Red Mosquito

Val wrote:

Mike wrote:I can't seem to get a grasp on how the first two songs will sound like from these reviews.

Like Go followed by Animal











(hopefully)

daft twat wrote:

Val wrote:

Mike wrote:I can't seem to get a grasp on how the first two songs will sound like from these reviews.

Like Go followed by Animal

(hopefully)

Like Whoever Said followed by SBWM would be okay by me.

daft twat wrote:

Val wrote:

Mike wrote:I can't seem to get a grasp on how the first two songs will sound like from these reviews.

Like Go followed by Animal











(hopefully)

Like Whoever Said followed by SBWM would be okay by me.

Some of the songs pack surprises too, especially “Waiting for Stevie.” The song, which was written during sessions for Vedder’s solo album when he and Watt were waiting for Stevie Wonder to show up to the studio, is one that will sneak up on you. It gives off serious “Given To Fly” vibes until its latter half during which McCready erupts with a near 90-second guitar solo, his best since “Alive,” and Cameron assists with raucous drum pounding.

Strat wrote:https://www.stereogum.com/2257306/premature-evaluation-pearl-jam-dark-matter/reviews/premature-evaluation/?fbclid=IwAR2LegWz7s3gyRV0Grcg1pEbLDV4_8XWfFcZxGSgSJskTE4nkZMCV2gtT90_aem_AZpiUaicCIIkdxFEMJrY_QerbiUwMhOMpPAenkSWjyqH3dJ8HF6BebHxuBpwu6UwJxQ

joostone wrote:

Some of the songs pack surprises too, especially “Waiting for Stevie.” The song, which was written during sessions for Vedder’s solo album when he and Watt were waiting for Stevie Wonder to show up to the studio, is one that will sneak up on you. It gives off serious “Given To Fly” vibes until its latter half during which McCready erupts with a near 90-second guitar solo, his best since “Alive,” and Cameron assists with raucous drum pounding.

VinylGuy wrote:Lots of reviews…maybe a leak is coming soon?

Strat wrote:https://www.stereogum.com/2257306/premature-evaluation-pearl-jam-dark-matter/reviews/premature-evaluation/?fbclid=IwAR2LegWz7s3gyRV0Grcg1pEbLDV4_8XWfFcZxGSgSJskTE4nkZMCV2gtT90_aem_AZpiUaicCIIkdxFEMJrY_QerbiUwMhOMpPAenkSWjyqH3dJ8HF6BebHxuBpwu6UwJxQ

Pearl Jam are long past the turning point after which their albums purely existed for the diehard fanbase. Schisms in that audience have always meant the devout are wildly divided on what is the band’s peak era and what constitutes a “good” latter-day Pearl Jam album. Some embraced the back-to-some-kind-of-basics albums Pearl Jam favored for much of this century, from the reboot of their 2006 self-titled through Backspacer and Lightning Bolt. As such semi-conscious returns to form go, those albums were often more a reclamation of an idea of Pearl Jam’s early days. In comparison, those of us who prefer Pearl Jam’s searching middle years may have had warmer feelings toward the meditative, atmospheric Gigaton, the album Pearl Jam returned with in 2020 after a long seven-year gap. Dark Matter now arrives as a complete about-face from that album. While not exactly a complete apology for Gigaton, the comments the band have made thus far have an implicit undertone: If you didn’t like reflective aging Pearl Jam, don’t worry, we turned the guitars back up.

digster wrote:

Strat wrote:https://www.stereogum.com/2257306/premature-evaluation-pearl-jam-dark-matter/reviews/premature-evaluation/?fbclid=IwAR2LegWz7s3gyRV0Grcg1pEbLDV4_8XWfFcZxGSgSJskTE4nkZMCV2gtT90_aem_AZpiUaicCIIkdxFEMJrY_QerbiUwMhOMpPAenkSWjyqH3dJ8HF6BebHxuBpwu6UwJxQ

Stereogum consistently has some of the most thoughtful reviews (and writing in general) about this band. Open-minded but critical, and able to speak knowledgeably about their whole career, and this doesn't seem any different.

Upon the release of its advance singles “Dark Matter” and “Running,” this seemed to foreshadow a misfire full of clunky attempts at bygone ferocity. Those tracks function as the now-requisite ragers on later Pearl Jam albums — placeholders, also-rans, the band straining but floundering. Elsewhere, focusing on the power of Cameron’s drums, big guitar leads, and Vedder’s immortal vocals actually results in some convincing arguments for a bread-and-butter Pearl Jam collection. Opener “Scared Of Fear” is a nimble earworm, and mid-paced rockers like “Wreckage” are a lived-in continuation of Pearl Jam’s particular brand of grandeur. “Setting Sun” is a raggedly majestic closer. As ever, there are gems for the obsessives to find if they want.

digster wrote:This is interesting, because this is definitely the implicit vibe the rollout has had so far. It's interesting to hear how the album does and doesn't fit into that...

Pearl Jam are long past the turning point after which their albums purely existed for the diehard fanbase. Schisms in that audience have always meant the devout are wildly divided on what is the band’s peak era and what constitutes a “good” latter-day Pearl Jam album. Some embraced the back-to-some-kind-of-basics albums Pearl Jam favored for much of this century, from the reboot of their 2006 self-titled through Backspacer and Lightning Bolt. As such semi-conscious returns to form go, those albums were often more a reclamation of an idea of Pearl Jam’s early days. In comparison, those of us who prefer Pearl Jam’s searching middle years may have had warmer feelings toward the meditative, atmospheric Gigaton, the album Pearl Jam returned with in 2020 after a long seven-year gap. Dark Matter now arrives as a complete about-face from that album. While not exactly a complete apology for Gigaton, the comments the band have made thus far have an implicit undertone: If you didn’t like reflective aging Pearl Jam, don’t worry, we turned the guitars back up.

Mike wrote:

Upon the release of its advance singles “Dark Matter” and “Running,” this seemed to foreshadow a misfire full of clunky attempts at bygone ferocity. Those tracks function as the now-requisite ragers on later Pearl Jam albums — placeholders, also-rans, the band straining but floundering. Elsewhere, focusing on the power of Cameron’s drums, big guitar leads, and Vedder’s immortal vocals actually results in some convincing arguments for a bread-and-butter Pearl Jam collection. Opener “Scared Of Fear” is a nimble earworm, and mid-paced rockers like “Wreckage” are a lived-in continuation of Pearl Jam’s particular brand of grandeur. “Setting Sun” is a raggedly majestic closer. As ever, there are gems for the obsessives to find if they want.

This has me cautiously optimistic that I will find song things to love about this album because I agree about this statement about Dark Matter and Running.

. In comparison, those of us who prefer Pearl Jam’s searching middle years may have had warmer feelings toward the meditative, atmospheric Gigaton, the album Pearl Jam returned with in 2020 after a long seven-year gap. Dark Matter now arrives as a complete about-face from that album. While not exactly a complete apology for Gigaton, the comments the band have made thus far have an implicit undertone: If you didn’t like reflective aging Pearl Jam, don’t worry, we turned the guitars back up.