From stargazed.net on 26 East, Vol. 1:

When you see the name Dennis DeYoung you automatically think of Styx as he was one of the founders as well as one of the most important writers in the band. On Styx first eight albums he could do nothing wrong. His song writing skills was exceptional mixing pop, rock and prog in what many called pomp rock. Unfortunately something happened with his song writing around the time of the release of “Cornerstone” as he changed direction to a more commercial style with more ballads and musical style songs which did not appeal to a lot of the older fans of the band, even though they gained a lot of new fans as well. Anyway, I love the kind of progy older Styx style and don’t care that much for the three albums that they released after the change of direction before the they split up after “Kilroy Was Here” in 1983. I actually don’t think that Dennis has written a decent tune on any of his solo albums or Styx albums released after “Pieces of Eight” until he was kind of kicked out of the band following the release of “Brave New World”, his last album with Styx. So now you know where I stand.

Anyway, in 2007 Dennis released an album “One Hundred Years from Now” that was rumored to be a return to the more progressive style again. Even though the album had a couple of pretty good songs it was nowhere near the style of early Styx and it could not compete with “Cyclorama”, Styx first album since his departure. Sometime after this Dennis put together a new band and started to tour as “Dennis DeYoung… And the Music of Styx Live”. A pretty good live album from the tour was released both on CD and DVD/Bluray. Now some of his fans said that he was sounding more like Styx than the current version of the band, I don’t agree. Dennis then wanted a reunion with Styx for a final tour, something that he still hopes for, but so far Styx declines for various reasons.

Well, after the live album Frontiers Records suggested that Dennis should record a new solo album and after some persuasion from his old friend Jim Peterik he agreed to do one final album, but he was so inspired that he wrote songs enough for two albums, “26 EAST: Volume 1 and 2”. Once again the rumors started that Dennis was going to out Styx the current Styx, so my expectations was quit high when I first listened “26 EAST: Volume 1”.

The album starts very promising with “East of Midnight”, a song with most of the classic Styx trademarks. A pomp rock song that is better than anything Dennis has written since “Pieces of Eight”. Unfortunately, this is also by far the best song on the album. The second song “With All Due Respect” starts with an attempt at a humorous speech about fake things. It’s pretty clever, but only the first time you hear it before it gets annoying. The music is pretty boring straight rock that don’t appeal to me. However, the third track “A Kingdom Ablaze” is a very good suggestive piece that is probably the albums second best song. It doesn’t sound much like Styx though, but I still like it a lot.
“You My Love” sound more like an Abba song than anything else, and even though I like a lot of Abbas music this is not my cup of tea.
On “Run For The Roses” you can clearly hear Dennis love for musicals, a love that I don’t share so I really don’t care that much for this song either.

“Damn That Dream” starts better and is actually a pretty good song that has some good Styx moments, but the refrain reminds me more of Journey around “Escape” than Styx. Probably my third favorite track on the album.
“Unbroken” is kind off a power ballad and as I never cared much for ballads, I get very bored with it…
”The Promise Of This Land” starts out like a ballad but soon turns quite heavy for a bit before it settles in a mixed style of Styx and a musicals. It’s actually quite good but for the first time you can hear a strain on Dennis vocals who other ways have been amazingly good on this album.

”To The Good Old Days” is once again a ballad, this time a duet with Julian Lennon.
“A.D. 2020” is a wink back to “Paradise Theatre” which closes the album quite nicely.

So what is my verdict? Well, if you like me where hoping for a progressive pomp rock return, you will be disappointed but if you like musicals, ballads, classic rock and Dennis voice you will probably love it.

I will still buy the album on the strength of the three or four songs that I do like. Also, I have always loved Dennis keyboard style and sounds. Not to talk about his vocals, but I was so much hoping for more.

Styx latest album “The Mission” is in my humble opinion a superior album that actually sounds like classic Styx. I understand why they don’t favor a reunion.

