So, how do you grade Dark Matter?

1356

Comments

  • Habit4me
    Habit4me Posts: 163
    edited February 2024
    2 - Below average Pearl Jam song
    I'll be brutally honest. I know we are only 2 days in since it was released, but after 20+ spins, this song is just BLAH to me. I can't even see it growing on me, because as others have said, there really is no melody at all to it. I can't understand a damn thing Eddie is singing and the song is just really repetitive. I told my wife last night that this is hands down, my new #1 ''bathroom break'' song. 

    That said, I'm looking forward to hearing the next single and the rest of the album. But this song aint doing it for me. 
    Post edited by Habit4me on
  • GhostChile
    GhostChile Posts: 1,179
    a little better than Ole
    Mexico City 17/7/2003 Mexico City 18/7/2003 Mexico City 19/7/2003 Santiago Chile 22/11/2005 Santiago Chile 23/11/2005 Buenos Aires Argentina 13/11/2011 Santiago Chile 16/11/2011 Lima Perú 18/11/2011 Sao Paulo Brasil 31/3/2013 Buenos Aires Argentina 03/4/2013 Santiago Chile 06/5/2013 Santiago Chile 4/11/2015 Buenos Aires Argentina 7/11/2015 Porto Alegre Brasil 11/11/2015 Sao Paulo Brasil 14/11/2015 Brasilia Brasil 17/11/2015 Belo Horizonte Brasil 20/11/2015 Rio de Janeiro Brasil 22/11/2015 Bogota Colombia 25/11/2015 Mexico City 28/11/2015 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 8/4/2016 Miami, FL 9/4/2016 Tampa, FL 11/4/2016 Santiago Chile 13/3/2018 Santiago Chile 16/3/2018 Rome Italy 26/6/2018 Prague Czech Republic 1/7/2018 Krakow Poland 3/7/2018 Berlin Germany 5/7/2018 Barcelona Spain 10/7/2018 Dana Point, CA 1/10/2021 Dana Point, CA 2/10/2021 Seattle, WA 28/05/2024 Seattle, WA 30/05/2024 New Orleans, LA 03/05/2025
  • kmcmanus
    kmcmanus Posts: 897
    I’m not expecting it to become a big favorite but it made me more excited for hearing the rest of the album so I guess it’s an effective 1st single.
  • mcgruff10
    mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 29,143
    I think it's too soon to grade against other songs.  I need to hear it live first.
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • lastexitlondon
    lastexitlondon Posts: 14,958
    3 - In the middle of the pack of Pearl Jam songs
    I've done another few listens . It's very thin and empty as a song I actually saw a black circle cover that sounded more full and better. I like the feel of it but the guitars need more full chords or thicker sound . To  me it still is like a one finger on one fret guitar playing if that makes sense. Prob not


    this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
  • GetRight13
    GetRight13 NY Posts: 588
    Like the song, just don't like the sound of the mix, especially on the snare drum and eds vocals in parts.  I think its gonna sound great Live though, cant wait to hear it!
    2023 Austin 1 & 2
    2022     Ottawa 09/03
    2016     MSG 1 & 2
    2013 Brooklyn (10/18, 10/19) Philadelphia (10/21, 10/22)
    2012 Atlanta 09/22
    2009 Albany 06/08 (Eddie Solo)
    2008 Bonnaroo 6/14
    2006 Albany 05/12
    2005 Philadelphia 10/03
    2000 Saratoga Springs 08/27
  • BloodMeridian80
    BloodMeridian80 Seattle Posts: 715
    4 - One of the greater Pearl Jam songs
    I graded it mostly as a first single from an album. Still way too early to rate it against the rest of their catalogue. I find it to be quite groovy and melodic. I'm also digging the snare fill (drums overall) building into the solo into the last chorus. The bridge is not my favorite.
  • tschav
    tschav Posts: 2,900
    3 - In the middle of the pack of Pearl Jam songs
    For the purposes of getting excited about a new album, it's on point. Like DotC, I'll listen to it so much that hearing the rest of the album will likely make me downgrade it (Retrograde & Quick Escape are my top 2 from Gigaton).

    It's a strong first impression and I'm already certain Dark Matter will be my Spotify "Most played" track this year, but I have a feeling we're in for even better tracks come April 19th
  • Tim Simmons
    Tim Simmons Posts: 9,930
    3 - In the middle of the pack of Pearl Jam songs
    Its a 3.5. But most of their songs are. will rip live

