Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

[Leatherhead]

I'm loving Dark Matter (song), but am also skeptical of Wotman's encyclopedic knowledge of the band, and a little concerned about his role in the writing process.

[Coach]

You are light

[stip]

I think it is quite a wild claim, "Pearl Jam superfan tapped to produce their new album"!

It just seems a bit over-egged, though I can acknowledge I'm potentially responding more directly to stip's characterisation above than anything he or the band have said.

Stip's "characterization" is just what the band has said. Jeff said he had an "encyclopedic" knowledge of the band's work that surpassed even his own. I see no reason to doubt them

How does anyone not hear that and think "oh c'mon".

there was an example in some interview (again Jeff I think) who said Watt would reference specific moments in specific songs to describe things to aim for (like a bass flourish at the 2:30 mark in Oceans) - that kind of stuff

But I dont see any reason to doubt this beyond reflexive cynicisim. Band works with big fan is not a media story that is going to generate anything beyond a line in a story

[stip]

i suspect the next two months will be a lot less stressful for a lot of people if we wait until after the album comes out to unload our conspiracies to explain the things we don’t like. Right now we only know what the tiny bit the band has told us about their process and the results of one song and one terrible leak in which we learn:

A. Dark Matter is a song whose component parts consist of manu
different eras/moments from past albums. We can then make interprative judgements that this either makes the sound derivative or captures its essence based on whether or not we like the song

and

B. Trag takes umbrage with the drum sound (which he has now heard samples of)

most anything else is shit we are making up to pass the time, and leads me to think we can’t afford to delay March Madness…

[Leatherhead]

Does the current state of Pearl Jam RM reflect the current state of the world?

[dprival78]

What 'dark matters' explain Wotman's meteoric success?

The guy starts out playing in a band in his early 20s with Jason (son of John) Bonham and Glenn Hughes (ex Sabbath, Deep Purple), then hits the road playing guitar for Bieber, is shortly thereafter producing and writing tracks for a bunch of charting artists, by his late 20s he's producing Ozzy Osbourne records and then wins 'Producer of the Year' at the Grammys when he's barely 30.

I'm sure he was bankrolled by wealthy parents but, even so, that seems pretty remarkable.

some serious kind of soul selling had to have gone down. no other way to explain it.

now he's gone and lured our boys into satan's bed

[RockPusher]

I hear Ed being Ed, Jeff being Jeff, Stone being Stone, and Mike and Matt being themselves beyond reproach. You know what I don't hear? Watt. We can nitpick as much as we want about his influence, but based on what we've had to listen to so far, he's putting the band front and center and himself in the background, which is where he should be.

[Farmer John]

I hear Ed being Ed, Jeff being Jeff, Stone being Stone, and Mike and Matt being themselves beyond reproach. You know what I don't hear? Watt. We can nitpick as much as we want about his influence, but based on what we've had to listen to so far, he's putting the band front and center and himself in the background, which is where he should be.

How funny would it be if we found out that it's actually Andrew playing the guitar solo

[RockPusher]

I hear Ed being Ed, Jeff being Jeff, Stone being Stone, and Mike and Matt being themselves beyond reproach. You know what I don't hear? Watt. We can nitpick as much as we want about his influence, but based on what we've had to listen to so far, he's putting the band front and center and himself in the background, which is where he should be.

How funny would it be if we found out that it's actually Andrew playing the guitar solo

Don't hurt me like that. On the other hand, fuck it, fire Mike.

[Ms Harmless]

if we have reason to be worried about this album, but Jeff was so proud of it that he cried, does that mean we have to revise the prophecy that Jeff will save the band?

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[Vindicator]

Got some more info from the reddit user who claims to have attended the listening party.

"First song blew everyone away. Reminded me of the same energy/drive of who ever said. Last song left them speechless. Think parting ways meets retrograde meets around the bend. (I know but trust me). Album ends on such a high note. Super powerful stuff. No filler tracks. Feels like yield in that way. First half is more rocking. Wrecked mellows it out. That reminded me of a 7 o’clock verse type of song. Second half is filled with the mid tempo rockers and running breaks it up(which reminded me of good vs evil, especially the end). Someone Special wasn’t really my vibe, but everyone else loved it. It’s pretty fucking adorable and will hit with anyone who has kids. My initial standouts were scared of fear, waiting for Stevie, got to give (triumphant feel good chorus) and setting sunset.

[RockPusher]

That sounds epic!

[RockPusher]

I hear Ed being Ed, Jeff being Jeff, Stone being Stone, and Mike and Matt being themselves beyond reproach. You know what I don't hear? Watt. We can nitpick as much as we want about his influence, but based on what we've had to listen to so far, he's putting the band front and center and himself in the background, which is where he should be.

If you can’t hear him then your ears are broken

Wrong. I am listening for the song. Production values matter to me, but they a) are not the same level of determinative when it comes to my enjoyment, and b) are better in my opinion on this song than they are in your opinion.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[Leatherhead]

I sure loved that Shellac concert I went to about a year ago, but every time I read one of trag's posts lately, I like Shellac less and less.

[Birds in Hell]

I sure loved that Shellac concert I went to about a year ago, but every time I read one of trag's posts lately, I like Shellac less and less.

Steve Albini’s crying now, cheers.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[VinylGuy]

Guys do you know that Trag thinks the ice spice song about the fart and shit is great ?

Don’t engage with him, he is just a guy we love and care.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now