Better as a movie score

Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder is no stranger to movie soundtracks, especially soundtracks for Sean Penn movies. Considering Vedder's past musical contributions to "Dead Man Walking" and "I Am Sam," in addition to him being an avid, eco-conscious naturalist, Penn's selection of Vedder to compose music for his film version of Jon Krakauer's novel "Into the Wild" seemed like a fitting choice.\nNot too much of a departure for Vedder, Into the Wild has plenty of ambient sounds that exude visions of a person taking a trip to a natural outdoor setting, especially for listeners familiar with Krakauer's book. The album's opener "Setting Forth," with its vibrant guitar-strumming and Vedder wailing in the chorus about "setting forth in the universe," has a steady beat that paints a good picture of Chris McCandless -- whose story the movie is based on -- hitchhiking his way to Alaska. \nThe banjo-plucking of "No Ceiling" seems to be a woodsman's ode to embarking on a journey into a natural environment. The soft, arpeggiated notes of "Long Nights" paint a tranquil nighttime setting of reflection and introspection. By the time the listener gets to the robust instrumental "Tuolumne," they can almost see visions of wooded hills and rolling brooks.\nThese songs aren't bad music per se, but they go by quickly without leaving much of an impression. The album's strongest tracks, the single "Hard Sun" and the quietly catchy "Society" ironically enough are songs not penned by Vedder. \nOverall, Into the Wild feels like an album written for a movie. The music is colorful and ambient. The songs are short (seven of the 11 clock in at about two-and-a-half minutes or less) and fitting to hang in the background of movie scenes. But without the visual aid of watching the film, the songs don't hold up as well. They serve as music meant for a movie, not for grabbing listeners.