Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

[Jaeti]

Just under 50 hours to go for me. Digging tonight's reviews.

[unLEASHed]

all of the songs are about chris cornell

This has occurred to me, as well. There is a Cornell presence on this. The recording is obviously not good but one of the outtros (WFS?) has what sounds like a Cornell-like howl by Eddie that got me thinking about it.

I actually think its not about Cornell per se, i think its about all the lost comrades. There is a connection about Scared of Fear and Setting Sun, “we had our own scene” - “Am I the only one hanging on”, there are other lyrics that support this but I dont remember them correctly.

I think he framed it all through the album from another perspective…some feeling of sorrow and a wish they would be there (here, at this point in time) with him. Thats my take on it…

I like this.

And a thing i picked up from some of the interviews, probably the stone one more, they dont get a grip on what he is trying to say, he tends to be more protective of the lyrics, i dont think the simplicity here makes them bad or subpat, there is a questioning in his lyrics/ delivery.

The way the recorded the album, writing the lyrics on the spot, might have made him nostalgic about that period of time, not the music in itself but more the feeling of not beeing alone anymore, finding a “scene” where he belongs, with comrades, well, might have lighted a spark, and looking back, a bunch of them are gone. Even Upper Hand, Wreckage…feels like there is a comon theme around most of the songs, or at least on that connects the dots.

[Vindicator]

To me it's the best since Avocado. Backspacer was pretty good, but it's too short and has its clunky moments like Supersonic. Lightning Bolt was ok but uneven, with some good songs, but loses steam with Let the records play and Future Days. Gigaton is a mish mash of the guys not working together in the studio. The one time they did, they came up with the great DOTC. But left to his own devices, Ed came up with the word salad of Superblood and Seven O Clock. It has its moments, but it's my least favorite.

Dark Matter on the other hand, feels solid all the way through. I like every song, and it even has a few that I could place in the upper echelon of songs (Upper Hand, DM and WFS in particular)

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[stip]

I suspect (obviously neither of us can know) they wanted to work with Watt because of Eddie’s positive Earthlings experience, and this is the sound Watt comes with, rather than choosing Watt because they wanted this sound.

[mikejasond]

all of the songs are about chris cornell

This has occurred to me, as well. There is a Cornell presence on this. The recording is obviously not good but one of the outtros (WFS?) has what sounds like a Cornell-like howl by Eddie that got me thinking about it.

I actually think its not about Cornell per se, i think its about all the lost comrades. There is a connection about Scared of Fear and Setting Sun, “we had our own scene” - “Am I the only one hanging on”, there are other lyrics that support this but I dont remember them correctly.

I think he framed it all through the album from another perspective…some feeling of sorrow and a wish they would be there (here, at this point in time) with him. Thats my take on it…

I like this. e

And a thing i picked up from some of the interviews, probably the stone one more, they dont get a grip on what he is trying to say, he tends to be more protective of the lyrics, i dont think the simplicity here makes them bad or subpat, there is a questioning in idk his lyrics/ delivery.

The way the recorded the album, writing the lyrics on the spot, might have made him nostalgic about that period of time, not the music in itself but more the feeling of not beeing alone anymore, finding a “scene” where he belongs, with comrades, well, might have lighted a spark, and looking back, a bunch of them are gone. Even Upper Hand, Wreckage…feels like there is a comon theme around most of the songs, or at least on that connects the dots.

Scared of Fear
Wreckage
Setting Sun
Upper Hand

Seemed to set a similar tone. But even some lyrics of react/respond which I thought was political and maybe was seemed directed at somebody much more personal. And Won’t Tell seemed odd.

[WaitingForBluey]

Just got back...
May our days be long until Kingdom come

[Rob]

The recording is obviously not good but

I bet most of you guys blow right past a sentence like this as if it’s not indicative of artistic intentions

I don’t think they intended this to be an iPhone recording of it playing on a speaker.

Also, doesn’t your argument boil down to a half of fame level rock band, with a producer who has worked with the best artists, doing bad work? And as a choice? I’m not sure I’m buying this. Maybe you just don’t like it.

