Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

[Release_Me]

The best part about the album release cycle is sharing thoughts on the new songs with each other as fans, imo.

[hlniv]

I am hopeful that someone on the European continent will be uploading a high quality phone recording of the surround sound theater audio in the near future. Maybe one more higher quality listen through for USA folk before the theater visit climax tonight.

[Hypnos]

I think Trag just need a group hug therapy.

[Hatfield]

this comment has been made elsewhere, here and in reviews, but one thing it looks like Watt really helped them do is lean into the moments that are archetypal pearl jam that are always there live and yet have felt absent on records for a long time - either like they were afraid to lean in or their process didn't allow for

I think being in the room together is the secret sauce and building off each other. Not bringing in demos but just ideas and not complete demos.

This seems like IT. Instead of pulling almost finished things apart and putting each others spin on it, just hitting the immediacy of the moment is where their real magic is. Like the way DTE came together on the last day of the recording sessions for Yield. I'm so glad Watt gets this about them and they trust his lead.

[Tj]

this comment has been made elsewhere, here and in reviews, but one thing it looks like Watt really helped them do is lean into the moments that are archetypal pearl jam that are always there live and yet have felt absent on records for a long time - either like they were afraid to lean in or their process didn't allow for

I think being in the room together is the secret sauce and building off each other. Not bringing in demos but just ideas and not complete demos.

This seems like IT. Instead of pulling almost finished things apart and putting each others spin on it, just hitting the immediacy of the moment is where their real magic is. Like the way DTE came together on the last day of the recording sessions for Yield. I'm so glad Watt gets this about them and they trust his lead.

100 percent.

[Hatfield]

In light of this conversation:

[Tj]

I was thinking about the single choice both of them.
First I like both singles as songs, but many have asked why those songs?. I have few reasons. Format and radio the first single to radii makes sense to be Dark Matter.
Radio has changed a ton recently. There is basically 2 formats that are going to play Pearl Jam adult alternative and modern rock. Most of the songs would work fine on adult alternative, but many including won't tell and wreckage just wouldn't work well on the rock stations yes they would get played. Dark Matter became the obvious choice. SOF a bit much for Adult alternative as is react respond. WFS would have been killed by a radio edit. Dark Matter became the odd man out. Wreckage is interesting, because they have showed in the past a willingness to protect songs from themselves. If wreckage isn't a single it is for this reason. He is again singing about his dna and changing his name. So not coming out of the gates with it is probably not him wanting to exploit those emotions during the lead up to a release. Now or after the release it wouldn't have as many eyes on it and the interviews would be over.

[RockPusher]

As an accountant who's officially hit the off-season, I had the time to work this stuff out. Small sample sizes on some tracks more than others, but as of now, here is how RM is ranking DM:

Upper Hand (4.68 average score)
Waiting for Stevie (4.63)
React, Respond (4.44)
Won't Tell (4.44)
Setting Sun (4.43)
Scared of Fear (4.19)
Got to Give (4.0)
Wreckage (3.94)
Dark Matter (3.68)
Running (2.92)
Something Special (2.44)

[EBowie]

I think Watt has allowed them the freedom of not worrying about whether or not they're disappointing each other, by pushing the band as a whole. Rather than, for example, "here is the Mike song" and then everyone proceeds to try to cater to what they think Mike's song should be. It seems Watt's approach helped push them over a mountain that they might not usually attempt to climb.

[Jaeti]

As an accountant who's officially hit the off-season, I had the time to work this stuff out. Small sample sizes on some tracks more than others, but as of now, here is how RM is ranking DM:

Upper Hand (4.68 average score)
Waiting for Stevie (4.63)
React, Respond (4.44)
Won't Tell (4.44)
Setting Sun (4.43)
Scared of Fear (4.19)
Got to Give (4.0)
Wreckage (3.94)
Dark Matter (3.68)
Running (2.92)
Something Special (2.44)

Bookmark that for a Tax Day '25 update.

