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List Price: $18.98 | | Label: Universal Music Group
Salesrank: 229
Released: November 10, 2009 |
| Our Price: $18.98 |
| Used Price: $13.99 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Backspacer Track Listing:
1. Gonna See My Friend
2. Got Some
3. The Fixer
4. Johnny Guitar
5. Just Breathe
6. Amongst The Wave
7. Unthought Known
8. Supersonic
9. Speed Of Sound
10. Force Of Nature
11. The End
Editorial Review:
2009 release from Eddie Vedder and the boys, their ninth album overall. For Backspacer, the lasting Grunge rockers decided to do it big. They left label J Records and decided to release to album themselves, since the certainly have enough money to do that. They also hooked up with '90s Alternative Rock producer du jour Brendan O'Brien (Korn, Bruce Springsteen), the first time that the band has worked with O'Brien since 1998's Yield. The music on the record features a sound influenced by Pop and New Wave.
Backspacer Reviews:
Best Yet...From THE No. 1 Fan 
2009-12-18 - Each album is not any better or worse than the last one, THEY ARE ALL 100% GREAT, and each are different in their own ways. BACKSPACER is great from start to finish, and the lyrics are just incredible, music too as always, sounds AWESOME on 180 gram vinyl on my turntable cranked up as LOUD as my stereo can handle. I personally recommend, heck, any of the tracks here. I got to see them twice in Seattle in September 2009 (10th and 11th shows for me), and they were having just as much fun playing this new, and their earlier stuff. Great live show, they always play like they're never going to play again, great to be a part of.
Wonderfully constructed and a real grower
2009-12-07 - After seeing Pearl Jam put on a wonderful show in Perth, I went back and listened to Backspacer and must say it is a definate grower. The following Monday, Unthought Known opened up Flashforward and I was sold on this album. As far as consistancy goes this must rate highly amongst Ten, Vs and Yield.
(1) Gonna See My Friend
Powerful opener but a little one paced and one of the weakest on the album. Sounds great live though.
(2) Got Some
You can imagine someone screaming down the face of a massive wave when this song opens with its surf safari feel. Nicely constructed, powerful and catchy and likely to become a crowd favourite. Vocals and guitar are brilliant throughout
(3) The Fixer
Brilliant single and one of the most upbeat Pearl Jam songs of all time. Very catchy, and a certain mosh pit favourite. Catchy, and "Yeah Yeah Yeah" works brilliantly. A song likely to generate a new legion of fans. My 19 month old son goes off to this!
(4) Johnny Guitar
Guitar driven and gives Mike a chance to cut loose a little. Pretty good song overall but not quite as catchy as some of the others. Powerful vocal performance from Ed.
(5) Just Breathe
Nice vocals, music and a likely crowd pleaser after a frenetic concert opening. When I first heard this it sounded like something from Into The Wild. A little one paced so they should be careful about playing this song to death.
(6) Amongst The Waves
A great song and one that has grown on me. A surf song but without the Got Some surf safari twang. Is this to Backspacer what Given To Fly was to Yield?. One of the most complete and satisfying songs on the album
(7) Unthought Unknown
This is set to become a Pearl Jam classic. What a brilliant and beautiful song that builds and reaches a wonderful crescendo. Only early days but this song is to Backspacer what Better Man was to Vitalogy. Enough said
(8) Supersonic
A fast paced grower and another potential crowd favourite. Mike's guitar on this is quite heavy in parts but is much cleaner than Spin the Black Circle or Do The Evolution.
(9) Speed of Sound
For one of the weakest songs on the album this can creep up on you but unlikely to have any serious longetivity.
(10) Force of Nature
The Wah pedal gets a work out and this is a pretty good song and consistant with the rest of the album.
(11) The End
Great song to wrap up proceedings. Heartfelt vocals and a song that will go down well live once Vedder needs a rest. A song likely to be played in the middle as opposed to the end that is reserved for Pearl Jam classics.
This is an album that you can play from start to finish without skipping any songs. It is far more commercial sounding than other Pearl Jam albums but that isn't a bad thing at all. This is not selling out, but who wants Pearl Jam to produce 11 versions of Bugs. Hard core fans want to see obscure music, however with their back catalogue this just adds to Pearl Jams appeal to a new generation. The songs sound brilliant live, and with Unthought Known we have a future classic that will be sung with gusto until they finally give touring away. Kids these days are right into Green Day (as witnessed at their recent Perth concert) but why not lash out and buy them this wonderful album?
Solid entry for the veterans of rock
2009-11-28 - While others have come and gone Pearl Jam continues to pour out some great music. They have always had "it" just expressed in different ways musically now...like a bottle of wine that ages. Like and album worth its weight you have to invest a few weeks time into it to find all the good nuggets, songs you didnt like at all will soon becaome some of your favorites off this body of work.
Highly recommended!
Two great CDs in a row 
2009-11-27 - This disc is a great listen. I thought "Pearl Jam" was solid and showed a lot of growth for PJ as a band. I think "Backspacer" is even better, especially considering the variety of sounds found on the disc. While they certainly aren't the same band as when they put out "Ten", "Vs", or "Vitalogy", they've grown into a great adult grunge/alternative listen. I especially hear and appreciate the classic rock rift infusions found throughout their newer music.
All in all, I still long for PJ's early 90s grunge, but the music on "Backspacer" certainly doesn't disappoint.
Best PJ's hands down.
2009-11-15 - This band was one of my favorites in highschool and then faded away in importance to me. This CD makes me feel like a kid on Christmas all over again. I can't get enough.
