Pearl Jam - Backspacer release

The brand new Pearl Jam CD (the band's 9th) is out - it's called 'Backspacer' and it's being self-released by the band (no small feat). On Sunday, no less. (Buy it here)

Lots of comments from fans show thumbs up all around. And guess what, critics are loving it too - Rolling Stone's Rob Sheffield (great music guy) likes it; so does LA Times writer Ann Powers. PopMatters writes "Backspacer is the sound of Pearl Jam actually having fun again..."
I agree - at least the first half of the new LP is rockin' cool. I can't say that about the slower songs near the end, pretty though they are...

The first three songs - Gonna See My Friend, Got Some and The Fixer - ROAR out of the gate. I especially like the vocal flashbacks to Devo's "Gut Feeling" in 'Got Some' (Go ahead - check it: "Got some if you NEED it" // "Got a gut FEELin") - check a killer live version of Got Some here:


Here's a video documercial about the new rock and roll effort (Question: Who's the Aussie Michael Chugg in this video?? Someone tell me why?):


You can hear all the new songs at their MySpace page. They are:
1. "Gonna See My Friend" Vedder 2:49
2. "Got Some" Jeff Ament 3:02
3. "The Fixer" Cameron, McCready, Gossard 2:58
4. "Johnny Guitar" Cameron, Gossard 2:50
5. "Just Breathe" Vedder 3:36
6. "Amongst the Waves" Gossard 3:59
7. "Unthought Known" Vedder 4:09
8. "Supersonic" Gossard 2:40
9. "Speed of Sound" Vedder 3:34
10. "Force of Nature" McCready4:04
11. "The End" Vedder 2:58