Dark Matter (Pearl Jam album) explained

Dark Matter
Type:studio
Artist:Pearl Jam
Cover:Pearl Jam - Dark Matter.png
Recorded:2021; 2023
Studio:Shangri-La, Malibu, California
Genre:
Length:48:21
Label:
Producer:Andrew Watt
Prev Title:Give Way
Prev Year:2023

Dark Matter is the twelfth studio album by American rock band Pearl Jam, released on April 19, 2024, through Monkeywrench Records and Republic Records. Produced by Andrew Watt, the album was preceded by the singles "Dark Matter", "Running" and "Wreckage".

Recorded at Shangri-La in Malibu, California and Watt's home studio, the album is the first to feature contributions from touring and session member Josh Klinghoffer, who joined the band on its 2022–2023 Gigaton Tour. The album marked a return to the band working together as a five-piece in a fast-paced studio environment; in contrast to their previous studio album, Gigaton (2020), which was recorded over several years and individual sessions.

The album was released to widespread critical acclaim, and will be accompanied by a world tour.

Background and recording

After successfully working together on frontman Eddie Vedder's 2022 studio album, Earthling, record producer Andrew Watt was enlisted to produce Pearl Jam's twelfth studio album. The band's first recording sessions for Dark Matter took place in February 2021 at Watt's home studio, which yielded the first two tracks, "Scared of Fear" and "React, Respond".

The majority of Dark Matter was recorded over three weeks in 2023[1] at Shangri-La in Malibu, California and, according to a press release, "channels the shared spirit of a group of lifelong creative confidants and brothers in one room playing as if their very lives depended on it".[2] On November 29, 2023, drummer Matt Cameron revealed that they finished a record with assistance from Andrew Watt and that it was "mastered, mixed, ready to go" at the time.[3] On January 5, 2024, guitarist Mike McCready described the album as "a lot heavier" than one might expect, saying that recording was less time-consuming than for their previous record Gigaton, mostly thanks to the involvement from Watt, who was said to have "kicked [their] asses".[4] Later that month, on January 31, the band and Watt debuted Dark Matter in front of a group of fans at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, California, without revealing lyrics or song titles. During the event, Eddie Vedder opined that this is their best work to date and how he could not be prouder of the band.[5]

The album's packaging features light painting art by Alexandr Gnezdilov. The album cover art was crafted using a large self-made kaleidoscope. Each letter visible on the cover was individually captured and handwritten midair with a specially designed flashlight to create the pearlescent effect.[6]

On February 13, Pearl Jam announced the album alongside the release of the title track as a lead single.[7] The single was Consequence of Sounds album of the week.[8]

Critical reception

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Dark Matter received a weighted average score of 81 out of 100 from 17 critics. Ultimate Classic Rock said "With cutting lyrics and slicing riffs, Eddie Vedder and the band delivered their most satisfying album since the '90s."[9] Uncut called it "a fretful and ferocious record, lyrically much preoccupied with things having ended or appearing about to end, but musically much more blaze of glory than any kind of funeral pyre".

Pitchforks Zach Shonfeld offered measured praise of the album, stating that "Dark Matter plays like another solid late-era Pearl Jam record, reliable but not revelatory" and highlighted "Wreckage" and "Upper Hand", the latter of which he said "ranks among the best Pearl Jam songs this century". Shonfeld described "Waiting for Stevie" (which Vedder said in a Howard Stern interview had originated when he and Watt were idly waiting for Stevie Wonder to show up and record a harmonica part for Vedder's solo album Earthling) as a "meaty, anthemic rocker of the kind the band has largely shied away from this side of Y2K" that had "already become a favorite in the PJ fan community".[10]

Commercial Performance

As of August 2024 the album has earned over 107,000 equivalent album units in the United States.[11]

Tour

On February 13, 2024, Pearl Jam announced they would embark on a 2024 world tour in promotion of Dark Matter. On April 16, 2024, Pearl Jam made a promotional visualization "experience" in select movie theaters featuring the album being played in the dark with the album being played again in a visualization sequence, for one night only.[12]

The 2024 world tour will unfold over four legs.[13]

