Dark Matter songs ranked

DM282158
DM282158 Beverly, MA Posts: 658
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
«1

Comments

  • Shaindli1
    Shaindli1 MA Posts: 2,480
    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 
    #Grievance2025 
  • kmcmanus
    kmcmanus Posts: 897
    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
  • DM282158
    DM282158 Beverly, MA Posts: 658
    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
  • pjhawks
    pjhawks Posts: 12,955
    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.  

  • Pap
    Pap Serres, Greece Posts: 30,013
    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 / New Orleans 2025
  • BloodMeridian80
    BloodMeridian80 Seattle Posts: 715
    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.
  • drfox
    drfox Posts: 1,488
    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)
  • gotthebottle
    gotthebottle San Diego Posts: 3,816
    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







  • marumaruko
    marumaruko Posts: 412
    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, Hamilton, 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  

  • pdalowsky
    pdalowsky Doncaster,UK Posts: 15,226
    Scared of fear
    React Respond
    Stevie
    Upper Hand
    Wreckage
    Setting Sun
    Wont Tell
    Running
    Dark Matter
    Got To Give
    Something Special
  • HailHailVitalogy
    HailHailVitalogy Posts: 6,018
    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 | 2025: Florida x2, Atlanta x2, Pittsburgh x2
  • SomethingCreative
    SomethingCreative Kazoo, MI Posts: 3,413
    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 Believe
    We All Believe Eastchester, NY - Proud South Canadian. Posts: 841
    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 Blansten
    Gern Blansten Mar-A-Lago Posts: 22,375
    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
  • maverick
    maverick Posts: 1,256
    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. 
  • DM282158
    DM282158 Beverly, MA Posts: 658
    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
  • demetrios
    demetrios Posts: 97,753
    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 Believe
    We All Believe Eastchester, NY - Proud South Canadian. Posts: 841
    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.
  • BrainofBGA
    BrainofBGA Australia Posts: 4,558
    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
  • steven87
    steven87 Posts: 1,734
    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. 

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