Pearl Jam, a band proverbial for fustian than transience, plays it laconic and fast on its ninth studio album, “Backspacer”, out on the 15th of September. The Seattle rockers’ first self-released album after eighteen years on major labels, blows through 11 songs in an atypically terse 36 minutes.

A quick glance, and a first-timer will easily misconstrue Pearl Jam to be a hardcore punk band. The group made its millions by draping a flannel shirt and heavily introspective lyrics over slow-build, lighter-waving rock straight out of the “Quadrophenia” era, back when bands like The Who and The Velvet Underground roamed the hockey rinks of the world. But Vedder’s taut songwriting on “Backspacer” is a tonic reminder of a less-celebrated aspect of Pearl Jam’s personality, the step-up-and-conquer of “Spin the Black Circle,” “Evenflow” or “Do the Evolution.”

Since their debut album Ten in 1991, the delineating train of thought in Pearl Jam’s songs has always been less brassy and more spiritual and unearthly. The only torch-bearers of the classic-rock era, Pearl Jam have come a long way, and survived all gyrations of the alternative sound. After a trilogy of early grunge landmarks beginning with “Ten,” the quintet followed with three diverse but unfocused albums, as if uncertain about direction.

The back story on “Backspacer” was dominated by its delivery method. After leaving the majors, the band decided to self-release it by partnering with Target, a major chain store. The move had some fans howling “sell-out,” though the band’s first eight albums were also overseen by multinational businesses.

Only “Amongst the Waves” and “Unthought Unknown” aspire to join Pearl Jam flag-wavers like “Alive” or “Save You,” and “Force of Nature” sounds like a stoically mundane scene from one of their late ‘90s albums. Otherwise, the album’s tone is set by four quickfire tracks: “Gonna See My Friend,” “Got Some,” “The Fixer” and “Johnny Guitar.” Matt Cameron’s (formerly of Soundgarden) drumming is the main drawing card, his fills arriving at just the right instant to keep the songs rocketing along. The guitars are rumpled and snarled, with solos briefly shaking loose and Vedder singing like he’s cornered. They are retrospective to the Ramones’ punk-reigned era.

In “Friend,” a junkie looks to get clean. In “Fixer,” the dealer is a problem-solver rather than a pariah. Later, “Supersonic” offers a panacea for anyone strung out on life: “Yeah, yeah, yeah!” Vedder yelps, which is exactly as profound as he needs to be.

Three slower, more introspective songs give the rockers context. “Speed of Sound” is sung from the perspective of a solitary toper. “Just Breathe” is an acoustic ballad flavored with subtle strings and intimations of mortality: “Hold me till I die/Meet you on the other side.”

On “The End,” Vedder mines vulnerability by singing tenderly at the top of his range. Although it reminded me of the climax to The Doors’ debut album, it was nothing like it. “I’m here, but not much longer.” The bittersweet tone isn’t tragic. On the contrary, it’s a gentle reminder to enjoy the moment. The drop into nothingness that follows hits like a cannonball to the heart. It’s a devastating, abrupt ending to a record that began as a screaming fit of optimism, leaving the attentive listener desperate to start it all again, to escape the album’s agonizing conclusion. Thankfully, a dropped needle or mouse click can accommodate, restarting the cycle on an album that proves Pearl Jam have hit a new stride and are still finding potent new strengths as a band, nearly two decades into their career.

Unlike their most recent self-titled release, they don’t sound like aging men grasping for the spark of youth any longer, but rather empowered by their rediscovered strengths and acceptance of the current stage of their lives. This energy is genuine, the passion reinvigorated, and the formulas are put through a new filter.

4/5 in my book.

I think racism comes from melanin. Everybody should know what melanin is, man. White people are jealous of people with melanin. Yes, that’s where all the hatred started. It comes from thousands of years of white people getting sun burnt at the beach.

Any solution to this?
Keep mixing the races until we’re all the same grayish color — then there’ll be no more racism, once we’re all the same shade, man. ‘Hey, gray!’ ‘Who you callin’ gray, gray?’ And then we’ll actually be able to hate someone for the person that they are.

