July 20, 2009

New Pearl Jam - "The Fixer"

thubmnail icon: New Pearl Jam - "The Fixer"

After an All Star-preview, the Target-approved (and consorting) single from Pearl Jam's forthcoming Backspacer can be heard in full complete with anatomical album art and an anthemic, urgent, particularly Foo Fighters-esque sound. Which makes you wonder: What does it mean to be a new Pearl Jam jam in 2009?

Also streaming at the band's MySpace.

Backspacer is out 9/20. It's also where you'll hear "Get Some."

Posted at 12:13 PM by brandon
Tags: Pearl Jam

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34 Comments

I wanted to like it.

Posted by: Alan Knut at 07/20/09 12:38 PM | Reply
Score = -2

I like it!

Posted by: Sugar Tits in reply to Alan Knut's comment at 07/20/09 12:40 PM | Reply
Score = 4

I hope to like it someday.

My gripe with this song, and the last album, is that they don't capture their live energy. Almost sounds like they wrote a lot of the parts in the studio, and to be honest at this point in their careers I don't think they are much of a studio band like they were on No Code, Yield, and Binaural, which are great studio products.

The song will probably sound decent live, I really like Get Some from the Conan performance.

Posted by: Alan Knut in reply to Sugar Tits's comment at 07/20/09 12:44 PM | Reply
Score = -1

Not much to it but it is catchy.

Posted by: Chris at 07/20/09 12:58 PM | Reply
Score = 2

i'm way down..this sounds as good as anything since brain of j

Posted by: jbean at 07/20/09 1:05 PM | Reply
Score = 1

the production has definitely improved - as for the song itself...simple but catchy, eddie sounds fierce, I'll take it!

Posted by: victorpulak at 07/20/09 1:15 PM | Reply
Score = -1

This sounds like a Shania Twain cover.

Posted by: Bob Rock at 07/20/09 1:21 PM | Reply
Score = -4

okay. here we go. a few things:

1. we need to have realistic expectations. don't hold your breath for No Code and/or Yield. those days are done.

2. capturing their live energy in the studio? they have not been able do that in like 15 years. don't expect another Whipping on an album. it's not going to happen.

3. ed's voice. holy crap.

4. it's a pop song. and i think it's a good pop song. nothing more, nothing less.

5. glad to see it's upbeat. enough Iraq/gas prices/etc whining.

Posted by: grace6697

at 07/20/09 2:00 PM | Reply
Score = 6

Coming from a huge Pearl Jam fan, I was a little disappointed with this song. It's not bad, but it doesn't rock. I feel that some of their best stuff is done when they are focusing on a single track (like "Man of the Hour " and "No More") and not an entire album.

Posted by: Jayson Thompson at 07/20/09 2:44 PM | Reply
Score = 0

I love this band but this sound IS very Foo Fighters-esque. Ed's voice doesn't have any of his trademark texture to it. It'll sound much better at the shows but it's still frustrating.. there's a lot about this record that's already left a bad taste in my mouth and this song isn't doing anything to change that.

Posted by: Indifference at 07/20/09 3:36 PM | Reply
Score = -4

Jeez, I think everyone needs to calm down... This is just one song from the album; there are plenty of other songs to explore before we start analyzing the entire thing. Let's actually hear it first before we start making judgements. And I do not approve of the "Foo Fighters-esque" comments... Why would PJ ever try to capture the sound of the Foo Fighters, a band which is less reputable and haven't been on the scene as long?

Posted by: Stuart at 07/20/09 4:02 PM | Reply
Score = 3

I agree with Stuart....It is blasphemy to call PJ Foo Fighter-esque... What type of Pearl Jam fans are you? This song rocks!!! Some classic Eddie sounds and some amazing riffs by Mike.... Can not wait for the CD or to see them in Oct....

Posted by: Mark at 07/20/09 4:09 PM | Reply
Score = 1

god id take the foos over pj any day

Posted by: annie onymous at 07/20/09 4:14 PM | Reply
Score = -14

man, nothing but whining here!!! geeze. This song totally rocks!! foo fighters didnt even cross my mind hearing this song, maybe a little bruce springstein. Its really catchy and it has my foot pthumping up and down to the beat everytime i listen to it. Quit complaining, if you dont like it, go listen to TEN, from the looks of it, you guys sound like the typical PJ fans that havent given this band a chance evr since after TEN.

Posted by: pearljam10 at 07/20/09 4:16 PM | Reply
Score = 2

Wow whoever produced this should be fired. Is that a touch of auto-tune??? Jeez if you're recording one of the most legendary voices in rock, leave it the hell alone...

Posted by: 80sChild at 07/20/09 4:30 PM | Reply
Score = -2

Not sure why anyone would vote this down. This song could have been about a thousand times better if Ed's voice actually bore a resemblance to Ed's voice.

