Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

[Oversize]

These songs are all growers. Yesterday was Scared of Fear and Setting Sun, today its Upper Hand and Got To Give that really clicked for me.

5 stars:
Scared of Fear
Wreckage
Won't Tell
Upper Hand
Waiting for Stevie
Setting Sun

4.5 stars:
React, Respond
Got To Give

4 stars:
Dark Matter

3.5 stars:
Running
Something Special

Very close to my present ranking. Scared of Fear would drop down to 4.5. RR down to 4. DM up to 4.5.

[oneway23]

It's so interesting hearing how different everyone's listening experience has been. For me, the Apple Music Dolby Atmos (on AirPods Pros) has been the worst one. It sounds like all the instrument volume levels are all off with Eddies vocals being so far back in the mix. Last night I signed up for a "free" trial of Qobuz and that has been the best quality for me so far, everything sounds really balanced. I have not downloaded the Ten Club WAV/FLAC lossless yet.

Wild

Ed is anything but far back in the mix. He's all over the sound field.

Out front, above my head, beyond my forehead

Outside of both of my ears, harmonies on the sides

Dunno

[Blenheim Augustine]

had to put on Blood Sugar Sex Magik right after to purge my brain of this filth and replenish anew

I’m assuming this is just very good satire

[super nintendo chalmers]

Best since S/T

[Juvenal]

what a gift of an album we have here folks

Someone on here said it earlier but I feel like my favorite sports team just won the championship

Perfect analogy. I just feel really proud of them. I know that may sound corny but fuck it.

[tree_]

what a gift of an album we have here folks

Someone on here said it earlier but I feel like my favorite sports team just won the championship

Perfect analogy. I just feel really proud of them. I know that may sound corny but fuck it.

I agree. It's only corny when it's overly sentimental, but this is an appropriate level of sentimentality. We should have a parade and some kind of ceremony.

[rosser0432]

Is this the album with best Background and Vocal harmonies?

Yeah, I'd say so. I find myself looking forward to those parts in Wreckage. Who's gonna sing them live? Josh?

[Buby]

what a gift of an album we have here folks

Someone on here said it earlier but I feel like my favorite sports team just won the championship

Perfect analogy. I just feel really proud of them. I know that may sound corny but fuck it.

I agree. It's only corny when it's overly sentimental, but this is an appropriate level of sentimentality. We should have a parade and some kind of ceremony.

[Ms Harmless]

what a gift of an album we have here folks

Someone on here said it earlier but I feel like my favorite sports team just won the championship

Perfect analogy. I just feel really proud of them. I know that may sound corny but fuck it.

I agree. It's only corny when it's overly sentimental, but this is an appropriate level of sentimentality. We should have a parade and some kind of ceremony.

from left to right: Matt, Stone, Mike, Jeff, and Eddie

[blueviper]

Got to give

We can, we can believe that we are better
Together, you and me, yeah
Can take on anyone
Anyone
If you can see

Crying, laughing, dancing so much emotion in this part of the song.

Unbelievable what a band, what an album.

This album is up there, don’t know exactly how high but is up there.


Oh first post

Haha

welcome to the board!

[lecherouslittlestump]

If Ten is Empire Strikes Back, Dark Matter is The Last Jedi

[darth_vedder]

I listened to the album this morning and overall liked it. I went in thinking I'll like some songs and probably not like some. It's exactly this. For me, it's kind of like parts of Backspacer, Lightning Bolt, and Gigaton mixed together. I hear Unthought Known, Got Some, Infallible, SBWM, Sleeping By Myself, Gonna See My Friend, Comes & Goes, and more all here. In a way, Dark Matter reminds me some of my favorite parts of those three albums rolled into DM, but with more soar.

Overall I like this album, but I don't see it ever replacing anything from 1991 - 2006 for me. There are some things I just don't get with modern Ed and his singing style decisions. Like things all y'all discussed before about warbling and such, while cramming in lots of words. He's at his best on DM during the soaring parts. Using his voice as an instrument, rather than being a lead singer singing lots of verses. Also, as noted by many others, the mixing/mastering/production is too loud, too digitized, etc...Seems like that's just par for the course now. It's like the 80's key-tars and electric drums and digital voices got mixed with power 70's rock. That's a different thread though...