However, now I’m looking forward to “26 EAST: Volume 2” whenever that is released. My hopes are high again…

From metalplanetmusic.com on Synchronized:

Returning with their 12th studio album FM are back with a bang ! Having witnessed this great UK institution live on numerous occasions including that memorable evening way back in 2007 when the group reformed for a “One-Off” headline performance at the much missed Firefest UK festival, this classy outfit has just gone from strength to strength. With a line up consisting of, 

STEVE OVERLAND…Vocals, Guitar 

MERV GOLDSWORTHY…Bass Guitar 

PETE JUPP…Drums 

JEM DAVIS…Keyboards 

JIM KIRKPATRICK….Guitars

Make no mistake with what this band have achieved over the years with sold out gigs and festival slots the world over, Download, Sweden Rock, Graspop, Steelhouse, Frontiers, HRH, Rock & Blues, Giants of Rock, Ramblin’ Man just to mention a few and along with rock solid studio albums such as the debut “INDISCREET” from way back in 1986, and the hugely impressive “TOUGH IT OUT” from 1989.  

So fast forward 36 years from their formation in 1984, we are treated to a dozen fresh tracks that I am sure should whet the appetite for the fans and rock lovers alike. 

Title track “SYNCHRONIZED” fires up the album with a roaring guitar and a solid keyboard feel with those unmistakable oozing vocals of Steve Overland making the song tick along with total ease. Mid tempo is the best way to describe the track with the group’s familiar leanings towards AOR / Melodic proudly on display.

“SUPERSTAR” ups the ante with a stupendous slickness and a cracking chorus, if BON JOVI ever need a reminder or a lesson on how to write a rip roaring catchy song then look no further than “SUPERSTAR” with its stacked up vocals and Jim Kirkpatrick’s solid riffs it’s a feel good number from the top drawer of UK melodic rock.

“BEST OF TIMES” the first so called ballad on the album, with gentle acoustic guitar that is later joined with the full plugged in treatment and a simple solid drum beat, is steered along with that voice and that voice is still as strong after all these years. Vvocalists of this standard are few and far between with BOWES (Thunder), MacDONALD,( Skin, House Of Dimes) and OVERLAND in my opinion all being of the same calibre which sets the benchmark for others to follow. This track shows the wide breadth of styles that FM are prepared to record and release. 

“CHANGE FOR THE BETTER” has that feel good summer feel to it reminding of another wonderful group ( Stage Dolls ) starting off with a gentle high hat and soothing guitar plucking away before everything kicks in.   It has that uplifting feel to it that is much appreciated in these dark, horrible times that everyone is going through with the terrible virus that has engulfed all our lives. In fact this song is so enjoyable I have it playing on a loop, the way the keyboards intertwine with the guitars works perfectly and if people think FM’s heady days are behind them, then this song alone will change that opinion for sure, 

Starting off with a short recording of a Radio / TV broadcast we are treated with a crunching riff and a mighty roar from Steve Overland as the track “END OF DAYS” with its hard hitting lyrics about social disease and social destruction comes oozing from the speakers with a beautiful interaction between keyboards and guitars.   A dramatic sounding song with some hard hitting from Pete Jupp that propels everything along. 

“HELL OR HIGH WATER” brings the fun back with it faster groove and chunky guitar. The way the vocals and backing vocals combine it displays in places a bit of a boogie riff but with the song consisting of 2 different tempos it alternates, but by the time we get to the guitar solo there is no holding back as its rips away. Another fun good time song all topped off with a master stroke of a vocal from Overland.

“ANGELS CRIED” well if you love a bit of slide guitar then look no further than this amazing song. I just can’t get my head around how stunning it sounds. Easily the best track on the album with piano that is there for the duration and some vocals that make the hairs on your arms stand up.

