SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PEARL JAM – DARK MATTER

PEARL JAM
DARK MATTER
MONKEYWRENCH RECORDS/REPUBLIC RECORDS/UNIVERSAL MUSIC CANADA

Four years following their underrated, and unfortunately seemingly forgotten, 2020 album, Gigaton, Pearl Jam has returned with Dark Matter. The album marks one of the only occasions that the band has not worked with long-time producer and engineer Brendan O’Brien, instead choosing to work with producer Andrew Watt (The Rolling Stones, Iggy Pop, Ozzy Osbourne) following his successful collaboration with Eddie Vedder on his 2022 solo record, Earthling. Most importantly, however, Dark Matter sees Pearl Jam return with their heaviest album in over two decades, making their newest album a triumphant return to form.

Opening with “Scared Of Fear”, Pearl Jam sound larger than life, mirroring the scale of their landmark debut, Ten. The song is a whirlwind of crunching riffs, a driving chorus, and a pair of shredding guitar solos while Vedder waxes poetic on mourning a life long gone, something most, if not all, of us can resonate with. There is an element of “Scared Of Fear” that feels reminiscent for “Rearviewmirror” while still embracing the chord-heavy direction Pearl Jam has adopted over the last decade. “React, Respond”, on the other hand, is an up-tempo track delivered at a brisk pace with an unwavering punk energy to it. The interplay between guitarists Mike McCready, Stone Gossard, and bassist Jeff Ament shines particularly in the verses. Tonally, the three of them sound incredible with an array of complimenting tones that feel curated and honed. “React, Respond” stands as not only one of the strongest tracks on Dark Matter, but as one of the greatest hard rockers from Pearl Jam since their 2006 self-titled album.

As one should come to expect, Dark Matter unfolds in a seemingly sprawling manner, full of hard-hitting rockers and yearnful ballads, both performed with an equal level of artistic conviction. “Wreckage” sees the band lean into a folky tone that continues to connect Pearl Jam to Neil Young and Crazy Horse, while “Upper Hand” is a jangly track that leans into a sense of melancholy, despite its striking chorus. The best example of balladry, however, comes from the closing track, “Setting Sun”, a reflective song that sees Vedder’s vocals soar over an array of acoustic guitars and distant percussion. “Setting Sun” is simply a stunning song that can stand among some of the band’s greatest ballads. On the flip side, in addition to the opening tracks, Dark Matter is, through and through, a record that rocks hard. The title track, for example, sees crunchy riffs collide with belting vocals and thunderous drums, while “Running” sprints at breakneck speeds.

Furthermore, there is something to be said about the musical performances throughout Dark Matter. While Pearl Jam has always been recognized as a strong band, much of the attention falls to their collective abilities as songwriters and Vedder’s vocal delivery and versatility, leaving Gossard and McCready to stand as incredibly underrated guitarists – at least, as underrecognized as a consistently leading arena band for the last 30 years can be. Additionally, Cameron regularly underplays on the drums, opting to serve the song, making him the band’s most consistent drummer, but heard in more of a supporting role. While not quite rivaling the complexity of his influential work with Soundgarden, Dark Matter feels as though Cameron is regularly in the driver’s seat, leading the band through unexpected twists and turns at a relentless pace while McCready and Gossard’s solos are tasteful and over abundant all at once, serving as a climatic tool to escalate the tension and intensity of a song. Additionally, their ability to weave rhythm and lead parts around each other is perhaps best heard on this album, denoting a sense of depth in their ability to play off one another without stepping on the other’s toes in a way that has been foundational to their dynamic since the beginning, but through the album’s production is significantly more apparent.

Watt strikes again with a masterfully produced album that feels like a latter career highlight among Pearl Jam’s incredible and vast body of work. Impressively, the band is able to conjure an energy that has been less present in their modern work; however, through revisiting familiar territory, Pearl Jam has done so with the prowess of a veteran musical outfit, steeped with decades of experience as both performers and songwriters. As a result, Dark Matter is simultaneously reminiscent of their youth, but stands fresh in how they approach the past. The resulting album feels like the beginning of a thrilling new era for the band as Pearl Jam sound absolutely revitalised creatively on Dark Matter, a truly exciting record that captures the band at their best in nearly two decades.

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