Music Capsule Review

Riot Act (2002)

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FOR VEDDER OR WORSE Though flawed, Pearl Jam's latest is a class ''Act''

Pearl Jam: Danny Clinch

Credits

Release Date: Nov 12, 2002; Lead Performance: Pearl Jam

By Chris Willman

Chris Willman

Chris Willman is a senior music writer for Entertainment Weekly

One title on Riot Act, ''Half Full,'' sums it up: You can view the Jam jar as half empty, if you focus on how Eddie's heartfelt lyrics rarely cohere, and how too few of the tense rhythmic setups build to the kind of ''Rearviewmirror''-style catharsis that would be something to ''Riot'' home about. Or you can be thankful that, absence of classics aside, one band's grooves still sound taut, emotive, and world-class, and not look a damn gift horse in the mouth.

Posted Nov 15, 2002

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