This is a one of the best songs the group have EVER put their name to, and when a group has 12 studio albums under their belts then that’s a bold statement ! The six-minute duration is filled with every emotion you can think of with soothing moments that then just builds and builds and sometimes feels like it has gospel touches. Impressive is a word that just about sums “ANGELS CRIED” perfectly. 

“READY FOR ME” with its sampled intro beat and weird noises, makes way for a bit of cowbell and a solid head down rocking tempo, prime time FM and a perfect way to finish the album off, but also leaving the listener wanting more. When the group fire up and blast out a song like this then it shows the other side to the coin and is a welcome sound to my ears. If you like your music to explore different styles then look no further than this album, it has ballads, rockers, a lots of groove and of course the stunning “ANGELS CRIED” a track so powerful that anyone that hears it will, like me be blown away.  

I am so impressed with this album and when it gets its physical release will certainly pick up a copy and I recommend everyone else should to.

From crypticrock.com on CWF 2:

The term supergroup is often used to describe a collective of musicians who have earned accomplishments elsewhere, but join forces for something new. Sometimes effective, but other times a disappointment, if anything, it shows that talent/skill is only a portion of the equation for success. That in mind, Champlin Williams Friestedt makes a case for one of the stronger conglomerates to come together in recent years.

Some might say, “What in the world is Champlin Williams Friestedt?” The answer – former Chicago Singer Bill Champlin, TOTO Singer Joseph Williams, and Swedish Guitarist/Producer Peter Friestedt. Added to that explanation, those with a more casual outlook toward music, Champlin was a key component in Chicago’s resurgence in the 1980s and the lead voice behind their most successful single “Look Away.” This is not to mention he co-penned “After The Love Has Gone” for Earth, Wind & Fire and “Turn Your Love Around” for George Benson, among many other songs. Then there is Williams who fronted TOTO from 1986 to 1988, and again from 2010 to 2019. Finally, you have Peter Friestedt, an accomplished musician/producer who has worked with Champlin on various other occasions.

A project that came together some time ago, together they released a live concert DVD in 2014, their debut album CWF in 2015, as well as the 10 Miles EP in 2018. Quietly finding success as a cohesive unit, but all busy with other projects – Williams wrapping up the final studio album with TOTO in 2018 and Champlin touring/writing his own material – they have finally reassembled to put together their new album, II.

II, set for release on Friday, May 15th, 2020 via Black Lodge Records, is a collection of ten invigorating songs recorded by the trio. Assuming you have no prior knowledge of their previous material, the best way to describe II is an album of well-composed, melodic, soft Rock-n-Roll. Better yet, if you were a fan of Chicago during their resurgence years of the 1980s, you are going to love this album. This is clearly because Champlin’s voice and songwriting fingerprints are all over this material – think his Chicago sung hits like “Hard Habit to Break,” “Look Away,” and “I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love.” Compelling enough for a fan of this particular era of music, add to it Williams’ voice and Friestedt’s musicality, you have a recipe for one heck of an album.

These descriptions provides, let us get right to the music which includes the upbeat heavier guitar driven opener “Runaway Dancer,” a smooth trip down the interstate with “10 Miles,” featuring the on the EP by the same title, and “All The Love In The World” featuring a delightful appearance from Michael McDonald. Then you have the bright soundtrack-esque “Amanda’s Disguise,” also on the 10 Miles EP, Chicago tingling “Between The Lines,” and the heartfelt anthemic “All That I Want.” Further peaking your interest, there is the equally touching “Restless Love,” larger than life “Price of Love” with vocals from Tamara Champlin, along with a balanced Champlin-Williams vocal attack on closer “Sometimes You Win.” This is not to mention in between it all there is a fantastic re-imagined version of “Look Away.”

Overall, II is an album that captures everything you loved about the softer melodic Rock music that was prevalent in the 1980s. This is not to say its sound is dated… because how can classic songwriting and stellar production ever be? That is why II is a timeless, silky smooth album that you will want to listen to over and over again. For this, Cryptic Rock gives it 5 out of 5 stars.

