Early indie store Dark Matter listening party

Ten Backspaced Riot Actors

greenwoodlogan102498 said:

Ten Backspaced Riot Actors said:

greenwoodlogan102498 said:

Ten Backspaced Riot Actors said:

In a way some of the songs on the album are akin to Sirens but like way more urgent, fresher, and better.  Hard to explain.  They are so melodic and Ed is singing his balls off. Like really singing. He has lost some of the power from his early day but make no mistake about it, dude is legit.  He still has the ability to capture you with his voice.  I keep thinking U2, even Duran Duran.  The album is atmospheric.  It breathes.  I’m thinking mostly about WFS, Upper Hand, Won’t Tell

I feel like they have broken new ground which is astonishing at this point in the game.  Kudos to Watt and the band for going to Shangri-La.  I think the couple week bootcamp paid dividends. 

Oh and the record production sounded really good to my ears.

That’s a very high pedestal because when I first heard Sirens I felt it was an instant classic. It is still a great song and I feel has proven to be that. I’ve gotten people into PJ with that one as much as I have stuff on Vitalogy. Hyped for these new songs! 

I know! Sirens is a classic. A great PJ song.  But there is an energy to these recordings that I think make Sirens(the recording) sound a little flat in comparison.  Not to shit on Sirens but to applaud the new record. 

Oh hell yeah, every record is its own and from what I’ve read I can surmise that PJ just put out a great hard rock summer record? If you feel alone and put on Binaural and Gigaton then this is the one where you make your bed and go fucking surf like Tony Alva 

There are some rockers, and their are some mid tempo anthem type songs, so yeah, good for surfing 🏄 

jammergirl

Ten Backspaced Riot Actors said:

In a way some of the songs on the album are akin to Sirens but like way more urgent, fresher, and better.  Hard to explain.  They are so melodic and Ed is singing his balls off. Like really singing. He has lost some of the power from his early day but make no mistake about it, dude is legit.  He still has the ability to capture you with his voice.  I keep thinking U2, even Duran Duran.  The album is atmospheric.  It breathes.  I’m thinking mostly about WFS, Upper Hand, Won’t Tell

I feel like they have broken new ground which is astonishing at this point in the game.  Kudos to Watt and the band for going to Shangri-La.  I think the couple week bootcamp paid dividends. 

Oh and the record production sounded really good to my ears.

Very well said, I agree. I'm actually shocked at how much I enjoyed it, I really think this is a big step forward for them. 

LS164963

Album sounded really good thru some crappie in ceiling speakers. Can't wait for tomorrow the sound is going to be so much better and the visualizers I'm sure are going to be awesome. I was 1 of 4 people at my local store who won a DM 7" promotional single that includes DM instrumental. Haven't seen anyone post about the single. Wonder how many more are out there. 

Johnny Abruzzo

Sounds amazing - can't wait to hear it! Damn tax deadline.

mfc2006

I can't wait to hear this album....ugh.

I preordered the vinyl & doubt it'll arrive by Friday.

elvistheking44

LS164963 said:

Album sounded really good thru some crappie in ceiling speakers. Can't wait for tomorrow the sound is going to be so much better and the visualizers I'm sure are going to be awesome. I was 1 of 4 people at my local store who won a DM 7" promotional single that includes DM instrumental. Haven't seen anyone post about the single. Wonder how many more are out there. 

What does the front of the 7” look like? I believe the one available from 10club has the instrumental on the b side as well. Curios if it’s a different cover.

LS164963

elvistheking44 said:

LS164963 said:

Album sounded really good thru some crappie in ceiling speakers. Can't wait for tomorrow the sound is going to be so much better and the visualizers I'm sure are going to be awesome. I was 1 of 4 people at my local store who won a DM 7" promotional single that includes DM instrumental. Haven't seen anyone post about the single. Wonder how many more are out there. 

What does the front of the 7” look like? I believe the one available from 10club has the instrumental on the b side as well. Curios if it’s a different cover.

The front has the same image as the back. I didn't get the one from 10c so I can not compare. My guess is probably the same.

LS164963

LS164963 said:

elvistheking44 said:

LS164963 said:

Album sounded really good thru some crappie in ceiling speakers. Can't wait for tomorrow the sound is going to be so much better and the visualizers I'm sure are going to be awesome. I was 1 of 4 people at my local store who won a DM 7" promotional single that includes DM instrumental. Haven't seen anyone post about the single. Wonder how many more are out there. 

What does the front of the 7” look like? I believe the one available from 10club has the instrumental on the b side as well. Curios if it’s a different cover.

The front has the same image as the back. I didn't get the one from 10c so I can not compare. My guess is probably the same. EDIT It's the DM spin circle thing it says dark matter kind of small.

elvistheking44

LS164963 said:

elvistheking44 said:

LS164963 said:

Album sounded really good thru some crappie in ceiling speakers. Can't wait for tomorrow the sound is going to be so much better and the visualizers I'm sure are going to be awesome. I was 1 of 4 people at my local store who won a DM 7" promotional single that includes DM instrumental. Haven't seen anyone post about the single. Wonder how many more are out there. 

What does the front of the 7” look like? I believe the one available from 10club has the instrumental on the b side as well. Curios if it’s a different cover.

The front has the same image as the back. I didn't get the one from 10c so I can not compare. My guess is probably the same.

I don’t know…I think I saw a pic of the 10club one and it looked different. You maybe got yourself something special there!?

bobasfeet

Anyone measure poster size?

LS164963

elvistheking44 said:

LS164963 said:

elvistheking44 said:

LS164963 said:

Album sounded really good thru some crappie in ceiling speakers. Can't wait for tomorrow the sound is going to be so much better and the visualizers I'm sure are going to be awesome. I was 1 of 4 people at my local store who won a DM 7" promotional single that includes DM instrumental. Haven't seen anyone post about the single. Wonder how many more are out there. 

