5 Dark Matter songs you may hear at Pearl Jam's Vancouver tour launch
Grunge scene survivors Pearl Jam will kick off new Dark Matter tour with two concerts at Rogers Arena
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Pearl Jam Dark Matter World Tour
When: May 4 and 6
Where: Rogers Arena, 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver
Tickets/info: ticketmaster.com
What does it feel like to be the last band standing from the grunge era?
That question seems to be getting posed to Pearl Jam quite often in articles promoting the Seattle quintet’s new album Dark Matter and supporting world tour which launches in Vancouver with two Rogers Arena shows on May 4 and 6.
The question isn’t exactly fair, as scene contemporaries Alice in Chains and Mudhoney are still making noise.
But Pearl Jam is the one group that hasn’t marked the passage of time with some kind of tragic turn to a member. The group continues making music with — more or less — the original lineup. The group is on its fifth drummer, but none of them spontaneously combusted on stage or anything.
How does the band do it?
The enduring success seems to be that right out of the gate, the group hit 15 times platinum sales of its debut album Ten — and counting. Five of the most performed songs in the band’s set lists are from that mega hit album. Even Flow is in top spot.
The album is a gift that keeps on giving and, by a huge margin, the group’s best performing release. The next highest earner is 1993s VS at just eight times platinum. None of the group’s top five are from later than 2005, and 2004s Rearviewmirror was a greatest hits compilation.
Which brings listeners to Dark Matter.
The new album dropped on April 19 with the release of the new title track single. Without doubt, the new material bears the stamp of Grammy-winning producer Andrew Watt, whose credits include Justin Bieber, Post Malone and Miley Cyrus. Watt is also the guitarist in PJ singer Eddie Vedder’s backing band the Earthlings.
The 11 track Dark Matter is the 12th release from Pearl Jam and scored an 83 on Metacritic.com in its week of release. That’s three points up on its predecessor 2020s Gigaton. Dark Matter is certainly a focused record.
Here are five songs from Dark Matter to expect in concert and why:
1. Dark Matter
The title track is a grinding rocker that delivers brand recognition for the new album and has a spinning visualizer that just begs to be projected on screen as the band powers through the tune. All of the artsy videos that accompany the new album’s songs are engaging.
2. React, Respond
One of the punkiest riffs that the group has laid down in decades, this almost a bluesy boogie just begs to be jammed out. The band is known for enjoying a lengthy guitar workout or three live, so this is possible. Plus the chorus is a rave-up.
3. Won’t Tell
Is this a new PJ power ballad? With a perfunctory pleading Vedder vocal, it has some real Matchbox Twenty energy. Just another sign that the grunge generation is well ensconced in the AOR vibe that comes with time.
4. Running
The leadoff single from Dark Matter is an obvious choice for a new fan fave in concert. It’s 2:18 seconds of swagger that sounds like something you would have heard blaring out of the Offramp club in 1990. Seriously, this one kicks.
5. Setting Sun
Need a moment to catch your breath with something more rootsy? The closing tune from Dark Matter is a perfect fit to go in with a mellower section that could include Betterman and other more chill moments from the band’s career. Who knows? With any luck, maybe the group will toss in its genius cover of Victoria Williams’ Crazy Mary and Vedder’s fine solo single Hard Sun.
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