Did I mention how much Pearl Jam speaks to me?  I grew up with them but I didn’t realize how powerful and poetic their music has been.  

In so many ways, their songs mirror the biblical psalms in their conveyance of the range of human emotions.  They are raw and real.  They are honest.

It is telling that Eddie Vedder is arguably the only frontman alive from the major bands of his era.  The others like Chris Cornell, Kurt Cobain, Shannon Hoon, Scott Weiland are all deceasesd.  I remember going to one of their concerts in Boston and thought to myself that this resembles a worship service more than church.  Their songs are heavy and intense, but there is hope, grace, love underlying them.

Vedder can sound incoherent, inarticulate, and even drunk when he speaks, but the elegance of his lyrics cannot be denied.  I love U2 and they are also transcendent and played a profound impact on my life, thinking, and writing.

But as I’ve grown, I realize Pearl Jam reflects who I am more accurately, from the stripped down style of play, raw unfiltered sound, and willingness to evolve yet stay grounded.

My daughter and I will be watching them at Madison Square Garden. A true bucket list for both of us.