Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

[McParadigm]

Do we know who Stevie is?

Stevie Wonder

That makes no sense. He already arrived and left in the studio with some of these guys.

I'm thinking it's Steve Jobs, which would fit the context of the title a little better since he's permanently unavailable.

oh that was a joke?

Just trying to get to the bottom of this light matter.

I read somewhere that it is actually Stevie Nicks

Makes sense on the surface, but digging deeper I think it's actually about Steve from Blue's Clues.

Does anyone recall that moment after we were coming out of the pandemic when he showed up on social media, tugging at all the millennial heart strings with some earnest nostalgia? The whole world was waiting for him and he came right when he was needed.

Thinking hard on it, I bet that's what the song is about.

I never forgot you. Ever.

[stip]

Do we know who Stevie is?

Stevie Wonder

That makes no sense. He already arrived and left in the studio with some of these guys.

I'm thinking it's Steve Jobs, which would fit the context of the title a little better since he's permanently unavailable.

oh that was a joke?

Just trying to get to the bottom of this light matter.

I read somewhere that it is actually Stevie Nicks

Makes sense on the surface, but digging deeper I think it's actually about Steve from Blue's Clues.

Does anyone recall that moment after we were coming out of the pandemic when he showed up on social media, tugging at all the millennial heart strings with some earnest nostalgia? The whole world was waiting for him and he came right when he was needed.

Thinking hard on it, I bet that's what the song is about.

I was getting Steve Guttenburg vibes, myself

[Ms Harmless]

the more I listen, the 80's style snares on Scared of Fear and React Respond feel deliberate, because they're not actually everywhere on the album; sure, this production isn't the organic Riot Act, it is a pop record, but it would be silly to deny that each song is given its own treatment and character within that realm

[Thurman Murman]

PLEASE GET BACK INTO THE STUDIO WITH WATT NEXT SUMMER.

This! Listen to Stone and lets do this all over again in 2026.

[Ms Harmless]

PLEASE GET BACK INTO THE STUDIO WITH WATT NEXT SUMMER.

This! Listen to Stone and lets do this all over again in 2026.

[dad]

Do we know who Stevie is?

Stevie Wonder

That makes no sense. He already arrived and left in the studio with some of these guys.

I'm thinking it's Steve Jobs, which would fit the context of the title a little better since he's permanently unavailable.

oh that was a joke?

Just trying to get to the bottom of this light matter.

I read somewhere that it is actually Stevie Nicks

Makes sense on the surface, but digging deeper I think it's actually about Steve from Blue's Clues.

Does anyone recall that moment after we were coming out of the pandemic when he showed up on social media, tugging at all the millennial heart strings with some earnest nostalgia? The whole world was waiting for him and he came right when he was needed.

Thinking hard on it, I bet that's what the song is about.

yeah, I bet they were waiting on him to bring them a letter.

[headinspeakers]

I've gotten such a charge out of reading literally every post in this thread the last 6 days ... I abstained from the leaks, though I did attend a movie theater screening with my wife on Tuesday night, though the audio was terrible. Looking forward to giving this a thorough listen this afternoon with a pint of double fiddle. In that context, I'm debating whether to listen to the Apple Music lossless stream OR the 10c download. To those audiophiles out there, which should be better? I assume the dl? If so, which format should I select - MP3, FLAC, ALAC, WAV? The WAV file appears to be the largest and bigger is usually better, right?

.WAV is unnecessary.....Both ALAC & .FLAC files are compressed .WAV files with no loss of quality. Either would be equivalent to a physical CD.

Where do you usually listen to your music most often? If you have an iPhone or Mac computers, download .ALAC.

If you have a media player on a Windows computer, odds are it will decode .FLAC files.

As for streaming vs. CD or 10c download, it's six of one, half a dozen of the other. Apple Lossless is equivalent to CD-Quality.

Thank you! I'm an iPhone guy ... first real spin of this thing will be via klipsch R-51pm bluetooth monitors with subwoofer, so it sounds like streaming the dolby atmosphere lossless version makes the most sense?

[BootsToAsses]

Spinning the vinyl now, it sounds lovely. I don't think the mixing is bad at all, instruments sound nice and clear in the mix.

