Home› The Porch

Dark Matter songs ranked

DM282158DM282158 Beverly, MA Posts: 593
in The Porch
One guy’s take anyway….

1. Scared of Fear
-Stone and Eddie collaboration is always the best collaboration. The riff, lyrics, bridge, chorus. Outstanding. 

2. Setting Sun
-Still can’t get over what an album closer this is. Just a beautiful track. And what a climax (that’s what she said). 

3. Waiting for Stevie. 
-mm mm that riff. Thunderous drums, McCready being McCready. Love that interlude to Running as well. 

4. Wreckage 
-Gorgeous guitar chords that could get you choked up. Great lyric, love the backup vocals at the end. 

5. Upper Hand 
-Best climax of the entire record (that’s what she said again). 

6. Dark Matter 
-With this song, I always think this was the band saying, “34 years in, we can still bring it.”

7. Won’t Tell
-Great melody, love the chorus. And “allow for a bit of grace” is one of my favorite lines from the entire album. 

8. Got to Give 
-This one has slipped a bit since my initial few listens through the album. Mainly because it’s a got a bit of a bit poppy, contemporary feel. I feel it’s very similar to the stuff of Earthling. 

9. Running
-Really solid, fast pace Jeff Ament track. The bass line better than the vocal melody. 

10. Something Special
-I actually really like this song, but there’s just so many good ones on Dark Matter that beat it. 

11. React, Respond 
-The lowest ranking isn’t because it’s a bad song. It’s a solid track, it’s just something need to be in the 11th spot. 
Boston '06
Mansfield '08
Hartford '10
Worcester, Hartford '13
Global Citizen, NY '15

Comments

  • Shaindli1Shaindli1 MA Posts: 824
    For me, Something Special is at the bottom. I simply do not like it.

    My top three are Got to Give, Stevie and Won't Tell.
    Then
    Scared of Fear
    Setting Sun
    Upper Hand
    React Respond 
    Wreckage 
    Dark Matter
    Running 
  • kmcmanuskmcmanus Posts: 811
    Stevie
    Setting
    Upper
    Scared
    Wreckage
    (I honestly think those 5 can hang with almost any song in the catalog)
    Got to Give 
    Running
    Dark Matter
    Special
    Don’t
    React
  • DM282158DM282158 Beverly, MA Posts: 593
    kmcmanus said:
    Stevie
    Setting
    Upper
    Scared
    Wreckage
    (I honestly think those 5 can hang with almost any song in the catalog)
    Got to Give 
    Running
    Dark Matter
    Special
    Don’t
    React
    Full agree on those 5 as it relates to entire catalog 
    Boston '06
    Mansfield '08
    Hartford '10
    Worcester, Hartford '13
    Global Citizen, NY '15
  • pjhawkspjhawks Posts: 12,690
    Upper Hand
    Setting Sun
    Wreckage
    Won’tTell
    Scared of Fear
    Running
    Got to Give
    Waiting for Stevie
    Dark Matter
    React, Respond
    Something Special

    Top 5 are A+ for me.  6 to 10 really good.  

  • PapPap Serres, Greece Posts: 29,405
    edited March 3
    Won't Tell
    Dark Matter
    Wreckage
    Setting Sun
    React, Respond
    Running
    Something Special
    Upper Hand
    Scared of Fear
    Waiting For Stevie
    Got to Give
    Post edited by Pap on
    Athens 2006 / Milton Keynes 2014 / London 1&2 2022 / Seattle 1&2 2024 / Dublin 2024 / Manchester 2024
  • BloodMeridian80BloodMeridian80 Seattle Posts: 699
    Stevie
    Setting Sun
    Scared of Fear
    Wreckage 
    React, Respond
    Upper Hand
    Dark Matter
    Wont Tell
    Got to Give
    Running
    Something Special

    Top 2 will probably remain my favs, but next 7 fluctuate. Great album.
  • drfoxdrfox Posts: 1,381
    Five of their best for years:

    Setting Sun
    Waiting for Stevie
    Won’t Tell
    Upper Hand
    Scared of Fear

    Then
    Dark Matter
    Wreckage
    React Respond
    Got to Give
    Running

    and finally 
    Something Special (the only song I’m not keen on)
  • gotthebottlegotthebottle San Diego Posts: 2,972
    Setting Sun
    Won't Tell
    Waiting for Stevie
    Upper Hand
    Got to Give
    Wreckage
    Dark Matter 
    Scared of Fear
    Running
    React Repond
    Something Special