From rocknloadmag.com on Hurry Up and Wait:

Opening with a quick crunch of guitar, ‘In the Beginning’ possesses a charming floaty melody that makes for perfect sunny afternoon listening.  It is an encouraging pull of a song which – with its muffled trumpet – attempts to coax you out of your shell, telling you to “Pull yourself up by the straps of your overalls” and grasp hold of life.  ‘Got It Pretty Good’ is another upbeat song that features pounding drums and a choppy riff, the chorus providing a good opportunity of an earworm.  Some of the lyrics are almost laughed-out, perhaps hinting that the situation the song was written about is laughable and the line “I’m doing just fine” does sound like someone is determined to convince themselves. Even the midway guitar solo in this track seems to mimic the tune that has just been sung. 

There are some classic ‘90s-era Soul Asylum feels on this album with ‘Make her Laugh’ – a gentle feel-good song featuring strong electric acoustic guitar moments – ‘Social Butterfly’ which gently and steadily paints a picture of someone who is really trying  to find the courage to say the right thing when they would really rather just hide and ‘Here We Go’ with its happy guitar tune that bounces you through with a loving message “If I could be anywhere, I wish I were with you.”

There are more melancholy moments and stunning gravelly tones that sweep you up in ‘If I Told You’ which seems to be a song of wanting to reveal hidden feelings but being scared to.  The electric guitar solo mid-way through the track feels beautifully heartfelt. Whilst ‘Silent Treatment’ takes you on a magical, mythical stroll with its twinkly start and lyrics involving mermaids, unicorns, and dragons. The tune is pretty and the voice beautiful but the general message is that “no one really, really cares.”  ‘Silly Things’ is like a full-on musical apology.  A stark realization that life is nothing without love.  Coolness means nothing. Trouble isn’t worth it and we need to act responsibly because the consequences of doing stupid things are hard to deal with.  The guitar solo in this song is echoey and smooth, the vocals strong and clear.

A more experimental aspect of the album is ‘Dead Letter.’ A guitar note is held for the intro but this track quickly turns in to an almost sea-shanty/ folk song.  There are drums and bass guitar too but the focus is on the strummed guitar and the lyrical tale.  Whereas the ‘80’s rock vibe of ‘Busy Signals’ also adds a fun touch.  Full of interesting drum fills and with parts of the lyrics sung through a megaphone for a phone-line effect.  

The unmistakable voice of Dave Pirner is evident throughout this 13-track album.  He has the ability to hit you with calm smooth tones, to caution you with vocal scowls or to totally outfox you with those shy, gently-cracking elements as he delivers his words to your ears.  

 If you’re looking for a pleasant album full of harmonious vocals and life-experience, easy-going sing-song melodies and interesting varied styles, then you’ve landed in the right place.

From meaww.com on Shapeshifting:

The legendary Joe Satriani needs no introduction. As one of the world’s most famous guitarists, and mentor to some of the most esteemed names in the rock community like Steve Vai, Kirk Hammett, Larry LaLonde, Alex Skolnick, and Charlie Hunter, Satriani is known for his incredibly technical and melodically fluid guitar-playing style. After touring with the likes of Mick Jagger, Deep Purple, and G3, and having sold over 10 million records worldwide, it seemed like there were no worlds left to conquer for the 15-time Grammy Award nominee.

But for his 18th studio record, ‘Shapeshifting’, which releases on April 10, Satriani wanted to convey a fresh feel and concept for the new album. “I was thinking about creating a record that would tell a story about me, as an artiste, going through dramatic artistic changes – physical, emotional, intellectual changes. Morphing into different versions of myself to try to achieve some new musical standard or destination,” he said in an ‘Inside Shapeshifting’ video.

