Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

[B]

How have 30 of you already rated this? Any of you ever bring a woman to climax? Jesus Christ, dare I say just breathe?

Bring a what where?

[WaitingForBluey]

The bridge in Won't Tell is so tasty, I wish it was more central

[Juvenal]

I honestly deserve a medal for holding out this long.

[WaitingForBluey]

I honestly deserve a medal for holding out this long.

A medal for stubbornness

[EBowie]

I honestly deserve a medal for holding out this long.

Right there with you. I've only heard Dark Matter and Running.

[oneway23]

Feeling like I'm falling way behind in the discussion, also having not heard this yet.

With all respect due to those who made the effort to record these listening parties and theatrical events, I'm amazed at how frequently many of you are listening, and how rapidly opinions are forming, given the obvious quality difference relative to an actual CD.

How have 30 of you already rated this? Any of you ever bring a woman to climax? Jesus Christ, dare I say just breathe?

Bring a what where?

[Fattie_Vedder]

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$

Totally agree with most of this: DM first single, Ed’s vocals high in the mix, in Dolby atmospheres at my theater the left was lower and faded, and wreckage would be a great next single. The yield comparisons though… I see where everyone is coming from, but dont fully agree. I need to process this one more.

[B]

I honestly deserve a medal for holding out this long.

Someone brought a woman to climax!

[Fattie_Vedder]

woke up with WFS and WT in my head

glorious!

Same. Those two and wreckage most stuck in my head today.

[Juvenal]

I honestly deserve a medal for holding out this long.

A medal for stubbornness

And you didn’t help with leak, filthy temptress

[Juvenal]

I honestly deserve a medal for holding out this long.

Someone brought a woman to climax!

[WaitingForBluey]

It's not like the recordings are so bad you can't make out the songs. It's all right there - the hooks, the riffs, the lyrics, the song structure, the solos, the way it makes you feel.

This is not an intellectual exercise. It sounds like Pearl Jam.

[WaitingForBluey]

Although having had 3 full listens to the final product makes a huge difference too

[Rob]

I honestly deserve a medal for holding out this long.

Someone brought a woman to climax!

Lmao…

[chadisme417]

It's not like the recordings are so bad you can't make out the songs. It's all right there - the hooks, the riffs, the lyrics, the song structure, the solos, the way it makes you feel.

This is not an intellectual exercise. It sounds like Pearl Jam.

Agree. It's pretty wild how bitchy people are about the recordings. You know what they are. Don't listen.

[stip]

Feeling like I'm falling way behind in the discussion, also having not heard this yet.

With all respect due to those who made the effort to record these listening parties and theatrical events, I'm amazed at how frequently many of you are listening, and how rapidly opinions are forming, given the obvious quality difference relative to an actual CD.

I always enjoy new ways to make old things feel unfamiliar. Even down to the experience of a car speaker fritzing so half a song gets buried and your focus shifts to elements of a song that didnt always featured prominently. None of the sub par (but still greatly appreciated) mixes will be like the actual album. but i really enjoy hearing the songs one way, going through that initial discovery, and then have it all blown up and made new with the album

[oneway23]

It's not like the recordings are so bad you can't make out the songs. It's all right there - the hooks, the riffs, the lyrics, the song structure, the solos, the way it makes you feel.

This is not an intellectual exercise. It sounds like Pearl Jam.

I hear ya. I'm not judging anyone for listening and enjoying, trust me. I realize it's a personal choice on my part.

[oneway23]

Feeling like I'm falling way behind in the discussion, also having not heard this yet.

With all respect due to those who made the effort to record these listening parties and theatrical events, I'm amazed at how frequently many of you are listening, and how rapidly opinions are forming, given the obvious quality difference relative to an actual CD.

I always enjoy new ways to make old things feel unfamiliar. Even down to the experience of a car speaker fritzing so half a song gets buried and your focus shifts to elements of a song that didnt always featured prominently. None of the sub par (but still greatly appreciated) mixes will be like the actual album. but i really enjoy hearing the songs one way, going through that initial discovery, and then have it all blown up and made new with the album

Yup. Reminds me of being in college, hearing Yield songs for the first time on crummy (but appreciated) recordings of the fellas opening up for the Stones in '97

[Arthur Morgan]

I’ll post more later, but I was really impressed with the Wreckage lyrics. A very well written song.


“Visited by thoughts not just in the night, I no longer give a fuck whose wrong or right”

In my head

[mattmann81]

Long time lurker here

Went to the theatre last night and still processing. Sound was completely awful which is unfortunate. But I really like this record and think it'll be about middle of the pack in terms of ranking PJ albums for me. About 6 very strong Pearl Jam songs which I also think will translate beautifully to the live shows and bootlegs. A couple more that could be growers for me and a couple relatively weaker songs.

Overall feel the lyrics are a bit weak on the record with the exception of a few songs where they're very very strong - SoF, Setting Sun, Won't Tell, Upper Hand. Need more time with the lyrics though. The 1-2-3- combo of Won't Tell, Upper Hand, WFS is just incredible. Setting Sun one of the strongest album closers they've ever had. React Respond was a bit of a let down following the iphone recording but some of that is from the very low quality audio in the theatre.

Won't Tell is currently my favorite track and the "Can't you heal, can't you feel the chains in my heart" line is a complete ear worm that has been very pleasantly and firmly stuck in my head.

I can't wait to sit down with good headphones and dive deeper into every track. I feel like there are a lot of layers and nuances that will come out and I really like what every member of the band is bringing to the table, even on the 'weaker' tracks.

Would like rank this above LB, Backspacer and Riot Act and slightly above Gigaton and S/T. Look forward to seeing how that changes with time and with the evolution of these songs in a live setting. Seeing 6 shows throughout 2024 which is the most I've ever seen in a year and extremely excited for this year!

Standout tracks:
Scared of Fear
Wreckage
Won't Tell
Upper Hand
WFS
Setting Sun

Could be growers:
React Respond, Got to Give

Weaker tracks:
DM
Running
Something Special