Hard Science is the second record by Ben Goldberg School. (The first album is called Vol 1: The Humanities). It was recorded in July 2021, with a particular strategy: I didn't teach the music to the group, or rehearse. Instead, I sent around a few of the more complicated passages ahead of time, then in the studio, I just started playing each song and let the musicians grab on as they saw fit. My inspiration was the thought that, if I put written music in front of a musician, I am relying on their reading ability. This way, on the other hand, I am relying on their humanity in the moment. Most of the songs on the record are first takes although you can hear that for a few of these tracks we went over the song more than once so people could get the hang of it.

After this recording was made, I continued playing the material in solo concerts and with a trio of myself, Liberty Ellman, and Gerald Cleaver. I began calling the collection of tunes "Porch Concert Material." That is why the titles of these songs are called PCM.