TRACK REVIEW: Pearl Jam - Dance of the Clairvoyants

TRACK REVIEW:

Pearl Jam

PHOTO CREDIT: Danny Clinch

Dance of the Clairvoyants

9.4/10

The track, Dance of the Clairvoyants, is available from:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss6mIGfyvXM

GENRE:

Alternative Rock

ORIGIN:

Seattle, U.S.A

RELEASE DATE:

22nd January, 2020

LABEL:

Monkeywrench Inc.

The album, Gigaton, is available from 27th March, 2020. Pre-order here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gigaton-Pearl-Jam/dp/B083T61W5J

__________

I have quite a bit to…

get through in this review but, before carrying on, it is evident there are not too many current images of Pearl Jam, so I may have to sprinkle in some classic shots so that I can avoid any gaps. Some people on my blog have complained about the length of my reviews and the fact they are very positive so, if a thoughtful and positive review does not appeal, probably best to look at every other site out there! With that being said, I couldn’t avoid Pearl Jam because, like so many people out there, they are part of my childhood. There are a few subjects that I want to cover that relate to Pearl Jam, and I will get to the review itself a bit later. First of all, there is this age-old, old-age debate as to whether acts like Pearl Jam – who started life over thirty years ago – should still be playing. After such titanic albums (including their 1991 debut, Ten), what more can they offer? The Seattle-formed band’s last album, 2013’s Lightning Bolt, was well-received, and they have recently announced a new album will be out this year called Gigaton. One can argue the likes of Pearl Jam are in it for the money; that they have a commercial ear and fans are going to keep buying their albums regardless. Look at The Rolling Stones and bands who have been around even longer than Pearl Jam. They do not need to be in the business, and they have recorded music that will be loved and assessed for generations to come. Pearl Jam were a vital force in the 1990s and, at a time when Nirvana were defining Grunge, Pearl Jam arrived (their debut came out the same year as Nirvana’s Nevermind) provided an Alternative Rock sound that incorporated elements of Grunge but was unique to them. So many people of my age (and older) heard something in Pearl Jam that was new and excited. Led by the powerhouse that is Eddie Vedder, the band have soundtracked the lives of so many people. I have seen a few articles online that ask whether Pearl Jam are cashing in and whether they are a legacy act, or whether they can truly cut it.

I think Pearl Jam are not just about legacy and revisiting the past. They have an impressive body of work, and their upcoming album has got many people excited! Although the band might not be as raucous and anthemic as they once were, their music still digs deep and sounds exceptional. I will end the review by talking about the band’s touring and plans for 2020, because things are going to be pretty hectic for Pearl Jam. I want to bring in an article, where the author talks about the meaning of Pearl Jam and why, I feel, they are massively relevant in 2020:

“All their songs have a deep, meaningful story to tell. Their music has definitely touched peoples lives, including my own. These guys just have something special to them. They write real music, with lyrics that can relate to many of us listeners. They have been making hits ever since they began. Hell, they broke through mainstream with their first debut album Ten, which came out in 1991. Pearl Jam is nothing short of remarkable, and nothing but pure, great rock and roll music. I’d have to say my favorite songs by them are “Better Man”, “Alive”, “The Fixer”, and “Sirens”. Even picking those as my favorites was hard because so many of their songs are so good. I am pretty sure everyone can relate to at least one of their songs. It doesn’t matter what you have been through, listening to their music will always give you an uplifting boost to your spirit. When you think of iconic rock bands that ruled the 90’s, Pearl Jam is definitely one of the bands that will cross your mind. Pearl Jam are legends, and we should all be grateful to be living in a time where we can rock out and headbang to their music”.

There are the classic hits we can all reference but, if you look at the last couple of albums Pearl Jam have put out, the band are evolving and remain essential. Although they are, of course, going to play the big numbers at gigs, they are not a band who rely on the past and are making music now for the money. There is a unity and strength that remains vibrant; when so many of their peers from back in the day have called time, Pearl Jam remain popular because they are original, yet they can fit into the times and mix it with the very best out there.

