Pearl Jam: Live On Two Legs

Pearl Jam's highly publicized battles with Ticketmaster left the band unwilling and/or unable to tour during the height of its popularity in the mid-'90s. That was no doubt difficult for the group, a dynamic live act in an age of mopey guys sulking around on stage, to deal with: After all, is the chance to withhold money from a multibillion-dollar corporation worth withholding entertainment from The Kids Eventually, after Pearl Jam's albums stopped selling quite so well, it went out and played some shows, allowing the staunchly anti-corporate band to release a cash-in live album just in time for the holidays. But it's too easy to forget that Pearl Jam initially based its reputation on its incendiary live sets, and Live On Two Legs is a pretty potent collection. Frontman Eddie Vedder opens "Daughter" by mumbling, "We're making up for lost time here; thanks for waiting," and there's self-awareness in the statement. The band's record sales have steadily dwindled, so it's no coincidence that, despite the omission of "Alive," this set could have been titled Greatest Hits Live. Plowing through pleasantly familiar material, Vedder actually sounds pretty comfortable, and though he barely mumbles 20 words between songs, he seems to have a good time contorting his exaggeratedly raspy vocals. For the most part, beyond a cover of Neil Young's "Fuckin' Up" and a segment of "Daughter" that morphs into a verse from Young's "Rockin' In The Free World," Live On Two Legs stays predictable. But after a few albums that have alienated supporters by straying from Pearl Jam's rock roots, Live On Two Legs is a pretty safe bet for fans.