Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

[stip]

I don't find MOTH sentimental at all

Really? It's a wonderful song but it's incredibly sentimental.

The rusted signs left just for me, he was guiding me, love, his own way

Sentiment is not a bad thing, and Eddie is an incredibly sentimental writer, and has been from jump (so much so he used to use that frame story mechanism as a way to reduce it). We do (myself included) tend to set a higher bar for sentiment that is positive.

Now Eddie's sentiment has gotten more saccharine in places at times. When Eddie feels something in a big immediate way he tends to not put it through the language filters that make the writing more vague or mysterious. It used to be a challenge in his political songs during the Bush admin. Post Bush it was redirected towards his family

[Ms Harmless]

I don't find MOTH sentimental at all

Really? It's a wonderful song but it's incredibly sentimental.

The rusted signs left just for me, he was guiding me, love, his own way

Sentiment is not a bad thing, and Eddie is an incredibly sentimental writer, and has been from jump (so much so he used to use that frame story mechanism as a way to reduce it). We do (myself included) tend to set a higher bar for sentiment that is positive.

Now Eddie's sentiment has gotten more saccharine in places at times. When Eddie feels something in a big immediate way he tends to not put it through the language filters that make the writing more vague or mysterious. It used to be a challenge in his political songs during the Bush admin. Post Bush it was redirected towards his family

I don't think sentimental is bad, I like a bunch of schmaltzy things! I just think in MOTH, the darkness of the music and the worn-out feel of the vocal delivery really offsets any sentimentality, in a more Riot Act way

[VinylGuy]

I don't find MOTH sentimental at all

Really? It's a wonderful song but it's incredibly sentimental.

The rusted signs left just for me, he was guiding me, love, his own way

Sentiment is not a bad thing, and Eddie is an incredibly sentimental writer, and has been from jump (so much so he used to use that frame story mechanism as a way to reduce it). We do (myself included) tend to set a higher bar for sentiment that is positive.

Now Eddie's sentiment has gotten more saccharine in places at times. When Eddie feels something in a big immediate way he tends to not put it through the language filters that make the writing more vague or mysterious. It used to be a challenge in his political songs during the Bush admin. Post Bush it was redirected towards his family

yeah, i agree 100% with this

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[Hypnos]

During breakfast...

[Ms Harmless]

I don't find MOTH sentimental at all

Really? It's a wonderful song but it's incredibly sentimental.

The rusted signs left just for me, he was guiding me, love, his own way

Sentiment is not a bad thing, and Eddie is an incredibly sentimental writer, and has been from jump (so much so he used to use that frame story mechanism as a way to reduce it). We do (myself included) tend to set a higher bar for sentiment that is positive.

Now Eddie's sentiment has gotten more saccharine in places at times. When Eddie feels something in a big immediate way he tends to not put it through the language filters that make the writing more vague or mysterious. It used to be a challenge in his political songs during the Bush admin. Post Bush it was redirected towards his family

It was awkward when he impaled a Jill mask on this kitchen chair.

but you know she makes him wear it in the bedroom

[stip]

I don't find MOTH sentimental at all

Really? It's a wonderful song but it's incredibly sentimental.

The rusted signs left just for me, he was guiding me, love, his own way

Sentiment is not a bad thing, and Eddie is an incredibly sentimental writer, and has been from jump (so much so he used to use that frame story mechanism as a way to reduce it). We do (myself included) tend to set a higher bar for sentiment that is positive.

Now Eddie's sentiment has gotten more saccharine in places at times. When Eddie feels something in a big immediate way he tends to not put it through the language filters that make the writing more vague or mysterious. It used to be a challenge in his political songs during the Bush admin. Post Bush it was redirected towards his family

It was awkward when he impaled a Jill mask on his kitchen chair.