I have written quite a few reviews where I have discussed Rock and whether it is still valid. I mentioned 1991 and a year when Pearl Jam and Nirvana put out these huge, legendary albums. Rock music still exists in the world, but there are fewer standout albums and bands compared to what there was. Apart from the odd band here and there, I think Rock music has changed in the sense it brings in other genres and is wider-ranging than it was decades ago. It is hard to write these classic Rock anthems and ready riffs. Instead, bands are bringing in Pop, Electronic and other genres. I will mention how Pearl Jam fit into this debate, but there are two schools of thought. On the one side, there are people who claim Rock is dead and music has no scenes or movements. Most of us can name a few decent Rock bands, but that doesn’t mean we can remember the songs or reasonably claim they sound as good as the classic acts from the 1960s-1990s. I think the legends of Rock, Alternative Rock and Grunge existed and thrived because they had competition and there was a demand from fans. Maybe they were capturing a vibe in the air or felt there was a gap missing. Now, at a time when there are no scenes and music is so broad and disconnected, can even the best Rock acts stand out?! Also, as we are in modern times, if artists replicate acts like Pearl Jam and Led Zeppelin, will they be accused of being derivative and copycat? There is another camp that says Rock is very much alive, but one cannot live in the past. Whilst there are few classic riffs, big choruses and old-school bands, does that mean Rock is redundant? Instead, we have artists like YUNGBLUD and Sharon Van Etten who are producing more emotive, personal and nuanced albums. I always associate classic Rock with, yes, legendary sounds and memorable hooks, but there was this reliance on the sexual, the less-important and commercial.

IN THIS PHOTO: Pearl Jam circa 1991

Some artists were opening their minds and hearts, but so many bands were writing songs that lacked real depth. Many can argue Rock now is more important and substantial because we have artists penning tracks that take in politics, depression and environmental concerns. So many artists today as using music to speak about deep issues and important subjects, Rock has followed that course; the lyrics are more personal, and the sonic palette is a little wider. I sort of fall between the two camps. I feel Rock could do with some proper rebels and songs that are stuffed with twang and energy. That said, Rock needs to keep moving and no genre is defined by its past. Pearl Jam are ensuring they progress and move with the times, but their upcoming album is going to have some classic sounds. They are not going to betray their roots, as they know Rock music demands simplicity and songs that remain in the head. Gigaton seems like it will be an album that will delight those who love their Rock pure, and those who feel the current sound is where the genre is best:

“Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard explained how the group’s upcoming album, Gigaton, captures “the spirit of the band” in a new interview with Zane Lowe on Beats 1 radio.

The first single from Gigaton, “Dance of the Clairvoyants,” found the band exploring funkier and more experimental sonic territories, with Gossard saying the track exemplifies “the outer edge of something that we haven’t tried before, a new way of configuring our sort of collaborative talents.” But he went on to note that “Dance of the Clairvoyants” is just one of several flavors on the record.

“There’s definitely some really straight-ahead rock songs,” he said. “There’s some very spare and very simple ballads. It’s got it all, I think. And it’s really us. We really did it by ourselves. [Eddie Vedder] did a great job. There was a pile of songs, and he sort of took and really, really, in the last two months, mixed and sort of selected the tracks that really were going to be special. And he did such a great job of bringing everybody’s personalities out. It was probably different than any of us would’ve made individually, but it really captures, I think, the spirit of the band.”

Gossard also touched on Vedder’s lyrics, which he called “stunning” and said grapple with the weight of the world in clever and abstract ways. “He’s not going to come out and say exactly in sort of very plain language maybe what you might think after reading the newspaper,” Gossard said. “But I think that his mysticism and his way of using words and art and music is a powerful sort of tonic. I think that underlying it all is going to continue to be a hopeful and beautiful but at times tragic message”.