    And I've heard them all live







  • marumarukomarumaruko Posts: 295
    edited March 3
    Setting Sun
    Upper Hand
    Got to Give
    Wreckage
    tiny gap
    Dark Matter
    Waiting for Stevie
    Scared of Fear
    React, Respond
    bit of a gap
    Something Special
    Won't Tell
    Big Gap
    Running 

    Post edited by marumaruko on
    ------------------------------

    2005 - Calgary, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Kitchener, Montréal, Ottawa
    2006 - Verona, Torino, Pistoia
    2007 - Munich
    2013 - Calgary
    2014 - Vienna
    2016 - Quebec, Ottawa, Toronto N1, Toronto N2, Pemberton
    2018 - Padova
    2022 - Frankfurt, Krakow, Quebec, Ottawa, Hamilton, Toronto  

  • pdalowskypdalowsky Doncaster,UK Posts: 15,100
    Scared of fear
    React Respond
    Stevie
    Upper Hand
    Wreckage
    Setting Sun
    Wont Tell
    Running
    Dark Matter
    Got To Give
    Something Special
  • HailHailVitalogyHailHailVitalogy Posts: 5,549
    Setting Sun (Top 10 all time)
    Waiting for Stevie
    Upper Hand
    Scared of Fear
    Dark Matter
    Got To Give
    React Respond
    Running
    Won’t Tell
    Wreckage
    Something Special
    2003: Uniondale, MSG x2 | 2004: Reading | 2005: Gorge, Vancouver, Philly | 2006: East Rutherford x2, Gorge x2, Camden 1, Hartford | 2008: MSG x2, VA Beach | 2009: Philly x3 | 2010: MSG x2, Bristow | 2011: Alpine Valley x2 | 2012: MIA Philly | 2013: Wrigley, Charlottesville, Brooklyn 2 | 2014: Milan, Amsterdam 1 | 2016: MSG x2, Fenway x2, Wrigley 2 | 2018: Rome, Krakow, Berlin, Wrigley 2 | 2021: Sea Hear Now | 2022: San Diego, LA x2, MSG, Camden, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver | 2023: St. Paul 1, Chicago x2, Fort Worth x2, Austin 2 | 2024: Las Vegas 1, Seattle x2, Indy, MSG x2, Philly x2, Baltimore, Ohana 2
  • SomethingCreativeSomethingCreative Kazoo, MI Posts: 3,398
    Ranking this one makes me realize even more how strong of an album it is.  Most of these could be swapped around depending on the day lol

    Upper Hand
    Setting Sun
    Wreckage
    Waiting For Stevie
    Dark Matter
    Won’t Tell
    Gotta Give
    React, Respond
    Scared of Fear
    Running
    Something Special

    "Well, I think this band is incapable of sucking."
    -my dad after hearing Not for You for the first time on SNL .
  • We All BelieveWe All Believe Eastchester, NY - Proud South Canadian. Posts: 648
    Top Tier

    1) Setting Sun - It might be my all-time favorite PJ song. It's currently neck-and-neck with Amongst The Waves.

    2) Scared Of Fear - It fucking rocks. Let's fucking goooooooooooooooooo!

    3) Upper Hand - It's pretty perfect.


    Next Tier

    4) Got To Give - It might belong in the Top Tier, but I'll keep it out for now.

    5) Dark Matter

    6) Wreckage

    7) Waiting For Stevie


    Third Tier

    8) React, Respond

    9) Won't Tell

    10) Running


    Bottom Tier

    11) Something Special - I imagine I'd write something like this if I had kids, but since I don't, I'll say that this song is awful and makes my ears hurt.
    May your days be long, til kingdom come.
  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Mar-A-Lago Posts: 21,378
    Got to Give
    Setting Sun
    Won't Tell
    Waiting for Stevie
    React Repond
    Dark Matter
    Wreckage
    Scared of Fear
    Running
    Upper Hand
    Something Special
    Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)
    The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)

    1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
    2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
    2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
    2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
    2020: Oakland, Oakland:  2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
    2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
    2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
  • maverickmaverick Posts: 1,233
    drfox said:
    Five of their best for years:

    Setting Sun
    Waiting for Stevie
    Won’t Tell
    Upper Hand
    Scared of Fear

