July 3, 2007

Vedder to pen(n) solo soundtrack album

It was reported by The Playlist blog yesterday (unverified source) that Ed Vedder is working on composing an entire album of solo material to soundtrack the new Sean Penn-directed movie Into The Wild. Here’s the trailer:

The movie is based on the true story explored in the book by Jon Krakauer. We previously knew that Vedder was collaborating for this project, recording songs in a Seattle studio with American bluesman Charlie Musselwhite, but we didn’t know the extent until this report. Vedder is also rumored to have a small part in the film.

This is essentially a solo album (due Sept 18) for Vedder, although the songs will thematically be grouped for a movie, so it’s not quite the same as a true solo endeavor. I can see it coming, but a pox on the houses of those who will say this heralds the beginning of the end of Pearl Jam as a group. I can’t see them breaking up anytime soon. When I’m 50 I’ll go see them in Japan or something, and I love it even though that’s just a little bit depressing.

Vedder is also contributing two original songs to the new documentary Body of War, one of them being “No More War” which was debuted at the Kokua Fest a few months ago in Hawaii.

Pearl Jam has a long and luscious history of contributing some great gems to soundtracks (some original, some borrowed from other albums). Here is a sampling:

BROKEDOWN MELODY SOUNDTRACK

Goodbye – Eddie Vedder

CHICAGO CAB SOUNDTRACK

Who You Are – Pearl Jam
(also on No Code)

Hard To Imagine – Pearl Jam
(a great version of an unreleased rarity that finally showed up on Lost Dogs)

CRADLE WILL ROCK SOUNDTRACK

Croon Spoon – Ed Vedder & Susan Sarandon
(how’s that for a duet? Betcha didn’t know Vedder did lounge acts)

I AM SAM SOUNDTRACK

You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away (Beatles cover) – Eddie Vedder

BIG FISH SOUNDTRACK

Man Of The Hour – Pearl Jam
(I loved this movie)

DEAD MAN WALKING SOUNDTRACK

Face of Love – Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Eddie Vedder

Long Road – Pearl Jam (corrected)

For my money though . . . the best Vedder role (from one of my all-time favorite movies) is in Singles. “…Other than that, he was ably backed by Stone and Jeff, and drummer Eddie Vedder. I mean, that’s good — that’s a good review.”

A compliment for us is a compliment for you!

The soundtrack to that movie also gave us two of my favorite Pearl Jam songs (as well as a bunch of other amazing songs from folks like Paul Westerberg, who allegedly composed his contributions in a hotel room in less than 30 minutes, Chris Cornell/Soundgarden, and Smashing Pumpkins). Depending on the day, I might even say that State of Love and Trust is my favorite Pearl Jam song — just listen to that marvelous opening riff:

SINGLES SOUNDTRACK

State of Love and Trust – Pearl Jam

Breath – Pearl Jam

I can’t wait to hear what Vedder is envisioning for this new soundtrack, which seems ripe for artistic harvest (escaping the “civilized” world as we know it, a solo journey of survival and discovery, etc etc).

Come on September!

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20 Comments

  • Pearl Jam ain’t going anywhere baby. One of the greatest in rock history, and they-’re still halfway to where they ought to be!!

    Anonymous — July 3, 2007 @ 12:23 pm

  • I can’t wait to hear a whole album of Vedder penned tracks. This will be the perfect thing for all PJ fans while we wait for the next album.

    Smik — July 3, 2007 @ 1:01 pm

  • They’ll play the R&R Hall of Fame in 20 years or whenever and still be putting out new records as a band. The Ed solo album will be good but it will not be a Pearl Jam record.

    I remember an internet rumor in 1998 about Ed starring in a road movie directed by Sean Penn. (In Hiding seems to be dedicated to Penn.) I wonder if this is it (Into the Wild had come out a few years earlier) and Ed just got too old to play the lead.

    lbc — July 3, 2007 @ 1:42 pm

  • LBC, I remember that rumor too. But why do you think In Hiding is about Sean Penn? Just curious.