Pearl Jam are legends of music. I want to talk about longevity and why bands like Pearl Jam deserve maximum respect. Whilst the early-‘90s was a fertile period with so much great music, there was no guarantee you would survive and keep playing years later. Most of the best bands from that time are not playing together, and others have found it hard to adapt and remain relevant. It must be daunting enough for new bands to be seen and heard, and iconic bands like Pearl Jam are not immune. They have a legacy and some mighty albums under their belt, but they also cannot rely on that alone. Pearl Jam have to put out strong material, otherwise critics and fans will look elsewhere. I think Pearl Jam have produced the odd mediocre album, but they have been pretty consistent and have not lost their power to move people. I will talk about a departed friend of the band soon but, as you can see from the article above, Eddie Vedder is writing music that reacts to the world around him in a very direct way. Anyone who claims Pearl Jam are releasing material because their name sells needs to listen to the music and realise its importance. Bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam resonated back in the 1990s because the music wasn’t insanely commercial and they were speaking to their fans; whether they were disaffected or isolated, the music was a lifeline and friend. That is still true today when, more than ever, we need music to balm our souls and give us guidance. I’d like to think we can put to bed the assertion that Pearl Jam were importance once, but now they are merely around to cash in. The new Pearl Jam album is going to tackle a few different subjects, but the late Chris Cornell will loom large. He was a great friend of Vedder and the band, and his death on 18th May, 2017 rocked the world. I remember being at work when I heard the news and taking a half-day so that I could rush home and write an article in tribute to the Soundgarden lead.

PHOTO CREDIT: Samir Hussein/WireImage via Getty Images

Vedder and Cornell performed together as part of the group, Temple of the Dog, and the two were like brothers. I will quote from a couple of features, as the loss of Cornell is still raw. This article from 2018 relates to a Pearl Jam show in London, and what Eddie Vedder had to say about his departed friend:

“These things take time and I just want to send this out to everyone who was affected by it and they all back home and here appreciate it so deeply the support and the good thoughts of a man who was a ... you know he wasn't just a friend he was someone I looked up to like my older brother.

About two days after the news, I think it was the second night we were sleeping in this little cabin near the water, a place he would've loved. And all these memories started coming in about 1:30am like woke me up. Like big memories, memories I would think about all the time. Like the memories were big muscles. And then I couldn't stop the memories. And trying to sleep it was like if the neighbours had the music playing and you couldn't stop it.

But then it was fine because then it got into little memories. It just kept going and going and going. And I realised how lucky I was to have hours worth of...you know if each of these memories was quick and I had hours of them. How fortunate was I?! And I didn't want to be sad, wanted to be grateful not sad”.

It is not even three years since Cornell died, and bands like Pearl Jam know what he gave to music and what his loss means. I am not sure how Cornell features into Pearl Jam’s Gigaton but, in this Rolling Stone feature from January 2019, Cornell’s name came up:

“It’s been six years since Pearl Jam released Lightning Bolt, and they’re feeling the need to write new music again. It’s just been slow going. “It’d be fun to record or even just write a song together,” bassist Jeff Ament says. “I think when Chris [Cornell] passed, that’s really been a tough one to wrap our heads around, and then there’s just life stuff.”

Cornell was an important figure in Pearl Jam’s history. Drummer Matt Cameron played in Soundgarden, and all of the band members were in Temple of the Dog with the singer before forming Pearl Jam. Ament, Cameron and guitarist Stone Gossard recently paid tribute to him a Los Angeles concert dubbed “I Am the Highway: A Tribute to Chris Cornell,” which also included performances by Cornell’s former bandmates in Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog and Audioslave, as well as sets by Foo Fighters, Metallica, Melvins and Miley Cyrus’ stunning “Say Hello 2 Heaven.”

Ament also recently paid homage to Cornell by serving as creative director for the Chris Cornell box set, for which he spent five or six days screen-printing vibrant, watercolor images of the late Soundgarden frontman with his brother, Barry Ament. “That was hard,” he says. “[Chris’ widow] Vicky [Cornell] had asked me to get involved with it, and over the course of the years, Chris would often reach out. I remember with the Audioslave record and a couple of his solo records, he would send me the artwork. Even the last solo record, I mocked up some ideas. I think he appreciated my sensibilities when it came to that stuff. So it was pretty hard to go down that path, creating that stuff and listening to the music. It’s just another reminder that he’s not here, and that just sucks. It really sucks”.

