Dark Matter
by Pearl Jam

Best Pearl Jam album since Binaural (2000).

In true Pearl Jam fashion, this album is such a grower. Took at least two or three spins to resonate, now I'm convinced that it's their best work since Yield. React/Respond, Dark Matter, Waiting for Stevie and Got to Give are absolute bangers. Wreckage and Setting Sun are just gorgeous and bittersweet. Complaints? Something Special is kitschy and skippable, and Scared of Fear has a weak chorus. But overall, wow. Who would have thought that the best rock album of 2024 would come from Pearl Jam, 30-plus years into their career...

This band needs to hang it up already as they haven’t made a good album since the 2006 self-titled release.

Definitely a return to form for Pearl Jam and the best album the band has released since 2009’s Backspacer.

Although, it’s still no where near the band’s artistic peak…which was between Ten and Binaural IMO. But Dark Matter is still a good album in its own right.

Also, Dark Matter is probably the band’s best album cover and artwork they have ever made for a particular studio album.

I love Matt Cameron but he's the WRONG drummer dor PJ.
In this record drumming and productionare simply ridicolous.

Great return to form after a few average albums since their self titled release in 2006. As another reviewer mentioned, the two singles although not bad, turned out to be the weaker songs on the album the rest is brilliant!

Dark Matter sees Pearl Jam rekindle energy that most fans were starting to doubt they could offer. The band hasn’t sounded this focused since the turn of the century and is their best effort since the greatly under-appreciated Binaural. Dark Matter sounds like what you would expect from a Pearl Jam album, but also surprises just enough to keep you intrigued. In ways it is a summary of the many sounds the band has perfected over the years but still has more to give. The only criticism is the production, particularly of the drum sounds which are overly compressed and ‘boomy’ at times. Ed also has a tendency to add too many lyrics particularly on songs like React, Respond. Nonetheless, the agency that made Pearl Jam a stand out of the 90s is present and sounding as good as any 60 year olds could.

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I had low expectations after Dark Matter and Running. Turns out those are the worst tracks on the album. The rest is possibly their best material since Riot Act

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