Pearl Jam Gigaton
Music, Sounds

REVIEW: Pearl Jam, Gigaton

by Darcy MacDonald

Throwing back to their roots, the once alt-kingpins cum arena rock gods bring it all back together in this first effort in seven years.

Pearl Jam, Gigaton (Republic)

“Every tomorrow is the same as before,” Eddie Vedder warbles on “Dance of the Clairvoyants.” And, yes, in the case of many a ’90s legacy act, that’s an often-sad truth. But as a big fan of Pearl Jam in their heyday as recording artists, and who has barely paid attention to their studio output since Vitalogy, I gotta say I don’t think I missed much, and I’m glad I’m back for Gigaton. Throwing back to their roots, the once alt-kingpins cum arena rock gods bring it all back together in this first effort in seven years, marrying what they’ve become to where they began in a fashion that invites listeners back without bashing us over the head with high-end concepts or drastic lane shifts. What could have easily veered into bloated posturing and dismissible FM radio fodder is instead a welcome return to form. While far from being vital or new, Pearl Jam offer intelligent, well-crafted rock music with a level of musicianship and songwriting as satisfying on record as it surely will be in concert. 7/10 Trial Track: “Who Ever Said”

“Who Ever Said” from Gigaton by Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam website

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Cult MTL is a daily web and monthly print publication focusing on Montreal music, arts, culture and city life. Along with interviewing local and visiting artists, promoters and entrepreneurs, we feature analysis and criticism by our editorial staff and crew of columnists and freelancers, compile comprehensive event listings, curate a daily To-Do List and run the annual Best of MTL readers poll.

Posted in Music, Sounds

by Darcy MacDonald

Contributor
Darcy MacDonald has been with Cult MTL since day one, a decade ago. Which means today, he’s a middle-aged white guy (albeit one more interested in other people’s ideas than in his own). He was previously a columnist and reporter for Montreal Mirror, and has also created content (FKA “written”) for RBMA, Noisey, Montreal Gazette, The National Post and probably some other great places he’s forgotten about. Music, culture, community and miscellaneous questions in search of answers all come across his desk, sooner or later.