I think the overall thematic continuity on this album is as tight as its ever been. Excellent melodies and deliveries. The lyrics are a little more conversational and less overwritten in places. Now I LIKE Eddie's denser lyrics, but there are still some great moments on this record. Some of my favorites so far (this is not necessarily a list of my favorite vocal moments - just 'on the page' lyrics

In my weakness did I somehow get too loud?

is this what we've become? one last setting sun?

You are innocent til proven innocent

Rivers overflowing drowning all our yesterdays

The mistakes we all make and perfectly repeat

Combing through the wreckage, pouring through the sand
Surrounded by the remnants, what we could and couldn't have

raking through the ashes, falling through my hands
Charcoal on the faces int he burned up photographs

You're now like the water and the water will find its way

This game of winner takes all, and all means nothing left
Spoils go the victor, and the other left for dead

(lots of great moments in wreckage)

steal the light from your eyes
drain the blood from our hearts
in all of this dark matter

this blame takes shape
still everybody else pays
for someone else's mistake

Eroding away, pulling apart
in all of this dark matter

As she smiled and played a minor chord
in a key I never heard before
one song and it was done

For in my dream you told me to let the longing go
And the promise I still hold
Won't tell a soul

The distance to the end is closer now than its ever been

though the book it may never be ready by anyone
by anyone but me

you can be loved by everyone one
and not feel, not feel love

(best lyric on the album)

Finds herself in the song
Feels her own voice rising

You can relate but still can't stop
or conquer the fear you are what you're not

You can be told to not give up
And still not hear a word from above

You can't take or give what you've got
Dissolve the fear, you are what you're not

You can be loved, you can be love

We done all we can do

Whoever said love is a compromise knew you

Lets get to the point we are all heard and seen

Something's got to give

they say in the end everything will be okay
if it's not okay, well then it ain't the end

Turns out forever has come and gone
Am I the only one still hanging on?

If you could see what I see now
You'd find a way to stay somehow

Let us not fade

Waiting for Stevie is on my short list for best overall lyrics in a pearl jam song (front to back). Need to think on that.

Scared of Fear may also be on the short list for best elevation of lyrics by performance. There are plenty of perfectly fine lyrics that feel incredible in the moment

these:

As she smiled and played a minor chord
in a key I never heard before
one song and it was done

For in my dream you told me to let the longing go
And the promise I still hold
Won't tell a soul

and:

I'd open the door, let you in,
I would open it if you came
but if it's not you knocking,
it's staying closed

I mean, you listed all the best ones, but I’ll add a few more:

We all like control
I surrender to you, dear

You are hurting and
It’s so magnificent

The dark moon is setting
On your cheap disguise

(Honestly got to give might have the best lyrics end to end or holistically, even though other songs have better single lines. It tells such a good story and has clever word play throughout)

Top lyrical moments that I absolutely adore belting out with the song (not just lyrics purely, but impact of lyrics plus how they’re sung and felt):

But you’re now like the water,
And the water will find its way

You can be loved
And still not feel, feel love

May your days be long
Till kingdom come

got to give has lyrics in the dolby atmos itunes track, but I don't know that i fully trust them. the absence of full lyrics annoys me.

what do folks think the full chorus is?

What do you mean? The lyrics in Apple Music seem perfectly on point and all there.

the ‘breaks in my heart’ line was the one I was suspicious of - partly because i heard something else first and so my possibly/probably made up line is in my head

I hear:

I’ll be the last one standing
I’ll be the first to forgive, yeah
Turned away empty-handed
Breaking (or bracing) my heart til something gives

POTATO

POTATO

I didn't want to list that and make the other lyrics feel bad

Has a tear come to my eye more than once when Ed sings "you're both so special". Yes. Do I understand why? No. Does that line deserve it? Not at all.

That’s not far off from the ‘official’ lyrics, but I like these better.

I think Wreckage is by far the best lyric for me; there's a lot of moments in other songs where the lyric works great in concert with the performance, but Wreckage is the one that works the best on the page for me, particularly this line:

Combing through the wreckage, pouring through the sand
Surrounded by the remnants, what we could and couldn't have
Raking through the ashes, falling through my hands
Charcoal on the faces in the burned up photographs

I heard bracing, which I really like.

"Breaks in my heart till something gives" seems to be the lyric

there are some really wonderful moments in Wreckage. There are a few 'words on the page' moments that feel a little stilted but he makes it work with an incredible vocal melody.

All the incandescence that is your essence
The unexpected embrace, embrace the unexpected
There's no book on this life, there's no use as directed
The best part I know was when we were connected

A+

yeah that's really good

And super distinctly Ed.