If you think about it, an Eddie Vedder solo record was inevitable. It wasn’t a matter of if he would release a solo album, it was when. After all, a lot of Vedder’s peers-turned-friends – Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Joe Strummer, Roger Daltrey – all released solo records with various levels of success. So why not Ed?
Of course, technically Vedder has released a couple of solo efforts (2007’s “Into the Wild” soundtrack and 2011’s ukulele album “Ukulele Songs”) but those albums feel like they shouldn’t count. The first is a soundtrack with acoustic singer-songwriter material and the latter is as billed, an album of songs played on a ukulele. This makes “Earthling” Vedder’s first proper solo album with a band, and that band is noticeably not Pearl Jam, which is very much a good thing.
So, what does a solo album from the frontman of an iconic group that was once the voice of a generation sound like?
Well, unlike Pearl Jam there are no extended guitar solos or cathartic, shout-along choruses to be found here. “Earthling” isn’t going to give you “Better Man” redux, stadium anthems like “Even Flow” or left-turn brilliance like “Dance of the Clairvoyants.” Why would it since Vedder has been there and done that ten times over throughout Pearl Jam’s career?
While the temptation may be to think outside of the box and do something different here a la Chris Cornell’s “Scream,” Vedder doesn’t do anything unexpected on “Earthling.” He plays it safe, sticking to his lane of seasoned rock ‘n’ roll frontman avoiding any overtly political, or musical, statements on the album.
The record is filled with a good share of upbeat, toe-tapping rock songs but it starts off with an unlikely soundscape of synthesizers and acoustic guitar. Vedder talk-sings his way through most of “Invincible” giving listeners a bit of positive affirmation by singing about the power of love. The song is both the album’s opening salvo and a message to listeners that Vedder feels fine about stepping outside of his Pearl Jam comfort zone.
That message is reinforced on the next track “Power of Right.” Its chugging riff, handclaps and stomp-along beat bring a burst of energy and spirit to the album. It’s something that might not have worked on a Pearl Jam record but it works perfectly as the first of several fiery rockers on “Earthling.”
While there are no strong statements made with the songs lyrically, there’s still plenty of meaning to be found in Vedder’s words. “Brother the Cloud,” which most everyone will think is about Vedder’s relationship with Cornell, beautifully captures the anger, pain and guilt that comes with grieving the loss of a loved one. And “The Haves,” the album’s lone ballad, is a touching love story about loving the one you’re with and all you have together.
Those two songs make up the emotional core of the album and the songs that follow help round out the record’s punchy and spirited essence.
“Good and Evil” with its crunchy, fuzzed-up guitar is about as close to punk as the album gets with Vedder coming close to unleashing his trademark snarl behind ripping guitars. From there Vedder and his band – producer Andrew Watt, Red Hot Chilli Peppers drummer Chad Smith and former RHCP guitarist Josh Klinghoffer – keep the pedal on the gas with “Rose of Jericho,” another blast of super-charged guitars and driving drum beats.
Those tracks lead into the album’s homestretch which is filled with a slew of star-powered guest appearances. The first guest is Stevie Wonder, who contributes harmonica to “Try,” which is a playful romp of a song. The band plays at a bit of a breakneck speed compared to what you may expect to hear on a Stevie Wonder song and for his part Wonder plays a blazing harmonica keeping up with Vedder and Co., making for a delightful listen.
“Picture,” which features Vedder duetting with Elton John, sounds like an outtake from one of Sir Elton’s 1970s albums. And “Mrs. Mills,” which features Ringo Starr on drums, is as close to a modern-day Beatles b-side as you’ll get, right down to its excellent arrangement and lyrical storytelling.
Other guests include longtime Heartbreaker Benmont Tench on lead single “Long Way,” which appropriately has Tom Petty vibes, and Vedder’s two daughters Harper and Olivia are credited with contributing backing vocals to “Long Way” and “Try” respectively.
The final guest to appear on the album is the most unlikely one. Album closer “On My Way,” features vocals from Vedder’s late biological father. It doesn’t take a degree in Gen X studies to know Vedder didn’t have the best relationship with his father (see the semi-autobiographical “Alive”) which makes this a bit of a shocking inclusion.
The brief song opens with a Sinatra-style voice that could easily be mistaken for Vedder singing a refrain of “I’ll be on my way.” Then Vedder joins in and repeats snippets of lyrics from throughout the album. The resemblance between Vedder’s voice and his father’s is uncanny. It’s personal touches like this, along with bursts of fun like “Try,” that distinguish “Earthling” from Vedder’s Pearl Jam work and allow the record to stand as its own statement.
“Earthling” isn’t better or worse than anything Vedder has done with his main gig. Pearl Jam’s best albums play out like a collection of songs where different band members add various flourishes as needed (I’m looking at you “Vitalogy,” “No Code” and “Yield”). “Earthling” on the other hand is an intentionally directed journey curated by Vedder and it is a journey filled with spirit, emotion and good old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll fun.
Eddie Vedder’s “Earthling” will be available from Seattle Surf/Republic Records on Feb. 11.