And the wide musical spectrum on this album certainly bears that mission statement in mind. “I started to think that that sounds like 15 different guitar players,” he said of his latest full-length offering, which originally contained 15 tracks that traversed a plethora of varied styles. “I know it’s the same guy, because it’s me, but it sounds like I’m really moving into an area where each melody requires me to almost be somebody else,” he revealed.

The guitarist was able to transcend new musical dimensions on all 13 of the finalized tracks, aided by co-producer Jim Scott, bassist Chris Chaney, keyboardist Eric Caudieux, and drummer Kenny Aronoff, who Satriani knows well from his days with the supergroup Chickenfoot. “I was so excited about the idea of musically shape-shifting for every song,” he says. “I’ve learned over the years when you can be passionate about a theme, music, melody or whatever, you just go into it 100 percent and don’t worry about what people might think. You can worry about that later, after its released.”

The resulting album is pretty spectacular and compelling, fulfilling our expectations while being wildly unpredictable. The opening track ‘Shapeshifting’ features all the regular Joe Satriani staples — groovy riffs, wailing solos, modal interplay, and some carefully manipulated feedback. ‘Big Distortion’ has a vintage, hand-clapping stadium rock vibe to it, like the guitarist took a Journey or Boston throwback tune and proceeded to elevate it into the stratosphere with his guitar pyrotechnics.

‘All for Love’ slows the pace down with a haunting, ambling melody and some feather-light accompaniments while Joe’s guitar weeps and transforms itself into a torrential downpour. The aptly named ‘Ali Farka, Dick Dale, an Alien and Me’ takes you by surprise from the start, with its romping groove and Eastern desert and sunny beach-flavored vibe. Ali Farka was an African music legend, while Dick Dale was a surf rock hero, so it seems like the ‘Surfing With The Alien’ hitmaker was happily incorporating their styles into this otherworldly jam, that is definitely one of the strangest tracks on this album.

The lead single ‘Nineteen Eighty’ sees Satriani rolling back the years and channeling Eddie Van Halen as he revisits a glorious year for the entertainment industry. “The year that ‘American Gigolo’, ‘The Shining’, ‘Raging Bull’ and ‘Caddyshack’ came out, I just wanted to rock. ‘Nineteen Eighty’ is my high-energy throwback instrumental soundtrack to that year,” explains Satriani.

‘Teardrops’ features a sauntering, dynamic interplay between Satriani’s wah-infused guitar and a stark bassline — there are even some chiming church bells and handclaps to help accentuate the booming rhythms. The track is delightfully restrained and controlled, holding itself back from exploding over the top, which further adds to its sense of drama.

‘Perfect Dust’ is another immediate left turn, a Southern country-blues tinted vibe flavored by some sweet barbecue sauce thrown over the song’s delicious, meaty riffs. ‘All My Friends Are Here’ takes an old-school palm-muted riff and transforms it into a soaring, majestic bird that surveys the world in all its splendor. Satriani really knows how to make his guitar sing and tap into the instrument’s unlimited potential.

‘Falling Stars’ is a mysterious, enigmatic chugger that slowly reveals itself under the cover of darkness, like a gradually uncoiling spring. ‘Spirits, Ghosts, and Outlaws’ is a straight-out blazing rocker imbued with more incendiary guitar wizardry and high-octane fretting. This song’s name nearly became the title of the album, before Satriani realized that the shapeshifting theme better encapsulated his overall approach to the project. ‘Here the Blue River’ is another curveball on this record, paying homage to Jamaican reggae music by evoking the laidback, serene spirit of Bob Marley and his Rastafari brethren, mixed in with some string-bending heroics.

‘Waiting’ is another surprising track waiting to be discovered by the listener. It starts off with the laughter of children and is a delightful, understated track that features some tender piano and subtle mandolin flourishes, played by none other than Christopher Guest (best known for his role in the cult film ‘Spinal Tap’). The short & sweet acoustic album closer, ‘Yesterday’s Yesterday’ features something we haven’t heard too often from Joe Satriani in the past – cheerful whistling and banjo! This amazing album truly continues to surprise and enthrall the listener all the way to the end.

