The Undercover Review by Tim Cashmere

Over a decade since Pearl Jam's first album, "Ten", you would begin to feel like they had quite a collection of b-sides and other rarities that never made the cut… and well… they do… and here they are!

This double album consists of outtakes and Christmas singles spanning their entire career and most outtakes albums, for a good chunk of them are outtakes for a reason. Pearl Jam however, while not immune to this damning prospect, have some crackers that have been left off.

Some of the more interesting ones include 'Hitchhiker' with its "evolution baby" feel toned down a little to let the melody flow. 'In The Moonlight' is a heavier track driven by a funky bass line and odd time signatures.

Other tracks were left out more because they simply did not fit. 'Education' is by all means a great track, but would its dreary sound fit in with the rocking "Binaural"?

The closest Pearl Jam ever reached to a power ballad has to be the "Vs" outtake 'Hold On'. Again, this is an example of a great song that just wasn't right. As Ed says in the linear notes regarding its exclusion, "Close, but no sitar!"

Disc one closer 'Yellow Ledbetter', probably their best known outtake was probably excluded because that riff sounds just a little too close to The Beatles' 'Don't Let Me Down'.

Disc two is filled with softer, perhaps unfinished tracks. A prime example of this is 'Footsteps' from the "Ten" sessions. With just Eddie and Stone it doesn't quite sound like completed album material, but certainly has the potential.

Also from the "Ten" sessions is 'Wash', a track that carries with it a great vibe and sure must've been close to making it, because so far it has been one of the best tracks on the recording.

'Strangest Tribe', 'Drifting', 'Let Me Sleep' and the Frank Wilson cover, 'Last Kiss' are the "fan club only" Christmas singles the band has become known to do. I suppose they're not "fan club only" anymore.

So with close to two hours of unheard Pearl Jam material, it's the ultimate rarities release. Just think of it as a new album that isn't produced very well.

Track Listing - Disc One
All Night
Sad
Down
Hitchhiker
Don't Gimme No Lip
Alone
In The Moonlight
Education
Black, Red, Yellow
You
Leavin Here
Gremmie Out Of Control
Whale Song
Undone
Hold On
Yellow Ledbetter

Track Listing - Disc Two
Fatal
Other Side
Hard To Imagine
Footsteps
Wash
Dead Man
Strangest Tribe
Drifting
Let Me Sleep (It's Christmas Time)
Last Kiss
Sweet Lew
Dirty Frank
Brother
Bee Girl

Label : Sony