Posted by: Digger in reply to 80sChild's comment at 07/20/09 6:16 PM | Reply
Score = 0

poser jam cannot touch the real rock of foo fighters...they always have ridden on the coattails of nirvana and good for them. go buy it kids. life is too short to listen to bad music over and over...can you say heavy rotation...i just heard it for the first time and i am already burned out on this pop rock drivel... some pj fan please tell me i am wrong and that the foo fighters suck!!!

Posted by: tee bone at 07/20/09 4:46 PM | Reply
Score = -11

Fans of the Foo Fighters probably shouldn't be complaining about "pop rock drivel". FF have literally built their careers on it.

Posted by: Matt in reply to tee bone's comment at 07/20/09 6:56 PM | Reply
Score = 0

i kinda like

Posted by: Revolu

at 07/20/09 5:02 PM | Reply
Score = 1

I dig

Posted by: eh eh eh ah at 07/20/09 6:21 PM | Reply
Score = 1

The Fixer kicks all kinds off ass

Posted by: Stevo at 07/20/09 6:23 PM | Reply
Score = 0

This song, the Fixer kicks ass. PJ-

Posted by: Buck at 07/20/09 11:13 PM | Reply
Score = -1

Every rock band from the late 80s early 90s has sucked, thank god kurt died before they became this.......... what a joke.

Posted by: Ian at 07/21/09 1:43 AM | Reply
Score = -4

TEE BONE,
You can't even compare Nirvana to PJ. Two different bands, two different sounds (and PJ at least knows how to play the guitar). That said, with all due respect to EVERYTHING Nirvana has ever done, the Foo Fighters are average at best and are nothing like Nirvana so stop living in the past.

Posted by: sl88 at 07/21/09 2:08 AM | Reply
Score = 0

Love it. It's catchy and fun. Which makes it different for them. Can't wait for the 4 LA shows.

Posted by: FeelLikeAStranger at 07/21/09 2:35 AM | Reply
Score = 0

I'll be shot for saying this but I actually get a Pixies Doolittle vibe from this song. OK OK - you can shoot me now.

Posted by: Daniel at 07/21/09 2:42 AM | Reply
Score = 2

As a massive PJ fan I think this ROCKS. It's different, upbeat and it's good to see that creativity is still there after all these years

Posted by: Jordan Moore at 07/21/09 5:09 AM | Reply
Score = -1

GREATEST ROCK BAND EVER.......Catchy radio friendly single.....Great choice....the Foos career doesn't hold a candle to ED and the boys...Can't wait for the Album...if you ever head UNEMPLOYABLE you would understand this song..... LOVE IT....BEST SONG OUT THERE RIGHT NOW ...ANYWHERE

Posted by: Lou Mitchell at 07/21/09 6:39 AM | Reply
Score = 1

Posted by: Lou Mitchell at 07/21/09 6:39 AM | Reply
Score = -1

This song is horrendous. total disappointment, Eddie veddier is still a hot piece of ass though

Posted by: Lorna at 07/21/09 7:46 AM | Reply
Score = -3

I have always been a big Pearl Jam fan, but I have to be honest and say this song is not doing it for me in the least. I'm sure it would be a fun song to play as a band, but it's nothing special. I understand the appeal of backing this band to whatever end, but I don't see any new fans coming with the latest trend of Pearl Jam music and only see it alienating older ones. Not all but some.

It's not a bad song it's just not a Title song or any song for that matter on a studio album. Put it out on a B-sides... something, but not like this. I'll give them the last album... a bit of a tribute to the late John Cummings a.k.a Johnny Ramone, but let the phase end. Obviously I will always support this band, but the fact is that the music isn't hitting me at my core like it did so often in the past. I have bigger expectations for the album, but with this as the title track it makes u wonder.

Posted by: Seth at 07/21/09 12:31 PM | Reply
Score = 1

This is great! One of the catchiest Pearl Jam songs ever (impossible to shake the chorus). Sounds like they're really enjoying themselves. This shows growth and I can't wait to explore backspacer. Nice work guys.

Posted by: Paul at 07/21/09 12:56 PM | Reply
Score = 0

My bad... not title track, but lead track. The album doesn't seem to have a title track. I just want to see more depth and color come back to this bands pallet. They have the arsenal. I predict a pretty close repeat of their last album. :(

The reality is, if they started their careers off with music like this they wouldn't be a band anymore. Listen to a few of your favorite tracks from their older albums then listen to this song fixer... Yikes!!

Posted by: Seth at 07/21/09 1:05 PM | Reply
Score = 0

I like it! Catchy, popy, but not the first such song they've ever recorded. It is only a single after all.. I look forward to hearing the whole album. And I agree with an earlier post... its a pop song, take it of leave it. Either way an upbeat new PJ song sans eddie's politics is kind of refreshing

Posted by: skipkb at 07/21/09 3:38 PM | Reply
Score = 0