I love it. Gotta give it time to set in because I'm still in the honeymoon phase with it. But I think I like it more than anything off of Backspacer.

Also, have you heard the two new songs they debuted at Wrigley? The debuted the title track, Lightning Bolt, and a slow, romantic, Just Breathe-esque ballad called Present Days.

I listened to each once, but don't want to over do it before the album drops. So I'm keeping it to just that one spin.

There were some older (circa 2006, most think) unmastered songs that leaked last week too, Cold Confession and Let It Ride. Both of which are outstanding.

Yeah, that album was kinda...just blah in a way. Not terrible, but not...transcendent. Really low key.

Got Lightning Bolt today. Mind Over Matter is kind of a misleading teaser to the record. It's pretty mellow, yet so far so good.

Mind Your Manners?

I agree with your assessment. It has a lot of mellow songs on it. I'm liking it, though.

It's got some pretty weird songs. Let the Records Play and Infallible don't sound like Pearl Jam songs at all to me. They don't even sound like songs they'd cover.

I really like Getaway, MYM, and Lightning Bolt. Sirens has grown on me, too.

No, but I did see Eddie Vedder at a Boston bar on Saturday. Crazy, nobody knew who he was.

If Pearl Jam is the group whose lead singer sounds like he's horribly constipated and trying to drop a turd, I'm not a fan at all.

I'm a huge PJ fan and this album is just OK for me. The back half seems to sift into one and not in a good way.

I agree. I can't get enough of Getaway, but, as a whole, the album is just OK.

I thought their Pearl Jam album (2006ish) was awesome. Then Backspacer was good, but not quite on par with Pearl Jam. I feel the same way about this one so far.

Getaway is best song by far. Love it.

I personally loved Backspacer (last album). This definitely falls short of that. I'll still be seeing them in a month with no complaints. :D

I hated the self titled album. Backspacer is their best work post-Vitalogy.

I completely agree. The second half is just mushed together. BTW, it is Pearl Jam week on Jimmy Fallon. He had Chris Cornell on last night and others tonight and tomorrow doing PJ covers. Thursday and Friday PJ will perform.

I know you said you were seeing them twice I think? What cities?

Really??? I LOVE the self titled one. Life Wasted, Severed Hand, Marker in the Sand, Unemployable, and Big Wave are all great rockers that are all still on my workout playlist. I never get sick of them. I think Parachutes, Gone, & Inside Job are some of their strongest mellow songs ever.

As much as I liked that one, I'd still say Yield is the best "post-Vitalogy" album.

I like most of Backspacer, but Amongst the Waves made me sick. I hate that song for some reason and it got a ton of radio play.

Where are you seeing them?

No Code, Yield, and Riot Act are all absolutely better than Backspacer. For my money I'll take S/T over it, as well.

But I'm loving the holy shit out of Lightning Bolt. I like it a lot more than the last two albums and probably more than Binaural as well. But it's still so new. We'll see how it ages.

They burned down Brooklyn, by the way. Saw them on the 19th. They sound better than they have in years. Ed's got the fire back. One of the best shows I've ever been to.

If you get the chance, see them on this tour.