I guess this sort of circles back to what I mentioned earlier: bands like Pearl Jam surviving and continuing to make music. I adored Soundgarden, and I think it so sad that Chris Cornell is not with us anymore. Soundgarden were another band who, now and then, would have people asking whether they could still cut it and were relevant. They toured a lot, and I wonder whether the pressure to keep going and remain in focus contributed to Cornell’s physiological state. One needs to respect bands like Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, because they are pounding hard and trying to delight older fans and bring in new listeners. With that said, I should get down to reviewing Pearl Jam’s new single, Dance of the Clairvoyants.

PHOTO CREDIT: Danny Clinch/Courtesy of the artist

Rather than go in with meaty riffs and chug, there is a pleasing groove from the bass, some electronics and something spacey that opens Dance of the Clairvoyants. I like the blend of the more mystical and the funkiness that breaks out. Whilst you are immersed in the catchiness and movement of the introduction, your mind wanders, and you sort of transport yourself somewhere marvellous. Vedder’s voice arrives and, like you’d expect, makes an impact right from the start: “Confusion is to commotion/what love is to devotion” is a superb opening line, and, whilst talking about love and the vastness of the ocean, images race through the mind. I think the lyrics are more powerful and deep because the composition is quite experimental and groovy, rather than drowning all sentiment out with roared vocals and intense guitars. Vedder’s voice is quite operatic and emotional. I love how it has matured through the years, and it still holds so much weight and gravitas. “So save your predications/and burn your assumptions” is delivered with much more growl and grit. If the opening lines suggested love was a pure and cherished thing, when Vedder sings “Love is friction/ripe for comfort”, your mind is taken in a different direction. The song changes pace and tone, so we go from that alien-like kick to more traditional Pearl Jam territory. Not only do the band summon one of their most interesting compositions for a long while, the lyrics are among the most clever and intriguing. There are, as we hear “endless equations” and “tugging persuasions”, which makes one wonder whether Vedder is referencing a romantic love or something wider, I am not so sure. The doors are very much for open for interpretation so, as a listener, you go back and concentrate on the early lines to see if we are in the midst of a confusing relationship or the political state of affairs. The chorus sees Vedder a little resigned in his words. He states how we are ignoring a lot if we want perfection; how the past is the present and “the future’s no more”.

Every tomorrow is the same as ever (claims Vedder) so, maybe, this track is about the lack of action from political figures regarding problems in the world. I am split between a dissatisfied and confused relationship that is going through the gears, and a man who is looking around him and wondering why action is not being taken. Vedder’s delivery is almost sermon-like; there is a sense of meaning and drive that you feel. He needs to get his messages out, but there is a scent of defeat lingering underneath. “The looser things get/the tighter you become”, could be construed a couple of different ways. Maybe there are sexual connotations but, listening to the song again, I am still interested in a political possibility. The wordplay is intelligent and witty throughout. Vedder is soulful but never too forceful with his words. I prefer his voice in this mode, as I think it carries greater heft and nuance. Maybe that is just me, but he switches between the more restrained to fierce and delivers some thought-provoking messages along the way. When he states that “No one man/can be greater than the sum”, and he is a positive person (despite the fact he falls down), the words are almost rifled and stuttered. The way the vocal twists and adapts is magnificent. This person (whoever they are) has cut the hero down rather than helping them up. The third verse references windows being closed and us all being stuck in boxes. The lyrics have that openness, so one is never quite certain what is being referenced – each time I come back to the song, I pick up new things. The song’s title is alluded to when Vedder delivers one of the song’s funniest/corniest thoughts: “I'm in love with clairvoyants/'Cause they're out of this world”. That idea of people being out of this world might suggest Vedder is not happy in this one; like he needs an escape from what is happening. The band continue to drive the song forward and provide so much colour and texture. Vedder sings of girls wanting to fall away and “the boys wanna grow/their dicks and fix things”. When Vedder lets his voice weave and float this., combined with the solid beat, puts me in mind of some of Pearl Jam’s earlier work – and, oddly, I am reminder of Peter Gabriel too. Dance of the Clairvoyants is a terrific and compelling song that bodes well for the Gigaton album.

