Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

[Gigalogy84]

I went back to the Twitter clip they posted before the single release and I have to say I think it's beautiful, even if it's just the album intro; if it sets the tone I think I'll have a good time

That would be a great intro, but I hope that it’s an actual part of the last song on the album, especially given how it was described as a weird cross between Parting Ways, Retrograde, and Around the Bend. The vibes of those keys/organ makes that combination make sense.

I can totally hear that clip being the outro to the album now that you mention this.

[greendisease]

From all evidence presented from leaks to quotes to muffled steel door recordings, I think this is genuinely gearing up to be their best album yet, and probably by a considerable margin. Cannot wait for April 19

[RockPusher]

Regarding that, I just want to put a couple things out there:

1) Ed's quote about it being "our best work" can be taken a couple different ways. One way is "This is our best effort." I fully believe that it is. Whether or not they believe it's the best thing they've ever produced, well, they see it differently from us as fans, and an artist should always be working on their "best work" if you think about it.

2) I was listening to a concert from 2005 on the Sirius station and Ed mentions during the show that the album they're working on is their best work yet, according to Jeff. Now, I'm a big fan of Avocado, and I really like some of Jeff's contributions in particular, so I'm not gonna bother too much with the "accuracy" of that subjective statement.

[greendisease]

Regarding that, I just want to put a couple things out there:

1) Ed's quote about it being "our best work" can be taken a couple different ways. One way is "This is our best effort." I fully believe that it is. Whether or not they believe it's the best thing they've ever produced, well, they see it differently from us as fans, and an artist should always be working on their "best work" if you think about it.

2) I was listening to a concert from 2005 on the Sirius station and Ed mentions during the show that the album they're working on is their best work yet, according to Jeff. Now, I'm a big fan of Avocado, and I really like some of Jeff's contributions in particular, so I'm not gonna bother too much with the "accuracy" of that subjective statement.

Avocado is their second best album so this absolutely tracks

[Ello Sailor]

Avocado is their second best album

[greendisease]

Avocado is their second best album

I mean out of all the studio albums. Vitalogy still no.1

[RockPusher]

Open up the "Your opinion is wrong" floodgates!

I'll never understand the level of extreme love for Vitalogy. It's got some great songs, and some weird-ass clunkers, and is hard to listen to (at least for me) as an album. If I'm going to listen to an album all the way through, Gigaton is actually near the top for me.

[greendisease]

Open up the "Your opinion is wrong" floodgates!

Why? Vs. and Riot Act are still great albums but Vitalogy easily tops them, everyone has their different tastes but surely the majority thinks that.

[McParadigm]

S/T should feel like an electrical current, running directly from the heart to the amps. That’s what the subject matter needs, and that’s what this band is usually better at than any of their peers.

Instead, it feels like their most calculatedly operatic album. It is lecturing. Confident. Professional. Inappropriate. There’s a profound disconnect between how hard the subject matter should hit…and how much it actually does.

[greendisease]

S/T should feel like an electrical current, running directly from the heart to the amps. That’s what the subject matter needs, and that’s what this band is usually better at than any of their peers.

Instead, it feels like their most calculatedly operatic album. It is lecturing. Confident. Professional. Inappropriate. There’s a profound disconnect between how hard the subject matter should hit…and how much it actually does.

I agree, and this is why it's only no.2 for me. Maybe only until the new one is out though.

[RockPusher]

Open up the "Your opinion is wrong" floodgates!

Why? Vs. and Riot Act are still great albums but Vitalogy easily tops them, everyone has their different tastes but surely the majority thinks that.

I was referencing opinions on which is best in general, though I've explained why I disagree with "the majority" on Vitalogy.

[Ello Sailor]

Avocado is their second best album

I mean out of all the studio albums.

Oh, thank you for clarifying.

[Fattie_Vedder]

S/T should feel like an electrical current, running directly from the heart to the amps. That’s what the subject matter needs, and that’s what this band is usually better at than any of their peers.

Instead, it feels like their most calculatedly operatic album. It is lecturing. Confident. Professional. Inappropriate. There’s a profound disconnect between how hard the subject matter should hit…and how much it actually does.

What do you think that’s more of a byproduct of: the music, the lyrics, something else?

For me, it’s such an inconsistent album. A few great songs, a few just plain bad ones, and several decent ones that I don’t often yearn to listen to that much. For me it’s a combination of the composition (some are just boring) and some just feel grating; it has a general harshness around the edges that feels like it’s trying to mimic vs. or Vitalogy but doesn’t feel the same at all. Ed’s often screechy voice at times doesn’t help at all.

[Birds in Hell]

Avocado is their second best album

I mean out of all the studio albums.

Oh, thank you for clarifying.

[greendisease]

Open up the "Your opinion is wrong" floodgates!

Why? Vs. and Riot Act are still great albums but Vitalogy easily tops them, everyone has their different tastes but surely the majority thinks that.

I was referencing opinions on which is best in general, though I've explained why I disagree with "the majority" on Vitalogy.

This makes no sense, I said which one was best in general. You don't have to agree with the majority.

[greendisease]

S/T should feel like an electrical current, running directly from the heart to the amps. That’s what the subject matter needs, and that’s what this band is usually better at than any of their peers.

Instead, it feels like their most calculatedly operatic album. It is lecturing. Confident. Professional. Inappropriate. There’s a profound disconnect between how hard the subject matter should hit…and how much it actually does.

What do you think that’s more of a byproduct of: the music, the lyrics, something else?

For me, it’s such an inconsistent album. A few great songs, a few just plain bad ones, and several decent ones that I don’t often yearn to listen to that much. For me it’s a combination of the composition (some are just boring) and some just feel grating; it has a general harshness around the edges that feels like it’s trying to mimic vs. or Vitalogy but doesn’t feel the same at all. Ed’s often screechy voice at times doesn’t help at all.

As much as I don't agree I can see what you mean. Either way it easily has the best three-song opening of any of their albums even if you don't like the rest.

[stip]

S/T should feel like an electrical current, running directly from the heart to the amps. That’s what the subject matter needs, and that’s what this band is usually better at than any of their peers.

Instead, it feels like their most calculatedly operatic album. It is lecturing. Confident. Professional. Inappropriate. There’s a profound disconnect between how hard the subject matter should hit…and how much it actually does.

What do you think that’s more of a byproduct of: the music, the lyrics, something else?

For me, it’s such an inconsistent album. A few great songs, a few just plain bad ones, and several decent ones that I don’t often yearn to listen to that much. For me it’s a combination of the composition (some are just boring) and some just feel grating; it has a general harshness around the edges that feels like it’s trying to mimic vs. or Vitalogy but doesn’t feel the same at all. Ed’s often screechy voice at times doesn’t help at all.

As much as I don't agree I can see what you mean. Either way it easily has the best three-song opening of any of their albums even if you don't like the rest.

I respect that opinion, and may even agree

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[stip]

Open up the "Your opinion is wrong" floodgates!

I'll never understand the level of extreme love for Vitalogy. It's got some great songs, and some weird-ass clunkers, and is hard to listen to (at least for me) as an album. If I'm going to listen to an album all the way through, Gigaton is actually near the top for me.

I will see your 'Vitalogy is Pearl Jam's best album' and raise you 'Vitalogy is the greatest album of all time'

[E.H. Ruddock]

S/T is better than Riot Act. There i said it