Dark Matter album reviews

CROJAM95

Lifted said:

CROJAM95 said:

The 73 for LB doesnt mean its better or worse than the others I mentioned, when things are close its Subjective.....my point was that the sentiment that the band hasnt been relevant since Avocado ( or Yield for some) is Horseshit 

Personally, I never thought Pearl Jam has been irrelevant, and still don't. But I do think their creative juices have significantly dried up since the earlier part of the century. They're still a great band, but they've released a lot of forgettable material the past two decades. I think they would even agree with that which is probably why they tend to mainly play older material with whatever their latest album is sprinkled in every time they tour.

So the older we get, we slow down? We aren’t better @ 60 than 27? I mean who is getting better musically or at anything else at 60 plus maybe for gardening in your yard

they sell a blue pill that makes my point

Everyone plays hits more and forgets recent albums when a new one comes out…. This is all par for the coarse 

it’s just the extremes of opinions, it’s so terrible insert this/that… it’s a bit over dramatic 

nothing they do will touch the 1st 5 albums… once you digest that, think it’s easier to accept what’s in the here & now

My opinion they make different records and that’s a big appeal to me … 

Spunkie

VEDHEAD- "Upper Hand" is gonna rock! EPIC, I say!

EH14457

7/10 for me. It's got some really great highs, but it also almost feels like 2 separate collections of songs. Wreckage, Won't Tell, Something Special, and Got to Give all sound like they would have been more at home on Earthling. I think it's some combination of the song style, the vocal delivery, and the production.I like both collections of songs; I'm just not sure how I feel about them all being together on one album.

I went back to read Stone's review with Spin after listening to the album again a couple more times, and I was surprised to see that Won't Tell was a Jeff song, but the rest seem to be some combination of Ed, Andrew, and Josh... so the vibe checks out.

I'll enjoy listening to this a bunch more times and can't wait to hear most of these songs live.

vedpunk

Spunkie said:

VEDHEAD- "Upper Hand" is gonna rock! EPIC, I say!

Amen!!! 

vedpunk

Lifted said:

I dont think im being overly negative. Simply sharing my thoughts on the new material. Isn't that kind of the point of this board? You're the one constantly berating people in every thread who dont love the whole album. I dont even hate it, i just strongly dislike a few songs and dont really vibe with the album as a whole. Before this, all I was talking about was the music.

Nope, no other posts in any other thread berating anyone.  We get it, you don't like the album, how many times do we need to hear it?

Spunkie

vedpunk said:

Spunkie said:

VEDHEAD- "Upper Hand" is gonna rock! EPIC, I say!

Amen!!! 

It's starting is soooo Floyd. Makes me wanna put on headphones with a lover n make out as if I was listening to the Wall front to back.

But - I'd love to hear how a family breadwinner n front man doesn't have an upper hand.must b an paradox.

bicyclejoe

CarryTheZero said:

“We could be fighting together instead of fighting each other.” EV

It’s all good. Let’s all enjoy what we like and move on. It’s beautiful outside (at least in Georgia), we are alive, and some new PJ is out. Crank it up! Or crank up some old PJ! 

Amen. Where are you in Georgia? I’m moving to Atlanta I. July for a new job. Looking forward to it. 

CarryTheZero

Nice! I’m north of Atlanta in Gwinnett County. Welcome to the south! Short of no PJ concerts, Atlanta is a great city. Food from all over the world, great music venues, weather is usually great, but these summers and humidity are brutal if you’re not used to it. 

You moving to the actual city? Metro Atlanta is HUGE.

Vedd Hedd

I look at it this way.

If I walked into a party and most people are having a good time, and they are insisting they are having a good time, i am not going to stand in the middle of the dance floor snd declare it sucks.

I might tell the person I am with that Im not feeling it, and then leave so everyone else can have a good time.

bicyclejoe

CarryTheZero said:

Nice! I’m north of Atlanta in Gwinnett County. Welcome to the south! Short of no PJ concerts, Atlanta is a great city. Food from all over the world, great music venues, weather is usually great, but these summers and humidity are brutal if you’re not used to it. 

You moving to the actual city? Metro Atlanta is HUGE.

