Not Mirror Ball 2

So, who's more preachy? Neil Young or Eddie Vedder? This crossed my mind listening to both of their new albums. Young's Living With War is his much publicized broadside at the Bush Adminstration. Recorded quickly, it sounds like it. But remember, Young used to pop albums out at this pace back in the 70's/80's. I've heard complaints that the lyrics are sometimes amateurish. But that 's what makes it work. This is protest music like major sellers don't make anymore. Get it off you mind. And get it to the masses. It's the folkie in Young. But the music rocks harder than anything he's done since Ragged Glory. Yeah, there's irony in the same week release of both a Neil Young and Pearl Jam album. Remember Mirror Ball? Okay, no more about that. The last album I bought by Pearl Jam? Discounting the compilation, it was 1998's Yield. And judging by sales, it was the last album most people bought. Not much has gotten Eddie Vedder to raise his game in the last 8 years. The stuff I've heard since has sounded mild, as if Vedder was in a batting slump. Not even the elections of 2000 and 2004 could wake him. But wait. Suddenly in 2006, he's woken up. Pearl Jam is their best since Yield, and surprise, it's not all political. A father, marriage and just getting older has made Vedder lighten up and stop sounding smug. And the band, which has never moved me, rolls in all the right places. But I still wonder. Will it be another 8 years before they move me again.