Consequence’s Song of the Week highlights the latest and greatest new tracks each week. Find these new favorites and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist, and for other great songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, Pearl Jam
33 years into the game and Pearl Jam still know how to let it rip. 2020’s Gigaton was their 11th studio album, and it has enough good songs that trolls can hardly talk shit about it before getting dogpiled by diehards. As “Dark Matter” proves, the group haven’t lost anything in the intervening four years — in fact, they’re learning new tricks.
The latest addition to the PJ sound comes courtesy of producer Andrew Watt, who gets co-writing credits on the lyrics and composition. Eddie Vedder had previously collaborated with Watt on his solo album Earthlings alongside Josh Klinghoffer, and he brought both men into the studio for the Dark Matter sessions.
It’s hard to argue with the results. The title track of LP12 opens with thunderous drums from Matt Cameron that would do Phil Collins proud, before Jeff Ament’s baritone guitar comes purring in. Watt highlights some phrases with guitar reverb so intense it approaches static, while Vedder’s voice explores the “strange” days “when everybody else pays for someone else’s mistake.” He doesn’t get too specific about who’s doing the scapegoating or who’s taking the blame, but his political intentions are hard to miss in the “dark matter” that surrounds the narrator.
As they continue to evolve, Pearl Jam remain a musical force to be reckoned with, and “Dark Matter” only adds to their legacy.
Wren Graves
Features Editor