So yeah, I'm overall liking what the guys are doing here and happy a bunch of old farts can still make some rockin' tunes. Not sure about new era Ed's singing styles (I'm thinking BS to DM) and the mastering/production choices (with music in general).

6.5/10

This is pretty close to my original feelings after the record store listen. I believe my handwritten notes are generally reflective of my initial lukewarm reception.

It has grown exponentially since then. From a 3 to a 5 star album.

That is great to hear and I'm looking forward to more and more listens.

[mattyv1908]

If Ten is Empire Strikes Back, Dark Matter is The Last Jedi

If Pearl Jam was to music what Star Wars is to movies we all have wasted a colossal amount of time on a horrible band.

[darth_vedder]

If Ten is Empire Strikes Back, Dark Matter is The Last Jedi

No Code is The Empire Strikes Back.

[epilogue]

In a way, Dark Matter reminds me some of my favorite parts of those three albums rolled into DM, but with more soar.

This hit right. Good observation.

[epilogue]

If Ten is Empire Strikes Back, Dark Matter is The Last Jedi

I'm glad people are loving Dark Matter. But in no universe is it Pearl Jam's second best album.

[darth_vedder]

So yeah, I'm overall liking what the guys are doing here and happy a bunch of old farts can still make some rockin' tunes. Not sure about new era Ed's singing styles (I'm thinking BS to DM)

I had similar critiques of Ed's current vocal abilities and choices initially. I have since started to focus on the melody and emotion in his delivery for subsequent listens and it has helped tremendously. His tone and ear for finding the space within the music is still top notch.

He's graded on such a ridiculous curve because we know what he was capable of at his apex.

He really is, and I agree. However, he still adds unnecessary enunciation to the point of distraction for me. His actual voice still sounds great for a 60 year old smoker. In fact, I can't believe it still sounds so great, especially those soaring parts of the album. When he's just singing though, he doesn't have to do things like "hey-ayyy", or "whY-hi", or "abou-hout", etc...My complaints about his singing style are not complaints about his actual voice.

[Homeboyd]

So yeah, I'm overall liking what the guys are doing here and happy a bunch of old farts can still make some rockin' tunes. Not sure about new era Ed's singing styles (I'm thinking BS to DM)

I had similar critiques of Ed's current vocal abilities and choices initially. I have since started to focus on the melody and emotion in his delivery for subsequent listens and it has helped tremendously. His tone and ear for finding the space within the music is still top notch.

He's graded on such a ridiculous curve because we know what he was capable of at his apex.

He really is, and I agree. However, he still adds unnecessary enunciation to the point of distraction for me. His actual voice still sounds great for a 60 year old smoker. In fact, I can't believe it still sounds so great, especially those soaring parts of the album. When he's just singing though, he doesn't have to do things like "hey-ayyy", or "whY-hi", or "abou-hout", etc...My complaints about his singing style are not complaints about his actual voice.

One of my favorite things about DM is how damn good Ed sounds to me...he still does the enunciation thing here or there as you say but he is soaring through many of these songs in a way he hasn't in a very long time.

[darth_vedder]

In a way, Dark Matter reminds me some of my favorite parts of those three albums rolled into DM, but with more soar.

This hit right. Good observation.

Thank you sir. I just kept hearing things that reminded me of some of my favorite moments from BS, LB, and Gigaton.

[DDWJMUVW]

GOD TIER (5)
SoF
Wreckage
Won't Tell
Setting Sun

ESTABLISHED (3.5-4.5)
Got to Give
Dark Matter
Running
Waiting for Stevie
(Be Mighty Humble)

ARROW POINTING UP (3-3.5)
Upper Hand
React, Respond

NOT QUITE RIPE YET (can't score)
Still Something Special



Scared of Fear is just a PERFECT Pearl Jam hard fucking rock song.

Won't Tell - admittedly more poppy than I had imagined from metal door leak but it's just simply outstanding.