"Just Breathe," the second single from Pearl Jam's "Backspacer," finds Eddie Vedder at a crossroads between weathered rock stalwart and lovelorn troubadour. The song strays from the well-worn guitar riffs and wild growls of previous single "The Fixer" and moves even further away from the band's grunge roots. Recalling Kansas' "Dust in the Wind" and echoing Vedder's work on the soundtrack to "Into the Wild," the introduction is standard--an acoustic guitar, played softly and faded in--for a band testing out more emotional waters. The chorus, meanwhile, finds Vedder pining for a lost love over orchestral strings. "Did I say that I want you?/Did I say that I need you?/Oh, if I didn't, I'm a fool," he sings. While "Just Breathe" isn't quite like anything Pearl Jam has released before--it's as close to a love song as Vedder has ever written--its steady chart climb suggests that fans like seeing the frontman's heart on his sleeve.
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Hot 100
Clarkson comes on 'Stronger'
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Billboard 200
Adele rules again.
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Country Albums
Tim McGraw debuts on top.
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Digital Albums
Lana Del Rey is 'Born.'
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Radio Songs
Rihanna reigns.
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Dance/Electronic Albums
LMFAO is 'Rocking' it.
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Pop Songs
Flo Rida is 'Good.'
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Rap Albums
Drake 'Takes Care' of No. 1.
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Rock Songs
Black Keys top it.
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Digital Songs
Kelly Clarkson wins.
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