Lost Dogs (2003)

Is it just us, or are Pearl Jam -- with their truckload of live albums, unexpected longevity, and near-mystical power over an insular fan base -- starting to seem like the Grateful Dead of alt-rock? (Shoot, if they keep going, they may one day wind up recording at the real Mars Hotel.) This double CD ranges from Motown covers (''Leaving Here'') and acoustic musings (''Fatal'') to tossed-off ''rap'' (''Sweet Lew'') and weirdo funk (''Dirty Frank''). It's a fun, if uneven, journey. Best of all, you don't need to be a PJ freak to enjoy it -- which is more than you can say about most Dead albums.