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Tj · **Joined:** Sat February 23, 2013 1:55 am **Posts:** 1865

Upper Hand
Opens with a urgency a flow a life then the song reflective content accepting of the moment. Also apologies to the surviving. Then the death then the outro a spiraling joy filled inverted cascade flowing to the heavens

RAG319 · **Joined:** Tue August 21, 2018 6:51 pm **Posts:** 235

Only 55 more minutes! (until The Tortured Poets Department!)

stip · **Joined:** Thu December 13, 2012 6:31 pm **Posts:** 40040

Rob wrote:

stip wrote:

Hypnos wrote:

Strat wrote:

Hypnos wrote:

tragabigzanda wrote:

It’s frustrating that for all the greatness this album offers, they still allow for some of their worst tendencies: the speedy punker that’ll give Ed a stroke, the syrupy song that should’ve been on a solo album, no regard for production. Just be great. Is that so hard?

Yield had the same tropes, spritzy rocker in MFC, and syrupy song aka Wishlist and is unabashedly loved by the fans. So I dont see the problem in that.

Wishlist is not syrupy like Something special. Not even close.

Wishlist is .....subtle. Insecure. Beautiful. Restrained

I love something special, but not even the same thing.

(if that is what your comparison was)

We all love Wishlist, but lets not pretend is not cheesy af.

wishlist is sentimental, but I think that means something else. Cheesy has a winking syrupyness to it, and Wishlist is deathly sincere

Something Special seems deeply sincere as well.

sure, it is. but its playful and leaning into dad joke energy at the same time (‘and not cuz its my job…)’.

RockPusher · **Posted:** Fri April 19, 2024 2:57 am

Gigalogy84 wrote:

I can honestly say I have never been so blown away after first listen to a new Pearl Jam album as I have with this.

You're not alone. From Wikipedia:

Quote:

Dark Matter received a score of 84 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on nine critics' reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Ultimate Classic Rock said "With cutting lyrics and slicing riffs, Eddie Vedder and the band delivered their most satisfying album since the '90s." Uncut called it "a fretful and ferocious record, lyrically much preoccupied with things having ended or appearing about to end, but musically much more blaze of glory than any kind of funeral pyre".

WaitingForBluey · **Posted:** Fri April 19, 2024 2:57 am

RAG319 wrote:

Only 55 more minutes! (until The Tortured Poets Department!)

Why so much excitement for the 2nd ranked album in the world?

Hypnos · **Joined:** Mon February 04, 2013 3:03 pm **Posts:** 859

Hypnos wrote:

stip wrote:

Hypnos wrote:

Strat wrote:

Hypnos wrote:

tragabigzanda wrote:

It’s frustrating that for all the greatness this album offers, they still allow for some of their worst tendencies: the speedy punker that’ll give Ed a stroke, the syrupy song that should’ve been on a solo album, no regard for production. Just be great. Is that so hard?

Yield had the same tropes, spritzy rocker in MFC, and syrupy song aka Wishlist and is unabashedly loved by the fans. So I dont see the problem in that.

Wishlist is not syrupy like Something special. Not even close.

Wishlist is .....subtle. Insecure. Beautiful. Restrained

I love something special, but not even the same thing.

(if that is what your comparison was)

We all love Wishlist, but lets not pretend is not cheesy af.

wishlist is sentimental, but I think that means something else. Cheesy has a winking syrupyness to it, and Wishlist is deathly sincere

Wishlist + old Ed = syrupy. The thin line of sentimental and cheesy is crossed with age.

I think the tolerance to the cheesy comes with age too. I find myself loving music that I hate when I was a kid. Singers like Camilo Sesto or Julio Iglesias for example. I apreciate those guys now.

tragabigzanda · **Posted:** Fri April 19, 2024 3:01 am

Hypnos wrote:

Tj wrote:

Arthur Morgan wrote:

Tj wrote:

I am thinking it's not Dark Matter as we thing of in physics, but dark matter as when you say "it's a dark matter, but we need to talk about blank. I think this is rock opera.

You might not be wrong about like a quasi concept album.

https://youtu.be/yEi74Kq65iw?si=KKKOGsxgKGd6Scqb

Link to the Ed interview from today at time stamp 7:40 the interviewer states that she loves the album because it takes her on a journey. His response is long but at the 9:30 mark he specifically says the only trick to sequencing this record was “telling the story, if there is one”

So, he uses the word “story” in relation to the sequencing of the songs. That is fascinating to me! I am going to have to closely read the lyrics to see if there is a narrative.

