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Ukulele Songs - Eddie Vedder
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Metascore
68 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8 Ratings

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10 out of 10
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  • Summary: There is no irony in the title of Eddie Vedder's first solo album: These are indeed songs performed on a ukulele.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 22
  3. Negative: 2 out of 22
  1. Mojo
    Jun 21, 2011
    80
    Pearl Jam grungemeister reveals self to be shameless romantic. {July 2011, p. 106]
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  2. Q Magazine
    Jun 29, 2011
    60
    His second solo effort succeeds largely because its titular novelty never overshadows the bittersweet folk vignettes, driven by his affecting baritone. [Jul 2011, p.119]
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  3. Slant Magazine
    May 24, 2011
    30
    The slapdash nature of these 16 (!) songs doesn't make them feel visceral or honest (which was clearly the artist's intention), but haphazard and disposable.

See all 22 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. scottysauce
    9
    You don't have to be a huge fan of Pearl Jam to really love this stunning yet different album from a rock legend. This seemingly odd career move lacks the controversy of Bob Dylan going electric, nor is it an ironic Joaquin Phoenix-style career meltdown. Vedder clearly has a lot of love for the uke and this album adds fuel to the current four string resurgence; the likes of Amanda Palmer have been blazing the way, showing the world that the uke is clearly no longer the bastion of gawky Lancastrians singing comedy ditties about window cleaners. This album is more graceful than the novelty aspects of the uke would suggest and Vedder's watchwords are restraint and simplicity. The album embraces the ukulele's inherit playfulness and revels in the intimate nature of one man and his instrument. These 16 tracks breeze along like an informal campfire singalong rather than Pearl Jam's usual stadium antics. Although there are some tongue in cheek moments, Ukulele Songs represents a genuine attempt to engage with the instrument. Vedder firmly embraces the restrictions placed by losing two strings, focusing on simple but effective songwriting. For the most part the album sees Vedder playing alone and there's something beguiling about the juxtaposition of his deep, fragile vocals with the playfulness of the strings. Everything moves along swiftly, with all of the tracks staying below the three minute mark. Highlights such as You're True, Sleepless Nights and Satellite burst forth with energy and emotion, more than holding their own against their usual guitar counterparts. The album concludes with a cover of Dream A Little Dream, a playful wink to the audience and an crooning acknowledgement to not take the album too seriously; arguably this drags everything back into novelty territory, but there is something charming and lullaby-esque about it. You should really get this one now and kick back & relax to these mellow sounds ASAP! :)… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. martinmd
    9
    This is a very good album. All of the songs are good, but some are simply brilliant, Satellite, a masterpiece, Longing to belong a classic, Goodbye simple beautiful. Ed Vedder does something really difficult in this album. He uses a small instrument, perfect for songwriting, but too simple to be a solo instrument. Someway with a little bit of more production this would be a 10/10, more strings like in Longing to Belong… but then, like this, the songs are nude and all seems more authentic.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. ZeCatalist
    8
    Eddie Vedder's second solo record, Ukulele Songs, is, like his solo debut, a brief and subtle collection that focuses on words and voice, rather than rock and roll. That first record, a soundtrack for Sean Penn's excellent Into the Wild film, proved to be a pleasant surprise full of memorable moments and the best vocal performances of Vedder's storied career. For the Wild record, Vedder was challenged to make moody music that fit the youthful and wandering spirit of the film's real-life protagonist, Christopher McCandless. To say Vedder pulled it off would be an understatement. With Ukulele Songs, Vedder again challenges himself, this time in a much different way. Rather than limit his moods or topical range, Vedds is here limiting himself to two elements - voice and tiny guitar (aka ukulele). A popsmith at his core, Vedder has no trouble finding his way through the record's 15 vocal tracks (and one short interlude), almost all of which come and go before they have a chance to get old. Opener "Can't Keep" would, I imagine, be the record's lead single if rock artists still released singles in 2011. It's an instantly accessible and upbeat track that sees Vedder dropping his quiver and wail in favor of a thick, nuanced vocal that highlights his strengths in a way similar to Into the Wild but not too much like his performances on the recent Pearl Jam record, Backspacer. It's a lovely opener that's more or less worth the price of admission. After the near-perfect opener the challenge sets in. Can the Ed Vedd find a way to keep interest with only voice and ukulele? Many reviewers have been saving "no." I'm saying yes. There are songs that take a while to grow, but Vedder has become such a strong writer and melody maker over the years that he pulls it off. Well, mostly. There are, as you'd expect, a few songs that feel like retreads, and a couple that just don't quite hold up as well as the bulk. The collection hits its stride over four particular songs, starting with "Longing to Belong," a truly beautiful cut featuring some fleshing out by the way of cello. Also, Vedder invites some guest vocalists along for the ride and plays a number of different ukuleles in a number of different styles - all in the name of keeping things interesting. Another favorite, "You're True," is so well written and sung that the ukulele fatigue doesn't begin to register. "Sleepless Night," a duet with The Frames frontman Glen Hansard (the guy from Once), is a short and memorable song that will someday be used during a pivotal moment in some hip rom-com movie. And the there's the other big duet, a cover of "Tonight You Belong to Me," for which Vedder cashes in a favor Chan "Cat Power" Marshall has owed him since the duo's collaboration on Cat Power's great 2004 record, You Are Free. On a record with a number of serene moments, this is maybe the best, Marshall's smoky voice sounding as good as ever. Here's to hoping these two perfectly matched vocalists find the time to someday record a full record collaboration. By keeping the songs short and adding the variety of collaborators, strings, various ukuleles and some cover songs, Vedder has passed his self-imposed challenge with flying colors, creating a soulful and sweet chillout record that flies by. Long known as an album-maker able to mix art and accessibility in interesting ways, Vedder here continues to make most of his 90s peers look lazy and stale. No, Ukulele Songs might not be better than Into the Wild was, but, in my opinion, they're both minor classics that are far more interesting than anything Vedder's band, Pearl Jam, has done since No Code almost two decades ago now. Jack Johnson's favorite record of 2011, no doubt. Check out more of my music- and film-related writing at ZeCatalist.com.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

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