Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

General Pearl Jam discussion.
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Rank Dark Matter

5 Stars
119
56%
4 Stars
65
31%
3 Stars
19
9%
2 Stars
2
1%
2 Star
1
0%
%#*! Andrew Watt
5
2%
 
Total votes: 211

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Birds in Hell
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by Birds in Hell »

Ms Harmless wrote:
tragabigzanda wrote:he's like a plastic surgeon for corporate rock music and our favorite band is his white whale client
what happened to "PJ sucks now"
I don’t see how those statements are mutually exclusive.
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Buby
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by Buby »

tragabigzanda wrote:I want that Hofner bass.
Pretty sweet
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by Ms Harmless »

Birds in Hell wrote:
Ms Harmless wrote:
tragabigzanda wrote:he's like a plastic surgeon for corporate rock music and our favorite band is his white whale client
what happened to "PJ sucks now"
I don’t see how those statements are mutually exclusive.
I'm just pulling his leg really, but it's also OK to say they're not his favourite band anymore (they're not mine)
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VinylGuy
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by VinylGuy »

but they record the album in Shangri La
BONE FUCKIN´ TOMAHAWK.
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DDWJMUVW
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by DDWJMUVW »

Is there still going to be a Josh Evans mix? I wonder how it will compare and how much of Wottman’s sound his mix neuters.
"For me, it's all about the time we're having just playing the songs. So if it's kind of a mindless good time, then....."
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tragabigzanda
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by tragabigzanda »

pearl jam sucks now
Last edited by tragabigzanda on Thu January 01, 2026 5:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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VinylGuy
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by VinylGuy »

DDWJMUVW wrote:Is there still going to be a Josh Evans mix? I wonder how it will compare and how much of Wottman’s sound his mix neuters.
Supposedly the Atmos mix is by Josh Evans? but we dont really know i guess
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VinylGuy
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by VinylGuy »

tragabigzanda wrote:
VinylGuy wrote:but they record the album in Shangri La
Reading between the lines on Stone's interview, it sounds like that was the second 2-week session?
I thought they did a bunch of stuff on Watt´s place and then he went to make another albums and they recorded everything at Rubin´s
BONE FUCKIN´ TOMAHAWK.
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RockPusher
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by RockPusher »

VinylGuy wrote:
tragabigzanda wrote:
VinylGuy wrote:but they record the album in Shangri La
Reading between the lines on Stone's interview, it sounds like that was the second 2-week session?
I thought they did a bunch of stuff on Watt´s place and then he went to make another albums and they recorded everything at Rubin´s
From what I understand Watt was still very involved at Shangri-La.
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VinylGuy
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by VinylGuy »

RockPusher wrote:
VinylGuy wrote:
tragabigzanda wrote:
VinylGuy wrote:but they record the album in Shangri La
Reading between the lines on Stone's interview, it sounds like that was the second 2-week session?
I thought they did a bunch of stuff on Watt´s place and then he went to make another albums and they recorded everything at Rubin´s
From what I understand Watt was still very involved at Shangri-La.
yes, but they were using Rubin´s gear and studio
BONE FUCKIN´ TOMAHAWK.
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stip
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by stip »

tragabigzanda wrote:Such an enigmatic situation to sort through.

By all accounts -- and certainly the video supports the narrative -- he's very passionate about guitars, about making music, about getting the people around him excited to create...

And yet these new songs sound like artificial plug-in plastic, and his main live room *looks* to be about 200ft2.

I want that Hofner bass.
Is there something that can be said for a smaller space? More intimate? Like being on a small stage?
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by Ms Harmless »

stip wrote:
tragabigzanda wrote:Such an enigmatic situation to sort through.

By all accounts -- and certainly the video supports the narrative -- he's very passionate about guitars, about making music, about getting the people around him excited to create...

And yet these new songs sound like artificial plug-in plastic, and his main live room *looks* to be about 200ft2.

I want that Hofner bass.
Is there something that can be said for a smaller space? More intimate? Like being on a small stage?
in terms of playing, it's much easier to read and anticipate each other's movements, allowing for tighter synchronisation -- that's more to do with the live setting, maybe, but it's also useful during the composition stage
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tragabigzanda
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by tragabigzanda »

pearl jam sucks now
Last edited by tragabigzanda on Thu January 01, 2026 5:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Aunt_Claire_Foy
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by Aunt_Claire_Foy »

tragabigzanda wrote:You just can’t get any instrument separation. Makes tracking very difficult.
Tracking and space don't seem to be his primary concern.

Has anyone listened to this before? I downloaded it on a whim like 8 years ago. I can't remember why but it just hit my shuffle.

I'm indifferent to it but it may give a better sense of his origin story.

https://music.apple.com/us/album/ghost- ... 1442848356
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stip
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by stip »

Maybe that’s the trade off? Privileging the human dynamics?
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by Ms Harmless »

stip wrote:Maybe that’s the trade off? Privileging the human dynamics?
my answer would be yes, I'd imagine so
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by Aunt_Claire_Foy »

stip wrote:Maybe that’s the trade off? Privileging the human dynamics?
You can get the same level of interaction in the round, like when they recorded No Code and Yield. It's probably most beneficial for Jeff and Matt to feel each other (literally - the bass and the drums would be palpable to be sure), and a small room also gives you the sense of having less of everything, which most musicians at their level would equate with youth.

Yes, it's a trade off, but also potentially not in the sense of equivalency.

I really think these songs will have two modes; the one heard on the two singles (balls the wall, angry guitars, thudding drums, muddy mix), and the "Long Way" vibe from Ed's record. That seems to be Watt's only two modes (go listen to the Stones record). At it's worst, it's going to feel like a polished demo done through Logic Pro. At it's best, it'll sound like rehearsal tapes for the tour. That's my prediction.
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tragabigzanda
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by tragabigzanda »

pearl jam sucks now
Last edited by tragabigzanda on Thu January 01, 2026 5:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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RockPusher
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by RockPusher »

tragabigzanda wrote:That makes no sense. Many studios are able to keep the bandmembers in a single room and put the amps in a separate recording booth.
Lol I know next-to-nothing about any of this but even I have been in a studio and seen this. I think it's possible that the band cared far more about Watt's enthusiasm and ability to force them to act like a young band and just jam together looking for songs, rather than have any real concerns about recording methods.
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stip
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Re: Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

Post by stip »

That seems probable
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