Eddie Vedder's emotional flow can be felt while listening to this album. He is the only person who could tell the story of Christopher by songs that perfectly.
It is not an overstatement by saying that some of Vedder's best vocal performances are on this album. "Hard Sun", in particular shows Vedder at his strongest, and along with "Guarenteed", is one of the best songs Vedder has ever penned. Amazing book, movie, and soundtrack.
Vedder's work on a film soundtrack turns out to be a great start for his solo career, and proves to be a very relaxing listen. Ditching Pearl Jam's louder, rougher edges and rather opting for a folky approach that suits him just as well, Vedder created an album with more intimacy than could be realized with his work with the band. The advise is indeed simple: lay down and relax, and let Vedder's excellent voice and acoustic guitar take you away.
If you have ever watched "Into the Wild" movie, and you like it, perhaps you are interested in giving this a listen. Yea, in my opinion, this soundtrack is as good as the movie!...