Photo Credit: Danny Clinch

On Wednesday, Jan. 31, reports surfaced that Pearl Jam treated friends, family, and music industry professionals to a preview of their 12th studio album during a private concert at The Troubadour in Los Angeles. The band confirmed the album today, sharing that the Dark Matter set will be released on April 19 via Monkeywrench Records/Republic Records. Paired with the news is a 35-date slate of tour appearances to support the impending project. 

Last year, Pearl Jam members Eddie Vedder (vocals), Jeff Ament (bass), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar) and Matt Cameron (drums) turned up at the Malibu, Calif., spot known as Shangri-La Studios, where they worked alongside producer Andrew Watt, writing and recording the set in a mere three-week stint. The group previewed the project today with the first single, which doubles as the title track. Listen below. 

During the album preview at The Troubadour, Vedder said, “I’m getting chills, because I have good memories. We’re still looking for ways to communicate. We’re at this time in our lives when you could do it or you could not do it, but we still care about putting something out there that is meaningful and we hopefully think is our best work. No hyperbole, I think this is our best work.” 

Ament added, “What Ed said about getting us in a room at this point, we felt like we were about to make a really important record. A lot of that had to do with the atmosphere Andrew set up. He has encyclopedic knowledge of our history, not only as a band and how we wrote songs, but as players. He could pinpoint things we did on old songs to the point where I was like, ‘What the fuck is he talking about?’ His excitement was contagious. He’s a force. I just want to say thanks for keeping us on track. I couldn’t be prouder of us as a band. I feel so grateful for the fans, but mostly for my brothers and these people I’ve made music with.”

Pre-order Dark Matter. Listen to the title track below.

Tracking List:

1. Scared of Fear
2. React, Respond
3. Wreckage
4. Dark Matter
5. Won’t Tell
6. Upper Hand
7. Waiting for Stevie
8. Running
9. Something Special
10. Got to Give
11. Setting Sun