One would think (hope?) that spending the majority of the recent ‘00s touring with Sleater-Kinney would light a fire under the collective asses of Vedder and co.; sending them back to the studio to create their Fridmann-powered epic while erasing the chalky aftertaste of their last two mediocrities and forcing fans to reevaluate the quality of their entire back catalog in the process (did I mention I like The Woods?).

A handful of listens to “World Wide Suicide” (available for free download here, though there's a little registering involved) suggests that the latter scenario isn’t in the cards. Regardless, it’s easily one of the more likeable Pearl Jam singles in recent memory; a bratty rocker in the vein of “Do the Evolution” or “Spin the Black Circle” that will nicely fit into the predictable, but tasty, ‘song #2’ slot on every Pearl Jam record.

The subject matter ain’t all that surprising considering who we’re dealing with; Eddie feels the earth move under his feet when he picks up a newspaper and recognizes a fallen soldier now reduced to “a handsome face / that the President took for granted” alongside “medals on a mantle.” But his vocals are among his most impassioned in some time, belting out “Waaalld Wyyyde SoooiCyde!” with a mouthful of blood over a chaotic mass of Stone Gossard riffs, and the expected Mike McCready shredding over the last thirty seconds of the tune. Nice watery guitar effects over the bridge, too.

It’s all predictable as the Bush administration, and yet goosed with enough manic energy to lead one to believe that maybe, just maybe, grunge’s last band standing might bring something rewarding to the table on their upcoming full length. I plan on buying it the day of its release, and no self-respecting Pearl Jam fan will do otherwise. Pearl Jam fans are crazy hopeful like that.

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