Dark Matter (song)

General Pearl Jam discussion.
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Dark Matter Initial Reactions

5 Stars
33
17%
4 Stars
92
48%
3 Stars
56
29%
2 Stars
8
4%
1 Star
3
2%
 
Total votes: 192

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VinylGuy
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by VinylGuy »

Ahh New PJ single…. This one belongs in the classic hall of listening to a new pj single and don’t really know what I’m getting…I love that.

I recently listened a few temple of the dog songs, and this is definitely that band. The interplay, the groove, the tightness, the motherfuckin drums. At the same time it also seems to have a foot on Binaural’s door and or course, Gigaton.

The guitar tones are a delight, im really happy with them. There something happening with them that sounds like You Are but also Led Zep.

I love how Ed is buried in the mix too, and that his mostly sings with his baritone, not screechy avocado or backspacer sounds here.

Still figuring out more stuff.

We’ll get obsessed yeah
BONE FUCKIN´ TOMAHAWK.
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by Ms Harmless »

coptheriotact wrote:some random thoughts.

it sounds different on each streaming platform. hopefully because it was mastered quiet and each streaming service had to add their own compression but probably not.

EV sounds great on this, because he is in the mix and not on top, it allows him to be aggressive within the music rather than sticking out and having to overthink every syllable. the vocal melody is very fun and reminds me of a lost dog track somehow. excellent work EV and wontman.. :nice:

the whole thing sounds refreshing like DOTC did and clears the palette of the last few albums..

that being said;take away the cool vocal melody and it is a bit of an overblown meat and bun rocker. not a fan of the relentless pounding, or main riff that sounds like wotman interrupted stone, took his guitar and said "no, like this!"
Just checked Spotify credits, it lists as written by everyone in the band INCLUDING Andrew Watt.
i was expecting much less so its a win.
I absolutely love the relentless pounding, I've wanted this Matt Cameron back for years
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oneway23
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by oneway23 »

Ms Harmless wrote:
Vindicator wrote:
scrub12 wrote:Interested to find out who wrote this one. Apple Music doesn’t say but has all the engineers and producers. No Josh Evans.
Just checked Spotify credits, it lists as written by everyone in the band INCLUDING Andrew Watt.

Hmm
it sounds like Watt probably did some directing of watt they had, and on this evidence that's good
Know it's not customary in this band for the producer to have co-writes, but, the Wotman typically has at least three or four writing credits, if not more, for every album he produces. Pretty sure he was a co-writer on just about every song on Earthling. I would expect at least a handful here, as well.
We still make records to be listened to — not that everyone will listen to a record track one to twelve in a row or side A or Side B — but we still make 'em in case somebody does want to listen to it like that, that's how we make em…
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dimejinky99
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by dimejinky99 »

oneway23 wrote:
dimejinky99 wrote:Just to say. It’s lovely seeing so many familiar names turn up here who have been absent for so long.

And for a wonder, we’re all loving it.

Mental
Word...Feel the same...Especially nice to see so many on board with the new goodness. Hope that carries over to the album proper.

Imagine it did…


Wow
Calibrate your enthusiasm
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oneway23
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by oneway23 »

dimejinky99 wrote:
oneway23 wrote:
dimejinky99 wrote:Just to say. It’s lovely seeing so many familiar names turn up here who have been absent for so long.

And for a wonder, we’re all loving it.

Mental
Word...Feel the same...Especially nice to see so many on board with the new goodness. Hope that carries over to the album proper.

Imagine it did…


Wow
The dream is real :bammer:
We still make records to be listened to — not that everyone will listen to a record track one to twelve in a row or side A or Side B — but we still make 'em in case somebody does want to listen to it like that, that's how we make em…
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Sgt. Crackpot
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by Sgt. Crackpot »

Val wrote:
dimejinky99 wrote:Just to say. It’s lovely seeing so many familiar names turn up here who have been absent for so long.

And for a wonder, we’re all loving it.

