Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

General Pearl Jam discussion.
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Rank Dark Matter

5 Stars
119
56%
4 Stars
65
31%
3 Stars
19
9%
2 Stars
2
1%
2 Star
1
0%
%#*! Andrew Watt
5
2%
 
Total votes: 211

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smallest_oceans
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by smallest_oceans »

injuddstree wrote:
brisk wrote:
injuddstree wrote:Ed sounds really good on the Stern songs.
Why do people keep saying this, he clearly doesn't, he isn't hitting all of the notes/wrong notes and on fear he barely attempts the big 'woah', yes it's early and new but either way it objectively is not good for the new tunes.
I said it because it's my opinion based on his voice in recent years and based on what I was expecting. I think he sounds good.
Me to. Also, these performances both live and on the new record remind me of what I liked about his singing in the first place. Even if that thing doesn't exist anymore.
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RockPusher
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by RockPusher »

brisk wrote:
injuddstree wrote:Ed sounds really good on the Stern songs.
Why do people keep saying this, he clearly doesn't, he isn't hitting all of the notes/wrong notes and on fear he barely attempts the big 'woah', yes it's early and new but either way it objectively is not good for the new tunes.
Aside from that one moment he more than does that song justice
Be mighty...Be humble...Be mighty humble...
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VinylGuy
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by VinylGuy »

Ok, changed it 5 stars
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dprival78
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by dprival78 »

i didn't think eddie sounded that great either. not terrible, but not great.

i sense much half-step de-tuning in the future
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Noaheb
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by Noaheb »

dprival78 wrote:i didn't think eddie sounded that great either. not terrible, but not great.

i sense much half-step de-tuning in the future
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dimejinky99
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by dimejinky99 »

Noaheb wrote:
dprival78 wrote:i didn't think eddie sounded that great either. not terrible, but not great.

i sense much half-step de-tuning in the future

It’s bizarre to me they don’t factor that in when writing and recording

It will inevitably happen in the live setting. Why not just make that the case on the record?

Very strange.
Calibrate your enthusiasm
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dprival78
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by dprival78 »

dimejinky99 wrote:
Noaheb wrote:
dprival78 wrote:i didn't think eddie sounded that great either. not terrible, but not great.

i sense much half-step de-tuning in the future

It’s bizarre to me they don’t factor that in when writing and recording

It will inevitably happen in the live setting. Why not just make that the case on the record?

Very strange.
it's been a thing since backspacer. is it ed who insists on artificially being made to sound younger on the albums, or is it a group decision?
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tragabigzanda
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by tragabigzanda »

pearl jam sucks now
Last edited by tragabigzanda on Thu January 01, 2026 4:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by Arthur Morgan »

I think Ed sounded good this morning. I feel he has lost some range, and that will continue to go away gradually with age. But his voice sounded strong and younger to me.

Knocking out two weeks in the studio when you are focusing on a couple of songs a day or one off media appearances are not as taxing on for his voice.


The biggest thing I worry about is his ability to sing over the course of an entire tour. You can hear it in his voice now more than ever(2022-2023) that he gets hoarse as the tour goes on. That leads to cancellations.


This is the biggest factor in me trying to just appreciate every moment. I feel our time with the band is limited. Hope I’m wrong and if I am then it’s all gravy.

Maybe they will go Beatles and just make studio records at some point
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tree_
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by tree_ »

But the Beatles broke up before they were 30!
Last edited by tree_ on Tue April 23, 2024 1:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
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stip
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by stip »

Arthur Morgan wrote:I think Ed sounded good this morning. I feel he has lost some range, and that will continue to go away gradually with age. But his voice sounded strong and younger to me.

Knocking out two weeks in the studio when you are focusing on a couple of songs a day or one off media appearances are not as taxing on for his voice.


The biggest thing I worry about is his ability to sing over the course of an entire tour. You can hear it in his voice now more than ever(2022-2023) that he gets hoarse as the tour goes on. That leads to cancellations.


This is the biggest factor in me trying to just appreciate every moment. I feel our time with the band is limited. Hope I’m wrong and if I am then it’s all gravy.

