PEARL JAM
Pearl Jam
Producer: Pearl Jam, Adam Kasper
J Records
Release Date: May 2

It's tempting but misleading to label Pearl Jam's first record since 2002 a "comeback"-the band has spent its career keeping a judicious cap on its profile. But one thing is clear: Pearl Jam is fully, comprehensively re-energized. While its last few records sounded tangibly downcast, "Pearl Jam" feels like pure power-witness the one-two punch of "Life Wasted" and "World Wide Suicide," which find Eddie Vedder's fiery baritone in mighty roar. One of rock's most eloquent rabble-rousers, Vedder has written what initially sounds like a concept piece on war, but he steps back from virulent anti-Bush sentiments and lets his well-drawn, humbler stories do the talking. The band steps up musically as well: "Severed Hand" gets unexpectedly funky, and "Comatose" is 150 seconds of pure punk stomp. This album will put Pearl Jam squarely back on the map, whether the band likes it or not. -- Jeff Vrabel