Righteous anger vs rhetoric

Regarding Pearl Jam's new eponymous album, my usual objections apply: Mike McCready can't distinguish between liquid transparency ("Parachutes") and power-chord testosteronama ("Big Wave"); when it's not content to thud the rhythm section just sits. But most of these songs are anthemic in all the right ways, and if Eddie Vedder's righteous anger is more convincing than his rhetoric maybe that's enough (well, no: it bothers me that he still enunciates like he's gargling pebbles instead of weighing the syllables of his never-better lyrics).

It all comes together in "Unemployable," in which Vedder allows the W.M.A. stereotype with the Jesus Saves ring (I'll let you guess whether he lives in a red or blue state) an admission of fear. As a patient non-fan who thinks their post-1996 work is consistent enough to rival their live shows, I think this is their best since at least Yield if not Vitalogy. And "Come Back" might be their best ballad, period (overwrought can be good).