They are namely (in order of influence):
1) Robert Plant (Zeppelin)
2) Ronnie James Dio (the name speaks for himself)
3) Rob Halford (Judas Priest)
4) Bruce Dickinson (Maiden)
5) Ian Gillan (Deep Purple)
6) Freddie Mercury (Queen)
7) Geoff Tate (Queensryche)
Roger Daltry (The Who)
9) Jeff Buckley
10)Steve Perry (Journey)

Most might be familiar names, except Steve Perry (although he has a very powerful voice). To really have a look at their vocal range, check out this playlist:

You Shook Me – Led Zeppelin
Gypsy Queen – DIO
Painkiller – Judas Priest
Dance of Death – Iron Maiden
Black Night – Deep Purple
It’s Kind of Magic – Queen
I Remember Now – Queensryche
Teenage Wasteland – The Who
Grace – Jeff Buckley
Ohh Sherrie – Steve Perry

Enjoyy the TENors…

This I found the Indian film awards to be pretty fair, given the fact that OSO didn’t win any significant awards. However the awards in the music category have been terribly unfair.
Lets start off with Best Music Director award. I mean c’mon is it necessary to always give the award to AR Rehman? Stats show that whenever he has given music to a successful Bollywood movie, he has won the Filmfare. No denying the fact that his previous works have been beyond compare but Guru sucked to the core. It was no match in front of the likes of Metro, Jab We Met, or even TZP. Ask yourself, if there’s a party or a family get-together, would you Tere Bina(Guru) or would you play Mauja Hi Mauja(JWM)? I guess you got your answer.
Now the best male singer category. Soes the award have to go to Sonu/Shaan? Are there no other quality singers in India?
Bullshit! I can’t remeber if I have enjoyed listening to Jab se Tere Naina. It was an ordinary song and singing was OK. But if you want great singing and brilliant composition, then one must check out Mero songs. Alvida not even being nominated is awful, and what makes it even more shitty, is the fact that Main Agar kahoo To was nominated. Just like last year KK deserved this award. Or maybe Soham but certainly not Shaan. I wish FIlmfares improve their quality and what we call aukat next year on.
But, does KK care about awards? Hell no, he’ll continue to entertain us with his chartbusters.

Rahman says, “They’ve short-listed 56 songs, of which three, ‘Khalbali’and ‘Lukka chuppi’from Rang De Basanti and ‘Chan-chan’from Water, are mine. I was expecting a list of 500-600 songs, I’m quite surprised. I think the way they look at our films and music abroad has completely changed now. There’s a lot more respect for what we do. They don’t think of us as dancing around trees anymore.”

Rahman chose the three songs for the Oscars on his own. He says, “I chose ‘Luka chuppi’because of Lataji. She’s the pride of the nation.

…I don’t know what the outcome would be. I think it’s a big honour to be there. But to get to the last 56 songs is quite an honour. My agent in LA was sweet enough to take care of all the nitty-gritties.”

Come January 6, and the Mozart of Madras, Rahman will turn 41.

Rahman agrees that he’s entering the most important decade of his life. “So far, I’ve just been busy living life. From my childhood I was surrounded by grown-ups, I never got a chance to enjoy being a child.

It took me a while to realise how young I was. By the time I realised that I was missing out on youthful activities I was no longer young. Now I’m re-living my childhood with three children. If I’m able to give them everything that I couldn’t afford, they too are giving me back something vital,”he says.

The composer shares his birthday with his son. “My son is going to turn four on the same day. Yeah, he and I share the same birthday. …I don’t know how that happened,”he smiles.

And what sense has he made of the 40 years of his life? “My life has always been a journey. When I was in my 20s I went through the most turbulent time of my life.

Now I spend as much time as possible with my children Khatija (11), Rahima (8) and Amin (4). My studio in Chennai is bang opposite my house, so they spend a lot of time with me. All they’ve to do is cross the road and they’re with me,”he says.