I was going to give this album a four and a half but I changed my mind, and with good reason. I'm really happy that Pearl Jam has finally released a Live album. The band gets to show off some great musical finesse and at the same time offer fans a type of best of album. However, the album was recorded at various stops along their 98 tour, and being the fan of live albums, I much prefer them to be recorded in one night so that I can kind of gather what it would've been like to have actually been there. But other than my personal biases I have to say the album ranks among the best live albums I've ever heard.

Vedder is his usual self. His vocal performance is nothing less than intense. Fans who have come to expect a high amount of emotional involvement from Vedder will not be let down. The band play so well together that it is easy to see how they earned their superstar status, particularly on the track called "Untitled," an impromptu jam which should impress anybody who has ever thought of being a musician.

Standout tracks on the album include great cuts of "Daughter," "Elderly Woman etc.," and "Better Man." Pearl Jam also offers a rollicking version of their latest single, "Do The Evolution," and an awesome Neil Young cover, which ends the album.

If you are considering buying this album, but have reservations because you don't particularly like live albums, let me say that Brett Eliason, who recorded and mixed the album, did as good a job on this album as the band did themselves. The sound is superb.

Lastly, props to Pearl Jam for including pictures of their road crew in the liner notes. That's cool. If you're interested in another cool live album that recently hit stores (and was recorded in one night) check out Bob Dylan's "Royal Albert Hall" double CD. It's awesome.