Eddie Vedder shows soft side on new album

If you know the band Pearl Jam, then you must know that Eddie Vedder is the lead singer; he's the front man, the voice heard by millions of die-hard fans. But when Vedder decided to go solo back in 2007, the world wondered what it would be like. Turns out, Vedder is just as amazing solo as he is with his bandmates. When he released his album, Into the Wild, specifically made for the movie, fans rejoiced, despite reviewers' so-so critiques. Fans shook their heads at critics this time around, as Vedder didn't just do well on his own, he rocked.

In your face, critics!

So, upon his second solo album release, Ukulele Songs stirred up quite some attention.

With just Vedder's voice accompanying a single ukulele, this album is very natural, very wistful, showcasing many songs of love, heartbreak, and wishful thinking. Each song has a very straightforward concept, allowing the listener to swat away the feelings of "so what does it all mean?"

We have to pay homage to some of the guest vocals on the track, specifically Cat Power, aka Chan Marshall. "Longing to Belong" and "Tonight, You Belong to Me" have some beautiful harmonies by the two artists. A great matchup of two distinct, dynamic voices.

Along with the addition of some guest vocals, Vedder also plays a few updated versions of some classics, like his last track on the album, "Dream a Little Dream of Me." The message is simple, and it's a very sweet ending, much like a baby's lullaby.

There's also a 9-second track, "Hey Fahkah," which is surprisingly blunt. Let's just say Vedder messes up a chord and the listener gets to hear his, erm, thoughts once he screws up. It's complete comedic relief to an otherwise wallow-y album.

Before I give Vedder's new album a thumbs up, can we please discuss the album artwork?! Completely fitting to the album itself, Ukulele Songs' cover is an underwater sculpture created by Jason deCaires Taylor.

For those of you who don't know Taylor's work, allow me to fill you in. Basically, he creates contemporary artwork in the form of human sculptures. Then, he brings the sculptures to the bottom of the ocean, where they slowly adapt to their surroundings and turn into these coral reef-looking humans. And almost all of his artwork that is placed in the depths of the ocean has some symbolic meaning as to what's going on above water. Cool, huh?

So if you're curious to see how Vedder can pull off 16 tracks of nothing but a ukulele, I urge you to pick up Ukulele Songs. But if the ukulele is not your thing, buy it anyways -- just for the damn album cover.