Yeah. Moving to Atanta. We just bought a place in the Asley Park neighborhood.

bicyclejoe

Even if we’re here now, we all come from different places musically. Though I listened to Tracy Chapman in high school and dabbled in Uncle Tupelo in college, my young adult self was all about hard rock and grunge. Pearl Jam’s Ten hit dead-center between the two, and it’s still in my all-time album list. So when a band that’s roughly paralleled my adult life releases a new record, I’m intrigued. As it turns out, the band that once recorded “Immortality” as a question, not a brag, is openly asking what mortality and legacy mean – not as rock stars, but as husbands, fathers and human beings. Dark Matter finds Pearl Jam as guitar-gnashing as ever, but writing from a place where they can see the end, with maybe a glimpse of what’s beyond it.

https://americanahighways.org/2024/04/18/review-pearl-jam-dark-matter/

bicyclejoe

Pearl Jam Make a Case for Sticking Around on 'Dark Matter'

7/10

https://exclaim.ca/music/article/pearl-jam-dark-matter-album-review

CarryTheZero

bicyclejoe said:

CarryTheZero said:

Nice! I’m north of Atlanta in Gwinnett County. Welcome to the south! Short of no PJ concerts, Atlanta is a great city. Food from all over the world, great music venues, weather is usually great, but these summers and humidity are brutal if you’re not used to it. 

You moving to the actual city? Metro Atlanta is HUGE.

Yeah. Moving to Atanta. We just bought a place in the Asley Park neighborhood.

Nice!

bicyclejoe

CarryTheZero said:

bicyclejoe said:

CarryTheZero said:

Nice! I’m north of Atlanta in Gwinnett County. Welcome to the south! Short of no PJ concerts, Atlanta is a great city. Food from all over the world, great music venues, weather is usually great, but these summers and humidity are brutal if you’re not used to it. 

You moving to the actual city? Metro Atlanta is HUGE.

Yeah. Moving to Atanta. We just bought a place in the Asley Park neighborhood.

Nice!

I’ll DM you. 

Lifted

spankyMP said:

Lifted said:

PJammin' said:

bicyclejoe said:

PJammin' said:

nicknyr15 said:

PJammin' said:

Lifted said:

My initial reaction is that this album is all over the place and has no flow. A lot of styles going on, and too many for it's own good. It definitely has it's moments, but the lows are very low. I'll give it more time, but if this isnt the worst PJ album in the catalog, it's probably only better than lightning bolt which isn't saying much.

For me wreckage, won't tell and something special were the lows. Upper hand, setting sun, scared of fear and running were my initial highlights. Waiting for Stevie has some great moments, and also some parts I'm not really fond of.

This album is a lot to digest....but for now I'm feeling a 6/10

And yes, I know my review sucks.

6/10? Now I feel like you’re trolling. 

Why? Is it crazy to think someone may not enjoy it as much as you? 

That’s not the issue. The issue is giving it a 6. NO WAY is it a 6. That’s B.S.

So, your issue IS that someone has a different opinion than you. It happens. It’s all part of being in a community. We are one, but different in our own ways, which contributes to the tapestry of our fandom.

You can have a different opinion. 6/10 ranking comes from the trolls. That’s it.  6/10 isn’t accurate at all. 

I'm definitely not a troll. I'm a paying member of the ten club and I love this band. Honestly, 6/10 might be generous now that I've played it through a few more times. Even one of my highlights, setting sun, I'm not feeling as much as I had originally thought. At this point I think the first to singles and scared of fear are probably my favorite tracks if had to pick.

I thought gigaton was a return to form of sorts, particularly the first half of the album. This one is 10 steps back.

On a side note, react, respond sounds just like can't stop by the chili peppers.

Before reading this, I independently started singing Can't Stop over React, Respond while it was playing in my head.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that heard it! I did the exact same thing when I listened to it the first time.

GM151575

After one listen, I definitely wouldn’t say it’s a return to any previous album or sound. I don’t know, it’s not bad but so far I don’t hear any catchiness or edge. Maybe it will grown on me but so far I think earthling was better. 

I do like some of the Pink Floyd like atmospheric sounds 

carolinabeerguy

My review: This is the best work they’ve done since Riot Act or Binaural. 

Attaway77

1st listen through complete…. Interesting. This feels like an Earthlings II. Ed calling the boys down to play on the leftover  tracks. You can hear them, there’s PJ sound there, McCready especially, even a sprinkle of Soundgarden? Make no doubt about it, Andrew Watt and his producing style is here in full effect..  Going for a round 2 listen now.. So far I like it, it's a new era PJ, I'll take it...

CarryTheZero

https://www.allmusic.com/album/dark-matter-mw0004218181

Nice review from this site. This guy usually loves PJ, and he gives DM 4/5 stars.

JimmyV

After the first listen...

This is better than Earthling. I was very worried about Watt after that, but this is a clear step up. 

Mike's solos are going to be fire live. 

Need to learn all the songs titles before declaring favorites, but the slower stuff stood out to me. Not unusual for my tastes. 

I'm pleased so far.