I will finish up by looking at where Pearl Jam are headed and what the rest of this year has in store. I have been writing this, and I came across an article from 2018, where Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins spoke with Liam Gallagher. The question regarding the relevance of established bands like Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam came up:

“In a new Alt 98.7 interview, Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins said he believes Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, and other rock acts are still the most relevant when it comes to live performances, especially compared to pop and hip hop. Dave Grohl joined him for the interview.

Hawkins said, “I think that the exchange between an audience and people on a stage with guitars and drums without a net, that hasn’t really gone away per say. I think rock bands like us, Pearl Jam, the Rolling Stones, Roger Waters, Paul McCartney, those are probably still the biggest shows. I still think that it translates better with instruments, I just do, than one dude walking around with a microphone”.

Pearl Jam are playing British Summer Time 2020, and they are performing through North America through the spring. I have put Pearl Jam’s social media links at the bottom of this review, so make sure you follow them and, if you can, go and see them live. Their latest cut shows they are still hugely important and, actually, one of the most important bands around. I will wrap it up in a second but, for those who wonder whether Pearl Jam are still worthy and vital, I want to bring in a piece from Louder Sound in 2018, who were in attendance when the band played the O2:

“If this is classic rock – and it is, duh – then it’s refracted through the times we’ve lived through. At times they could remind you of The Band – but only if The Band had also been massively into punk, metal, goth, indie, shoegaze, new wave, etc etc.

This is 21st century classic rock: visceral and exciting, but also warm, engaging, natural. We've had enough of charismatic leaders who turn out to be charlatans. Vedder breaks down the relationship between the "stars" and the crowd and it leaves you asking: Have Pearl Jam quietly become one of rock’s best, most beloved and even important bands in the world right now?

Being called "sell-outs" has been a criticism that's unfairly dogged Pearl Jam since their beginnings. Being successful from a then small, alternative scene in the Pacific Northwest does not a sell-out make. It was bullshit thirty years ago, and it’s bullshit now.

Looking out over their audience you get a sense that they don't see a bunch of fans to fleece, they see a load of people they want to move.

Perhaps more so now than ever. While the band have never shied away from their full-throated support for human rights and political issues, the month’s delay between London shows afforded the band the luxury of inviting a guest along: hot on the heels of his scene-stealing appearance at the London anti-Trump march, Pearl Jam got the Trump Baby blimp down to the O2 where the orange buffoon (sorry, balloon) provided many a gig-goer with a brilliant photo-opp.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jim Bennett/Getty Images

Vedder found a moment throughout the show to voice his displeasure at the current US President - the day after the latter’s astonishingly disturbing summit with Putin - by reading out some of the best British protest signs ("God save The Queen from the facist tangerine" and "We'd call Trump a cunt, but he isn't deep or warm" go down particularly well). He talks about the ridiculous travel advisory recently given to US tourists in Europe, and before a heartfelt Daughter he name-checks Jim O'Rourke's Women Of The World, Take Over. Preaching to the converted? Of course. That's literally how this works. It's his show.

Singer/two-guitar/bass/drums/organ line-up. Crazy good songs that everyone knows the words to and isn’t afraid to sing along to? Check. Massive guitar solos? Check. Epic jams? Check. Blistering covers? Of course. And of classic rock stalwarts. Tonight we’re treated to Tom Petty, The Who, Victoria Williams and and Bob Dylan (by way of Jimi Hendrix).

Do they follow a by-rote setlist night after night? Hell no, you never know what you’re gonna get from Pearl Jam. Spontaneity is still a thing.

They mix up their own songs too, which means people react with frequently unfettered delight when deep cuts and fan favourites are aired. All night, Eddie doesn't have to introduce a single song, but the opening notes of each are greeted like World Cup Final goals.

Now, as much as any time, we need Pearl Jam in the world. A scintillating live force, their studio material is amazing, and I think Gigaton will be a finer and deeper album than Lightning Bolt. In any case, get involved with the band and grab the album when it arrives on 27th March. It is very obvious that these legends…