Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

[E.H. Ruddock]

I listen to the boots as much as the albums, so there's a chance some of these will sound better (or different) live. I wonder if WFS will extend a bit at the end?

REALLY hoping the Stern set is stripped down and straightforward

So, no Boom?!

Is he even on this record?

I don't know, I haven't heard it yet!

NO - JA

[dprival78]

I listen to the boots as much as the albums, so there's a chance some of these will sound better (or different) live. I wonder if WFS will extend a bit at the end?

REALLY hoping the Stern set is stripped down and straightforward

didn't stone say in an interview that their shows this tour will be a different type of production, or something along those lines?

curious to see what that means..

introducing.. the pearl jam dancers!


edit: from the spin interview

How are you feeling about incorporating this batch of material into the live shows?

I’m excited. I think everybody is, and our goal is to play a lot of new stuff. So, listen to the record, everybody. Know the material! We’re gonna play it. We’ll have some new production too. We’re working on something right now, so it will be a little bit of a different show.

[E.H. Ruddock]

I listen to the boots as much as the albums, so there's a chance some of these will sound better (or different) live. I wonder if WFS will extend a bit at the end?

REALLY hoping the Stern set is stripped down and straightforward

didn't stone say in an interview that their shows this tour will be a different type of production, or something along those lines?

curious to see what that means..

introducing.. the pearl jam dancers!

Hoping Wotman comes out on stage and intros the band by going over his production process.

[dprival78]

I listen to the boots as much as the albums, so there's a chance some of these will sound better (or different) live. I wonder if WFS will extend a bit at the end?

REALLY hoping the Stern set is stripped down and straightforward

didn't stone say in an interview that their shows this tour will be a different type of production, or something along those lines?

curious to see what that means..

introducing.. the pearl jam dancers!

Hoping Wotman comes out on stage and intros the band by going over his production process.

he's going to jump up and down in front of the drum kit every time matt doesn't pound hard enough

[Homeboyd]

I figure they have to play Dark Matter on Stern...and let's just say I'm a little skeptical about Ed's ability to sing that one live.

[Release_Me]

About 40 hours left until we have dark matter in new Zealand

Btw, do you know how I can hear the album early by using VPN? My Spotify is showing me a countdown based on my local time (UTC+5).

[dprival78]

I figure they have to play Dark Matter on Stern...and let's just say I'm a little skeptical about Ed's ability to sing that one live.

what's the over/under on the number of these songs that will be tuned down live?

4.5?

[Hatfield]

I figure they have to play Dark Matter on Stern...and let's just say I'm a little skeptical about Ed's ability to sing that one live.

I'm more concerned about Running.

[Homeboyd]

I figure they have to play Dark Matter on Stern...and let's just say I'm a little skeptical about Ed's ability to sing that one live.

I'm more concerned about Running.

He can mumble his way through Running...but that chorus in Dark Matter is gonna test his limits.

[BootsToAsses]

On my way home now from the cinema.

The first listen was a bit of a blur, I understand now why people find it so hard to describe songs after only one run through.

The second run through really started to wink in and I really enjoyed it.

Some quick thoughts:

Scared of Fear is a solid opener. Nice, driving guitars and Ed singing well. It wasn't a standout for me personally but I liked it.

React, Respond didn't land for me really. Some weird Ed vocal choices in the chorus that I'm unsure about. Musically, ita high energy and fun. Jeff's bass work is tremendous here.

I honestly really enjoyed everything else. Something Special isn't the bomb that people are making it out to be. It's sweet and catchy, totally harmless.

Wreckage-Dark Matter-Won't Tell-Upper Hand is just a fantastic run that I'm actually amazed they pulled it off.

Waiting For Stevie definitely has some old school PJ vibes in the way it jams out at the end. The main riff sounds like something from the Ten or Vs sessions.

Setting Sun is the best closer since Parting Ways or All or None. Just stunning stuff.

I can't wait for Friday so I can listen through headphones.