    Oh, can’t wait for whatever Ed puts out there.

    Anonymous — July 3, 2007 @ 3:50 pm

  • Great info… but I think that the version of Long Road that you uploaded is from Merkinball. The Dead Man Walking OST version for Long Road is different, and as the same of “Face of Love”, has a vocal duo with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and a lot of sitar…

    Andres — July 3, 2007 @ 4:02 pm

  • Gasp! Thanks Andres…my bad. Somehow I mislabeled that, but in listening to it now, you are absolutely correct. I’ll post the right one when I get back home. Thanks!

    heather — July 3, 2007 @ 4:10 pm

  • anon 3:50, The In Hiding lyrics are accompanied by “Thanks Sean” (or something like that) in the Yield liner notes.

    lbc — July 3, 2007 @ 4:15 pm

  • love the singles clips, i need to own that movie so bad. the part with the bees is my favorite.

    and thanks for the heads up on into the wild, that looks all kinds of awesome and seemingly right up ed’s alley, if i do say so. excellent.

    Andrea — July 3, 2007 @ 5:23 pm

  • Took my 5 year old and 7 year old to see Surf’s Up last weekend (surfing penguins – go figure). Big Wave is prominently featured. My 5 year old shouts out in the crowded theater: “It’s Pool JAM!” (He has trouble saying his Rs.)

    Joe — July 3, 2007 @ 6:28 pm

  • nice post … you re every pearl jam fan dream baby …. and you know it

    tristan — July 3, 2007 @ 6:44 pm

  • I’ve been waiting for this movie ever since I heard the book would be turned into one. I’ve been looking online for months for a preview (with no luck) so I was glad you finally posted one. I don’t know how it will compare to the amazing book (one of my favorites of Krakauer) but at least we know the soundtrack will be good!

    Kristy — July 4, 2007 @ 11:36 am

  • I am an ex-Seattleite, so I love all your Pearl Jam posts. I lived in the area when Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and all the locals were going off. Needless to say, good times.

    Anyway, thank you for keeping me up to date on what Eddie and the crew are still up to.

    By the way I yoinked “Who You Are” It’s been such a long time since I heard it. Yay!

    -Gummby

    Gummby — July 4, 2007 @ 3:44 pm

  • Pearl Jam contributed a song to the Judgement Night soundtrack too (with Cypress Hill)

    SJ — July 4, 2007 @ 7:22 pm

  • “State of Love and Trust” is, indeed, my favorite Pearl Jam song. Especially after a friend copied the lyrics for me out of a guitar magazine that had the tabs. Thanks for the post.

    D'Anne — July 6, 2007 @ 11:07 pm

  • Oh, I can’t wait either!! And yeah, their roles in Singles were priceless. That’s my favorite scene, as well as the one with the bee documentary. haha

    By the way, I had never heard “Croon Spoon.” Eddie has such an awesome rock voice, who would’ve thought? But it sounds great!

    Karina — July 7, 2007 @ 10:25 pm

  • Great tracks! I’m particularly a huge fan of the Dead Man Walking songs – they’ve been among my favorites for a long time. I would also like to note is howling wolfhound version of Masters of War from the 1992 Dylan tribute show at MSG.

    TCB Walsh — July 9, 2007 @ 2:29 pm

  • You missed the Judgement Night soundtrack in which Pearl Jam collaborated with Cypress Hill for ‘The Real Thing’.

    Anonymous — August 20, 2007 @ 11:29 am

  • Hi folks.
    A humble request.
    Would like to see ‘Chicago cab’ and ‘Cradle will rock’ but can’t find it anywhere.
    Anyone there could be so kind to make those two available?

    Wilq — May 18, 2008 @ 5:13 am

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Bio Pic Name: Heather Browne
Location: Colorado, originally by way of California
Giving context to the torrent since 2005.

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