pearl Jam haven't sounded this joyful and comfortable in their own skin maybe since the Ten era and I have to say it's more than refreshing to have this band sounding like they're back in their prime. Backspacer rocks harder than anything they've done since 1993's Vs. and that Rock is on full display right out of the gate with Vedder in complete command of tracks brimming with Punk-ish vitality such as "Gonna See My Friend," "Got Some" and first single "The Fixer" which is probably Vedder's strongest vocal work since Yield's "Given To Fly." As far as infectious Rock songs go, you can't go wrong with "Supersonic" as well, probably my favorite track overall on Backspacer.

Balancing out all this bang and bluster are several well placed slower tracks. "Just Breathe" and album closer "The End" are reminiscent of the superb acoustic tracks that Vedder wrote for the "Into the Wild" soundtrack and "Unthought Known" is prone to be one of those songs like "Daughter" and "Elderly Woman Behind A Counter in a Small Town" that will be a hit at every upcoming live show and highlight Vedder's consummate skill at wringing out every drop of pathos and melancholy from a phrase or chorus hook without stooping to even the most remote amount of calculated sentimentality. It's hard to believe that if Jeremy hadn't "spoke" in class that day he'd be pushing 40 and losing his hair the slow way. Which means that to most music consumers Pearl Jam may well be their parents favorite band. All of which makes this resurrection of one of the greatest bands of the 90's all the more remarkable, do yourself a favor and pick up Backspacer - it will very likely be high on everyone's best-of the year lists.