Grunge pioneers keeps on evolving

With a name like Riot Act, one would expect Pearl Jam to come out swinging on its seventh studio release, but the band does the exact opposite. The group has moved away from the stale alternative-rock scene they helped create and developed into a solid rock band. While Riot isn't Pearl Jam's best work, it's a vast improvement over 2000's Binaural and is leaps and bounds over imitators like Creed. \nPearl Jam fans looking for a retread of the band's landmark album Ten should stop reading this review right now. The style is more like the straightforward rock and emotional acoustics found on Binaural and Yield. The only problem with this is that the ballads progress too slowly at times, losing any momentum the album gains from the up-tempo rock.\nEddie Vedder's vocals are subdued throughout; he never reaches the apex of his vocal range. This is likely due to the usurping of Vedder's style by the likes of Scott Stapp and a host of other alt-rock bands. Vedder may be subdued, but his lyrics on life, love and politics are still powerful and relevant. \nGuitarists Stone Gossard and Mike McCready run the show, crafting delicate, sparse melodies as well as blazing solos. Unfortunately, the rest of the band is given little to work with. Bass player Jeff Ament only goes through the motions, and drummer Matt Cameron is not given a chance to flex his stellar chops.\nOf the 15 tracks, only two truly stand out, but for very different reasons. "Love Boat Captain" nearly sinks the entire record. This sappy and ridiculous ballad kills the momentum and tone of first few songs and has dreadful lyrics. As Vedder whispers "First comes love / then comes pain" and later "all you need is love," I couldn't help but bust out in laughter. The other standout track is "Bushleager," which features some of Vedder's best lyrics as he lambastes the president in spoken-word style. Had there been a few more songs with this kind of passion, Riot Act would have been an instant classic.\nPearl Jam's constant evolution and dedication to making music its way is evident all over Riot Act. Anyone who likes emotional and intelligent rock music will find this a riot worth fighting for.