Dark Matter | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 19, 2024 | |||
Recorded | 2021; 2023 | |||
Studio | Shangri-La, Malibu, California | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 48:21 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | Andrew Watt | |||
Pearl Jam chronology | ||||
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Singles from Dark Matter | ||||
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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 was accompanied by the Dark Matter World Tour. The album received Grammy nominations for Best Rock Album, Best Rock Song ("Dark Matter"), and Best Rock Performance ("Dark Matter"). [2]
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 [3] 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". [4] 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. [5] 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". [6] 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. [7]
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. [8]
On February 13, Pearl Jam announced the album alongside the release of the title track as a lead single. [9] The single was Consequence of Sound's album of the week. [10]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 7.7/10 [11] |
Metacritic | 81/100 [12] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Classic Rock | [13] |
The Independent | 9/10 [14] |
Kerrang! | 5/5 [15] |
Mojo | [16] |
NME | [17] |
Pitchfork | 6.4/10 [18] |
Rolling Stone | [19] |
Spin | A− [20] |
Uncut | 8/10 [21] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Dark Matter received "universal acclaim" with 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." [22] 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". [21]
Pitchfork's 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". [18]
On the US Billboard 200, Dark Matter debuted at number five with 59,000 album-equivalent units, marking the band's thirteenth top 10 album. Of that sum, it sold 52,000 physical units, including 24,000 vinyl copies, helped by its availability in twelve different vinyl color variants. As of August 2024, the album has earned over 107,000 equivalent album units in the United States. [23] The singles "Dark Matter" and "Wreckage" have also enjoyed success, both topping the Mainstream Rock Airplay, the band's first number ones since 1997's "Given to Fly" and marking the first time ever the band has had two number one songs on the chart from the same album.
On February 13, 2024, Pearl Jam announced they would embark on a 2024 world tour in promotion of Dark Matter, titled Dark Matter World Tour. 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. [24]
The Dark Matter World Tour unfolds over four legs. [25]
All lyrics are written by Eddie Vedder; all music is composed by Pearl Jam and Andrew Watt, except "Something Special" by Pearl Jam, Watt and Josh Klinghoffer.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Scared of Fear" | 4:25 |
2. | "React, Respond" | 3:30 |
3. | "Wreckage" | 5:00 |
4. | "Dark Matter" | 3:31 |
5. | "Won't Tell" | 3:28 |
6. | "Upper Hand" | 5:57 |
7. | "Waiting For Stevie" | 5:41 |
8. | "Running" | 2:19 |
9. | "Something Special" | 4:06 |
10. | "Got to Give" | 4:37 |
11. | "Setting Sun" | 5:45 |
Total length: | 48:21 |
Pearl Jam
Additional musicians
Production personnel
Chart (2024) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA) [26] | 2 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [27] | 2 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [28] | 2 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [29] | 3 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard) [30] | 9 |
Croatian International Albums (HDU) [31] | 2 |
Danish Albums (Hitlisten) [32] | 17 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [33] | 2 |
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [34] | 13 |
French Albums (SNEP) [35] | 13 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [36] | 2 |
Greek Albums (IFPI) [37] | 24 |
Hungarian Physical Albums (MAHASZ) [38] | 16 |
Icelandic Albums (Tónlistinn) [39] | 7 |
Irish Albums (OCC) [40] | 2 |
Italian Albums (FIMI) [41] | 3 |
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [42] | 29 |
Japanese Digital Albums (Oricon) [43] | 25 |
Japanese Hot Albums ( Billboard Japan ) [44] | 27 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [45] | 3 |
Polish Albums (ZPAV) [46] | 4 |
Portuguese Albums (AFP) [47] | 2 |
Scottish Albums (OCC) [48] | 2 |
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [49] | 3 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [50] | 21 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [51] | 2 |
UK Albums (OCC) [52] | 2 |
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) [53] | 1 |
US Billboard 200 [54] | 5 |
US Top Rock & Alternative Albums ( Billboard ) [55] | 1 |
US Top Alternative Albums ( Billboard ) [56] | 1 |
US Top Hard Rock Albums ( Billboard ) [57] | 1 |
US Top Rock Albums ( Billboard ) [58] | 1 |
Eddie Jerome Vedder is an American singer, musician, and songwriter. He is the lead vocalist, primary lyricist, and one of three guitarists for the rock band Pearl Jam. He was previously a guest vocalist for supergroup Temple of the Dog, a tribute band dedicated to the late singer Andrew Wood.
Vitalogy is the third studio album by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 22, 1994, on Epic Records. Pearl Jam wrote and recorded Vitalogy while touring behind its previous album Vs. (1993). The album's sound is more diverse than previous releases and consists of aggressive rock songs, ballads and other styles, making it Pearl Jam's most experimental album at that period. Considered a departure from the grunge sound of the band's first two albums, the record focuses more on punk rock and hardcore styles in its production.
Ten is the debut studio album by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released on August 27, 1991, through Epic Records. Following the dissolution of their previous band Mother Love Bone in 1990, bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard began rehearsing with new guitarist Mike McCready. The group recorded a five-song instrumental demo tape that included contributions from Matt Cameron on drums. Copies of the demo were eventually given to drummer Dave Krusen and vocalist Eddie Vedder, both of whom were invited to audition for the band in Seattle. Many of the songs on Ten were instrumental jams or reworked Mother Love Bone songs for which Vedder provided lyrics.
Vs. is the second studio album by the American rock band Pearl Jam, released on October 19, 1993, through Epic Records. After a relentless touring schedule in support of their 1991 debut album Ten, Pearl Jam headed into the studio in early 1993 facing the challenge of following up the commercial success of its debut. The resulting album, Vs., featured a rawer and more aggressive sound compared with the band's previous release. It was the band's first collaboration with producer Brendan O'Brien and its first album with drummer Dave Abbruzzese.
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