Today, June 30, Deaf Charlie, a musical project featuring Montana natives Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam and John Wicks of Fitz and the Tantrums, released their 12-track debut album, Catastrophic Metamorphic. The pair previewed the project with an official album trailer. Watch here. 

“There’s a real optimism in this batch of mostly dystopian themes, and that comes from John’s upbeat production and playing,” explains Ament, touching on the nature of their material. “He infused a lot of pop and reggae elements into the songs, pushing my arrangements and rhythms into new territory. Most of these tunes had real journeys between our two visions.”

Previously, the pair shared their second single, “Ched Man,” which came after “Losing My Mind,” released earlier this month. The number was inspired by Aments seeing the phrase graffitied at a skatepark on the Blackfeet Reservation, built by his charitable foundation, Montana Pool Service. The musician commented, “It’s an homage to our first people.”

For added context, Deaf Charlie’s initial collaboration came about during the pandemic, as the team, Ament and Wicks, with a cover of Buzzcocks’ “Sitting Around the House.” The number was recorded in their home studios and assisted in shaping the present-day project. The duo followed by turning out their initial single in 2020, “Something Real,” and most recently, collaborated with Josh Klinghoffer on a score for FX’s Under The Banner of Heaven. 

Deaf Charlie will perform their first live set on Sunday, Oct. 1, during the Eddie Vedder-founded Ohana Festival. 

Stream Catastrophic Metamorphic.