Dark Matter (song)

[Jaeti]

I miss Ed's old voice. I also think he's in fine voice. That's honestly not a very hard paradox to hold.

[stip]

It was a bold choice to forgo drums on the lead single.

i laughed

[Ms Harmless]

I think we can all agree this mix is a step up from the metal door leak.

oh I don't know, there's a lot more grounded, organic, sound of the room ambience on that one, particularly the sound of a motorcycle driving off

[epilogue]

I don't have the knowledge or vocabulary to articulate how this song "sounds." I don't know shit about engineering or mixing or overall production techniques. My ears aren't trained for all of that. So I defer to others. But all I can say is whatever is or isn't going on I do quite like the way this sounds in my headphones. I'm not sure it sounds as good to my ear as DotC, for example. But nothing about it is scraping or pinching my ear the way Backspacer and LB do. Or Earthling, for that matter. Which sounds loud and boxed in to me.

Maybe the context of the whole album changes how I hear it but right now I think it sounds really nice.

I like listening to the production folks yammer on. I dont have the vocabulary to express what I'm hearing the way they do, and on a good day they help explain why I've experienced something the way I do without realizing it

100% same. I love reading the production folks' posts. Helps very much.

[RockPusher]

I listened to Mind Your Manners this morning and while I liked it, I think this new song makes it look kind of "cute" like, oh, they wanted to pretend they were that kind of band, how cute. Dark Matter, OTOH, is in their wheelhouse.

Edit: re-reading this comment, I'm not sure I'm making any sense. Does this make sense to anyone else?

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[Ms Harmless]

I will just note, for all the crap we post about Andrew Watt and the variety of production nuances that he allegedly botches, I can make the following observations:

Of the albums he has produced, I have listened to Iggy Pop’s, Ozzy Osbourne’s, The Stones’, Eddie Vedder’s, and now this song. Whatever the production, I liked every one of those albums, and the new song. I think that means whatever faults are there, it’s working so far. Just my 2 cents.

For the record, I think it's perfectly reasonable to not care about production.

I think what I'd say is that I love production and care about it very much, but I also like a wide range of different styles and treatments of production for different contexts; so when PJ wanted to try shiny ear candy pop, I was very willing to go with them on it; it just mostly wasn't very good; I thought "Sirens" and "Speed of Sound" were both very good on their respective albums

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[oneway23]

Perfectly fine to not give one scintilla of a nugget about the production. Openly acknowledge that 99.8% of humanity likely couldn't care any less.
To me, it's just as crucial as the songs, lyrics, note choices, etc...All of it comprises the whole...Choice of amps, guitars, microphones, it all coalesces into the sonic stew we enjoy.

Not the sexiest part of the journey, but, there are a handful of people out there who actually may notice the impact the editor has on a film.

[Ms Harmless]

when Pearl Jam fires on all cyliders in terms of how well they're playing their instruments, production becomes way less important

[RockPusher]

I think Watt could potentially produce a song like Sirens better than BO'B did. That excites me, because while I love the lyrics of the song, and many elements of its music, the way it's put together weirds me out and keeps it from fully being a 5 for me.

[digster]

I mean, I think particularly when it comes to rock music, listeners are responding to the production of something even if they don't care about the particulars. They just feel impossible to divorce.

[Ms Harmless]

I will just note, for all the crap we post about Andrew Watt and the variety of production nuances that he allegedly botches, I can make the following observations:

Of the albums he has produced, I have listened to Iggy Pop’s, Ozzy Osbourne’s, The Stones’, Eddie Vedder’s, and now this song. Whatever the production, I liked every one of those albums, and the new song. I think that means whatever faults are there, it’s working so far. Just my 2 cents.

For the record, I think it's perfectly reasonable to not care about production.

I think what I'd say is that I love production and care about it very much, but I also like a wide range of different styles and treatments of production for different contexts; so when PJ wanted to try shiny ear candy pop, I was very willing to go with them on it; it just mostly wasn't very good; I thought "Sirens" and "Speed of Sound" were both very good on their respective albums

I goddamn love The Fixer, and that includes the production

I like The Fixer's 80s girly punk feel; I wish the lyrics were better but yeah I'm with you musically; and I think Ed captured the same feel and era with "In The Dark" on Earthling

[Ms Harmless]

I think Watt could potentially produce a song like Sirens better than BO'B did. That excites me, because while I love the lyrics of the song, and many elements of its music, the way it's put together weirds me out and keeps it from fully being a 5 for me.

oh for sure, I think Watt and "Sirens" would have been a marriage made in heaven

[Ms Harmless]

I listened to Mind Your Manners this morning and while I liked it, I think this new song makes it look kind of "cute" like, oh, they wanted to pretend they were that kind of band, how cute. Dark Matter, OTOH, is in their wheelhouse.

Edit: re-reading this comment, I'm not sure I'm making any sense. Does this make sense to anyone else?

yeah it makes sense; a lot of Lightning Bolt felt like imitation of other bands

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[guitar_davey]

I just wonder if people actually like Ed's voice as it is now, or if it's at least mostly because of their history loving the band, their investments and memories that have clouded their judgment. I wonder how many of you who claim to love Ed's voice in this new song, if it were the first time you were hearing this singer's voice, if you'd feel the same about it. I also wonder if I'm missing something. Maybe there is something in my brain that reacts to a frequency other people aren't hearing or something.

OF COURSE it's partly about historical context. Absolutely no question.

Does he sound older and weathered, with less range? Yes, of course! I'm just glad that he and the band are still a constant in my life as I get older. That's all I need. Honestly, I wouldn't be interested in any "modern rock" song by a new band at this point. None of this exists in a vacuum.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[Coach]

I think they did a good job catering to RM demands:

1. No spritz

2. No talk of oceans, water, waves

3. No word salad

4. McCready solo scorcher

5. Funky riffs

6. Ed vocals hidden a bit

7. Artwork on point (writing the letters in the air with a flashlight sounds dope)

Also, rank these please.

[Ello Sailor]

I think people react negatively to being told "you're under some collective delusion,"

Wastelnad