But Satriani knows he couldn’t have pulled off this remarkable, epic effort without his equally-talented collaborators. “Everyone brought their A-game and gave me everything they had, which was so great – I couldn’t have done it without them,” the guitar guru revealed. “I think when an artist decides they want to really step out of their comfort zone and try something that they’ve never tried before, that’s where interesting things happen. That process is almost more important than the end result, because the process is what keeps the artist alive.”

From variety.com on The New Abnormal:

Isn’t the next big thing simply the next banal thing hiding in plain sight, waiting to make bad on its best promises?

After a daring debut album and a mostly dazzling but slightly shopworn follow-up, that act will inevitably wear out its welcome and stomp all over its burgeoning legend, fast. Some chase the dragon of that success, or break up, or stop and wait before moving out of that shadow. They may make daft or dull solo albums — including the drummer, damn it, even the drummer! — that their audience couldn’t care less about. Or they may get a chance to relive that twilight’s first gleaming, with their freshest album since their start.

If you’re the Strokes, you do all of the above.

The darlings of NYC’s Avenue A at the end of the ’90s (mere minutes before Brooklyn became the place to be) updated their beloved Velvet Underground’s metronomic thud and allowed sneer-er/lyricist Julian Casablancas to checklist the nastiest bits from Lou Reed’s scene-y, shadowy noir without missing the romanticism or further mussing his already stylishly mussed hair. That’s 2001’s “Is This It,” in a nutshell. That also happens to be 2020’s “The New Abnormal,” in another, shinier, salvation-seeking nutshell.

Calling an album “The New Abnormal” is probably meant to have the same zeitgeist-y disposition to the mess that is this moment as the fashionably dissolute and dissatisfied “Is This It” had toward its time. Yet the cascading melodies and Casablancas’ lyrical mix of pragmatism and hope tells the listener something quite different, and in zestier, glossier manners than ever before.

“Can the dark side light my way out?” asks Casablancas on “Selfless,” mere seconds before he answers his own question, summing up the new album’s lyrical vibe: “Yeah.”

Even when Casablancas toys with endgames and elegy on the album’s synth-phonic closer, “Ode to the Mets,” there is forward motion after the laughter and the forgetting. “The old ways at the bottom / The ocean now has swallowed / The only thing that’s left is us / So pardon the silence that you’re hearing.”

Those lyrics suggest a desire to eschew the past, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a prevalent sense of soulful reminiscence throughout “The New Abnormal.” The soic foundation of the album has the band reveling in recollection, with glee. Still intact since 1998 (with Casablancas joined by Nikolai Fraiture, Albert Hammond Jr., Fabrizio Moretti and Nick Valensi), the Strokes find creature comfort in their teen dream, and chew on its influence like dogs happily ravaging a meaty bone, then displaying the shorn, shiny carcass.

With its smart, clipped synths and clean, curly guitars, the new wave-y “Brooklyn Bridge to Chorus” asks the musical question, “And the ’80’s song, yeah how did it go?… And the ’80s bands, where did they go?”

The ’80s go to roost, hard, in “The New Abnormal,” with the album’s musical nods to Danceteria-era, glossy British dance-punk, not to mention its cover painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat, 1984’s “Bird on Money,” itself a tribute to the raucous spirit of bop master Charlie Parker. You can almost picture them in their fuzzy-haired, upper-crusty adolescence listening to the Cars and the Human League.

The sleek past, reclaimed for the present, is a palette for the Strokes to create the band’s bluntest and most contagious — yet experimental — work. Credit can be shared with their new producer, Rick Rubin, a new studio atmosphere in sunny Malibu, and Casablancas taking the instrumental lead on keyboards. That’s a talent he undertook on the Strokes’ aptly titled 2011 album “Angles,” then refined with his oddball, synth-skronky solo project, the Voidz.

