BACKSPACEROf all the bands to emerge from the early '90s grunge explosion, Pearl Jam was both the longest lived and most consistently interesting. After several albums that found the group taking an increasingly experimental direction, the Seattle quintet returned to its straight ahead hard rock roots with 2006's self titled effort. In 2009 however, Pearl Jam surprised fans again with an album containing some of the unit's catchiest, poppiest songs ever.