Eddie Vedder--Ukulele Songs

I was never a big fan of Pearl Jam, so when I picked this up in a record shop in California the other day I did so as kind of a joke. It was a novelty record I thought I'd listen to once or twice out of curiosity and then forget about. Oddly enough, I haven't really listened to anything else for the last week. I never thought I would be this excited about Eddie Vedder playing songs on solo ukulele. I never even thought I would utter a sentence as bizarre as that last one. Somehow it works though. Don't expect the lost Iz Kamakawiwo'ole album (that's not something you wanted anyway, right?) or anything like what Vedder's done with Pearl Jam. This is a pretty original take on ukulele music, and I really like it. I admit the lyrics are decidedly Vedder-esque at times (see "Longing to Belong" and "Can't Keep" for reminders that this is still the singer for Pearl Jam), but for the most part they're often pretty sweet lamentations on being alone when you don't really want to be. Stand out tracks include "Sleeping Alone," "More Than You Know," "Goodbye," and "Sleepless Nights."

Try.

Buy.