[Rangi Guy]

About 40 hours left until we have dark matter in new Zealand

Btw, do you know how I can hear the album early by using VPN? My Spotify is showing me a countdown based on my local time (UTC+5).

Just move out here in the next couple of days - easy!

[VinylGuy]

I figure they have to play Dark Matter on Stern...and let's just say I'm a little skeptical about Ed's ability to sing that one live.

yeah, theyll play 3 or 4 from the new album then a classic right?

[tommy]

About 40 hours left until we have dark matter in new Zealand

Btw, do you know how I can hear the album early by using VPN? My Spotify is showing me a countdown based on my local time (UTC+5).

From my experience you have to make a new account while connected to the VPN

[Monkey_Driven]

On my way home now from the cinema.

The first listen was a bit of a blur, I understand now why people find it so hard to describe songs after only one run through.

The second run through really started to wink in and I really enjoyed it.

Some quick thoughts:

Scared of Fear is a solid opener. Nice, driving guitars and Ed singing well. It wasn't a standout for me personally but I liked it.

React, Respond didn't land for me really. Some weird Ed vocal choices in the chorus that I'm unsure about. Musically, ita high energy and fun. Jeff's bass work is tremendous here.

I honestly really enjoyed everything else. Something Special isn't the bomb that people are making it out to be. It's sweet and catchy, totally harmless.

Wreckage-Dark Matter-Won't Tell-Upper Hand is just a fantastic run that I'm actually amazed they pulled it off.

Waiting For Stevie definitely has some old school PJ vibes in the way it jams out at the end. The main riff sounds like something from the Ten or Vs sessions.

Setting Sun is the best closer since Parting Ways or All or None. Just stunning stuff.

I can't wait for Friday so I can listen through headphones.

About 40 hours left until we have dark matter in new Zealand

Btw, do you know how I can hear the album early by using VPN? My Spotify is showing me a countdown based on my local time (UTC+5).

Just move out here in the next couple of days - easy!

Betterman (live)

[Ms Harmless]

just got back from a cinema thing

the sound was mostly really good, guitars very clear and Jeff out front (MVP in many ways); Ed and Matt were slightly buried under, but I'm not sure how much my position in the wheelchair space at the front was affecting things; I didn't get "plastic" from the production, I got clean, commercial, but also some of the warmth of Binaural / Yield (and imo the album has plenty of those vibes, even if Running threatens to turn up with spritz)

the lyrics: mostly plain and simple, stripped back, no overly complicated or abstract ideas trying to be conveyed but failing, even when they're poetic (a problem I think Backspacer and LB had); if the song is radio-friendly, that's the right approach

favourite songs lyrically:

React, Respond
Wreckage
Won't Tell (favourite song I think)

surprises: Something Special sounded really good, it fits fine, there's a very faint laugh in the background of the intro and a little studio chatter; I'm not embarrassed by it at all

disappointments: the lyrics were slightly wrong on the Dark Matter visual, and completely missing from the Got To Give visual

the visuals on the singles are just the ones we've already seen on YouTube, a bit phoned in - rest is good tho

the lyrics of Waiting For Stevie are a bit vaguer than I wanted (where most of the album hits simple but not vague)

Setting Sun's lyrics... I don't know, I was wowed by that song overall so I wanted them to blow me away and they didnt; there's also a bit of awkwardly reversed, garbled syntax in this one (though luckily only in this one Jorge, and it's not awful)

[VinylGuy]

Nice to know you had a good time and it seems the album is a favorite for a lot of folks here

[Release_Me]

https://twitter.com/PearlJam/status/178 ... az-9g&s=19

[Ms Harmless]

it's a really wonderful album, I love it and am grateful to all involved

[Release_Me]

About 40 hours left until we have dark matter in new Zealand

Btw, do you know how I can hear the album early by using VPN? My Spotify is showing me a countdown based on my local time (UTC+5).

From my experience you have to make a new account while connected to the VPN

Hmm. I guess I'll just wait for midnight in my timezone. It's not that big a deal.

[Tj]

So what is the lyrical theme of Wreckage and R/R what resonates