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Feb 17, 2011 Web Exclusive By Frank Valish

Pearl Jam’s latest release, a collection of live tracks à la 1998’s Live on Two Legs, might be a hard sell for some, and much of the issue of its relevance lies in the question: Is there really a casual Pearl Jam fan anymore? Those who have stuck with the band from its grungy beginning through the latest resurgence have likely reveled in the band’s penchant for releasing all of its live shows, and as such, most Pearl Jam fans have this material in numerous places already. That said, over the past 20 years, Pearl Jam has cemented its status as one of the best live bands around, and its songs played live always vastly outstrip their studio counterparts. The 18 tracks on Live on Ten Legs are no exception. The “set list,” compiling songs from various live dates on the band’s 2003-2010 tours features a nice mix of the familiar (“Jeremy,” “Rearviewmirror,” “Alive”) and forgotten favorites (“Spin the Black Circle,” “In Hiding”), while throwing in a couple of covers for good measure (Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros’ “Arms Aloft” and Public Image Ltd.‘s “Public Image”). Of course, most of those interested will have all of this (with exception of the cover tunes, perhaps). But Live on Ten Legs is a nice summary collection from one of the best performers around. (www.pearljam.com)

Author rating: 6/10