Grunge legends Pearl Jam decided to treat us by releasing a new song. Titled “Can’t Deny Me” and written by Eddie Vedder and Mike McCready, the song announces a new album that the band is working on. It will be their first release since 2013’s Lightning Bolt.
“Can’t Deny Me” is loud, bursting with energy and knows exactly its purpose. This doesn’t sound like one of those songs that comes to songwriters in sleep or just strikes them out of nowhere in a blizzard of inspiration. It sounds like a track that needed a lot of work and started when someone said: “Hey, let’s do a political or protest type of song!?”
That’s one of the main flaws of “Can’t Deny Me”. It’s just like the band tried too much and wanted too much, which lead to the fact that the song doesn’t feel like a whole. It has all the right pieces: Vedder’s angry voice, sharp lyrics, great hook, and smart riffs, but they didn’t mesh together in a perfect way.
While there are remarks, “Can’t Deny Me” isn’t a bad song. On the contrary, it is a rather a good one. You’ll just have to listen to it several times before you reveal the appeal, but it is certainly there. Some will like the straightforward message, others will enjoy the music while there will be those who will like the whole package. In the end, the final verdict on the song will greatly depend on your expectations.
Our verdict is that “Can’t Deny Me” isn’t a song worth waiting five years for, and won’t be a Pearl Jam classic, but it still makes you turn up the volume a bit higher.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
