When Pearl Jam take the stage at Western Springs for the Big Day Out early next year, the highlight for many is unlikely to be any tracks from this, their 10th studio album. That's not to say it's a bad album, but that despite releasing nine other albums, many see1991 debut album Ten as the pinnacle of the band's achievement. Yes, seeing that album's Alive live would be amazing, especially the closing guitar solo, but there are plenty of other fine, suitably epic tracks in their back catalogue.
Nothing here is really likely to reach the popular heights of fan favourites Alive or Vitalogy's Better Man, though electrifying title track Lightning Bolt, by far the stand-out for its great pace and driving guitars, should be right up there.
Lead single Mind Your Manners has all the shoutiness of their Yield track Do The Evolution; not a bonus, but the track's a grower.
Meanwhile, the dirty honky tonk blues stomp of Let The Records Play harks back to 70s rock. Sleeping By Myself echoes singer Eddie Vedder's ukulele album and second single Sirens is a likeable, epic, croon-along number which should be awesome live.
Not their best album, but even at their worst Pearl Jam are still pretty good.
