Pearl Jam’s ‘Dark Matter’ Is Truly Something Special

On April 16, Pearl Jam did what Pearl Jam does so well - bringing people together through music. Fans gathered from all over the world to get a first listen to their 12th studio record. Via a one-night-only special, movie theaters across the globe played Pearl Jam's Dark Matter twice for lucky fans in attendance. The fact that a band well into its third decade can draw an audience of fans from their 20s through their 60s to a movie theater on a weeknight to simply listen to new music (which will be available later this week) shows how much Pearl Jam still means to its fanbase in 2024.

But what does a new Pearl Jam album mean in 2024? Upon listening to Dark Matter, I thought about Eddie Vedder's comments at a pre-Grammy Awards listening event in Los Angeles back in January.

"No hyperbole: I think this is our best work,” Vedder said to guests at the Troubadour, introducing Dark Matter for the first time.  There's a reason why he feels this way. Listening to the album, you are reminded of when the "Given To Fly" lyrics were changed from "he still stands" to "we still stand," at the band's 2017 Rock Hall induction performance. And they're doing more than just standing. They're a rare Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band that still has something to say.

A lot has happened in the six years since that amazing night in New York. This includes Gigaton, the band's 11th studio record that came out on March 27, 2020. Yes, as you recall, the album dropped right at the start of a global pandemic.

So, now it's fair to ask the question, how does Dark Matter differ from Gigaton? My answer is that it isn't a huge departure from that album. Gigaton will forever be that pillar of strength that many turned to while understandably being scared of the future. It's also an album that was released just as most of us suddenly found ourselves with a lot of extra time to listen to it. Gigaton unexpectedly benefitted from unfortunate timing. We were lucky because it seemed Gigaton made a lot of sense at a time where nothing else did.

I think it's important to acknowledge that as we now begin to embrace the new wave that is Dark Matter, and trustfully ride it where it takes us. Gigaton has it's solid place in the history of Pearl Jam, that now has inspired the next chapter, and the lasting ripple effect it will have on bringing us together.

"I’m going to put these five amazing guys together in a small space where they can all see each other, and get them to play together and capture that energy of what happens on stage," producer Andrew Watt told SPIN in a recent interview, about his strategy in recording the band. Watt has something of a magic touch with rock veterans: although he got his start producing pop acts like Post Malone and Justin Bieber, he's more recently produced acts like Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop and Elton John.

Watt, a lifelong Pearl Jam fan, wore a band t-shirt from his collection to each of their recording sessions (he apparently did the same when he produced the latest Rolling Stones album, Hackney Diamonds ). He aimed to inspire a creative process that both dipped into the power of the past and challenged the band to attempt new writing techniques. He required the band to write the songs while they were  together in the studio with Watt (as opposed to bringing in pre-written songs). His gambit worked really well: what we now have a body of work that could "be the sun at the break of dawn," to quote the new song, "Setting Sun."

The first thing we heard in the Dark Matter era was Matt Cameron's hard-driving heartbeat of an intro with the title track and lead single, "Dark Matter," which was released on February 13. This song provides space for each member of the band to showcase their respective instruments.

There are crunchy and groovy guitars by Stone Gossard. An overflowing, inner-rhythm of bass tempo by Jeff Ament lays the foundation. Mike McCready then lights it all on fire while Vedder soulfully delivers a message that makes you think but, more importantly, makes you feel.

In fact, this is present throughout Dark Matter, where each band member invites you into their world of artistry. With Watt's involvement, you wonder, was the focus for each band member to do what's best for their playing style, as opposed to what's best for the song? In doing, it seems that ultimately created the best version of each song possible.

Throughout the 48-plus minutes of Dark Matter, Vedder sings the line, "If you could see what I see now," in two different songs. That is both the opening thought in  "Something Special," and the start to what is an absolutely epic sendoff in the record closer, "Setting Sun."

Though the vibes in the two songs are different, my hunch is that these Seattle legends, who are now going on 33-plus years together, are perhaps thanking you and each other for being there. Perhaps that line is even a self-discussion, that it's all going to be alright. Regardless, they emphasize appreciating the present moment. We're still alive, as it were.

Gratitude has been a major theme of Pearl Jam in the past decade. Grateful is a word Vedder often states on stage. Dark Matter is a beautiful extension of this sentiment. It will make you feel everything, if you let it.

Do you want a nod to the early '90s that also has something to do with Stevie Wonder? Well, then crank your speakers to the stunning riffs of "Waiting For Stevie," and start dancing. Do you want things to get so dark that "the bright lights make for dark shadows?"  "Upper Hand" is your jam.

Then, there are moments of love with songs like "Something Special," and even "Wreckage," where you hear and feel the group's collective harmonies, with a similar vibe the end of Lightning Bolt's "Sirens," where they all sang together.

