Pearl Jam – Got Some/ Just Breathe

• 25th Nov 2009

The second single taken from the recently released album Backspacer features two very different tracks. Got Some is very much a rocking track, reminiscent of the band’s early work, with furious guitars and some great drum work. Eddie Vedder’s voice is both familiar and welcoming in a song that has an old school punk feel to it. The track gradually builds momentum, ending with machine gun delivery vocals over dual guitars and then one final drum flourish.

Just Breathe is very different musically, and by far my favourite of the pair. An acoustic guitar intro is followed by Vedder’s deep voice in uncharacteristically mellow mode. It’s not quite a love song, but it does have a core of sentimentality that comes through very strongly. Lyrically the song tells us to step back and take a moment to appreciate the good things in life. Which for Pearl Jam fans includes a very good album, and of course this single.