[Antelope]

I was thinking about the single choice both of them.
First I like both singles as songs, but many have asked why those songs?. I have few reasons. Format and radio the first single to radii makes sense to be Dark Matter.
Radio has changed a ton recently. There is basically 2 formats that are going to play Pearl Jam adult alternative and modern rock. Most of the songs would work fine on adult alternative, but many including won't tell and wreckage just wouldn't work well on the rock stations yes they would get played. Dark Matter became the obvious choice. SOF a bit much for Adult alternative as is react respond. WFS would have been killed by a radio edit. Dark Matter became the odd man out. Wreckage is interesting, because they have showed in the past a willingness to protect songs from themselves. If wreckage isn't a single it is for this reason. He is again singing about his dna and changing his name. So not coming out of the gates with it is probably not him wanting to exploit those emotions during the lead up to a release. Now or after the release it wouldn't have as many eyes on it and the interviews would be over.

Dark Matter is also a good choice from a pure marketing perspective. Put out the song that's also the title of the album you're selling.

[Hatfield]

As an accountant who's officially hit the off-season, I had the time to work this stuff out. Small sample sizes on some tracks more than others, but as of now, here is how RM is ranking DM:

Upper Hand (4.68 average score)
Waiting for Stevie (4.63)
React, Respond (4.44)
Won't Tell (4.44)
Setting Sun (4.43)
Scared of Fear (4.19)
Got to Give (4.0)
Wreckage (3.94)
Dark Matter (3.68)
Running (2.92)
Something Special (2.44)

Fascinating that the 3 songs Pearl Jam wanted us to hear first are our collective least favorites.

[RockPusher]

As an accountant who's officially hit the off-season, I had the time to work this stuff out. Small sample sizes on some tracks more than others, but as of now, here is how RM is ranking DM:

Upper Hand (4.68 average score)
Waiting for Stevie (4.63)
React, Respond (4.44)
Won't Tell (4.44)
Setting Sun (4.43)
Scared of Fear (4.19)
Got to Give (4.0)
Wreckage (3.94)
Dark Matter (3.68)
Running (2.92)
Something Special (2.44)

Fascinating that the 3 songs Pearl Jam wanted us to hear first are our collective least favorites.

Was thinking same. Four if you believe Wreckage was planned as a single.

[wilkins]

With the listening events, movie theaters, early reviews, etc. the album is literally everywhere and yet there's no real leak, which is hilarious to me, and maybe a direct correlation to the fact that it's everywhere and nowhere.

[EBowie]

As an accountant who's officially hit the off-season, I had the time to work this stuff out. Small sample sizes on some tracks more than others, but as of now, here is how RM is ranking DM:

Upper Hand (4.68 average score)
Waiting for Stevie (4.63)
React, Respond (4.44)
Won't Tell (4.44)
Setting Sun (4.43)
Scared of Fear (4.19)
Got to Give (4.0)
Wreckage (3.94)
Dark Matter (3.68)
Running (2.92)
Something Special (2.44)

Fascinating that the 3 songs Pearl Jam wanted us to hear first are our collective least favorites.

Other factors are at play though too - how long we've had the songs, subconscious bias etc.

[VinylGuy]

i was expecting a leak for last week. Im not going to the cinema, partially because of that.
I might wait for the proper release at this point i guess.

[Oversize]

3 factors at play for the lack of a leak:

1) Generally less public interest;
2) Distributing streaming links rather than CDs; and
3) As someone mentioned, just because we get a CD doesn't mean our computer has a CD/DVD ROM for copying any longer.

The only thing I have that may be able to play a CD is my kids' PlayStation. Not even in our cars!

[Val]

sitting in a cinema, 20 minutes to go, totally on my own for now!

I would not be doing this for any other band lol

Were you planning to come back from the theater at all?

[Tj]

Won't Tell Upper Hand WFS
Could be my favorite 3 song run in their catalog . My god! What have they done The ending of Got to Give and Setting Sun what is better? The music into running is wonderful a prelude to the finally in a way. Wreckage is something it has a chance to be my favorite since GTF, 30 sec slips have me excited for the SOF and R/R.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now