There's something rather touching about seeing a seasoned session musician step in to keep the beat going for one of rock's biggest acts. Abe Laboriel Jr. bringing his considerable chops to Pearl Jam is the kind of musical generosity that reminds us these aren't just stadium-sized operations, but real people adapting on the fly. Whether this is a one-off or something more, it shows that Pearl Jam are keeping their options open, and our listeners who've followed the band's journey know that flexibility has always been part of their DNA.