Dark Matter acknowledges that, yeah, life can be tough, but it's tough in a different way than it was on Ten, Vs. and Vitalogy. However, together we can celebrate what we do have in sharing this musical experience together - and by taking with us this idea of challenging ourselves while also following our instincts, as Pearl Jam and Watt have done with this record.

These songs are going to be fun to hear live. Furthermore, initially digesting the music via Dolby Atmos certainly sunk its sonic claws into every pore, but experiencing them live in concert will be something special unto itself.

What Pearl Jam has created here with Dark Matter is a record they seem very proud of and excited to share with their greater community. It's a new appreciation of where we all are.

As Vedder sings on "React, Respond," "The light gets brighter as it grows," and that's a great sentiment for a band three decades on. It's also a great sentiment for all of us, who have grown with them for that entire time.

Dark Matter will be released Friday, April 19.

Record Store Day (RSD) 2024 is on April 20. For fans looking forward to hitting up their local record stores, the list of titles has been out for a while now, with additional titles added after the list was released.

As in recent years, releases are broken up into three different categories:

-RSD Exclusive: These titles are physically released only at indie record stores.

-RSD First: These titles are found first at indie record stores. However, they may be released to other retailers or websites at some point in the future

-Small Run/Regional Titles: These titles are either regionally based and sold at specific stores or are press runs under 1000, which means they may be harder to find at record stores around the country.

Without further ado, the following are five titles we think you might want to add to your shopping list. The full titles list can be found at RecordStoreDay.com where you'll also be able to find a list of participating stores.

Record Store Day has been an annual event for nearly two decades, and it grows with every year. However, if you look forward to RSD every year, you may have to thank Metallica for it.

During a panel at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles in April 2022 moderated by Variety, RSD co-founder Michael Kurtz gave massive props to the metal icons for the popularity of the event. Kurtz recalled RSD's inaugural celebration in 2007 saying, "In the beginning, it was very hard, because almost nobody carried vinyl unless it was used, and most used vinyl was 25 or 50 cents...So when I talked to record store owners to get on board, the initial response was pretty negative."

But then, thanks to some connections, Metallica got on board.

"From the feedback we got from the band, the reaction was ‘Hell yeah, let’s do that, that would be fun,'" said Kurtz. "It really was like a big explosion for everybody involved, because Tower [Records] had just gone out of business, and everybody was a little bit down, uncertain about everything. And then Metallica comes in and goes, ‘F--- all that. Let’s have a party.’ And they put out their records on vinyl for that first Record Store Day, and then it just exploded from there."

Record Store Day may just be the driving force behind vinyl's increasing sales in recent years. Per Fortune, "[Vinyl record] sales jumped 61% [in 2021] to $1 billion, the most since 1986, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)."

This might be the most desired item on the RSD list, but it also might be the most difficult to obtain. RSD has been dabbling in these kitchy, yet fun 3" records and turntables in recent years. However, The Beatles are undoubtedly the biggest artist to take part in this unique trend. The limited edition turntable comes with four 3" records: "I Want To Hold Your Hand," "Til There Was You," "She Loves You," and "I Saw Her Standing There." Only 2,300 turntable/record sets have been produced, so you better queue up early.

If your vinyl copy of Rumours has seen better days, you might want to pick up the RSD picture disc version of the classic album. In fact, it's the first time the LP is being released as a picture disc. Side A will feature the iconic Mick Fleetwood/Stevie Nicks album cover, while Side B features a group shot of the band. This is an RSD exclusive release, and only 7,500 copies were pressed.

According to RecordStoreDay.com, "Previously unreleased in full, this celebrated live performance recorded live in 1977 for WCOZ that originally appeared on "The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads" is available as a 2LP collection. Cut at 45rpm and featuring fourteen tracks (seven are previously unheard from the original two-track tapes) recorded at Northern Studios on November 17, 1977, this blistering performances includes "Psycho Killer", "Pulled Up", "Uh-Oh, Love Comes to Town", "A Clean Break (Let's Work)" and more."

This is another RSD exclusive release, and only 8,000 copies have been pressed.

Speaking of Talking Heads, this unique 12" released features Paramore covering the Talking Heads classic "Burning Down The House." (The cover is featured on the upcoming Everyone's Getting Involved: A Tribute to Stop Making Sense.) Additionally, Byrne then recorded a cover of Paramore's "Hard Times."

Byrne shared via X (formerly Twitter), "The band told me that their song Hard Times was inspired by Talking Heads, so I learned it and recorded my version of their great song with a horn section. This was fun!"

Both covers can be heard below. The pressing of the tracks is another RSD exclusive, and only 5,000 copies are available.

Sure, Pearl Jam released their new album a day before Record Store Day 2024, but of course they were going to do something. This pressing of Dark Matter is, in fact, an RSD exclusive release. Only 15,000 copies are available. However, the band make it a little extra fun by pressing the album on yellow and black vinyl.