Pearl Jam-Dark Matter (2024)

Why I Like It:

For the first couple paragraphs of this blog post I will pull a Rob Harvilla (from the phenomenal podcast 60 Songs That Explain The 90s) and discuss my past with other bands, before I get to the main point of this post. Not as well as he does it, but I hope it will be a fun detour.

So, top 3 live experiences that got me to become a true fan of a band, in no order. 

• Metallica and the Through The Never tour-2013: I went to this concert because it's one of my husband's favorite bands and come on, it's Metallica, you have to go. This was a concert that Metallica also filmed for their movie, Through The Never, and boy did they pull out all the stops for this concert! People running around on fire, the stage literally falling apart, electricity shooting through the air towards a floating char...it was intense and hella rockin. It proved why this band is one of the top dogs of metal. 

• Kings of Leon and the Only by The Night tour-2009: I attended this concert just as Kings of Leon was blowing up. My friends were actual true fans, following the band from their Youth and Young Manhood days and I was a tag along. To be honest, I had a chip on my shoulder about this band, who seemed hyped for no good reason. Ha! How dead wrong I proven after their opener song "Closer" was played live. The music sounded even better in concert, than their studio album releases, and I was forever humbled about judging a band from their cover.

• Glorious Sons tour-2017: This was a local venue that I went to, where it may have been 500 people max and The Glorious Sons were touring off their sophomore album Young Beauties and Fools. I vividly remember seeing lead singer Brett Emmons stumble onto stage, clearing under the influence of something, with his wildly hair covering his face. I was a little worried he may be tanking the performance but he gets to his mic, flips the hair back and starts commanding the room with his energy and charisma. The whole show was fantastic and it felt like I was witnessing a legendary band before they become huge (like The Rolling Stones or AC/DC). It gave me a taste of the golden era of the rock 'n' roll and it will forever be a cherished feeling. 

Ok ok, enough about my concert experiences, let's chat about Pearl Jam for goodness sakes! This past May I was able to witness the legendary band that is Pearl Jam, for the first time, in Vancouver. It was their first stop of the tour and I was beyond excited to see a band that has been with me, all the way from my childhood, till now. 

I know that Pearl Jam has a huge and loyal fan base, where people proudly proclaim how many concerts they've been to, to show they're more dedicated then the others. Heck, there's whole podcasts and books about them. One neat thing that I've found out is that the band will never play the same set twice, so every concert is a unique experience. With all this being said...I had some expectations before going to the show. 

At this point lets get to punchline, my mind was blown and the expectations were actually exceeded. It was everything from the attention to details of the local environment they were in, like commenting on the Canucks NHL game that was the next night, to the city specific tour merchandise. Then there was the homages to musicians that have passed on, like bringing Tom Petty's guitar to play  "I Won't Back Down", playing the full "Chloe Dancer/Crown of Thorns" song from Mother Love Bone, and incorporating a famous Tragically Hip song within "Daughter". All these were examples of a band that cares deeply about the world of rock they come from and the fans that got them there. I didn't see a band showing up for a paycheck, they wanted to leave a mark with their fans and it sure did for me.

The performance was just a world class as Metallica, the music was even better to hear live and honestly convinced me that Dark Matter is one of Pearl Jam's best late era albums. Then, finally, I saw a band that has lived and breathed the spirit of rock 'n' roll and are proudly carrying that banner for their lost peers and the upcoming acts.

So yes, consider me a Pearl Jam true fan now and I hope this has convinced you, reader, to see them in concert next time they come your way!

