A review of Pearl Jam’s 12th studio album.

Editor’s Note: This review contains mentions of suicide and depression. 

Pearl Jam has come a long way from the grunge movement of the 1990s. Many of the faces of grunge have passed, but Pearl Jam remains — for better, or for worse. The band got its start in Seattle’s grunge scene in 1990, the same scene that hoisted Kurt Cobain and Nirvana into stardom. Their first album, Ten, boasted hits like Alive and Even Flow, earning Pearl Jam commercial success. 

Dark Matter is the band’s 12th studio album, and a marked change from their debut album. The album starts with a burning intro, “Scared of Fear,” a song reminiscing about their past, their scene. The song is a lackluster and monotone fist-pumping pop-rock song, coming off as poppy at best and sinisterly sophomoric at worst. But, if there’s one thing Pearl Jam can do in 2024, it’s write a compelling and heart-tugging bridge — exactly the savior of the song, and maybe the subsequent album.

“React, Respond” is also lackluster, but mostly in emotion. Grunge came from the anger of the 1990s, and none of that anger is felt in this album. It feels almost like it mocks Pearl Jam’s classic brooding chords and anger, which were characteristics that defined the entire band. The chords are markedly simple, splashing with pop elements and little variance. 

“Wreckage” has the folksy roots of early Pearl Jam, with the sadness and hope balanced in a way only lead singer’s Eddie Vedder’s vocal cords could do. It is introspective and cutting, perhaps dealing with potential feelings of grief after Vedder’s historic trashing of a hotel room after the news of his friend Kurt Cobain’s suicide. Or, maybe the loss of the grunge scene itself, exaggerated with the suicide of Soundgarden’s lead singer, Chris Cornell, in 2017.

“Oh, visited by thought / And this I got to say / If you’re feeling the leaving / I can’t make you stay / I’ve only ever wanted / For it not to be this way.” 

The lyrics indicate feelings of suicide, sadness or greater struggle. The thought is perhaps indicative of suicide, or at least sadness. 

The title track, “Dark Matter,” starts with a 2015-esque beat and lyrics about societal injustice. The emotionally void lyrics say,

“No tolerance for / Intolerance or / No patience left for / Impatience no more.” 

Even though the backing track is generic and uncharacteristically cheery, Vedder’s lyrics still glimmer a bit. The lyrics are nothing in comparison to “Satan’s Bed,” where they sing, 

“I’ll never suck Satan’s dick.” Dark Matter’s lyrics are ironic, since the album is made with the same sound the band originally rebelled against: mainstream rock. 

“Won’t Tell” is a mid-tempo jam with tender lyrics, seemingly about grief or a failing relationship. 

“But if it’s not you knocking / It’s staying closed / Oh, I’d open the door, shed all my skin / Allow for a bit of grace / For in my dream you told / Me to let the longing go.” 

The slower tempo beat misses out on creating emotion through its little variance in dynamics. Dynamics, the variance in volume in music, would supplement the emotional punch of the lyrics. 

The best of the album is the ‘90s ballad “Upper Hand.” It starts with a beautifully weird, gothic, new-wave instrumental that crescendos into a low bass and guitar riff before transitioning to the iconic kick drum and snare of early Pearl Jam. 

Vedder’s vocals cut in with “The distance to the end / Is closer now than it’s ever been,” perhaps pointing to the band’s well-traveled experience. The song explores the 33-year career of Pearl Jam. The title potentially nods to Vedder’s early days as a high school dropout, working at a nightclub to support himself through San Diego’s music scene. 

“The lines, once defined, getting blurry now / And I hope the people are smiling.” 

Vedder has said before in an interview that he sees his music as “a paint color that I’ve never seen, so I mix it myself.” Perhaps this line is an ode to that sentiment or the changing times. 

“Waiting For Stevie” has a cool backstory, but that’s the only prop to hold the song up. Vedder wrote it while working on his solo album, also produced by Andrew Watt, when Stevie Wonder was running late to the recording session. The song has an almost R&B feel to it, but falls short in providing any emotion with its generic lost love sentiments and heard-before riffs. 

The rest of the album is more of the same generic beat with lackluster lyricism, until the showstopping ending of “Setting Sun.” The jazzy synth intro, combined with reggae-esque drums and Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville–style guitar strums, feels like a splash of cold water on a hot day. Vedder’s voice is almost sultry here,

“Had dreams, to you, I would belong / Had the dream you would stay with me ‘till kingdom come / Turns out, forever has come and gone / Am I the only one hanging on?” 

The swelling of the synth behind the moody, inquisitive lyrics and the dynamic changes in Vedder’s voice make the song somewhat a tear-jerker, if not a proud and triumphant end to an otherwise lacking album. 

The album is lackluster because of the pick of Andrew Watt as producer. Watt is a well-known pop producer for the likes of Justin Bieber, Post Malone and Camila Cabello. Vedder said in an interview with Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe, “Andrew would, to be honest, he’d start to piss me off a little bit.” Vedder said in the interview that Watt pushed them to work fast and hard, perhaps indicative of the go-go-go mentality of mainstream pop music, but definitely indicative of the rushed and unimaginative sound of Dark Matter. 

Pearl Jam is an institution in rock, much like their forefathers, The Misfits, The Beatles, The Who and Black Sabbath. In some ways, Dark Matter is a testament to change, and in others, a testament to failure. But Pearl Jam doesn’t need another hit album — and that’s evident here. 

I told my dad I was writing this review and he texted me, “Pearl Jam is living on their past efforts. You can include that in your review. Times have changed since the ‘90s.” Well said, Dad. Times have definitely changed.

4.7/10 

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, you can call the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or text “HOME” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. 

Header by Julia Hester