    Then
    Dark Matter
    Wreckage
    React Respond
    Got to Give
    Running

    and finally 
    Something Special (the only song I’m not keen on)
    Same. 
    Only edit would move Got To Give up to the top of the second grouping. 
  • DM282158DM282158 Beverly, MA Posts: 593
    Although I’m not entirely keen on how glossy the drums are that Andrew Watt tends to like, I really, really hope they work with him again. 
    Boston '06
    Mansfield '08
    Hartford '10
    Worcester, Hartford '13
    Global Citizen, NY '15
  • demetriosdemetrios Posts: 94,202
    Waiting For Stevie
    Setting Sun
    Scared Of Fear
    Upper Hand
    Won’t Tell
    Running
    Wreckage
    Got To Give
    Dark Matter
    React, Respond
    Something Special
  • We All BelieveWe All Believe Eastchester, NY - Proud South Canadian. Posts: 648
    DM282158 said:
    Although I’m not entirely keen on how glossy the drums are that Andrew Watt tends to like, I really, really hope they work with him again. 
    1000%. As grateful as I am to a fellow Andrew whose life was saved by PJ's music, his DM production leaves a lot to be desired, IMO. But I'll sign up for the spark that he lit under them all day long.
    May your days be long, til kingdom come.
  • BrainofBGABrainofBGA Australia Posts: 4,439
    React, Respond
    Waiting For Stevie
    Setting Sun
    Got To Give
    Won’t Tell
    Dark Matter
    Running
    Scared Of Fear
    Upper Hand
    Wreckage
    Something Special
    Melbourne #1 '98
    Melbourne #2 '03
    Melbourne #3 '03
    Melbourne #1 '06
    Melbourne #3 '06
    Melbourne '09
    Melbourne '14
  • steven87steven87 Posts: 1,610
    I love the whole album, but there are 3 standouts for me, especially after hearing them live- upper hand, setting sun, and WFS. I’d put each of those somewhere in the top 15-20 songs they’ve ever written. 
  • Kearn5yKearn5y Ireland Posts: 2,975
    edited March 3
    1. Setting Sun
    2. Waiting for Stevie
    3. Upper Hand
    3. Got to Give
    4. Scared of Fear
    4. React Repond
    4. Dark Matter 
    5. Running
    6. Won't Tell
    7. Something Special
    8. Wreckage
    Kearnsy
  • Hurls15Hurls15 Posts: 182
    Setting Sun- top 3 song post 2000
    Scared of Fear- top 10 song post 2000

    Upper Hand--loses a bit live, but album ++
    Waiting for Stevie
    Running- seems I like this more than most
    Won't Tell

    Dark Matter
    Something Special- yes, I'm a parent
    Got to Give

    React Respond- better live IMO
    Wreckage- know it is a good song but don't connect with it 





  • DM282158DM282158 Beverly, MA Posts: 593
    I’d put Setting Sun, Scared of Fear, Waiting for Stevie, and maybe Wreckage in the top 15 songs post 2000. 
    Parting Ways
    Love Boat Captain
    Life Wasted 
    Come Back
    Inside Job
    Who Ever Said 
    Lightning Bolt
    MYM
    Yellow Moon 
    Gonna see My Friend
    Amongst the Waves 

    This from someone who loves Gigaton. I didn’t think they’d get something like Dark Matter out. Glad they stole my lunch money on that one. 
    Boston '06
    Mansfield '08
    Hartford '10
    Worcester, Hartford '13
    Global Citizen, NY '15
  • goldrushgoldrush everybody knows this is nowhere Posts: 7,645
    Waiting For Stevie
    Scared of Fear
    Dark Matter
    Setting Sun
    Won’t Tell

    React, Respond
    Wreckage
    Running
    Gotta Give
    Something Special


    Upper Hand


    The Top 5 are among the very best songs in the PJ catalogue. The next 5 are very, very good and would make up an amazing 10 song album.

    But Upper Hand kills the flow of the album for me. The intro is interesting, but the transition to the first verse is jarring, and the song dies on its ass for the verse. The chorus is good, but the outro solo sounds like it belongs in another song. It’s like 3 different songs and they don’t work together as one.
    “Do not postpone happiness”
    (Jeff Tweedy, Sydney 2007)

    “Put yer good money on the sunrise”
    (Tim Rogers)
  • colors blendcolors blend Posts: 199
    1. Scared of Fear
    2. Got to Give
    3. Upper Hand
    4. Won't Tell
    5. Wreckage
    6. Setting Sun
    7. Waiting for Stevie
    8. Dark Matter
    9. React, Respond
    10. Running
    11. Something Special

    you're god and you've got big hands
Sign In or Register to comment.