Blog: PopMatters

Backspacer is the poppiest, punkiest, and most up-beat record that Pearl Jam have ever recorded. You've heard the rumors, and the rumors are true: Pearl Jam have finally released a "pop" album. Yet the phrase "pop" doesn't mean what you think it does in the world of Pearl Jam. For certain purists, "pop" is just another way of saying that Pearl Jam have "sold out", a theory that's only furthered by the fact that Backspacer -- the group's ninth studio album -- is getting the premiere of its physical release through big box corporate retailer Target, a sure [...]