Two tracks, in particular, move from the group being enriched by their influences into full-blown interpolation, as the writing credits betray.

“Bad Decisions,” with its yelped vocals, prancing rhythm and taut instrumentation, sounds like a cross between Modern English’s “I Melt with You” and Generation X’s “Dancing with Myself,” complete with the latter’s “uh-uh-uh-a-oh” bridge from spiky icon Billy Idol. Before you think the Strokes have transgressed and owe Idol money, check the fine print: Idol and Tony James are named as co-authors of the new track.

Several songs later, during the Minneapolis-inspired pop-funk of “Eternal Summer,” while Casablancas moves dramatically from a teetering falsetto to a nasal dip, the song’s chorus breathes heavily the air of “The Ghost in You” from the Psychedelic Furs. Magically, the Furs’ brothers Richard and Timothy Butler also appear as co-songwriters.

It’s a fascinating bit of appropriation for the Strokes, in that these steals show off a warm embrace of from whence the quintet came.

The rest of “The New Abnormal” doesn’t indulge in quite such flagrant cribbing, even if its heart is in a similar place and time.

“The Adults Are Talking” and the aforementioned “Selfless” start off slow and stately, speed their way to finale with wet, picked guitars and snapped snares, and feature Casablancas at his most understated, whispery and teasing. He coolly under-sings, then rope-a-dopes his way to a quaint, faint falsetto end on “Adults” and a dramatic flip on “Selfless.”

More so than the rest of the Strokes, Casablancas sounds as if he’s having a hammy, exploratory ball, something he pushes to its most theatrical limit with “At the Door.” Here, the slow, souped-up Farfisa buzzes and whirrs of his instrumental contributions give him room to croon tremblingly and convincingly like a cheesy lounge singer. “My thoughts — such a mess,” he sings, in a glad-to-be-unhappy moan. “Like a little boy.”

But the song is the Strokes at their fussiest, so this is the very best cheese and, with that, the album’s sweetest, most memorable melody. It goes on a little too long, and the band seems to meander, but it works.

That same lounge singer appears, overemphasizing his vocal fry at the end of each phrase, on the spy-theme-like “Not the Same Anymore,” with Casablancas elongating lines such as “You make a better window than a door” with weirdo glee. The guy’s a real scenery chewer.

Nothing, though, is as slick and theatrical as the melancholy melody of “Ode to The Mets.” In this elegant, odd finale to a sharp-kicking album, Casablancas and company open their arrangements to something blooping and amorphous and give the singer free reign to roam. From glowering to growling, from monotone to octave jumping, Casablancas offers threats and promises alike in lines such as “I’m gonna find out the truth when I get back,” creating a spooky mystery ending for such a direct, flashy album.

If this is the Strokes’ new abnormal, here’s hoping they never look back.

From spin.com on Gigaton:

Admit it, you were worried about this one, right? For most of the last decade, Pearl Jam seemed to be slowing down. 2013’s Lightning Bolt quickly faded into the distance. Then came 2018’s stand-alone single, “Can’t Deny Me,” a cringe-inducing misfire with awkward #MeToo-inspired artwork. This was followed by the sad news that the band was ending its legendary Ten Club Singles Series, where, since 1991, they’d carried on a unique clandestine musical conversation with their core fan base through limited edition 7” releases. Their last tour included stops in only four cities (Seattle, Missoula, Chicago and Boston) in North America. The band seemed focused on other projects, like frontman Eddie Vedder’s Ohana Music Festival in Dana Point, California, that, ironically, Pearl Jam has never actually played. For the 30-year-old rock band, the future didn’t look great.

