Pearl Jam: "The Fixer" (Audio)

Pearl Jam has come far from being a collection of Ticketmaster-battling recluses, now partnering with Target and appearing on Conan in support of their latest album Backspacer. They've also reached out a much less mainstream cartoonist, Tom Tomorrow, for their artwork. Yet "The Fixer," available at the band's MySpace page, continues Pearl Jam's trend toward spare and choppy songs without marking a clear break from an album as old as Vitalogy. If you're a fan, the band keeps coming through with straighforward rock tunes like "The Fixer." If you're not, you wonder when Pearl Jam will reach the next phase of its career. [MySpace via Stereogum]