The choice is mass appeal, and thus to leverage the production tactics of the mainstream marketplace, and that those tactics are deeply at odds with what I love about the band

So it’s a choice you don’t like, resulting in a product you don’t like. I just don’t know how you get from there to “it’s bad production.” There are 5 guys in this band that I assume can tell the difference between good and bad production.

[Vindicator]

Just got back...
May our days be long until Kingdom come

The end of Setting Sun is really awesome. I feel like the song plods along a bit slowly at the start which holds it back, and I wish they would have really extended the back half ( maybe an atmospheric solo) but the final melodic lines are just fantastic, similar to Parting Ways

[Ledbetterdays]

Just got back. I recorded it on my phone so at least I have a level 4 leak now.

Level 1 - Metal Door
Level 2 - Angry Baby
Level 3 - Blue State
Level 4 - Phone recording speakers

Also, if you don't like this album --- sorry man. It's epic.

Also, I heard cowbell in Running for the first time.

[scrub12]

The mix in the theater was weird, at least for me.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[unLEASHed]

all of the songs are about chris cornell

This has occurred to me, as well. There is a Cornell presence on this. The recording is obviously not good but one of the outtros (WFS?) has what sounds like a Cornell-like howl by Eddie that got me thinking about it.

I actually think its not about Cornell per se, i think its about all the lost comrades. There is a connection about Scared of Fear and Setting Sun, “we had our own scene” - “Am I the only one hanging on”, there are other lyrics that support this but I dont remember them correctly.

I think he framed it all through the album from another perspective…some feeling of sorrow and a wish they would be there (here, at this point in time) with him. Thats my take on it…

I like this. e

And a thing i picked up from some of the interviews, probably the stone one more, they dont get a grip on what he is trying to say, he tends to be more protective of the lyrics, i dont think the simplicity here makes them bad or subpat, there is a questioning in idk his lyrics/ delivery.

The way the recorded the album, writing the lyrics on the spot, might have made him nostalgic about that period of time, not the music in itself but more the feeling of not beeing alone anymore, finding a “scene” where he belongs, with comrades, well, might have lighted a spark, and looking back, a bunch of them are gone. Even Upper Hand, Wreckage…feels like there is a comon theme around most of the songs, or at least on that connects the dots.

Scared of Fear
Wreckage
Setting Sun
Upper Hand

Seemed to set a similar tone. But even some lyrics of react/respond which I thought was political and maybe was seemed directed at somebody much more personal. And Won’t Tell seemed odd.

Wont tell (a soul), is the most intriguing one, lyrics wise, because of the way its framed, relatioship thing and all, (from what I can remember the minor chord line is a fine one), but i think the centerpiece of the album is Upper Hand.

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[B]

Upper Hand
Wreckage
Waiting for Stevie
Dark Matter
React, Respond
Won't Tell
Scared of Fear
Got to Give
Something Special
Setting Sun
Running

[evenslow]

Again,

[digster]

The recording is obviously not good but

I bet most of you guys blow right past a sentence like this as if it’s not indicative of artistic intentions

I don’t think they intended this to be an iPhone recording of it playing on a speaker.

Also, doesn’t your argument boil down to a half of fame level rock band, with a producer who has worked with the best artists, doing bad work? And as a choice? I’m not sure I’m buying this. Maybe you just don’t like it.

The choice is mass appeal, and thus to leverage the production tactics of the mainstream marketplace, and that those tactics are deeply at odds with what I love about the band

So it’s a choice you don’t like, resulting in a product you don’t like. I just don’t know how you get from there to “it’s bad production.” There are 5 guys in this band that I assume can tell the difference between good and bad production.

I don't know anything about DM yet beyond the singles, so I can't really speak to the new one yet, but I think it's fair to say that there's some evidence over the course of their career that they're not always great at telling the difference. S/T particularly stands out as a strong group of songs not served well at all by the album's production.

[B]

I'm the only 3 star ranking with no 2s or 1s? I dislike this album more than anyone on the board?

[Rangi Guy]

I'm the only 3 star ranking with no 2s or 1s? I dislike this album more than anyone on the board?

This is not a position I thought we'd ever see this board in....

[WaitingForBluey]

I'm the only 3 star ranking with no 2s or 1s? I dislike this album more than anyone on the board?

Classic B