Ukulele Songs

Last updated

Ukulele Songs
Ukulele Songs.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 31, 2011
Recorded2010–2011
Genre Folk rock
Length34:50
LanguageEnglish
Label Monkeywrench
Producer Adam Kasper and Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder chronology
Into the Wild
(2007)
Ukulele Songs
(2011)
Earthling
(2022)

Ukulele Songs is the second solo studio album by American singer and Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder. It was released on May 31, 2011. [1] The album is composed of original songs and new arrangements of several standards. [2]

Contents

Cover art

The cover art features a photograph of the sculptural work "The Lost Correspondent" by Jason deCaires Taylor. The sculpture is underwater with many others at a dive site called Moliniere Bay – Underwater Sculpture Park, Grenada. [3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [4]
The A.V. Club B− [5]
Billboard (favorable) [6]
Entertainment Weekly B [7]
Los Angeles Times (favorable) [8]
Pitchfork 6.4/10 [9]

The album has been met with generally favorable reviews and currently has a 68% rating on Metacritic. Rolling Stone magazine gave the album three and a half stars, saying "The ukulele doesn't allow for the widest range of expression, which makes it a challenging foil for Eddie Vedder, who never met a feeling he couldn't drive through a wall. But this uke-suffused album stands up because he adapts the instrument to his idiosyncratic needs."

Tours

Sign outside the Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, in 2011 EddieVedderWiltern.jpg
Sign outside the Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, in 2011

Eddie Vedder did a solo tour through various parts of North America to promote the album, with support from Glen Hansard.

Vedder stated that the shows would be performed in smaller venues than those used by Pearl Jam. He cites this as a relief, as he claims "It's hard to be subtle when the back row of the crowd is 200 yards away". The tour began on June 15, 2011 and finished on July 16 in Seattle. The tour received positive reviews from critics. [10] [11] [12]

In 2012 Vedder was scheduled to play shows across the Southern United States beginning in April. [13] However, these dates were postponed until November, after Vedder suffered temporary nerve damage in his right arm after an earlier injury to his back. [14] European shows started in July 2012, which included his first solo shows in the United Kingdom. [15]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Eddie Vedder, except where noted.

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Can't Keep"2:35
2."Sleeping by Myself"1:54
3."Without You"3:19
4."More Than You Know" (lyrics: Billy Rose & Edward Eliscu, music: Vincent Youmans)2:25
5."Goodbye"2:28
6."Broken Heart"2:36
7."Satellite"2:19
Side two
No.TitleLength
8."Longing to Belong"2:48
9."Hey Fahkah"0:09
10."You're True"3:23
11."Light Today"2:41
12."Sleepless Nights" (featuring Glen Hansard) (lyrics & music: Felice Bryant & Boudleaux Bryant)2:39
13."Once in a While" (lyrics: Bud Green, music: Michael Edwards)1:45
14."Waving Palms"0:37
15."Tonight You Belong to Me" (featuring Chan Marshall (Cat Power)) (lyrics: Billy Rose, music: Lee David)1:42
16."Dream a Little Dream" (lyrics: Gus Kahn, music: Fabian Andre & Wilbur Schwandt)1:29
Total length:34:50

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [38] Gold40,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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