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Being caught up unwillingly as the co-creators of the Grunge music in the early 90's, Pearl Jam carries a whole lot of baggage around with them and what's great about it is they don't even know it or seem to care. They are in it for the music and to them it's always been about the music. Maybe that's why they have gained longevity and are still vital creating new creases and folds around a loose central sound that has defined their core.
The way the band billed "Riot Act" as their best work yet and an excuse for Mike McCreary to go nuts with guitar solos doesn't quite get to what "Riot Act" is all about. The name itself is misleading. There are many shades, many elements here, some quite surprising. I'm not sure I would put it at the top of the PJ catalogue, but its pretty darn close...it's that good.
I'll skip the ranting and just give you a track breakdown. So here it is in my own words, so mark 'em:
1. Can't Keep. Others have described this as being a high energy classic Pearl Jam opener, but that's off the mark. What it does have though, is pent up energy, never quite exploding, but it's all there underneath the surface. A hopeful song, a catchy song more in common with No Code's "Sometimes" opener than Yield's "Brain of J"
2. Save You. Classic raging Pearl Jam with a nod to the past with, "Let's pick up your will. It's grown fat and lazy. I'm sympathetic as well, don't go on me now." The band pauses while Ament carries the base line for awhile. In the studio drummer Cameron lost his head sets going wild with fills and plays out the rest of the song watching Ament's bass.
3. Love Boat Captain. And enter PJ's sixth man, Boom Gaspar that Eddie met jamming during a soul cleansing surf sabbatical in Hawaii. This song is a power ballad along the lines of Yield's "Fly" but is surprising that it doesn't carry the usual ebb and flow. It is hyperkinetic in that the band ratchets up the intensity fueled by Gaspar's Hammond Organ and never really comes off the plateau. Just when you think they are slowing down and extra dose of intensity is added.
4. Cropduster. One of my favorites. It shows yet another new facet of the band. Either McCreary or Gossard came up with this Eddie Van Halen-esque clean halting jumping lick that carries the day.
5. Ghost. The albums weakest track but a good song in its own right, saying something about the overall quality of Riot Act. Semi-droning moments during the verses. Great chorus though...kinda the opposite of Yield's, "Pilate," another song by bassist Jeff Ament great verse, terrible chorus.
6. I am Mine. The first single. Powerful song as only Vedder can create. The best way I can describe it is a sea shanty, if there is such a thing. It has that side to side swagger of a bunch of sailors drunk waving beer mugs singing all together at the top of their lungs about the meaning of life.
7. Thumbing My Way. Vedder gets folky. Muted song and solid. Think "No Code's" "Around the Bend" or Neil Young's "Harvest.
8. You Are. Hail, hail Matt Cameron...the drummer no less. I had partly blamed the absence of ex-drummer Jack Irons departure for "Binaural's" semi-lack luster flatness, but Cameron adds this entire new wrinkle in time and sound for Pearl Jam. The band thinks it sounds like "The Cure" but it has that Pearl Jam edgy growl to the dance rhythm of Cameron's rhythm guitar loop. I liken it to The Who putting out a song like "Imminence Front" instead of the Cure.
9. Wanted to Get Right. A fun rave up with repetitive same note harmonic strumming. The chorus features Vedder's wild clapping as he has been known to do for some songs on tour. It's impossible not to bob your head to this one. This is a song that begs for fast-driving.
10. Green Disease. This is going to sound unusual in respects to PJ, but think The Who, The Clash, with The Go-go's bass-line thrown in. Forgive me the Go-go's reference PJ faithfull and Jeff Ament if you should read this.
11. Help, Help. Multi-layered hazed out verses and then it kicks into gear...one of the album's best. For this I claim Riot Act belonging to Jeff Ament (since he wrote the song) and leaves his bass stamp all over these songs. OK...we'll give co-belonging-ness to relative newcomer Matt Cameron for "You Are" and "Wanted to Get Right"
12. Bushleaguer. Politics aside (Vedder has a history of loathing Republicans and even greater loathing for the corporate rich...it's a crusade of his), this song is interesting. The first part is a little too thick and heavy sounding frighteningly near to Spinal Tap's rock parody..."How much more black could this be? None, none more black."
13.1/2 Full. Interesting non-too-PJ sounding song. This kind of carries "Binaural's" "Rival's" halting skip guitar lick but instead comes off as a classic rock blues roadhouse song, if that paints the picture for you...kinda like think the Black Crowes meet John Popper meets Kid Rock with Pearl Jam all over it. I'm afraid that might miss the mark slightly but listen to it and try to put your finger on it...it ain't easy.
14. Arc. Vedder vocal tracks chanting ala Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Deep but not long enough.
15. All or None. Semi-droning melancholy with Cameron turning in some great traditional jazz snare and whatever you call those drumsticks that are made out of several thin metal strands. McCreary gets to show his chops in the end.
Great album. One of PJ's best, but not THE best.
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Marcelo F. FernandezReviewed in Brazil on July 21, 2020
O item é melhor do que o anunciado pela Amazon.
Trata-se de uma reedição em álbum duplo remasterizado em 2017 a partir da gravação original de Bob Ludwig. Ainda contém um encarte em forma de livreto. Eis a razão de seu valor relativamente elevado. Excelente!Marcelo F. FernandezO item é melhor do que o anunciado pela Amazon.
Reviewed in Brazil on July 21, 2020
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