Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

[hlniv]

I have compiled a 6 hour live playlist across 4 of the recent shows. I'm featuring the Dark Matter songs integrated into the 1st half, and then another playthrough live in album order at the end of the set. All other songs in the set appear only once.

So I am also binging some Pearl Jam right now, across all eras and albums. And the Dark Matter tracks are still fitting in nicely. And I am featuring them prominently, both with live listens and in studio playlists.

Remains 5 stars.

And also the 2024 bootlegs are superb.

30 years in. What a world.

[WtOB?]

I have compiled a 6 hour live playlist across 4 of the recent shows. I'm featuring the Dark Matter songs integrated into the 1st half, and then another playthrough live in album order at the end of the set. All other songs in the set appear only once.

So I am also binging some Pearl Jam right now, across all eras and albums. And the Dark Matter tracks are still fitting in nicely. And I am featuring them prominently, both with live listens and in studio playlists.

Remains 5 stars.

And also the 2024 bootlegs are superb.

30 years in. What a world.

which version of the title track do you consider the best?

[Noaheb]

one of the few complaints i have is this album is exhausting and just a tad too short. From start to finish theres not many breaks and Eddie is just belting everything out. i love it but singing along makes my stomach hurt from trying to keep up lol. it never stops! and then its over and starts again. 1 or 2 more songs on the mellower end of things i think would help.

Either way I'm still listening every day.

[Kevin Davis]

one of the few complaints i have is this album is exhausting and just a tad too short

This is an interesting juxtaposition of sentiments

[Leatherhead]

one of the few complaints i have is this album is exhausting and just a tad too short

This is an interesting juxtaposition of sentiments

I think I agree though. Every song is pretty high energy. Needs more mellow songs, but also more heavy songs, and less in the middle songs.

[Monkey_Driven]

It would greatly benefit from a quiet, 3-4 minute song.

[Kevin Davis]

one of the few complaints i have is this album is exhausting and just a tad too short

This is an interesting juxtaposition of sentiments

I think I agree though. Every song is pretty high energy. Needs more mellow songs, but also more heavy songs, and less in the middle songs.

I totally get it, and I didn't mean any disrespect -- I just thought it was amusing taken out of context. "It's really tiring swimming across this river -- I wish it was wider!"

[Tj]

I agree a slow burn ballad or something like wma would be good.

[Noaheb]

one of the few complaints i have is this album is exhausting and just a tad too short

This is an interesting juxtaposition of sentiments

I think I agree though. Every song is pretty high energy. Needs more mellow songs, but also more heavy songs, and less in the middle songs.

I totally get it, and I didn't mean any disrespect -- I just thought it was amusing taken out of context. "It's really tiring swimming across this river -- I wish it was wider!"

yeah I thought the same thing when I was typing it. no disrespect taken.

[hlniv]

I have compiled a 6 hour live playlist across 4 of the recent shows. I'm featuring the Dark Matter songs integrated into the 1st half, and then another playthrough live in album order at the end of the set. All other songs in the set appear only once.

So I am also binging some Pearl Jam right now, across all eras and albums. And the Dark Matter tracks are still fitting in nicely. And I am featuring them prominently, both with live listens and in studio playlists.

Remains 5 stars.

And also the 2024 bootlegs are superb.

30 years in. What a world.

which version of the title track do you consider the best?

Oh I haven’t compared any. Not listening that close. Really haven’t even noticed any difference between any of the DM tracks in terms of their live versions. Seems to me like they’ve been pretty consistent. Would love to hear another Got to Give though.

[stip]

I agree a slow burn ballad or something like wma would be good.

the record does go by pretty quickly for almost 50 minutes. the 5+ minute songs fly by. Its a very propulsive record. Its an interesting feature that a song like running, which is the fastest song on the record, paradoxically slows things down by lowering the emotional intensity of the album.

But Im not sure a more traditional slow burn is needed. There is so much life in the compositions and sequencing that it might end up derailing the emotional cascade of the record

[liebzz]

I agree a slow burn ballad or something like wma would be good.

the record does go by pretty quickly for almost 50 minutes. the 5+ minute songs fly by. Its a very propulsive record. Its an interesting feature that a song like running, which is the fastest song on the record, paradoxically slows things down by lowering the emotional intensity of the album.

But Im not sure a more traditional slow burn is needed. There is so much life in the compositions and sequencing that it might end up derailing the emotional cascade of the record

I agree with this. It is fine as it is in terms of how the album arcs. Best sequenced Pearl Jam album of them all.

That said, I do think if this is what Andrew Watt is getting out of them creatively, and they opt for him again, they would be capable of that elusive self-indulgent double album with some experimental breaks - a drawn out grown up Vitalogy with a combination of Dark Matter’s energy and Gigaton’s organic meander.

[stip]

im not normally a double album guy, but if we only get ine one more album (i think we will get one more - not sure beyond that ) I wouldnt mind going out that way

[VinylGuy]

its an intense record, and even that energy reminds me of Vs were the ballads also had some thing going on and were not a slow burn moment at all until Indifference maybe.

[epilogue]

Almost 2 months in. I hear at least 1-5 songs from this album just about every day...