  • ddeschler
    ddeschler Posts: 688
    1 - In the bottom tier of Pearl Jam songs
    I didn't expect to be the only negative Nelly.  Sorry.  Maybe it will grow on me.  I can only hope.
    I've seen quite a few Pearl Jam shows.
  • eloviate
    eloviate Posts: 58
    4.2 - love it. Sounds vital. Athletic even. MC is on a charge, and perhaps signalling a changing of the guard… Muffly Ed: don’t care, love Riot Act. Seems they love what they’ve done, imagine the shows later to come
  • HesCalledDyer
    HesCalledDyer Maryland Posts: 16,498
    edited February 2024
    3 - In the middle of the pack of Pearl Jam songs
    I love it but playing it safe and giving it a 3 for now. We’ll see how it holds up after the excitement of new music and tour starts to settle in. It has the potential to be a 4.
    Star Lake 00 / Pittsburgh 03 / State College 03 / Bristow 03 / Cleveland 06 / Camden II 06 / DC 08 / Pittsburgh 13 / Baltimore 13 / Charlottesville 13 / Cincinnati 14 / St. Paul 14 / Hampton 16 / Wrigley I 16 / Wrigley II 16 / Baltimore 20 / Camden 22 / Baltimore 24 / Raleigh I 25 / Raleigh II 25 / Pittsburgh I 25
  • Jcanr20
    Jcanr20 Illinois Posts: 174
    edited February 2024
    2 - Below average Pearl Jam song
    Blah for me. I had such high hopes but that just isn't the sound I'm looking for. I want more of Mike and Stone, not the metal riff sound. A lot of the other snippets of songs from the back door sound good though. I heard one of them say Dark Matter is the best song they have done in a while and I am pretty shocked that they feel that positive about it. The other thing is, the last couple years they have been trying to save Ed's voice on tour, but I find it hard to believe they would play this every night. 
    Edit: I hate even typing this on this forum. 
    Post edited by Jcanr20 on
  • JimmyV
    JimmyV Boston's MetroWest Posts: 19,604
    3 - In the middle of the pack of Pearl Jam songs
    mcgruff10 said:
    I think it's too soon to grade against other songs.  I need to hear it live first.
    Agreed, and they need time to work it out live, too. The first time they played Lightning Bolt at Wrigley in 2013, it wasn't very good. Over time though it has become a great live song. 

    Interested to hear how much of what people don't like about Watt on the recording disappears on the stage. 
    ___________________________________________

    "...I changed by not changing at all..."
  • Ledbetterman10
    Ledbetterman10 Posts: 17,002
    3 - In the middle of the pack of Pearl Jam songs
    GetRight13 said:
    Like the song, just don't like the sound of the mix, especially on the snare drum and eds vocals in parts.  I think it’s gonna sound great Live though, cant wait to hear it!
    Yeah with the exception of Can’t Deny Me, this is their worst “sounding” song. Hopefully the entire album isn’t like that. 
    2000: Camden 1, 2003: Philly, State College, Camden 1, MSG 2, Hershey, 2004: Reading, 2005: Philly, 2006: Camden 1, 2, East Rutherford 1, 2007: Lollapalooza, 2008: Camden 1, Washington D.C., MSG 1, 2, 2009: Philly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2010: Bristol, MSG 2, 2011: PJ20 1, 2, 2012: Made In America, 2013: Brooklyn 2, Philly 2, 2014: Denver, 2015: Global Citizen Festival, 2016: Philly 2, Fenway 1, 2018: Fenway 1, 2, 2021: Sea. Hear. Now. 2022: Camden, 2024: Philly 2, 2025: Pittsburgh 1

    Pearl Jam bootlegs:
    http://wegotshit.blogspot.com
  • retropony
    retropony Myrtle Beach SC Posts: 352
    3 - In the middle of the pack of Pearl Jam songs
    Middle of the pack for me. I don't know why, but Eddie adding a W to words that don't have one is distracting to me.....that second line. It seems he does it a lot more often now
    Washington DC 2008
    Charlotte NC 2013
    Greenville SC 2016
    Wrigley 1 2018
  • hugepjfan
    hugepjfan Posts: 114
    4 - One of the greater Pearl Jam songs
    4. Love it. Listened all day on repeat. Still have a couple questions about lyrics despite what has been posted thus far. 
    HugePJFan
    "...You try it, I give you the room, you try..."
  • BF25394
    BF25394 Posts: 4,940
    3 - In the middle of the pack of Pearl Jam songs
    hugepjfan said:
    4. Love it. Listened all day on repeat. Still have a couple questions about lyrics despite what has been posted thus far. 
    The official lyrics were posted on Apple Music (and reposted here in a separate thread). That should answer your questions.
    I gather speed from you fucking with me.
  • SandyRavage
    SandyRavage Posts: 1,126
    3 - In the middle of the pack of Pearl Jam songs
    Wow, people really aren't getting this one stuck in their head??? you just haven't listened enough...

    I found myself screaming "IT'S.... STRANGE.... THESE DAYS..." at work today in my head and played the song at least 5 times throughout the day. I don't even care if those are the right lyrics. 

    That phaser on the guitar, which is very prominent after the first chorus, reminds me of No Code/Binaural eras of song writing. They seem to be going out there, even if this is a little quick song they decided to throw at us first. The taste they've given us gives me hope for the album, and I think thats all you really need from the lead single.

    The lyrics are more ominous and could be about a variety of things, unlike Gigaton which felt like a "hate" letter to the then U.S. administration. 

    That scream from Eddie??? I mean come on!!! He's not getting any younger. And Mike's solo is absolutely unreal. I have a feeling this one will rip live, and isn't that like 50% or more the reason we love them??? 

    is it the best PJ song ever? By no means. Will it fit with their catalogue and stand out in a setlist lets say sandwiched between career spanning songs like Why Go and Lightning Bolt? 100%. 

    "STILL EVERYBODY ELSE PAYS.....
    FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S MISTAKE!" 
  • Zod
    Zod Posts: 10,914
    3 - In the middle of the pack of Pearl Jam songs
    I rated it a 3, kind of mid?  It doesn't suck, but it's not near the most amazing things in their catalog. It's ok.   Kind of missing a good course or melody to sing a long to.   It's also possible it'll grow on me, I've only listened to it a half dozen times so far :)

Categories