Thursday, January 30, 2014

Coming Home to You


A nice, little acoustic/piano/organ song of Ed's called Coming Home to You appears to have leaked onto the scene.  We don't know if this from an upcoming solo project or an old demo.  We hope to have more for you soon, but for now, you might have to make due with a review by stip:





There are worse ways to close out the week then a bonus song from Eddie Vedder. I don’t know the backstory behind Coming Home To You. I wonder if it was recorded for Out of the Furnace. It’s certainly more fleshed out than something like the leaked uke demos that circulated before the official album, with bass, keys, simple drums, harmonica, double tracked vocals--basically everything a serious DIY home recording needs. This is a song someone else was supposed to hear.

Although the first few notes immediately reminded me of Thumbing My Way, Coming Home To You quickly moves into Skipping meets Drifting territory. It has a tender campfire western feel, full of hushed sentiments delivered in open spaces. It’s a private moment, but not a solitary one. This is being sung to someone--part love letter, part apology.

Coming Home To You is a pleasing listen, but not particularly compelling--it sounds like a song destined for the background of something more interesting. Eddie’s vocals have a deep, gentle, low rumble that feel wiser, heavier, more knowing and experienced for being buried in the mix. He sounds really good, and listening to this makes me wonder why so many of Pearl Jam’s recent productions (basically everything after Man of the Hour) seem to hate Eddie’s lower register. The music (especially the bass and keys) provide an appealing but unassuming depth. It’s a lovely little song not worth too many glances. I’m not sure it aspired to anything more. It would have worked great in a movie where it had to enhance the feel of a scene without stealing focus.

There’s an early lyric in the song ‘I’m in love/I’ve got nothing to prove’ which pretty much encapsulates the entire song . This is how I feel, and I’m not apologizing for it. If this wasn’t meant for a movie I can only assume that Eddie has a whole file of songs like this he busts out when he’s just looking for sex. It is full of eye rolling sentiments that are trite and obvious unless he’s singing about you to you, in which case I’m sure it’s going to feel impossibly profound. That’s basically how love works. People are going to compare this to Future Days, a song I’ve come to like quite a bit. They share a similar sentiment and unironic style that could care less about being judged, but Coming Home to You lacks Future Days’ schmaltzy over the top charm. When a song whispers the way this one does it demands that the listener pay attention, and it’s not clear there’s much to listen for.

 Eddie has been trying to write the perfect version of this type of intensely personal and intimate song for a while. Unfortunately, he keeps losing sight of the fact that asking for a commitment from listeners who exist outside the experience you’re writing about means you must figure out a way to make that experience real to them. He fails to do that here.  I think Eddie actually sounds pretty great, but there is little here to reward a long term investment once the song starts to feels familiar. No connection. There’s a core, moving and beautiful, but it’s not for you.

Coming Home To You is a window into a private, unguarded moment.   But we are not invited to feel its light and heat, and in its absence I’m just not sure what we’re witnessing is all that interesting to watch. 

Glen Hansard to Open for Ed in Australia


The Ten Club has announced Ed's Opener for next month's Australian tour:
We are happy to announce Glen Hansard to open Eddie Vedder's sold out Australian solo tour.

The two musicians’ relationship crosses the boards of friendship and artistry having collaborated extensively in the past; both in studio and on stage. Last year, Hansard came on board to warm the stage for Vedder’s latest solo tour of North America, and most recently Vedder joined Joe Henry and Jake Clemens (son of mourned E Street Band sax legend, Clarence Clemons) to collaborate with Hansard on his latest four track EP, Drive All Night.

For more information on Glen Hansard visit his site: www.glenhansardmusic.com

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Ed Takes the Stage with Neil Finn for Australian Television Special


Last night ... tonight? ... oh man, time zones confuse me ...

Earlier this week, Ed took the stage with Neil Finn during a taping of a special to air March 24th on Australia's Max TV.  Ed and Neil played Throw Your Arms Around Me, a Hunters and Collectors cover available on a recent tribute album, and History Never Repeats, a song by Neil Finn's previous band, Split Enz, a major influence on the young Eddie Vedder.

Ed's solo tour kicks off in Perth, February 7th.

Neil's tour kicks off in Brisbane, March 6th.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

The Gaslight Anthem Releasing SOLAT on The B-Sides


Later this month, The Gaslight Anthem will be releasing a B-Sides album which will include their cover of State of Love and Trust.  Their cover has been a big favorite among Pearl Jam fans, so the limited edition white vinyl probably won't last long.  Pre-orders are being accepted here.

Full tracklisting:
1. She Loves You
2. The '59 Sound (Acoustic)
3. State of Love and Trust (Live)
4. Tumbling Dice
5. The Queen of Lower Chelsea (Acoustic)
6. Songs for Teenagers
7. Great Expectations (Acoustic)
8. Antonia Jane (Acoustic)
9. American Slang (Acoustic)
10. Boxer (Acoustic)
11. Once Upon a Time

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Picture In a Frame: A Perspective


If you've seen Picture In a Frame, the book by Australian photographer, Jennifer Sando, about her quest to photograph Eddie Vedder, then you know it was a difficult, long, mission of love.  Today, Jennifer's sister (and the only non-Pearl-Jam-Inc. person present), Sophie posted about what was like to be part of the experience.

Check out the post, and if you haven't purchased the book, it's available for sale here.

Friday, January 10, 2014

PJ January News: Merch, Boots, Contests, and Charity


Pearl Jam's Newsletter for the month doesn't bring too many surprises, but here are the tidbits you care about.

  • There are four new merch items, three women's tops and a hat.
  • The bootleg program, which stalled after the Christmas Day release of Hartford and Baltimore, should be back underway soon.
  • The Ten Club has partnered with Seattle-based glassblowers, glassybaby, on exclusive votives.  A portion of proceeds support cancer research and the Vitalogy Foundation.
  • There are two contests.  Win one of the tops in the picture above here (members only), and enter to win a trip to Perth to see Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, and Eddie Vedder here.
No computer wallpaper this month.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

The Red Mosquito Forum

Man, I wish Pearl Jam would do something newsworthy.  That way, I wouldn't have to share this [only partly true] ad for our message board.  Come join us!  We're not that bad, are we?

Friday, January 3, 2014

New Year / New Forum

We wanted to make you aware of this little piece of news via the Wishlist Foundation, but frankly, we think you should just join the Red Mosquito Forum and leave your worries about a new official Pearl Jam forum behind.  Besides, we have spies who will keep you up on any news which happens to break over there.


Pearl Jam debuted new discussion forums on their website, PearlJam.com today. The last revamp of the “Message Pit” was approximately five years ago. Earlier today, board manager Kat made this statement:

Please stand by…for a change in our forums!
The new Pearl Jam forums will have new features we think you’ll love. There will be an adjustment period while we all learn how to navigate around and discover the new features and how things work. Hang in there and enjoy the experience of discovery with us! The plan is for the forums to be read-only at noon Pacific Time and then the new forums will move in and reopen when they are ready. Happy New Year!
So far there have been 155 responses to Kat’s note, one of the first and most telling was from board member Gern Blansten, who aptly replied, “we fear change”.

Check out the new forums at http://community.pearljam.com/

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Ed Rings in the New Year with Bill Maher


Happy New Year to Pearl Jam fans everywhere!  

Ed rang in the New Year by opening for Bill Maher's annual show in Honolulu with The Beatles’ You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away, and Amanda Palmer’s Ukulele Anthem.  TwoFeetThick has the details and the tweets.