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Highlighted song and lyrics:

Setting Sun - "Let us not fade"

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Similar bands to check out:

Green River, Mother Love Bone, Temple of The Dog, Mudhoney

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Links to check out:

Live in Vancouver, May 4, 2024

Pearl Jam: The ‘Dark Matter’ Interview

Beyond ARTV YouTube Channel- Review of Dark Matter

Live on 4 Legs: Pearl Jam Podcast- Recap of the Vancouver show

Bandsplain Podcast - A retrospective of Pearl Jam

Catch 22-Keasbey Nights (1998)

Why I Like It:

It's the year 2024 and it seems that the big musical trend this year has been feuds and diss tracks. Whether it be Drake and Kendrick, Taylor and Kim, or Nicki and Megan- there's tons of beefing to be had. It's definitely brought hip hop back into the main conversation and boosted other's profiles. It's a great way to get those clicks and streams up, and I can't deny that the drama is alluring. 

There's been lots of articles that have come out about other famous feuds over the years but you know what genre I haven't seen being talked about? Ska. Where's my ska feuds at?? Well, there is one that I know of and would like to share with the class, and that's the Catch 22 and Streetlight Manifesto beef. 

The Coles notes of it, as I have read, is that Catch 22 is a ska band that formed in 1996 and created a self-produced demo tape called Rules of The Game. Victory Records got a hold of it and decided to sign them. In 1998 the band created the fantastic debut album Keasbey Nights, which the lead singer Tomas Kalnoky was a significant writer and creator of. After this album Tomas left the band for higher education and later on started a band called Streetlight Manifesto. 

There's rumors that there were a few diss tracks released at this point of time, the first being Catch 22's "Hard to Impress", from their 2000 album Alone in the Crowd. Here's some lyrics:

"What did I do to earn your disrespect?

An overrated importance of superior intellect

The words I say are not as big but does that mean a thing

I guess that I'll just stop

Trying to impress"

Then there was a track released by Streetlight Manifesto called "A Moment of Silence" from their 2003 album Everything Goes Numb. Here's some of the (alleged) response lyrics:

"Now everybody's laughing because they're thinking they're in on something I don't get

Don't forget, I connect and I heard every word you said

Like a child who believes he was wronged

If you hate me so much then stop singing my songs"

To continue on with the story, amidst all these diss tracks, in 2004 Victory Records decided they wanted to reissue Keasbey Nights but Tomas didn't agree with this, since he was the main factor to that album being created (in his eyes), so he recorded the whole album though Streetlight Manifesto...on their own dime. Pretty punk! 

If you listen to Streetlight Manifesto's version of "1234 1234", at around 3:50, there's an explanation why they decided to release Keasbey Nights under their band name. It's an interesting take, basically that this version of the album is how Tomas wishes it turned out originally and they didn't want people to waste their money on something reissued but untouched sonically. 

To finish the story on a positive note, it sounds like both bands have made up. Some have suggested that the song "So Cold" ,by Catch 22, is their olive branch to Tomas. Tomas has also changed the lyrics to "A Moment of Silence" on his live sets, where he lets the audience sing the diss lyrics instead of him. 

You may ask me, Tilly what version of Keasbey Nights do you prefer, out of Streetlight Manifesto and Catch 22? Well glad you asked, thanks. I've given them both a few listens and decided the Catch 22 version if more my speed! Not to say I agree with them, or Streetlight on the beef, I just like the rawness and less polished version of Catch 22. Honestly, I suggest checking out both versions and deciding for yourself because both are excellent pieces of music. Let's not play by the rules of the game and argue, let's just enjoy some fun music and skank!

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Highlighted song and lyrics:

Day In, Day Out- "I don't need a music scene to tell me who I am"

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Similar bands to check out:

Mustard Plug, The Planet Smashers, Buck-O-Nine, Dance Hall Crashers

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Links to check out:

Jerseybeat.com- Interview with Catch 22

Keeptrackofthetime.wordpress.com- Read Hard’s Classic Pop-punk Picks #49: Catch 22- Keasbey Nights

Vice.com- None of You Motherfuckers Wrote About the 20th Anniversary of Catch-22’s ‘Keasbey Nights’ so I Guess I’ll Do It

*Dan Ozzi the legend!*

Live at Birch Hill Nite Club in Old Bridge, NJ in 2002