But then a series of mysterious digital billboards began appearing around the world featuring images from nature, a new electrocardiogram-style Pearl Jam logo, and the word Gigaton. Then, a week later, they released “Dance of the Clairvoyants,” a startling, synth-driven single that got everybody talking again. It’s a divisive song, clearly inspired by The Talking Heads and early 2000s dance-punk. It signaled a potential new direction for the band and a sonic expansion incorporating more electronics. Fan forums and comment sections suddenly came alive. Was this a betrayal of their classic rock roots? Was this their version of The Rolling Stones’ “Miss You?” Was Gigaton (which ended up being the album name) going to be Pearl Jam’s disco album? Perhaps most interestingly, the band quickly released three music videos for the track—an almost unthinkable decision since Pearl Jam has purposely avoided videos in favor of live performance footage and feature-length documentaries since 1998’s “Do the Evolution.”

A month later, “Dance” was followed by “Superblood Wolfmoon,” a playful, haunted hayride rocker, featuring another video, this time an adorable Tiny Concert animated film.

“Superblood” seemed to reassure many fans that the album would not stray too far from Pearl Jam’s defining aesthetics, most recently reinforced on Lightning Bolt and 2009’s Backspacer, both produced by long-time collaborator Brendan O’Brien.

As it turns out, Gigaton has a little something for everyone. It’s a complex, dynamic album full of earnest emotion and subtle humor. Its form factor recalls both 1996’s No Code and 1998’s Yield, two wildly underrated records that provided a blueprint for the band’s sustainable growth and ongoing appeal by showcasing their incremental, yet relentless, experimentation.

If you’re somehow new to Pearl Jam, the stomping opener “Who Ever Said” will essentially explain the formula they’ve used to fill stadiums since their 1991 breakthrough album, Ten. Take ‘70s hard rock swagger and blend in West Coast progressivism, add ferocious guitars, pounding drums, then cover the whole thing with the strongest baritone voice of the ‘90s. Its chorus also contains Gigaton’s mission statement: “Whoever said ‘It’s all been said,” gave up on satisfaction.” Here’s Vedder, speaking directly to us, promising this isn’t over by a long shot. It comes across as both reassuring and defiant. And, thankfully, the rest of the album largely delivers on that commitment.

If you’re attracted to the band for ‘90s nostalgia, “Quick Escape” is just what you’re looking for. It’s got a big Led Zeppelin intro and a soaring Seattle grunge chorus. The music was written by bassist Jeff Ament and Vedder’s lyrics take a more sophisticated approach to political commentary than say, “Bu$hleaguer” from 2002’s Riot Act. Many of the songs on Gigaton seem to tackle multiple subjects at once with confidence and charm. “Alright” is a hymn of resistance and reassurance in the face of personal and/or environmental challenges. “Seven O’Clock” deals with loss and grief, encouraging listeners to “Swim sideways from this undertow and do not be deterred.” While “Buckle Up,” with words and music from guitarist Stone Gossard, directly addresses death and riffs on the bioethics oath of “Primum non-nocere” (“First, do no harm”).

If you’re a super fan, Gigaton is packed with Easter Eggs. On “Never Destination,” Vedder references the protagonist of Sean Penn’s book Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff. “Take the Long Way” was written and sung by drummer Matt Cameron and features the first female backing vocals on any official Pearl Jam release (credited to Meagan Grandall aka Lemolo). And there’s a new producer involved, Josh Evans, who also played keyboards, mixed, and co-engineered the album. O’Brien is on a few tracks too, notably playing the celestial keys on “Retrograde,” written by guitarist Mike McCready. But only Evans (along with the band) is credited as producer. It’s his first big album in the role and he did an excellent job creating a pervasive warmth throughout.

The band hasn’t sounded this engaged and excited since Bill Clinton was president. They’re about to embark on a proper world tour (which is currently being rescheduled in the wake of COVID-19). Many of these songs, especially “Dance of the Clairvoyants,” will add new depth to their already epic live shows. They’re also scheduled to play one very special new venue for the first time: Vedder’s Ohana Festival in September.