SOF and Setting Sun both mention setting suns. So he is possibly connecting the first and last song by using the same imagery.

And of course I may just be reading way too far and am embarrassing myself.

No there is something there . Yes the connection of Sof and Setting sun. Wfs and Won't Tell connect. Upper Hand and Something Special connect. Got to Give seams to connect to almost all of these. Wreckage comes to be about life lost or relationships lost . React Respond a plea not to fight but also a fight. . I'm thinking like fractured relationship the ends in the passing before a resolution. Dark Matter martial mistakes made kids pay ? Suicide others pay. I'll be the last one standing. There is clearly anger over loss maybe just maybe someone is hurt and angry as hell because someone passed. That person in turn is going make sure those that are left feel love and worth.

Brother The Cloud is the only song I wish Eddie had reserved for this. Fits properly.

Swap Good and Evil for Running and I’d be so happy

stip · **Joined:** Thu December 13, 2012 6:31 pm **Posts:** 40040

Okay here is a ranking an hour prior of my first proper album (I did not track down the better leak today)

1. Waiting for Stevie
2. Setting Sum
3. Scared of Fear
4. Dark Matter
5. React/Respond
6. Wreckage
7. Running
8. Got To Give
9. Something Special
10. Upper Hand
11. Wont Tell

I have not spent enough time with 8/10/11 yet (any of them really but especially those 3) so that placement is tenuous

Tj · **Joined:** Sat February 23, 2013 1:55 am **Posts:** 1865

Tj wrote:

Upper Hand
Opens with a urgency a flow a life then the song reflective content accepting of the moment. Also apologies to the surviving. Then the death then the outro a spiraling joy filled inverted cascade flowing to the heavens

Looking over Setting Sun I'm not sure. I am taking to meanings from it. So either way setting son connects to one or both story lines or maybe it is what connect both story lines.

Tj · **Joined:** Sat February 23, 2013 1:55 am **Posts:** 1865

Tj wrote:

Upper Hand
Opens with a urgency a flow a life then the song reflective content accepting of the moment. Also apologies to the surviving. Then the death then the outro a spiraling joy filled inverted cascade flowing to the heavens

Looking over Setting Sun I'm not sure. I am taking to meanings from it. So either way setting son connects to one or both story lines or maybe it is what connect both story lines.

WaitingForBluey · **Posted:** Fri April 19, 2024 3:06 am

tragabigzanda wrote:

Swap Good and Evil for Running and I’d be so happy

I can guarantee with this, Good and Evil is underrated

Antelope · **Joined:** Thu March 19, 2020 9:20 pm **Posts:** 43

It’s been a journey from the metal door leak to today. Congrats to everyone who made it.

https://vocaroo.com/1gOtuLFjam5X

Tj · **Joined:** Sat February 23, 2013 1:55 am **Posts:** 1865

WaitingForBluey · **Posted:** Fri April 19, 2024 3:08 am

stip wrote:

Okay here is a ranking an hour prior of my first proper album (I did not track down the better leak today)

1. Waiting for Stevie
2. Setting Sum
3. Scared of Fear
4. Dark Matter
5. React/Respond
6. Wreckage
7. Running
8. Got To Give
9. Something Special
10. Upper Hand
11. Wont Tell

I have not spent enough time with 8/10/11 yet (any of them really but especially those 3) so that placement is tenuous

Oh stip, I really think your takes on Got to Give, Upper Hand and Won't Tell are about to get jacked up

WaitingForBluey · **Posted:** Fri April 19, 2024 3:10 am

Antelope wrote:

It’s been a journey from the metal door leak to today. Congrats to everyone who made it.

https://vocaroo.com/1gOtuLFjam5X

Perfect! I was just looking for this. One last listen for the record books

dad · **Joined:** Fri June 24, 2016 2:49 pm **Posts:** 16638

Strat wrote:

spike wrote:

dad wrote:

tragabigzanda wrote:

Strat wrote:

bluestate wrote:

tragabigzanda wrote:

It’s frustrating that for all the greatness this album offers, they still allow for some of their worst tendencies: the speedy punker that’ll give Ed a stroke, the syrupy song that should’ve been on a solo album, no regard for production. Just be great. Is that so hard?