Maybe they will go Beatles and just make studio records at some point
I wonder if they would approach the studio differently if they were writing WITHOUT the intent to tour.
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by digster »

I think their best move is to just write the songs as they should be, in whatever key or melody feels right for what they're chasing, and worry about the live show later. Ed's almost 60, and he's trying to sing songs from his youth every night that are extremely challenging. There's just no way it's not going to be an issue.
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by Arthur Morgan »

stip wrote:
Arthur Morgan wrote:I think Ed sounded good this morning. I feel he has lost some range, and that will continue to go away gradually with age. But his voice sounded strong and younger to me.

Knocking out two weeks in the studio when you are focusing on a couple of songs a day or one off media appearances are not as taxing on for his voice.


The biggest thing I worry about is his ability to sing over the course of an entire tour. You can hear it in his voice now more than ever(2022-2023) that he gets hoarse as the tour goes on. That leads to cancellations.


This is the biggest factor in me trying to just appreciate every moment. I feel our time with the band is limited. Hope I’m wrong and if I am then it’s all gravy.

Maybe they will go Beatles and just make studio records at some point
I wonder if they would approach the studio differently if they were writing WITHOUT the intent to tour.
I honestly don’t think it would change anything. The more I listen to DM I realize Ed is pushing pretty hard on some of the songs. I really get the impression they were going for making the best versions of the songs as possible, period.

I am very interested in hearing the album live to see if he struggles.
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by Arthur Morgan »

digster wrote:I think their best move is to just write the songs as they should be, in whatever key or melody feels right for what they're chasing, and worry about the live show later. Ed's almost 60, and he's trying to sing songs from his youth every night that are extremely challenging. There's just no way it's not going to be an issue.

Good point
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by Arthur Morgan »

tree_ wrote:But the Beatles broke up before they were 30!

lol

You know it always just blows me away that all those Beatles songs were created in less than a decade. It’s mindblowing
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VinylGuy
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by VinylGuy »

they did a great work on Gigaton´s songs live. Quick Escape sounds awesome live.
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Clem Halibut
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by Clem Halibut »

I thought Ed sounded good this morning

It was great to hear Scared of Fear & I thought Running sounded really good

Yellow Ledbetter was the absolute highlight of the show
Mike's playing was just incredible and I think Ed sang that better than I've heard him do in years.

Can't wait to see the videos once they're up
“The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.”
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by DDWJMUVW »

I also thought he sounded good considering. And that’s the key word. If you’re expecting him to sound like 91-94 Ed you’re batshit. If you’re expecting 98 tour you’re nuts. If you’re expecting 09/13 you’re asking a lot.

I think Watt kept him in his pocket vocally on this record and I like that. Don’t choose registers that don’t work for him at this point. He still has an amazing voice, and one of the most unique in rock history, but play to your strengths given your age.

If he can be selective with how he uses his voice night by night on the tour, it will serve him well in the long term. I was a little disappointed when he didn’t answer Howard’s question about maintaining his voice with: oh I do x/y/z and instead said he “just leans into it”. No dude - you need to be preserving with exercises and therapy. He admitted at St Paul N1 last summer to smoking in the shower in his hotel that morning. WTF are you still smoking for??
"For me, it's all about the time we're having just playing the songs. So if it's kind of a mindless good time, then....."
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by RockPusher »

DDWJMUVW wrote:WTF are you still smoking for??
Addiction sucks, man
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stip
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by stip »

DDWJMUVW wrote:I also thought he sounded good considering. And that’s the key word. If you’re expecting him to sound like 91-94 Ed you’re batshit. If you’re expecting 98 tour you’re nuts. If you’re expecting 09/13 you’re asking a lot.

I think Watt kept him in his pocket vocally on this record and I like that. Don’t choose registers that don’t work for him at this point. He still has an amazing voice, and one of the most unique in rock history, but play to your strengths given your age.

If he can be selective with how he uses his voice night by night on the tour, it will serve him well in the long term. I was a little disappointed when he didn’t answer Howard’s question about maintaining his voice with: oh I do x/y/z and instead said he “just leans into it”. No dude - you need to be preserving with exercises and therapy. He admitted at St Paul N1 last summer to smoking in the shower in his hotel that morning. WTF are you still smoking for??
it's infuriating
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