Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

[Birds in Hell]

2.5 for Scared of Fear seems extremely low.

I think it could be their worst album opener but Getaway probably beats it out.

I can't get past the 2000s emo punk chorus (and the ending of the bridge), I can't do it.

[Birds in Hell]

the only track i find myself skipping at this point is the title track. still a bizarre choice for a single and it doesn't sound great on the bootlegs either. matt seems to change his mind on what groove he wants to do every 4 bars.

Yeah, it's no good at all.

The whole thing feels very forced.

The intro lacks some guts live because Stone doesn't play anything until the verse kicks in.

By way of update, they finally seem to have worked this one out by the LA shows.

[stip]

2.5 for Scared of Fear seems extremely low.

I think it could be their worst album opener but Getaway probably beats it out.

I can't get past the 2000s emo punk chorus (and the ending of the bridge), I can't do it.

those are the moments where it really lifts off for me

[Release_Me]

SoF is a 5 star all time classic, for me. The bridge and then the way the songs goes back to the chorus afterwards is the best part. The other songs on DM that are at that same pedestal are Won't Tell, Upper Hand, Waiting For Stevie and Setting Sun. These five songs I'd put up in any "best of" PJ compilation. Not just latter day greats but all time great songs.

Then there are some songs that are pretty damn good, but a notch below the top tier: R/R, Wreckage, DM, GtG.

Running and Something Special are really the only songs that I feel are inessential and their absence wouldn't hurt the album. Still enjoyable songs.

[dimejinky99]

Wow

Just came to post this
Scared of fear.
This is by far and easily the weakest pj album opener of them all.

I dunno where else they would put it on the album either, but man it’s poor as an opener.

[dimejinky99]

2.5 for Scared of Fear seems extremely low.

I think it could be their worst album opener but Getaway probably beats it out.

I can't get past the 2000s emo punk chorus (and the ending of the bridge), I can't do it.

Can’t agree the spenno. Getaway was a great opener.

I don’t even remember the openers on backspacer or the one before.

Getaway stands up as an opener for these ears

[dimejinky99]

So we have a rank the openers thread?

Can’t keep is probably my all time favourite. Just knowing the transition from a little uke song into what the band did with it. In terms of craft and finding the right space it’s gold standard for me.

[DDWJMUVW]

I'm sorry, and with all due respect....but....


Are some of you high?

Scared of Fear is light years better than Getaway (which I actually think is a decent track, one of the few on LB).

There are few weak openers in the catalogue, but SoF fits right up there with the best of them (Once, Last Exit, Go, Life Wasted).

[warehouse]

2.5 for Scared of Fear seems extremely low.

I think it could be their worst album opener but Getaway probably beats it out.

I can't get past the 2000s emo punk chorus (and the ending of the bridge), I can't do it.

am i missing something? i dont hear this at all

[Jaeti]

I'm sorry, and with all due respect....but....


Are some of you high?

Scared of Fear is light years better than Getaway (which I actually think is a decent track, one of the few on LB).

There are few weak openers in the catalogue, but SoF fits right up there with the best of them (Once, Last Exit, Go, Life Wasted).

[Kevin Davis]

Won't Tell - Probably my favorite lyrics on the entire album. But the song doesn't work all the way through for me. It hasn't fallen much in my estimation over the last (almost) two months, but it hasn't really gotten stronger either. (3.5)

I feel the same way. Apart from "Something Special," which is the kind of sentimental EV ballad that I'm just not into, this is the one song on the album that just doesn't really work for me -- I think the chorus melody is awkward and unsatisfying, and sinks the song for me at the point where it feels like it's really ramping up to hook me. I don't hate it but I usually skip it.

"Scared of Fear," though -- that one's a favorite.

[hlniv]

Scared of Fear is great. You guys need to shape up

[oftheearth]

2.5 for Scared of Fear seems extremely low.

I think it could be their worst album opener but Getaway probably beats it out.

I can't get past the 2000s emo punk chorus (and the ending of the bridge), I can't do it.

am i missing something? i dont hear this at all

It reminds me of The Strokes which I personally don’t think is a bad thing. Especially the chorus part, guitar and vox. A bit of ‘First Impressions of Earth’ era to me which is 2006.

[warehouse]

no one has ever accused the strokes of being emo, have they? they are almost like the polar opposite

[guitar_davey]

no one has ever accused the strokes of being emo, have they? they are almost like the polar opposite

I have never been into emo and I love the Strokes. I also love SoF.

[oftheearth]

no one has ever accused the strokes of being emo, have they? they are almost like the polar opposite

You are correct. The Strokes are not emo

I would love to hear what Birds in Hell is referring to though.

[Leatherhead]

I can't understand hating on SoF. Won't Tell? Sure. Something Special? Sure. Waiting For Stevie? Sure, maybe. But Scared of Fear? Come on.

[Bi_3]

Wow

Just came to post this
Scared of fear.
This is by far and easily the weakest pj album opener of them all.

I dunno where else they would put it on the album either, but man it’s poor as an opener.

A rare dime + bi agreement. It's not bad, it's just that overused "Pearl Jam rocker" sound they've had since Avocado.

[McParadigm]

Even if he can extrapolate some quality that makes you go “oh, ok, I hear some emo now,” it doesn’t really mean anything. “I dislike this song because it has qualities that I do not like” is different from “i dislike this song because it is bad.”

Another Brick in the Wall pt 2 is basically the result of Bob Ezrin trying to turn the song into a disco hit. It and Miss You by the Stones both factually have key elements of disco music to them. But you don’t have to like disco music (you should) to like what those songs are doing.

[McParadigm]

Every song on this album succeeds at what it is trying to achieve. I think that’s what’s pretty neat about it.

If a song like won’t tell or running is trying to achieve things you’re not interested in, then you won’t like it. But none of them are bad songs, and none of them reach for something and don’t attain it.