Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

[VinylGuy]

Wreckage is growing on me. That can't be good.

we are all turning dude, join us

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[Arthur Morgan]

I think Ed is talented enough to write convincing lyrics about something seemingly personal but is not. He probably draws inspiration from many different avenues, personal being one but not entirely.

It’s is interesting to think about the inspiration of some of the lyrics on the album though

Yeah. I think what makes it interesting to think about is how PREVALENT the themes are, which previously has only been the case when he's feeling political and usually in the form of righteous anger. This is obviously something different. When the first three tracks, and the final track are all hitting a similar out of the box (for Eddie) theme, it's surprising. That places the album in a thematic space that I feel we haven't seen since Vitalogy (Last Exit, and Immortality together, setting a very dark bookend). Scared of Fear and Setting Sun similarly bookend this, and Scared of Fear even mentions a 'setting sun'. But then React/Respond and Wreckage seem to be about the same thing so the bookends feel even bigger. And then there's songs like Upper Hand which play into that same theme, and Im not sure some of the others don't as well.

It makes you wonder what has made him focus in so heavily on those themes in this album (which I know some have mentioned Cornell, but to me seems very strongly to be about divorce or a break-up of a very long and serious relationship), what his intention was, and what emotional space he was in when writing it.

Maybe, as people said above, its because this album came together quickly, so maybe he was feeling something at the time, it bled into a bunch of songs at once, and that led to this album that comes off more like a concept album than anything I feel they've ever written perhaps.

Gigaton came out right before Covid and was the album that got us through that period of time, but I think a lot of the hopelessness and apocalyptic feelings that we all faced in a post Covid world are manifested in this album. It forced us to look at our own mortality and place in the world. Maybe for Ed the gift of being part of a Seattle scene in the early days and how special that was but fleeting. We were more reflective maybe. Ed probably had more time during the hiatus of it all. Plus the strain that all of our relationships felt during that and the uncertainty of the future. Being closed off and wanting connection.

I believe a lot of these themes are on this album.

So yes personal but also maybe thinking about what everyone went through too

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[E.H. Ruddock]

Scared of Fear is really growing on me.

Title track and Running still suck.

Got to Give and Setting Sun continue to elude my judgement.

Listen to GtG again, you'll get there.

[dimejinky99]

Excited new members taking up hundreds of pages begging for links and leaks.


Donate button is up top folks. Send RM a few bucks to keep the lights on before you do your bullshit ‘I’m a long time lurker’ bullshit and then go begging for like a d we never see you again until the next album.

[Strat]

like, each song is so interesting from rhythm, melody, lyrics, eds voice, guitars, bass and everything in between.

one second im listening to the guitar and mad im just missed whatever JEff was doing.

Then a beautiful background harmony pops in...

Just ear candy everywhere

[RockPusher]

like, each song is so interesting from rhythm, melody, lyrics, eds voice, guitars, bass and everything in between.

one second im listening to the guitar and mad im just missed whatever JEff was doing.

Then a beautiful background harmony pops in...

Just ear candy everywhere

They fucking did it, Strat!

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[dimejinky99]

RM now in the comfortable middle age bracket, excited that it can share the joy of something exciting happening by their guys at the very other end of the middle aged going into elderly bracket


It’s cute

[Higgs]

like, each song is so interesting from rhythm, melody, lyrics, eds voice, guitars, bass and everything in between.

one second im listening to the guitar and mad im just missed whatever JEff was doing.

Then a beautiful background harmony pops in...

Just ear candy everywhere

Warheads amirite

What is the deal with those sour arse little bastard?

[Oversize]

like, each song is so interesting from rhythm, melody, lyrics, eds voice, guitars, bass and everything in between.

one second im listening to the guitar and mad im just missed whatever JEff was doing.

Then a beautiful background harmony pops in...

Just ear candy everywhere

Warheads amirite

Just unprofessionally LOL'd in my office

[Higgs]

RM now in the comfortable middle age bracket, excited that it can share the joy of something exciting happening by their guys at the very other end of the middle aged going into elderly bracket


It’s cute

Time is a real thing dime. We all get older until one day we don't.

[Ello Sailor]

Something Special basically sucks and Got to Give is a bit of a nothingburger.

Otherwise kinda digging this.

[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!

[Fattie_Vedder]

The water imagery on this is a) a river, and b) plumbing. There are no waves or oceans.

[Strat]

well, me and my ears have had a good run. NOt many make it to 43 years in a relationship.

RIP my hearing. A solid way to end it.

[Jaeti]

The water imagery on this is a) a river, and b) plumbing. There are no waves or oceans.

I think I heard a sandcastles/rocks/shore reference somewhere.

[Thurman Murman]

Who Ever Said grew into a 5 star song for me....Scared of Fear is on its way to doing the same. This ones a grower for sure.