Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

[Homeboyd]

Song names don't matter.

No doubt...Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town

[Superblood Wolfmoon]

Just got back from the theater experience. Have only heard Dark Matter and Running and have limited my listens to those. Thoughts:

Overall, just fantastic. I've said for a very long time that if Pearl Jam didn't experiment instrumentally (a la Radiohead), the only real "experimental" arena for them was with songwriting. For decades now it's been the band members writing in a silo, and that's meant it's become pretty easy to put Pearl Jam songs into buckets. This album defies all of that, and truly sounds fresh as far as the songs go.

Andrew Watt is the best thing to happen to this band since the early days. I'm so happy his sonic signature was placed on this album (it sounds phenomenal even in my shitty southern Oregon theater) while pushing these geezers to write together again and let go of whatever they thought "Pearl Jam" songs were supposed to be.

It's definitely going to take a lot more listens to fully absorb, but the high points are as high as any in the catalog. Waiting for Stevie definitely got the most positive response in the theater, and I think it's probably the closest they've come to writing an anthemic song like "Alive" as ever. While I'm glad they didn't just repeat that formula ad nauseum, hearing this one definitely makes you wonder where songs like this have been for the past 20 years.

I'm going to sit with my thoughts and the few videos I took until the album is released, but especially after the second play through, I'm super excited for the shows in a few weeks. It's special to me that a band that came out when I was in high school is not only still around, but still making music I am excited to take my 10-year-old to see, knowing he's less than 10 years removed from the age I was when this band first hit the scene.

There were times in the theater I just felt grateful to be alive in 2024, almost 50, hearing new music from a band I've been loving since I was 17, that's actually good. Can't wait to dive deep on this one in a couple days.

[WaitingForBluey]

Love it, well said

[Hypnos]

Damn, I'm also coming back from the theater and the dubious sound of the speakers. I was looking forward to returning and finding the leaked album to continue with the high. Beautiful album, very cinematic.

[Val]

Lol, could have been a single. But how do I explain that the song is called "Waiting for Stevie"

The same way you explained that your favorite band named their 11-track debut album TEN

[Vindicator]

Lol, could have been a single. But how do I explain that the song is called "Waiting for Stevie"

The same way you explained that your favorite band named their 11-track debut album TEN

Touché!

[WaitingForBluey]

Lol, could have been a single. But how do I explain that the song is called "Waiting for Stevie"

The same way you explained that your favorite band named their 11-track debut album TEN

Touché!

[scrub12]

Ok, first off. Definitely was some cargo shorts in my theater.

Second, the audio was not what I was expecting, but I was also in an end seat. Was the goal to sit right in the middle? If I had known that, would have looked into that more.

Either way, I love the album and tried to pay attention to the lyrics. Wreckage might be the catchiest song they've written in years. Scared Of Fear is probably my favorite. My wife, who isn't a huge Pearl Jam fan, loved Setting Sun.

React, Respond is the one I'm struggling with the most, although it had one of my favorite lyrics in it, if I remember correctly. Waiting For Stevie definitely got the biggest response from the crowd, which wasn't a ton of people.

[Ledbetterdays]

The theater experience--I think my location was good on sound--did lead me to adjust my way too early rankings of the songs in a positive way for:
-Scared of Fear
-Waiting for Stevie
-Got to Give

slight drop for Upper Hand but still very high on it and I am apparently still the only person who likes Running,

Setting Sun
Waiting for Stevie
Got to Give
The Wreckage
The Upper Hand
Scared of Fear
Running
Dark Matter
Won’t Tell
React Respond
Something Special

[guitar_davey]

The theater experience--I think my location was good on sound--did lead me to adjust my way too early rankings of the songs in a positive way for:
-Scared of Fear
-Waiting for Stevie
-Got to Give

slight drop for Upper Hand but still very high on it and I am apparently still the only person who likes Running,

Setting Sun
Waiting for Stevie
Got to Give
The Wreckage
The Upper Hand
Scared of Fear
Running
Dark Matter
Won’t Tell
React Respond
Something Special

I still love Running.

[Oversize]

Hey all. I'll have more complete and coherent thoughts tomorrow.

I'll just say the overall impression that this is more Yield than anything else in the last 26 years is pretty valid. The first listen in my theater was really left-front-centric. Meaning, you didn't hear the other speakers much except for layered vocal melodies and such. When you heard them, wow it was spectacular. Also, a much different sound if you turned around and looked towards the back... anyhow, just noticing that producing for a movie theater is a whole different bag. (Also, I think I have a bit of hearing loss on the right side, so it could be less left-centric than I thought). But, honestly, if it were my home stereo (or my theater) I would do everything I could to turn those front speakers up UP UP!

Don't know if anyone made this comment, but Ed seems a bit louder in the mix with the visualizers. I think it's a mental thing, however. When you've heard the words once and then see them on the screen, it jumps out more. I think putting him lower in the mix is a smart strategic move... we all know the albums where he was lower and we all know all those lyrics by heart today, don't we?

So, I made an audio recording... it starts with Jeff coming in and giving an intro that sounds crazy... I promise this is what it sounded like from my seat, precisely in the middle of the theater.

Sorry that the file is so large. I'm by no means an audiophile, but I tried my best to not "lose" anything to excessive compression. Sounds pretty representative of what I heard from my seat. Really nice. (But probably unnecessarily large).

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LObzpd ... drive_link

I'll go ahead and make a call that seems to go against what I've read so far... you may or may not love DM the song, but I understand quite clearly why it was the lead single. It is the most obvious choice for "radio friendly" and air play, in my opinion. I may like other songs more, but if I were listening for the first time (which I 82% was), this would be the song I said had the best chance on radio. Who knows, maybe it will open the door for others (Wreckage would be my next pick, I think).

I have some short videos from the visualizers I'll put on my youtube if anyone wants to see any of that. Sorry about the cringe-worthy clapping between songs LOL.

This is just for you all, my RM friends/fam. I'm sorry there were no babies during any interludes in this recording.

-O$

[spike]

B, let’s form an alliance and burn this album to the ground

I'm not mad at people for liking it, but it ain't coming off of my shelf very often.

I can work with this

Can’t wait for this alliance, especially once the album inevitably clicks with B and he betrays trag.

[Ms Harmless]

this just might be my danciest Pearl Jam record; I've done headbanging, I've done stank face, I've done quiet contemplation, but I don't remember an album that had me dancing, swaying in my seat, this much

[Antelope]

I just got back from the theater and based on audience response Upper Hand was the big winner of the night.

[Superblood Wolfmoon]

Upper Hand really got me on the second listen.

[spike]

Nice use of conventional harmonies on several tracks. Sort of unexplored territory for PJ these days.

[spike]

Is this their most 80s album?

[Homeboyd]

Is this their most 80s album?

I mean I'm hearing a bunch of 80's Springsteen and U2, some Fleetwood Mac, nothing overt but they are definitely swimming in that pond.

[spike]

Is this their most 80s album?

I mean I'm hearing a bunch of 80's Springsteen and U2, some Fleetwood Mac, nothing overt but they are definitely swimming in that pond.

I’m getting power ballad vibes at times.

[Arthur Morgan]

Wow I had the exact opposite reaction to some folks here. Sound was excellent at my theater, it was in IMAX Dolby Atmos and I could hear MORE than previously on songs like Dark Matter/Running. I am completely blown away by how this band sounds on this record.

Same here, there was an identifiable separation of the different tracks that could be heard in different directions. Only one complaint ….way too low volume but I had a couple beers before I went.