6. Pearl Jam
If you'd waited the better part of a decade for Pearl Jam to go "back to the basics," this is probably what you were hoping for. Of course, by their occasionally bombastic standards, their 2006 self-titled album is more "basic" than anything else they'd ever done. There's not a wasted note or a self-indulgent experiment to be found here, and that means 50 minutes of lean, muscular rock music free of pretense. It's not out to impress, and Eddie's certainly not trying to present his temperament as even-keeled. The righteous anger pours out of every corner of the record with great urgency and zero filters, which makes for a riveting first listen. Unfortunately, the all-out assault (and intertwined politicking) does occasionally wear thin on repeated listens, and there comes a point about halfway through when you might wish they'd ease up on the gas pedal just a smidgeon. And you'll find the rare reprieve from the persistent vitriol and earth-shaking riffs in the form of the slinky, sweet, and sincere "Parachutes." (Which is as delightful as it is out of place on the album.) As a pseudo-protest album, this album was a welcome breath of fresh, furious air. That might also make it the most lyrically dated, but most of the themes are still universal enough that you won't have to cringe your way through too many specific references. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEQyyZX9G5g