[headinspeakers]

Does anyone else randomly well up during listening to no song in particular while listening to this album? I’m so grateful to feel elevated by an PJ album. Little hints of being overwhelmed by the unexpected beauty of it all.

did that several times in movie theater Tuesday night. tried hiding it from my wife .... "are you crying?!?"

[oneway23]

Thank you! I'm an iPhone guy ... first real spin of this thing will be via klipsch R-51pm bluetooth monitors with subwoofer, so it sounds like streaming the dolby atmosphere lossless version makes the most sense?

Streaming is probably the most hassle-free way to do what you wanna do there...No fuss

[McParadigm]

Kinda expected running/special/got to give to give the album a weak second half, but those songs are so much better inside the album than they are on their own. And Got to Give has really grown on me. That Daltryesque delivery of “you and me can take on anyone” is such a fucking delight.

[EBowie]

I’ve never been able to rank the albums with confidence. The first five albums feel untouchable to me.

I will say my first impression of Dark Matter is that I’m completely stoked and thrilled.

My heart - 5 stars
My head - 4 stars
4.5 seems reasonable for now

[WaitingForBluey]

I’ve never been able to rank the albums with confidence. The first five albums feel untouchable to me.

I will say my first impression of Dark Matter is that I’m completely stoked and thrilled.

My heart - 5 stars
My head - 4 stars
4.5 seems reasonable for now

Keep listening, your head will eventually catch up to your heart

[washing machine]

Kinda expected running/special/got to give to give the album a weak second half, but those songs are so much better inside the album than they are on their own. And Got to Give has really grown on me. That Daltryesque delivery of “you and me can take on anyone” is such a fucking delight.

I never knew it until recently, but I've been waiting my entire life as a runner for a Pearl Jam song called "Running" that actually has a beat that you can run to.

Alas, I'm experiencing my first headphone listen with this thing with Octonauts on as a backdrop while folding my kiddo's clothes.

[unLEASHed]

So the videoclip they had on the site and now on instagram might be for Wating For Stevie…can anyone confirm that? Next Single?

[EBowie]

I’ve never been able to rank the albums with confidence. The first five albums feel untouchable to me.

I will say my first impression of Dark Matter is that I’m completely stoked and thrilled.

My heart - 5 stars
My head - 4 stars
4.5 seems reasonable for now

Keep listening, your head will eventually catch up to your heart

I’m inclined to think so. Only one listen so far with headphones before going to bed. I need time to digest everything.

[stip]

Kinda expected running/special/got to give to give the album a weak second half, but those songs are so much better inside the album than they are on their own. And Got to Give has really grown on me. That Daltryesque delivery of “you and me can take on anyone” is such a fucking delight.

It helps that it dips back up. The run of songs preceding running is a lot. Upper Hand and Waiting for Stevie ask a lot, in different ways. Running and Something Special are cool downs that are actually needed, and both work well at what they do. Got to Give ramps up organically within the song itself, and so you're primed for an emotionally intense ending.


I really like all the songs in the Buckle Up -> River Cross run. But it is a steady downward progression for the most part in terms of energy and intensity, or at least the the type of intensity. Quiet. Meditative. Even that climax at the end of Retrograde is immediately brought back down in River Cross.

[Bi_3]

Floored by this one. Need a few more listens but my gut reaction is musically this is their best sense Binaural. Only issue is I wished then had leaned a bit into protools or whatever is used to artificially enrich the range on vocal tracks as 2000s Ed would be perfect for this and 2020s Ed's limits are apparent.

On first listen: 4.5/5

[oneway23]

Love what Josh Evans and Nick Rivas did with the overheads in Atmos.

Many of the songs have both guitars over your head with Ed and Jeff central...Matt set somewhat back in the sound field

Some chroruses kick in and Ed will literally elevate from dead center to overhead..

Some harmonies will push outward to the sides.

I'm in lust

[Strat]

Kinda expected running/special/got to give to give the album a weak second half, but those songs are so much better inside the album than they are on their own. And Got to Give has really grown on me. That Daltryesque delivery of “you and me can take on anyone” is such a fucking delight.

Im guessing its Ed, but the rhythm playing on the acoustic guitar is just fantastic. Very Townsendesque.