This week’s release of Pearl Jam’s new record BACKSPACER on their own label XX, as well as a hometown return for two nights at Key Arena, marks for them a step back into the limelight. As well as an opportunity for Pearl Jam to showcase a record made for themselves and their fans, unencumbered by the weight of a contract or any other extraneous expectations. With that luxury of time and resources, Pearl Jam did what everyone wanted them to do: deliver a group of songs definitively the Pearl Jam of today.

Eddie Vedder’s voice is sounding as good as ever in my opinion, and by stacking three driving songs in a row to begin, “Gonna See My Friend,” “Got Some,” and “The Fixer,” they’ve ensured a memorable start to the record. “Supersonic” and “Johnny Guitar” round out the count on the classic fist pumpers to five and with just that Pearl Jam fans have something to be pleased with. That’s pretty much it for the loud and fast numbers though, the only vestiges of a band that originally made it’s name as a dark brooding bunch of outsiders from nowheresville. On the whole in BACKSPACER, little sign is left of the grit and angst that would musically link them to Seattle’s most famous musical era (though “Gonna See My Friend” sounds feels very Mudhoney until that weird high vocal moment in bridge). Making up the other half of the album are a couple of power ballads as well as some unexpectedly quiet numbers.

Though I have to admit that the production on the record is top-notch, for much of the record I’m reminded of the big glossy arena and video rock of the eighties instead of the edgy band with a chaotic energy that dominated the charts in the 90’s, or even the band that reasserted themselves with a song like “World Wide Suicide” a few short years ago. In the slow burner “Force of Nature” I have to resist the urge to find a punching bag like I’m in the midst of an eighties karate movie training sequence. (This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I can appreciate Journey.) And tell me “Unthought Known” doesn’t immediately remind you of U2, past or present. Actually, with this many years behind them, their stadium nature and the freedom to be essentially autonomous, Pearl Jam reminds me quite a lot of U2 in many ways. Ultimately they are a stadium band now, and while with BACKSPACER they haven’t done anything drastically out of left field, they have put together a sturdy collection of stadium ready songs that are probably best played at full volume.

Thanks to the band, one lucky reader who throws their name in the hat in the comments by Thursday September 24 at 12-noon will be randomly chosen to receive a Vinyl edition of BACKSPACER. If your comment doesn’t appear right away, we’ll make sure it’s approved in time for the drawing.

Those who don’t win can obtain a vinyl copy of BACKSPACER directly from the band or hit up a local independent record store. It is also digitally available on iTunes as well. Target is the only major retailer with exclusive rights to sell the record, so I suppose it can be had there too.

Tickets are also still apparently available for Tuesdays show. Provided you are willing to shell out $66 and then some to Ticketmaster.