Scared of Fear - Has improved a bit for me. Definitely like the lyrics more now that I'm better acquainted with it. Still a fairly down the middle song. (2.5)

React, Respond - Improved the most of all the songs for me. This started out as damn near a throw away. Now it's one of my favorites. (4)

Wreckage - Liked it from the jump. The only issue I have with this song is the production. It's the only song on the record that it physically hurts me to listen to. This song pinches my ears so badly with headphones on. It's all in the second half of the song, but especially the end. I don't listen to the song as much as I like it because I physically can't without manipulating EQ settings on my headphones/streaming app. (4)

Dark Matter - Just keeps getting better. (4.5)

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)

Upper Hand - Remains an album highlight for me (5)

Waiting For Stevie - The lyrics have improved a bit for me over time. (3.5)

Running - Works better in the context of the album but it's still a minor track (2.5)

Something Special - Still better than a lot of folks make it out to be, but by far the least interesting song on the record. The only one I skip. (2.5)

Got To Give - Another that keeps getting better with time. (3.5)

Setting Sun - Still a banger and my favorite (5)

[RockPusher]

I've been listening to the RM double album version of Stray Cats (coincidentally I've just adopted a stray cat) and it occurs to me that I would love for them to include instrumentals on their albums. Thunderclap, Only Cloud in the Sky, Chinese- these are all great and worthy of millions of ears. I also have to confess, I like the instrumental version of Brother more than the one with words.

Dark Matter's collection of pretty, ambient intros and outros really is essential to the album. Expand on that, please!

[VinylGuy]

Yeah agree. I would love to have more instrumental passages too, sometimes Ed needs to sing too much, let the music speak too dude

[Monkey_Driven]

Almost 2 months in. I hear at least 1-5 songs from this album just about every day...

Scared of Fear - Has improved a bit for me. Definitely like the lyrics more now that I'm better acquainted with it. Still a fairly down the middle song. (2.5)

React, Respond - Improved the most of all the songs for me. This started out as damn near a throw away. Now it's one of my favorites. (4)

Wreckage - Liked it from the jump. The only issue I have with this song is the production. It's the only song on the record that it physically hurts me to listen to. This song pinches my ears so badly with headphones on. It's all in the second half of the song, but especially the end. I don't listen to the song as much as I like it because I physically can't without manipulating EQ settings on my headphones/streaming app. (4)

Dark Matter - Just keeps getting better. (4.5)

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)

Upper Hand - Remains an album highlight for me (5)

Waiting For Stevie - The lyrics have improved a bit for me over time. (3.5)

Running - Works better in the context of the album but it's still a minor track (2.5)

Something Special - Still better than a lot of folks make it out to be, but by far the least interesting song on the record. The only one I skip. (2.5)

Got To Give - Another that keeps getting better with time. (3.5)

Setting Sun - Still a banger and my favorite (5)

2.5 for Scared of Fear seems extremely low.

[basically_infirmed]

Almost 2 months in. I hear at least 1-5 songs from this album just about every day...

Scared of Fear - Has improved a bit for me. Definitely like the lyrics more now that I'm better acquainted with it. Still a fairly down the middle song. (2.5)

React, Respond - Improved the most of all the songs for me. This started out as damn near a throw away. Now it's one of my favorites. (4)

Wreckage - Liked it from the jump. The only issue I have with this song is the production. It's the only song on the record that it physically hurts me to listen to. This song pinches my ears so badly with headphones on. It's all in the second half of the song, but especially the end. I don't listen to the song as much as I like it because I physically can't without manipulating EQ settings on my headphones/streaming app. (4)

Dark Matter - Just keeps getting better. (4.5)

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)

Upper Hand - Remains an album highlight for me (5)

Waiting For Stevie - The lyrics have improved a bit for me over time. (3.5)

Running - Works better in the context of the album but it's still a minor track (2.5)

Something Special - Still better than a lot of folks make it out to be, but by far the least interesting song on the record. The only one I skip. (2.5)

Got To Give - Another that keeps getting better with time. (3.5)

Setting Sun - Still a banger and my favorite (5)

2.5 for Scared of Fear seems extremely low.

It's half what I'd give it but it's cool seeing how everyone reacts (responds) to each of these songs. I still love all 11 of them.

[epilogue]

Almost 2 months in. I hear at least 1-5 songs from this album just about every day...

Scared of Fear - Has improved a bit for me. Definitely like the lyrics more now that I'm better acquainted with it. Still a fairly down the middle song. (2.5)

React, Respond - Improved the most of all the songs for me. This started out as damn near a throw away. Now it's one of my favorites. (4)

Wreckage - Liked it from the jump. The only issue I have with this song is the production. It's the only song on the record that it physically hurts me to listen to. This song pinches my ears so badly with headphones on. It's all in the second half of the song, but especially the end. I don't listen to the song as much as I like it because I physically can't without manipulating EQ settings on my headphones/streaming app. (4)

Dark Matter - Just keeps getting better. (4.5)

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)

Upper Hand - Remains an album highlight for me (5)

Waiting For Stevie - The lyrics have improved a bit for me over time. (3.5)

Running - Works better in the context of the album but it's still a minor track (2.5)

Something Special - Still better than a lot of folks make it out to be, but by far the least interesting song on the record. The only one I skip. (2.5)

Got To Give - Another that keeps getting better with time. (3.5)

Setting Sun - Still a banger and my favorite (5)

2.5 for Scared of Fear seems extremely low.

I'm still trying to find my way to that one. I'm just not sure what everyone sees in it. Still 2.5 out of 5 is exactly middle of the road. That's how I hear it. Straight down the line.