When I hear the name Pearl Jam, I think of a certain style of music, an almost mournful rock. Most of their biggest hits have been this kind of soul-searching grunge, from “Jeremy” to “Betterman.” However, with their newest release, “Lightning Bolt,” the band has departed slightly from that style.

The start of the album is higher-energy than what one might expect. “Getaway” has fast-paced guitar riffs and fast paced lyrics, followed by even faster riffs and lyrics in “Mind Your Manners.” They start to hit their pace, however, about halfway through with “Pendulum” and “Sirens” sounding like classic Pearl Jam. Near the end of the album they explore different styles, touching the edges of grunge rock, almost as though they are exploring how far they can move from their core sound while still sounding good.

Overall, this works. “Lightning Bolt” is a solid album, with a number of solid songs. Stone Gossard, their rhythm guitar, continues to produce smooth, beautiful grooves to rock to, and Eddie Vedder’s voice does not disappoint. Aside from a few points where the lyrics are written a bit awkwardly, the album contains a lot of really good music, and is worth the few bucks you need to spend to listen to it legally. However, while the album is solid overall, none of the songs hit me as particularly amazing, and I’m not sure any of them will top the charts as a single.

So, if you have $15 burning a hole in your pocket and you want to rock out to some new music, pick up “Lightning Bolt.” Pearl Jam may not have the emo-teen appeal of a 20-year-old riding a wrecking ball, but they have been around the block a few times and their music has depth and meaning that is rare amongst new releases these days.