Every time these Seattle doyens have released an album since their artistic landmark Vitalogy release unexpectedly failed to sell by the truckload it has been hailed as a ‘comeback’ album. Each release has been greeted by much fanfare, highlighting the strong suite of songs that appear on it, and how it’s going to catapult them back up the sales charts.

It never quite happens – it might have something do with the fact that Pearl Jam have become the classic rock band from the 1990s that have simply lasted and lasted where others have fallen by the wayside. They’ve maintained a consistency on their releases – their rockers still rock, their softer side is still more tender than most. Yet, apart from a massive hit thanks to their cover of “Last Kiss”, they haven’t had a bona fide smash for quite some time.

This self-titled effort is similarly unlikely to change that, despite the fact that it may indeed be their most consistent and satisfying album for a long, long time. Ed Vedder’s baritone is thrillingly captivating as he delivers sermons from on high on the state of current American politics and his own dissatisfaction with the world – it’s best exemplified in the rollicking single “World Wide Suicide”, the vitriolic “Severed Hand”, and the outstanding “Come Back”.

“Big Wave” and “Gone” temper the fury heard on the likes of “Comatose” and deliver contemplative moments that certainly strike a chord. What’s clear from opener “Life Wasted” onwards is that guitar solos are back in vogue for Pearl Jam, with only the acoustic “Parachutes” sitting in the middle interrupts the flow of what is otherwise an extremely tight and punchy little rock record. Perhaps that talk about a ‘comeback’ is entirely justified – the consistency of this album and the confidence that the band clearly have in the quality of the songs is what makes it so enjoyable.