Red Mosquito

When it comes to Ed smoking and whatnot, I think I fall in the camp of being grateful for the Ed we have, and not thinking too hard about the Ed we want.

P.S. If they had given me the album I "wanted" after Gigaton, it wouldn't have been nearly as good as Dark Matter, lol.

Strat wrote:I said this in the Vancouver tour show thread but...

I am super back in love with this band. Im here for all of it. The teleprompters, the hats, the additional musician, the overhead projector, the visuals. All of it.

Even the HATS?

God dammit, guys. I know you've all been waiting with bated breath for my big opinion on the new record so I'm here to salve your wounds.

I haven't weighed in b/c a) this thread moves unholily fast and b) I wanted to make sure what I felt was actually true.

This is their best record since Yield and I don't think it's close. It stands comfortably alongside the first five records which (as you all know) is the biggest compliment I can give it.

There are so many moments that feel precog on this thing. They could see all the angles and knew which way to go. The chord changes in just the right spot. The solo coming in to save the day. MC with a capital D Drumfill. Jeff holding the entire thing together singlehandedly. Ed soaring soaring soaring again! The moments where they instinctively know the song needs to move in a new direction. In a weird way it's what I've been waiting for since Ten that they steadfastly refused to deliver. In the fucking pocket, playing to us for us. It sounds big but effortless. In this sense, Won't Tell is the type of song I've been asking them to do forever. They kinda half-assed it with Backspacer but this track has that arena rock sweet spot that something like Amongst the Waves desperately pretended to have. Rounding around age 60, they somehow nailed it again.

And it's the first time they nailed the album sequencing in forever. One of my pet peeves is how they stack side A and side B often runs on fumes. Not this time. I actually look forward to side B the more I listen. I know I'll get to the treat that awaits me with Got to Give. Initially, I thought it was just fine but now I look forward to it as something to savor. In another era, this song was Swallowed Whole. Like it fine but it never achieves actual liftoff. But wait a mere 2 minutes and 9 seconds and hear Ed say, "And I can't stand it, this is no way to live!" and we are headed to the heavens. Energy. Energy. Energy. (h/t Mr. Watt).

Dark Matter and Running have absolutely been given the gift of context. I didn't really feel one way or the other about those songs but when they come in between two other tracks, the feel is there and correct. I get it.

Next thing you know, it's 2 minutes and 24 seconds into Waiting for Stevie and Ed Ved is wailing and the guitars are cresting and MC is pretending it's Down on the Upside again. Fuckin' hell. There's just no way I thought that feeling would ever come back again.

Then there's Upper fucking Hand. The care with which they launch that song into space. That moment when he finishes off the chorus at the 4 minute 25 second mark and the band carries it the rest of the way. It's that exact moment why I'm still in the game with these guys. All the emotion with perfect timing and uplift and we're off to the races. It's Present Tense. Thank God this is still happening in 2024. We certainly don't deserve it but man what a gift to accept.

Oh also they finish off the album with a more mature Hard to Imagine so there's that too in case you weren't convinced.

Another album that lives with me. Precious shit, guys.

Be mighty. Be humble. Avoid the devil.

I have a theory: they're purposely playing back catalogue songs that influenced the writing of Dark Matter

change my mind

RockPusher wrote:When it comes to Ed smoking and whatnot, I think I fall in the camp of being grateful for the Ed we have, and not thinking too hard about the Ed we want.

P.S. If they had given me the album I "wanted" after Gigaton, it wouldn't have been nearly as good as Dark Matter, lol.

I agree

and for all that I constantly pick apart Matt's playing I have the same attitude towards him

evenslow wrote:
Another album that lives with me. Precious shit, guys.

Fuck yes. Great review...Love every word.

evenslow wrote:God dammit, guys. I know you've all been waiting with bated breath for my big opinion on the new record so I'm here to salve your wounds.

I haven't weighed in b/c a) this thread moves unholily fast and b) I wanted to make sure what I felt was actually true.

This is their best record since Yield and I don't think it's close. It stands comfortably alongside the first five records which (as you all know) is the biggest compliment I can give it.

There are so many moments that feel precog on this thing. They could see all the angles and knew which way to go. The chord changes in just the right spot. The solo coming in to save the day. MC with a capital D Drumfill. Jeff holding the entire thing together singlehandedly. Ed soaring soaring soaring again! The moments where they instinctively know the song needs to move in a new direction. In a weird way it's what I've been waiting for since Ten that they steadfastly refused to deliver. In the fucking pocket, playing to us for us. It sounds big but effortless. In this sense, Won't Tell is the type of song I've been asking them to do forever. They kinda half-assed it with Backspacer but this track has that arena rock sweet spot that something like Amongst the Waves desperately pretended to have. Rounding around age 60, they somehow nailed it again.

And it's the first time they nailed the album sequencing in forever. One of my pet peeves is how they stack side A and side B often runs on fumes. Not this time. I actually look forward to side B the more I listen. I know I'll get to the treat that awaits me with Got to Give. Initially, I thought it was just fine but now I look forward to it as something to savor. In another era, this song was Swallowed Whole. Like it fine but it never achieves actual liftoff. But wait a mere 2 minutes and 9 seconds and hear Ed say, "And I can't stand it, this is no way to live!" and we are headed to the heavens. Energy. Energy. Energy. (h/t Mr. Watt).

Dark Matter and Running have absolutely been given the gift of context. I didn't really feel one way or the other about those songs but when they come in between two other tracks, the feel is there and correct. I get it.

