Let’s get the obvious out of the way. This album features Eddie Vedder and his daughter, Olivia. This is the soundtrack to a Sean Penn film about a lost soul. Cat Power is on record dropping glorious F-bombs and Glen Hansard is on board as the fixer.
Flag Day is Director Sean Penn’s first film since 2016’s The Last Face, starring Charlize Theron and Pearl Jam superfan, Javier Bardem. Penn has been bleeding ink on paper (read: he’s been writing a ton) since Into The Wild and is close friends with Vedder and his family so much so the Vedder’s, Penn’s and Maher’s (as in Bill) regularly vacation together in Hawaii to ring in the New Year. The music within Flag Day toes the line toward Into The Wild territory and its soul lives.
The film revolves around a notorious counterfeiter’s thick and thin relationship with his family as he tries to right wrongs by making wrong rights.
If you’re a fan of Pearl Jam, then you are well aware of the various family dynamics embedded in lyrics from “Alive,” “Daughter,” “Better Man” and even “Rearviewmirror.” Vedder has spooled his guts on tape since the infamous Momma-Son cassette demo back in 1990. He has seen some shit in his day and will walk the line at the ready.
EdVedd is not shy about his familial past and his genuine songwriting honesty are the jam and jellied soundtrack for Gen X. Vedder is the latch key and a comforting blanket.
Vedder, a dedicated surfer, is all about flow. This is a bro that genuinely cares about people and he holds his family near and dear because he wants to. We need that example.
Vedder has two daughters with his wife, Jill. If you’ve been to a Pearl Jam show or a solo Vedder performance then chances are you’ve seen them in the crowd or sidestage. Sometimes in between encores in Germany, their kids may come out to frisbee-toss beer holders back to the crowd…and that was after PJ ripped through “Porch.”
This is all kind of a big deal for Vedder and Momma Vedder, let alone Olivia who absolutely shines on the lead single “My Father’s Daughter” but it’s the deep cut on the soundtrack, “There’s A Girl” that will realign your life paradigm.
Fun fact: the song “Daughter” from Pearl Jam’s 1993 album Vs was originally titled “Brother” but we’ll save that for later… but how many of you are familiar with the 2000 Binaural meditative jam, “Of the Girl?”
Olivia Vedder, aka OV, does her Daddy proud on her premier effort. OV’s singing is effortless yet dipped in emotional tinge. I imagine her folks fed her a daily musical cereal of Cat Power and Sleater-Kinney with Lana Del Rey’s trap beats as the backing sugar bump.
Fun fact: If you are a Dad with more than one daughter, listen to this album with tissues. If you don’t see your kids as often and want to, bring the Kleenex box.
Imagine if Eddie and Glen Hansard were brothers in this hypothetical mix of a family. It makes sense because this soundtrack hits those family wells deep. Into The Wild 2.0 this ain’t because it takes a different path.
The track-by-track breakdown of the soundtrack to Flag Day:
My Father’s Daughter — Olivia Vedder, Eddie Vedder & Glen Hansard
Water references are hardwired into the family Vedder’s songwriting DNA and OV comes out slinging, come hell or high water. OV has room to roam and her earnest voice is her own. She’s her father’s daughter in the sense that her word is bond. This soundtrack is a full-on family affair off the jump.
Flag Day — Eddie Vedder & Glen Hansard
Upon the first listen, Flag Day feels like a future Into The Wild Z-side. With its acoustic noodle strum and subtle key work, the lyrics “One life was trouble and the other was struggle / One life was never enough” is not only enough but it’s a lot. Into The Wild was about a young man from Georgia setting out to find meaning in his life and to find his tribe. On this track, the protagonist is running but he’s trying his damnedest because he has a dream he feels he can achieve. Hansard holds down the fort with EdVedd as his brother in arms.
I Think Of Angels — Cat Power
Chan Marshall deserves her props now and in the present. Hailing from Georgia, Chan can strum you a ditty about angels, just as she can strum you into a contemplative mood about your feels. Her voice is a gift. Enjoy it now because it’s a present.
Tender Mercies — Glen Hansard & Eddie Vedder
Hansard croons over a piano tickled intro that yields to Vedder’s baritone. Running out of road they are not. Hansard and Vedder make the right turns in this duet. It’s expansive but focused.
Rather Be Home — Eddie Vedder & Glen Hansard
A meditative and mostly instrumental jam save for Vedder’s signature vocal inflections, this track would fit in your daily meditation playlist.
I Am A Map — Cat Power
Chan said “Fuck, y’all.” Chan owns no strings or flags, son. That. Is. All. Play this one loud.
As You Did Before — Glen Hansard
Hansard uses his story telling acumen with his signature sparse guitar strumming that allows his lyrics to pour into the track. As he has done before, Hansard brings the goods pouring his heart out on wax. Hansard is the glue.
There’s A Girl — Olivia Vedder, Eddie Vedder & Glen Hansard
A noir-bent track with OV at the wheel with her Dad riding shotgun. There’s trouble ahead. Musically this song’s heart is in part Pearl Jam’s “Pendulum” with an “Of The Girl” brain. It’s reigned in and focused. Vedder and family are fans of Sleater-Kinney and as a result the “Modern Girl” influence of resolve is palpably pleasing.
I’ll Be Waiting — Eddie Vedder & Glen Hansard
EdVedd and Hansard are in full Tom Petty mode. Not to be confused with Petty’s “The Waiting,” which Vedder has played with Petty live on a few occasions, however this ‘waiting’ song is ready. Vedder and Hansard have toured together for years and their combo on this track is proof of genuine appreciation for each other as artists and brothers.
I Will Follow — Cat Power
Cat Power calls Vedder’s bluff and kindly asks him to hold her beer. “I Will Follow” trumps “Rather Be Home” for the meditative winner of the soundtrack.
Wave — Glen Hansard & Eddie Vedder
Water and a prayer. Hansard and Vedder are your love boat captains for this journey because life and nature doesn’t leave us alone. The tribal backbeat waters the plants for throughout this song which is feels like a distant cousin of the live-looped “Arc” from Vedder’s solo performances. Buy the ticket and ride the wave.
Drive — Eddie Vedder (REM cover)
Eddie Vedder covers an underrated REM song that the people need with what feels like a precisely timed cover that is both original and its facsimile. REM’s “Drive” was the lead single released from Automatic For The People that dropped the Fall of 1992 which also yielded notable singles “Man On the Moon” and “Everybody Hurts.” Pearl Jam and REM have been allies with skin in the game for decades prepared to begin the begin. Vedder appeared on their 2014 album Collapse Into Now’s “It Happened Today” adding his baritone to the mix. However, many may not know the B-side to “Drive” was a re-working of the Batman theme titled “Winged Mammal Thing” which was intended for the Tim Burton film, Batman Returns, but didn’t make the cut. On this cover, Vedder drives to the hole in his tricked-out Batmobile and dunks on it with his guttural vocal.
Dream — Cat Power
Chan is back to give you a hug, tuck you into bed and is dreaming for us. Cat Power is back in the building to drop the mic on the Flag Day soundtrack with nary a heartfelt flag to give.
The Flag Day Motion Picture Soundtrack is available now on all streaming services and your local record store.
8/10
