"Sirens" Is a Shining Light On a More Mature Pearl Jam Than Way Back When

The Pearl Jam of 2013 is, as you might expect, more of a ripened bunch, which "Sirens" proves. The fragility of this life takes center stage. The musicianship has managed to lose none of its bite two decades on. This cradles you as it's trying to get you to come to grips with your tenuous reality. Everything about the instrumentation gives the bandmates ample room to breathe which, for a song laden with existentialism, is no mean feat. Matt Cameron's presence on drums reflects the sedate progress of a more worldly wise individual. None of that pent up energy from the age of "Even Flow". It's a nice change of attitude. You can experience the drums being poured on you gently, as one might embrace the gentleness of a well thought out bath. Eddie loses none of his fire with the years either. Maybe less of the snarl he displayed on classic cuts like "Jeremy" but the man's unquenchable flame still is very much present. What a beautiful thing it is to be reintroduced to it at this point. He's surely the proverbial fine aged wine here. Good legs, as is the parlance in the vintner's world. Jeff Ament's bass playing inches up ever so slightly in one juncture. That takes "Sirens" to the level of a robustly shaped work of art rather than a product designed to fit snugly into album rock radio's wheelhouse. Nice curves across the board. Stone Gossard and Mike McCready ply their guitar chops commendably too. Don't worry, fans of "Ten". This selection, number #2 off of the forthcoming "Lightning Bolt" contains plenty of the feisty interplay you've come to expect from one of the '90s defining grunge bands. All they've done is drop in adult shadings. Those whippersnappers still have the goods. Now they have enough experience to know full well the extent of their laser refined aim.