Pearl Jam gave a listen to their new album to a few hundred lucky individuals, including friends, family, and industry insiders, at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. They didn’t perform it live but played the recording.
“We get together, as we have for over 30 years, and say, ‘Let’s give it a shot,'” explained Eddie Vedder. “I think it’s our best work, and it’s not hyperbole.” It was recorded a year ago, added bassist Jeff Ament.
Vedder likened the process of making an album for a band with a long history like Pearl Jam to creating the perfect wave for a surfer like Kelly Slater. The idea, he said, was to create music based on emotions like “anxiety, anger, sadness, joy, regret.”
According to AP, the lyrics are quite dark, especially in the early songs. However, as the listening progresses, the band’s typical sense of hope becomes apparent.
It’s known that the album was produced by Andrew Watt, who was present in the room, and was recorded at least in part at Rick Rubin’s Shangri-La in Malibu. The official title (some are betting on Dark Matter) and release date are not known. It will contain 11 songs.
The group’s latest studio album is “Gigaton” from 2020.