Personnel

Pearl Jam

Additional musicians

Production personnel

Charts

Chart (2024)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[14] 2
Croatian International Albums (HDU)[15] 2
Greek Albums (IFPI)[16] 24
Hungarian Physical Albums (MAHASZ)[17] 16
Icelandic Albums (Plötutíðindi)[18] 7
Italian Albums (FIMI)[19] 3
Japanese Digital Albums (Oricon)[20] 25
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[21] 27
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[22] 3
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[23] 21
US Top Rock & Alternative Albums (Billboard)[24] 1
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[25] 1
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[26] 1
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[27] 1

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pearl Jam Tease New Album Dark Matter, Single Out Tonight. Hudson. Alex. Exclaim!. February 13, 2024. February 13, 2024.
  2. Pearl Jam Preview New Album With Electrifying Single Dark Matter. Zemler. Emily. Rolling Stone. February 13, 2024. February 13, 2024.
  3. Web site: Pearl Jam's New Album Is 'Mastered, Mixed' And 'Ready To Go'. Blabbermouth.net. November 29, 2023. February 13, 2024.
  4. Web site: Mike McCready: New Pearl Jam album is "a lot heavier than you'd expect". Revolver. January 5, 2024. February 13, 2024.
  5. Web site: Pearl Jam Unveil Upcoming Album At Daytime L.A. Playback. Cohen. Jonathan. Spin. January 31, 2024. February 13, 2024.
  6. Web site: New Album, Dark Matter, Out April 19, 2024. Pearl Jam. February 12, 2024. February 12, 2024.
  7. Pearl Jam Unleashes "Dark Matter", Sets New Album. Brandle. Lars. Billboard. February 13, 2024. February 13, 2024.
  8. Web site: 2024-02-16 . Pearl Jam's "Dark Matter" is Our Song of the Week . 2024-04-06 . en-US.
  9. News: Gallucci . Michael . April 16, 2024 . Pearl Jam, Dark Matter: Album Review . April 17, 2024 . Ultimate Classic Rock.
  10. Web site: Schonfeld . Zach . Pearl Jam: Dark Matter . 2024-04-24 . Pitchfork . en-US.
  11. Clinch . Danny . Pearl Jam Returns to No. 1 on Adult Alternative Airplay Chart With 'Wreckage' . 2024-08-03 . Billboard . en-US.
  12. Web site: Pearl Jam - Dark Matter World Tour 2024 . 2024-03-20 . pearljam.com.
  13. Web site: Pearl Jam - Upcoming Shows . 2024-04-30 . pearljam.com.
  14. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association. April 29, 2024. April 26, 2024.
  15. Web site: Lista prodaje 18. tjedan 2024.. April 22, 2024. . hr. May 8, 2024. May 8, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240508093520/https://www.top-lista.hr/www/lista-prodaje-strano-18-tjedan-2024/. dead.
  16. Web site: Official IFPI Charts − Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Combined) − Εβδομάδα: 19/2024. May 16, 2024. . el. May 16, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240516055909/https://www.ifpi.gr/charts_el.html.
  17. Web site: Album Top 40 slágerlista (fizikai hanghordozók) – 2024. 19. hét . . 16 May 2024.
  18. Web site: Tónlistinn – Plötur – Vika 17 – 2024 . . is. The Music – Albums – Week 17 – 2024. April 27, 2024. April 27, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240427182839/http://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/. live.
  19. Web site: Album – Classifica settimanale WK 17 (dal 19.04.2024 al 25.04.2024). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. it. April 27, 2024.
  20. Web site: Oricon Top 50 Digital Albums: April 29, 2024. Oricon. ja. April 24, 2024.
  21. Web site: Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of April 24, 2024. Billboard Japan. ja. April 24, 2024.
  22. Web site: NZ Top 40 Albums Chart. Recorded Music NZ. April 29, 2024. April 26, 2024.
  23. Web site: Veckolista Album, vecka 17. Sverigetopplistan. April 26, 2024.
  24. Pearl Jam Chart History: Top Rock & Alternative Albums. Billboard. April 30, 2024.
  25. Pearl Jam Chart History: Top Alternative Albums. Billboard. May 4, 2024.
  26. Pearl Jam Chart History: Top Hard Rock Albums. Billboard. May 4, 2024.
  27. Pearl Jam Chart History: Top Rock Albums. Billboard. May 4, 2024.