Things That Make Nic Ouzo Happy

Few things give me as much joy as listening to the music of Pearl Jam. When people learn this about me, it tends to provide interesting reactions--the more musically inclined show some respect, while the other 98% of people look at me cock-eyed and think "how could anyone listen to 'Jeremy' a million times?" Don't worry though, I'm used to it. Unlike most "fans" (and most people you know, including probably you yourself), I have yet to find a disappointing Pearl Jam album. Yup, I'm the guy that likes even Binaural and Riot Act; I guess I'm the kind of guy you'd try to avoid at parties.

So when I get the chance to listen to brand new music from the group I relish the opportunity. Unfortunately, I had just begun my wild European trip when the guys christened the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien with their latest, so I missed that chance. However, I managed to find a copy of their new single as it was released to radio, so now all is well.

My thoughts? I can easily see how I could dismiss "The Fixer". It doesn't initially come off like a typical PJ song, but then you realize that at this point it's hard to determine what the typical PJ song actually is, since they move from style to style so easily, without calling attention to it (Hey look at me, I've just done a metal track and I'm throwing in some samba!) The song represents an evolution musically from the Avocado Album, with a good amount of pep, mixed in with some intriguing classic rock and even new wave touches. The lyrics also stand out, as PJ no longer has the same rage that Dubya inspired--no, it's time for optimism, now that we're in the age of Obama. Hell, "The Fixer" would have been a great campaign song if it came out 8 months ago. However, the song is missing one essential ingredient--the standard ripping guitar solo from Mike McCready, which this song is just begging to have (and gives a slight glimpse of the possibilities, as it fades out in the end). But fuck yeah, I'm looking forward to hearing this one live.