Year in Rock 2013 Nominee: Pearl Jam

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PEARL JAM
Sirens
From: Lightning Bolt
Released: October 15

It's been a good year for "old" bands, with rock elder statesmen like Clutch, Headstones and Queens of the Stone Age releasing arguable career highlights. Pearl Jam doesn't top themselves with tenth album Lightning Bolt, but it is a noted improvement from their post-Yield output. Plus, it's refreshing to hear them try new things 22 years into their career. They're also no longer afraid of the big anthems that Ten's runaway success spooked them away from; Sirens is the most anthemic they've sounded in a very long time.

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