Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

[Val]

that post was not interesting enough to follow val’s compliment

DO BETTER

[digster]

there is a reason none of their solo work has struck a chord for me. I think in almost all cases (into the wild and earthlings the only major exceptions) they each bring an important element to the mix, but when they are fully responsible for the song in its entire something is lost. they are greater as a sum of their parts (as is the case with most great bands)

I don't know man... That first Three Fish album, those first couple Brad albums, and Wellwater Conspiracy (not sure if they count) all definitely have some alchemical magic about them.

I think there is a baggage I can bring to side projects, in that they're inherently lesser, that they exist solely as sideshows to the main event (I think the people involved, including the members of PJ involved, would feel quite differently).

I think, oddly, I probably give Ed's work a bit more time, even when it doesn't deserve it compared to other side project work. for me, it probably stems from that work containing the most superficially similar element to PJ, which is his voice. That's changed over time, but I still think I tend to see his work as part of the main story in an unfair (or at least unrepresentative) way compared to the wealth of other material.

[VinylGuy]

Im a huge fan of both Stone´s solo albums, and of course Brad. Jeff´s solo albums too, specially Heaven/Hell. Side bands, Mad Season and TOTD are amongst my favorite albums from all time, and WWC is still one of the coolest things Matt did in the 90s, i would throw Hater there too.

[Kevin Davis]

One of the reasons I always liked Uke Songs is because I felt like it brought back some of that “feeling around” — Eddie trying out novel chord shapes, screwing around as the spirit moved him, until he landed on a progression or pattern that satisfied him. IMO that led him to a lot of chord progressions and melodies that he never would have gravitated to on a guitar, and I think some of them are among his most unique compositions as a result. The record sounds so small and unvaried that these things don’t always stand out (and some of the sideways melodies aren’t always immediately conventionally pleasing), but there is more that piques my interest on that record from a purely compositional standpoint that most of what Eddie has contributed to PJ, even when he was at his best.

I don’t really care about Jeff’s solo stuff, but I love both of Stone’s records, and WWC. I would love it if more PJ sounded like that stuff. To this day I have never listened to Three Fish or Brad (except for “The Day Brings”).

[Ms Harmless]

I love Uke Songs!

[Val]

Uke Songs were an interesting experiment. Sadly, the best pieces on it were covers.

[Ms Harmless]

noooo

[VinylGuy]

For me Uke Songs are those versions that got leaked, and Ukelele Songs is the album Ed finally released afterwards. Some of the demos are better in my mind than the finished result actually.

But i havent been a fan of those, i tooke them as cool experiments in making more music, even Ed said that at the time, that he was trying to make sad music with an uke.

Its been ages since i listened to that one, maybe today...

[stip]

One of the reasons I always liked Uke Songs is because I felt like it brought back some of that “feeling around” — Eddie trying out novel chord shapes, screwing around as the spirit moved him, until he landed on a progression or pattern that satisfied him. IMO that led him to a lot of chord progressions and melodies that he never would have gravitated to on a guitar, and I think some of them are among his most unique compositions as a result. The record sounds so small and unvaried that these things don’t always stand out (and some of the sideways melodies aren’t always immediately conventionally pleasing), but there is more that piques my interest on that record from a purely compositional standpoint that most of what Eddie has contributed to PJ, even when he was at his best.

I don’t really care about Jeff’s solo stuff, but I love both of Stone’s records, and WWC. I would love it if more PJ sounded like that stuff. To this day I have never listened to Three Fish or Brad (except for “The Day Brings”).

i dont really have the ear to pick up on what he is doing on Uke songs but given how much i love cant keep and SBM id love to see them fill out a few more of them

[Buby]

Uke Songs were an interesting experiment. Sadly, the best pieces on it were covers.

Sadly, wrong.

[EBowie]

Uke songs was boring to me but I always admired the balls it takes to put out an entire record of just ukulele.

[Val]

Uke Songs were an interesting experiment. Sadly, the best pieces on it were covers.

Sadly, wrong.

YOU spelled "right" wrong!

[digster]

I think it was good but felt a bit too fussed over at points, like Ed had his version of Springsteen's Nebraska but wasn't willing to leave it quite that unadorned.

[liebzz]

One of the reasons I always liked Uke Songs is because I felt like it brought back some of that “feeling around” — Eddie trying out novel chord shapes, screwing around as the spirit moved him, until he landed on a progression or pattern that satisfied him. IMO that led him to a lot of chord progressions and melodies that he never would have gravitated to on a guitar, and I think some of them are among his most unique compositions as a result. The record sounds so small and unvaried that these things don’t always stand out (and some of the sideways melodies aren’t always immediately conventionally pleasing), but there is more that piques my interest on that record from a purely compositional standpoint that most of what Eddie has contributed to PJ, even when he was at his best.

I don’t really care about Jeff’s solo stuff, but I love both of Stone’s records, and WWC. I would love it if more PJ sounded like that stuff. To this day I have never listened to Three Fish or Brad (except for “The Day Brings”).

i dont really have the ear to pick up on what he is doing on Uke songs but given how much i love cant keep and SBM id love to see them fill out a few more of them

You need to remedy that with at least Brad.

I will say that I was more or less surprised at how much I ended up loving the side project stuff when I did that little journey a few years ago. Jeff and Stone’s solo albums, Brad, RNDM, Temple of the Dog, Mad Season, Painted Shield, and Wellwater
conspiracy are all worth repeated listens.

[EBowie]

I remember buying Stone's Bayleaf on 9/11 - very strange thinking about that now.

[Val]

I will say that I was more or less surprised at how much I ended up loving the side project stuff when I did that little journey a few years ago. Jeff and Stone’s solo albums, Brad, RNDM, Temple of the Dog, Mad Season, Painted Shield, and Wellwater
conspiracy are all worth repeated listens.

TOTD and Mad Season are top tier grunge albums.
True standouts.

[liebzz]

I remember buying Stone's Bayleaf on 9/11 - very strange thinking about that now.

Same. It’s still such a gem.

[Buby]

Ok. Rewind to Ed's 2002 Wiltern theatre and All Tomorrow's Parties solo gigs.
They were great. Different. And also the first peak at some of these unique and pretty intimate/personal songs, bare bones.
From those two sets, we got to hear Can't Keep and Thumbing My Way fully fleshed out on Riot Act later that year.
The rest were under wraps for some time. To have them pop up on a quiet LP 9 years later was a blast (for me).

[McParadigm]

I remember buying Stone's Bayleaf on 9/11 - very strange thinking about that now.

Same with Love and Theft.

[RockPusher]

I will say that I was more or less surprised at how much I ended up loving the side project stuff when I did that little journey a few years ago. Jeff and Stone’s solo albums, Brad, RNDM, Temple of the Dog, Mad Season, Painted Shield, and Wellwater
conspiracy are all worth repeated listens.

TOTD and Mad Season are top tier grunge albums.
True standouts.