Mental
Image
Image
Rangi Guy wrote:So skating back to the train station after work today things went wrong.....now my skateboard is at the bottom of the harbour :(
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by tommy »

So the Wikipedia clip is not from this song?
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Farmer John
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by Farmer John »

I thought the drums sounded great! Any Earthling-related sound quality concerns have been eased.

Everyone sounds great. The song itself is alright, but it's elevated by the performances. They're playing the shit out of it.
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by Sgt. Crackpot »

tommy wrote:So the Wikipedia clip is not from this song?
Alternate version?
Rangi Guy wrote:So skating back to the train station after work today things went wrong.....now my skateboard is at the bottom of the harbour :(
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tragabigzanda
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by tragabigzanda »

pearl jam sucks now
Last edited by tragabigzanda on Thu January 01, 2026 7:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Farmer John
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by Farmer John »

tragabigzanda wrote:
Farmer John wrote:I thought the drums sounded great! Any Earthling-related sound quality concerns have been eased.
?
Bear in mind, I don't know what I'm talking about.
tommy
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by tommy »

Sgt. Crackpot wrote:
tommy wrote:So the Wikipedia clip is not from this song?
Alternate version?
Yeah, I wonder if this is a single version and the album version is longer maybe?
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by Ms Harmless »

I don't really care that this doesn't quite have the uniqueness and freshness of DOTC; I think they wanted to come out the gate with a slightly meat and potatoes rocker that tries to get more casual listeners on board again -- it's already on TikTok so I'd say they succeeded

watt really excites me about this song though is that it givens me hope to expect something deeper on the album somewhere

when Lightning Bolt came out I called it a triumph, because at the time I really really emotionally needed that to be the case; I was wrong and now I only think "Sirens" was the triumph

I'm hoping to be able to say the album is watt I've been waiting for, along with Gigaton
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Sgt. Crackpot
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by Sgt. Crackpot »

tommy wrote:
Sgt. Crackpot wrote:
tommy wrote:So the Wikipedia clip is not from this song?
Alternate version?
Yeah, I wonder if this is a single version and the album version is longer maybe?
I'd be very happy with a longer album version. I hope your theory proves correct.
Rangi Guy wrote:So skating back to the train station after work today things went wrong.....now my skateboard is at the bottom of the harbour :(
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Bi_3
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by Bi_3 »

tommy wrote:
Sgt. Crackpot wrote:
tommy wrote:So the Wikipedia clip is not from this song?
Alternate version?
Yeah, I wonder if this is a single version and the album version is longer maybe?

I posted a tweet on the previous page from PJ twitter that has like 50% more ed
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greendisease
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by greendisease »

tommy wrote:
Sgt. Crackpot wrote:
tommy wrote:So the Wikipedia clip is not from this song?
Alternate version?
Yeah, I wonder if this is a single version and the album version is longer maybe?
It's from the instrumental version b-side with the digital single.
Current Album Ranking (Updated April 2024)

1. Self-Titled
2. Vitalogy
3. Riot Act
4. Dark Matter
5. Ten
6. Backspacer
7. No Code
8. Gigaton
9. Vs
10. Lightning Bolt
11. Yield
12. Binaural
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by Ms Harmless »

when Ed says "best work to date" I'm really wondering if what he means is best work post-trauma of Roskilde; that sort of thing will genuinely erase your memory of anything prior *and* any inclination to creatively return to it

I'm thrilled and slightly emotional that this song makes them sound both happy *and* revitalised *and* the intricate musicians I know they can be, in a way that leaves so many of us satisfied
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by Tj »

Alternate verse is probably the immerseive mix shown on the double deluxe cd that you can order.
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CopperTom
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by CopperTom »

I have never understood less words of a new Pearl Jam song.
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oneway23
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Re: Dark Matter (song)

Post by oneway23 »

LOL at whoever called Dark Matter "A mediocre Muse song with Vedder vocals" on the Hoffman forum.
Supposed to have golden ears over there, not tin ones.
We still make records to be listened to — not that everyone will listen to a record track one to twelve in a row or side A or Side B — but we still make 'em in case somebody does want to listen to it like that, that's how we make em…
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