Pearl Jam - Backspace

Pearl Jam finally kick back and enjoy being rock stars on Backspacer, their ninth studio album. Rushing out the gates with four raucous rock tracks (‘Gonna See My Friend’, ‘Got Some’, ‘The Fixer’ and ‘Johnny Guitar’) before switching gear for a more acoustic and considered second half. But if you scratch the surface there’s all the emotional depth you’d expect from these grunge veterans.

Now they are channelling The Rolling Stones and The Stooges as much as their hero Neil Young, and with ‘Just Breathe’ and ‘The End’ Pearl Jam have come up with two of the most heartbreakingly beautiful songs of their 19-year career.

(Universal/Island)