But prior to that moment it was one of the best Thanksgivings ever

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[dprival78]

the vocals are so obviously spliced together in spots.. i thought wotman was supposed to be good at this job

[VinylGuy]

Another thing that's shaping up to be really shitty about this album: In the absence of any apparent production depth -- that is, every sound you'll ever hear is front-and-center, and you'll probably notice it within your first 2-3 listens -- you'll be left to ponder Ed's lyrics for long-term depth mining. And he just doesn't seem to have it that much anymore.

yeah, i could add from Running and the clip of SS that it seems there is no space, no silence between elements or voice or whatever. DM kinda had that, which i liked enough, and its still a 4.5 song for me, but Running dont have it at all, and this clip of SS seemed BUSY.

[Thejambi]

After hearing it on actual speakers, and not my phone, I am a bit more interested in what’s going on with the music. The drum production is way too much for me though. I somewhat get it on the other 2 tracks but everything about them seems phoned in on this clip.

[Huell]

Another thing that's shaping up to be really shitty about this album: In the absence of any apparent production depth -- that is, every sound you'll ever hear is front-and-center, and you'll probably notice it within your first 2-3 listens -- you'll be left to ponder Ed's lyrics for long-term depth mining. And he just doesn't seem to have it that much anymore.

Yeah, I could be hungover, but I’m getting feeling that this could be last PJ I pay a passing interest to. The arena rock-centric bands always get chewed up, their lives are too comfortable and their artistic discernment becomes flabby and blunt. There are older touring musicians that sound hungrier and write sentimental songs with a sharper edge. Neilyoung springs to mind, someone not honing songs for arenas… but then Springsteen always has a few note worthy tunes even on his later albums…

Whatever, it seems on the parts we heard they are straining to make something urgent that sounds stretched and no one will be listening to them in a few weeks or else just poorly defined acoustic dreck that he can wave at his wife and family at in the arenas during the summer. Shrug

[liebzz]

RM: the place one goes to be really mean to someone just loving his kids.

[Ms Harmless]

RM: the place one goes to be really mean to someone just loving his kids.

basically

[stip]

Another thing that's shaping up to be really shitty about this album: In the absence of any apparent production depth -- that is, every sound you'll ever hear is front-and-center, and you'll probably notice it within your first 2-3 listens -- you'll be left to ponder Ed's lyrics for long-term depth mining. And he just doesn't seem to have it that much anymore.

Gigaton was one of his finest lyrical outings, pretty much top to bottom.

[stip]

Another thing that's shaping up to be really shitty about this album: In the absence of any apparent production depth -- that is, every sound you'll ever hear is front-and-center, and you'll probably notice it within your first 2-3 listens -- you'll be left to ponder Ed's lyrics for long-term depth mining. And he just doesn't seem to have it that much anymore.

Gigaton was one of his finest lyrical outings, pretty much top to bottom.

I agree with your larger point to a point. But despite that, with both of the songs we've heard so far, I went through an evolution over the course of many listens (albeit in a short period of time) where my impressions about what I was hearing, how I responded to it, etc. changed.

[Ms Harmless]

I don't really ponder the long-term depth and meaning of Ten, tbf

but "backseat lover on the side of the road" does describe my soul rather well

[VinylGuy]

RM: the place one goes to be really mean to someone just loving his kids.

Yeah, proud of that 'fam

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[stip]

Another thing that's shaping up to be really shitty about this album: In the absence of any apparent production depth -- that is, every sound you'll ever hear is front-and-center, and you'll probably notice it within your first 2-3 listens -- you'll be left to ponder Ed's lyrics for long-term depth mining. And he just doesn't seem to have it that much anymore.

Gigaton was one of his finest lyrical outings, pretty much top to bottom.

Gross! I'd argue there are a few songs that harkened back to his stronger days, but on the balance it left me wanting...

All of Eddie’s entries are good to great and definitely reward careful and thoughtful scruitiny. Buckle Up is quite strong with one or two puzzling moments. Alright is not my speed but it fits the song well. Take the long way is the weak link for me, but it might just be that I dont like its message.

But it is doing interesting thematic things on its own, as an evolution of Lightning Bolt, and as a career reappraisal. Its one of the most coherent and weirdly ambitious (in terms of its ultimate scope and sweep) he has done to date. I love it