What does the front of the 7” look like? I believe the one available from 10club has the instrumental on the b side as well. Curios if it’s a different cover.

The front has the same image as the back. I didn't get the one from 10c so I can not compare. My guess is probably the same.

I don’t know…I think I saw a pic of the 10club one and it looked different. You maybe got yourself something special there!?

It is a different image. I edit my previous post. It most be the same as 10c single

elvistheking44

LS164963 said:

elvistheking44 said:

LS164963 said:

elvistheking44 said:

LS164963 said:

Album sounded really good thru some crappie in ceiling speakers. Can't wait for tomorrow the sound is going to be so much better and the visualizers I'm sure are going to be awesome. I was 1 of 4 people at my local store who won a DM 7" promotional single that includes DM instrumental. Haven't seen anyone post about the single. Wonder how many more are out there. 

What does the front of the 7” look like? I believe the one available from 10club has the instrumental on the b side as well. Curios if it’s a different cover.

The front has the same image as the back. I didn't get the one from 10c so I can not compare. My guess is probably the same.

I don’t know…I think I saw a pic of the 10club one and it looked different. You maybe got yourself something special there!?

It is a different image. I edit my previous post. It most be the same as 10c single

Ahh bummer. Would have been awesome if it was a special version.

hairgrowth2001

bobasfeet said:

Anyone measure poster size?

11”x17”

bicyclejoe

bicyclejoe said:

I have a Dark Matter tote bag if anyone wants it. Just need to cover postage.
On first listen, I rate the album 6/10.

Claimed. On it's way to @Jules10.

pjl44

This was a lot of fun. Got a slipmat and poster and I'm feeling really good about the album. Excited to hear it in the theater tomorrow.

One soapbox item: People, buy something! A considerable number of the 20ish people there came in, grabbed the goodies, listened to the album, stayed for the raffle, then just bounced. Now it's possible many of them preordered from the store so I can only judge so harshly. But do the store a solid for putting this on and walk out with something!

bobasfeet

hairgrowth2001 said:

bobasfeet said:

Anyone measure poster size?

11”x17”

Thanks!

1STmammal2wearPants

BF25394 said:

A listening party story:

When Yield came out, they had a listening party at a Newbury Comics a couple of weeks before the release date. They raffled off two copies of the record on vinyl. The first copy was won by another guy and, since this was 1998, a time when very few people had any interest in vinyl, and since I still had a turntable and had bought the earlier Pearl Jam albums on vinyl to have the larger artwork (or to get it earlier, in the case of Vitalogy), I went over to this guy and offered him 20 bucks for the record, figuring he'd have no use for it. He declined my offer (even though he didn't have a turntable). When they raffled off the second copy, I won it. Anyway, this guy and I got to talking, and realized that we were both legitimately big Pearl Jam fans. He ended up becoming one of my best friends, and we've been to a couple of dozen PJ shows together since then even though we have lived on opposite coasts for over 20 years.

This is awesome!

(And I love Newbury Comics)

pledgeagrievance

First two songs were burners. Enjoyed both. Wreckage didn’t disappoint. 

I still haven’t really connected to dark matter. 

Then a few songs blended together mostly because I was talking to my listening buddy. But waiting for Stevie brought us right back into the album. It was a standout and easily could have been the single. 

Running I’ve enjoyed since I first heard it. 

Something special was not the bomb I was expecting. Not bad at all. 

Got to give was solid
setting Sun was great. 

Store did a raffle for the tote bag and they put Gigaton vinyl in there. Also raffled off the promo wall sticky and a poster. We all got a poster and slip mat. 

mpedone

spankyMP said:

I am admittedly a fanboy and generally like/love everything they do. This is much stronger than Gigaton, which I loved at first and still like, but it definitely cooled off for me.

I didn’t hear wreckage in full, but like the two snippets I’ve heard so far. I love waiting for Stevie, won’t tell, and got to give. Waiting for Stevie has some In hiding to it, which is one of my favorites. I feel like got to give is the kind of song they should be cranking out regularly.

Scared of Fear and react respond are great rockers. Upper hand and setting sun are very good, with some great spots.

Something special, while still very corny, is better than the previously released clip lets on.

So, my opinion definitely leans toward favorable as a default because I am just happy that they are still at it. Way too early to tell where it will settle for me, but very pleased with it and I think there are a few songs that will become set list staples/regulars. It just feels like the quality of album that they should be able to put out on a consistent basis.

I'm in the same boat of liking pretty much everything, and feeling that this album is stronger than Gigaton. It feels more natural. I know Stone has talked about how they changed their approach a bit, going into the studio and just playing around instead of bringing their own songs in and recording, and it certainly feels that way. This is just from one listen, but it sounds more like a live album (I nearly cheered at the end of one of the songs (I think "React, Respond") as Mike's solo felt like he was just jamming away on stage) than previous albums. We'll see how I feel after Tuesday. Also, our store had the bass cranked (which is great, as Jeff is amazing), but it kind of drowns out the rest of the band. Hopefully the mix in the theater will be a little fuller.

Vitalogensia

pjl44 said:

This was a lot of fun. Got a slipmat and poster and I'm feeling really good about the album. Excited to hear it in the theater tomorrow.

One soapbox item: People, buy something! A considerable number of the 20ish people there came in, grabbed the goodies, listened to the album, stayed for the raffle, then just bounced. Now it's possible many of them preordered from the store so I can only judge so harshly. But do the store a solid for putting this on and walk out with something!

Good call.  I wanted to support the one store in Virginia that was doing this, and happily spent more than I planned to.  I'd love to do this again.