Next thing you know, it's 2 minutes and 24 seconds into Waiting for Stevie and Ed Ved is wailing and the guitars are cresting and MC is pretending it's Down on the Upside again. Fuckin' hell. There's just no way I thought that feeling would ever come back again.

Then there's Upper fucking Hand. The care with which they launch that song into space. That moment when he finishes off the chorus at the 4 minute 25 second mark and the band carries it the rest of the way. It's that exact moment why I'm still in the game with these guys. All the emotion with perfect timing and uplift and we're off to the races. It's Present Tense. Thank God this is still happening in 2024. We certainly don't deserve it but man what a gift to accept.

Oh also they finish off the album with a more mature Hard to Imagine so there's that too in case you weren't convinced.

Another album that lives with me. Precious shit, guys.

Be mighty. Be humble. Avoid the devil.

Glad to see your review! I am in complete agreement with you.

RockPusher wrote:When it comes to Ed smoking and whatnot, I think I fall in the camp of being grateful for the Ed we have, and not thinking too hard about the Ed we want.

P.S. If they had given me the album I "wanted" after Gigaton, it wouldn't have been nearly as good as Dark Matter, lol.

im pretty certain Ed mentioned in one of the recent interviews (Stern, simmons, or zane) that he did quit smoking a couple years ago.

oneway23 wrote:

evenslow wrote:
Another album that lives with me. Precious shit, guys.

Fuck yes. Great review...Love every word.

evenslow wrote:God dammit, guys. I know you've all been waiting with bated breath for my big opinion on the new record so I'm here to salve your wounds.

I haven't weighed in b/c a) this thread moves unholily fast and b) I wanted to make sure what I felt was actually true.

This is their best record since Yield and I don't think it's close. It stands comfortably alongside the first five records which (as you all know) is the biggest compliment I can give it.

There are so many moments that feel precog on this thing. They could see all the angles and knew which way to go. The chord changes in just the right spot. The solo coming in to save the day. MC with a capital D Drumfill. Jeff holding the entire thing together singlehandedly. Ed soaring soaring soaring again! The moments where they instinctively know the song needs to move in a new direction. In a weird way it's what I've been waiting for since Ten that they steadfastly refused to deliver. In the fucking pocket, playing to us for us. It sounds big but effortless. In this sense, Won't Tell is the type of song I've been asking them to do forever. They kinda half-assed it with Backspacer but this track has that arena rock sweet spot that something like Amongst the Waves desperately pretended to have. Rounding around age 60, they somehow nailed it again.

And it's the first time they nailed the album sequencing in forever. One of my pet peeves is how they stack side A and side B often runs on fumes. Not this time. I actually look forward to side B the more I listen. I know I'll get to the treat that awaits me with Got to Give. Initially, I thought it was just fine but now I look forward to it as something to savor. In another era, this song was Swallowed Whole. Like it fine but it never achieves actual liftoff. But wait a mere 2 minutes and 9 seconds and hear Ed say, "And I can't stand it, this is no way to live!" and we are headed to the heavens. Energy. Energy. Energy. (h/t Mr. Watt).

Dark Matter and Running have absolutely been given the gift of context. I didn't really feel one way or the other about those songs but when they come in between two other tracks, the feel is there and correct. I get it.

Next thing you know, it's 2 minutes and 24 seconds into Waiting for Stevie and Ed Ved is wailing and the guitars are cresting and MC is pretending it's Down on the Upside again. Fuckin' hell. There's just no way I thought that feeling would ever come back again.

Then there's Upper fucking Hand. The care with which they launch that song into space. That moment when he finishes off the chorus at the 4 minute 25 second mark and the band carries it the rest of the way. It's that exact moment why I'm still in the game with these guys. All the emotion with perfect timing and uplift and we're off to the races. It's Present Tense. Thank God this is still happening in 2024. We certainly don't deserve it but man what a gift to accept.

Oh also they finish off the album with a more mature Hard to Imagine so there's that too in case you weren't convinced.

Another album that lives with me. Precious shit, guys.

Be mighty. Be humble. Avoid the devil.

Review was worth the wait. Someone needs to take their time so we have something to come out now. Agree with every word.


Not just the best album since the 90s. An album as good as the 90s. Would have been wasted in the 2000s. So much more precious now

stip wrote:So much more precious now

Great take, stip

Strat, watch the video. There was a pause, followed by much laughing over the smoking.

mikejasond wrote:

Strat wrote:I said this in the Vancouver tour show thread but...

I am super back in love with this band. Im here for all of it. The teleprompters, the hats, the additional musician, the overhead projector, the visuals. All of it.

Even the HATS?

someone on the pit claims there are multiple copies of the hat and eddie switched his out for a dry one at some point during the show last night

basically_infirmed wrote:

mikejasond wrote:

Strat wrote:I said this in the Vancouver tour show thread but...

I am super back in love with this band. Im here for all of it. The teleprompters, the hats, the additional musician, the overhead projector, the visuals. All of it.

Even the HATS?

someone on the pit claims there are multiple copies of the hat and eddie switched his out for a dry one at some point during the show last night

They should become the new tambourines

the only thing worse than a fedora is a wet fedora

Ms Harmless wrote:the only thing worse than a fedora is a wet fedora

Given to Flop

Half-Fold

Sweat Eww

Hypnos wrote:Sweat Eww

Sweating Son

Combing through the sweatage

Slack