Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

[Romanza]

If anyone has a link to the Apple FLAC link and is in the mood to share it, please hit me up.

I promise to pay it forward...somehow.

[coptheriotact]

Maybe this will bring girbilio back

[Arthur Morgan]

Ed’s voice per album after the first 5 albums of perfection


Binaural- to me his vocal talent was undersold tremendously. Made conscious decision on many songs to lean into his baritone and not soar

Riot Act- again undersold, like Binaural above but much more so

Avacado - felt like he was singing songs in two keys too high for his voice

Backspacer- sounded tired

Lightning Bolt - I actually like the way he sounds on this, might be in minority.

Gigaton- sounds great but maybe showing signs of age here and there


DM- wtf, he soars like a fucking eagle everywhere!

And just for the record I have been challenged but ultimately grew to love every album Binaural thru Giga

[EBowie]

I'm new here and haven't asked for any links to anything. So, way to go me. Keep up the great work.

[darthvedder81]

I'll be interested to pour over the LP Album liner notes and pick out all the religious/spiritual words and imagery. The more I listen the more I'm hearing it all over the place (even Something Special mentions the devil).

My initial impression is holding that Ed is tapping into something transcendent on DM non-cynically and in a way he never has before.

[BootsToAsses]

I managed to sort the VPN to get onto Australian Qobuz and purchased the hi-res download.

My evening is sorted!

[Walker Bait]

did anyone have "Pearl Jam's best ever record about family" on their 2024 bingo card?

I didn't have ANY of this on my bingo card. I'm still speechless with tears streaming.

I mean, I'm honestly in shock. I knew they had at least one more truly great album in them, but this even blows what I thought they were capable of out of the water. I've got tears streaming down my face while typing this and listening to Setting Sun soar to the end of the album for the 5th time with headphones. I'm so thankful for this gift.

[ABNorman]

I managed to sort the VPN to get onto Australian Qobuz and purchased the hi-res download.

My evening is sorted!

I still keep getting "Oops! VPNs not allowed".

[RockPusher]

did anyone have "Pearl Jam's best ever record about family" on their 2024 bingo card?

I didn't have ANY of this on my bingo card. I'm still speechless with tears streaming.

I mean, I'm honestly in shock. I knew they had at least one more truly great album in them, but this even blows what I thought they were capable of out of the water. I've got tears streaming down my face while typing this and listening to Setting Sun soar to the end of the album for the 5th time with headphones. I'm so thankful for this gift.

[Ensign9]

I managed to sort the VPN to get onto Australian Qobuz and purchased the hi-res download.

What in the who now?

[Hypnos]

Evenbloows, thoughts arrive...

[ABNorman]

Regular reminder to anybody who has a physical copy to upload photos of the liner notes plsthnku

[oneway23]

I think these are simultaneously some of the best and worst lyrics on a Pearl Jam album.

They are blunt, not that poetic, sometimes trite, straightforward, etc. Taken on an individual level they don’t often wow or come across as a bit weak. On some songs that I liked on first listen they weakened when reading the lyrics on second listen.

But they also come across as honest, raw, and personal. And cohesive across the album for whatever Eddie is trying to express. And in that way I think they are actually some of his strongest. It definitely gives you the feeling the album is about something.

I can see where you're coming from. It may not be the lyrical "3-D chess", as Ed called it, of Avocado, but...what I would say is this...The lyrical earnestness that has been a hallmark of his writing since day one has quite possibly never been better deployed than it has for this set of songs. They're well suited for that level of emotional vulnerability.

I was a little disappointed with some of these lyrics when I was at the cinema, but finding out that the themes feel apparently so raw and real, and they're stretched across the album, that approach starts to make sense (even Something Special is lifted by the album context); and poetry doesn't have to be a complex puzzle, there are plenty of very simple but beautiful lines here

Absolutely. I can be equally fascinated by more poetic, complex lyrics and more direct sentiments, but, for me, the artistry is ultimately about the honest expression of the person I'm listening to....That could run the gambit, from the most eye-rollingly pretentious English prog to Keith Morris and the Circle Jerks writing songs about cum stains on their jeans. I don't care...love it all.

In this particular case, speaking of English Prog, the themes that weave the album together do so in such a way as to make this, dare I say it? A concept album? It sure sounds like it, to me.
Title takes on a much deeper and complex meaning, in that context, doesn't it?

[Hatfield]

did anyone have "Pearl Jam's best ever record about family" on their 2024 bingo card?

I didn't have ANY of this on my bingo card. I'm still speechless with tears streaming.

I mean, I'm honestly in shock. I knew they had at least one more truly great album in them, but this even blows what I thought they were capable of out of the water. I've got tears streaming down my face while typing this and listening to Setting Sun soar to the end of the album for the 5th time with headphones. I'm so thankful for this gift.

Like Stip referenced in his Binaural post, even though I have really enjoyed and loved their albums post Yield albums, I've often had to reason with myself, justify and sometimes ask, "if this wasn't Pearl Jam, would I still be spinning it?" I never thought they would make another album where I didn't have to think, I could just feel.

Absolutely over the fucking moon!

[RockPusher]

Regular reminder to anybody who has a physical copy to upload photos of the liner notes plsthnku

[Strat]

I want to crank this up SO FUCKING LOUD and live inside every song but i cant because its so fucking loud and compressed beyond its life that it will legit blow ear drums and ill still feel distant to it cranked.


Sigh.

Okay, over that. Sucks about how it was mastered but im rather speechless how good this is. Like, legit good, not just "oh hey another pearl jam album that i always enjoy" good.

[Strat]

If the band doesnt play every song on this album regularly ill quit.

[RockPusher]

Strat, I feel both of your above comments.

Will say that listening at a lower than usual volume in headphones really opens it up and it sounds great.

[oneway23]

Like, legit good, not just "oh hey another pearl jam album that i always enjoy" good.

This is the one...they finally fucking did it.

[Jaeti]

Regular reminder to anybody who has a physical copy to upload photos of the liner notes plsthnku

Yeah, I was just about to ask if these existed anywhere yet. Need all the words.