Eddie Vedder – Ukulele Songs

Fronting grunge survivors Pearl Jam for over two decades has earned Eddie Vedder the right to indulge the odd whim; that solo sophomore release Ukulele Songs stands on little more than the frontman’s rich tones and, unsurprisingly, the simple thrum of a ukulele is testament to that. Spanning a fairly ambitious sixteen tracks – twelve original pieces written over ten years ago, plus four covers – the threat of a vanity project looms, but Vedder has instead produced a seductively uncomplicated piece.

Effortlessly unifying such original tracks as the stand-out Longing To Belong (casually afforded the slight template deviation of a brooding cello) with the speedy strum of Pearl Jam’s own Can’t Keep – as well as notable renditions of Sleepless Nights and Tonight You Belong To Me by The Everly Brothers and Cat Power respectively – the once caterwauling Vedder has created an album which is gently tempered, timelessly quaint, and at its core, rather lovely. [Paul Neeson]