Just have fun and enjoy this process.. is that so hard?

Yes. Enjoying life is a daily struggle for the guy!

I enjoy good audio, is that so hard

it certainly sounds hard.

It all started with trag critiquing his friends’ farts in grade school.

nah. Nothin to critique. Just beautiful natural room sound.

exactly how I’d describe my farts.

Rob · **Posted:** Fri April 19, 2024 3:11 am

stip wrote:

Rob wrote:

stip wrote:

Hypnos wrote:

Strat wrote:

Hypnos wrote:

tragabigzanda wrote:

It’s frustrating that for all the greatness this album offers, they still allow for some of their worst tendencies: the speedy punker that’ll give Ed a stroke, the syrupy song that should’ve been on a solo album, no regard for production. Just be great. Is that so hard?

Yield had the same tropes, spritzy rocker in MFC, and syrupy song aka Wishlist and is unabashedly loved by the fans. So I dont see the problem in that.

Wishlist is not syrupy like Something special. Not even close.

Wishlist is .....subtle. Insecure. Beautiful. Restrained

I love something special, but not even the same thing.

(if that is what your comparison was)

We all love Wishlist, but lets not pretend is not cheesy af.

wishlist is sentimental, but I think that means something else. Cheesy has a winking syrupyness to it, and Wishlist is deathly sincere

Something Special seems deeply sincere as well.

sure, it is. but its playful and leaning into dad joke energy at the same time (‘and not cuz its my job…)’.

I get what you guys are saying, but given the context of the album and that in some parts of this song, you can hear some genuine worry and anxiety about the future, I hesitate to call it cheesy. The dad-isms can be a way to deliver a message in a way that doesn’t reveal fear. I haven’t really heard this as playful, but rather a dad being gentle with his daughters. Maybe this is the same thing and our definitions of cheesy are different. Dunno.

stip · **Joined:** Thu December 13, 2012 6:31 pm **Posts:** 40040

bluestate wrote:

stip wrote:

Okay here is a ranking an hour prior of my first proper album (I did not track down the better leak today)

1. Waiting for Stevie
2. Setting Sum
3. Scared of Fear
4. Dark Matter
5. React/Respond
6. Wreckage
7. Running
8. Got To Give
9. Something Special
10. Upper Hand
11. Wont Tell

I have not spent enough time with 8/10/11 yet (any of them really but especially those 3) so that placement is tenuous

Oh stip, I really think your takes on Got to Give, Upper Hand and Won't Tell are about to get jacked up

oh its very possible. feel good about my top 4. everything else is primes for shuffling

Tj · **Joined:** Sat February 23, 2013 1:55 am **Posts:** 1865

Also is there a album that has Ed reacting to his own feelings about his own life . It is usually the outside reacting to him or him reacting to it. Or to at most his circumstances. This is very different he seams to really presenting this inside out.

Strat · **Posted:** Fri April 19, 2024 3:13 am

Ten ----> Avocado were always the untouchables. or at least the albums that fit within a frame of "pearl jam at their best".

Many of them might fight for attention in the rankings. Self titled has dropped for me but even still part of the upper echelon of PJ. For me, that period of time was kind of untouchable and the absolute prime of my fandom.

Backspacer, LB, Gigaton....i can always find enjoyment. Gigaton as good as it is, never cracked that upper echelon, though was a clear favorite above LB and backspacer. It was a reminder of the band i fell in love with and the album came out at the perfect time for me. But it just didnt .....it didnt have the legs.

Self Titled was so exciting at the time. It made sense. It hasn't aged as well for me but i still consider it as part of that PJ prime period. A hell of a run.

Ten through Riot Act.....depending on my mood and the day....i could argue any of those to be in my top 3 or 5. Rankings would always change.

What am i getting at?

I dont want to rank albums, especially since technically DM hasn't even been released yet.

However, i do firmly believe this album can fight for space with the first 6. Easily can fight for space. No, it will never crack the top 3 or 4. It just doenst work like that at our age.

But, im just fucking thrilled that this album is clearly a legit offering from the band i fell in love with so long ago. A cohesive artistic statement. NOt a collection of songs that they feel represent what they think pearl jam should be. "heres an ed song, this is the jeff song"

This is the feeling i got from following this band since i was 10 years old and wondering what the next album might sound like. That is so exciting because it came out sounding nothing like i anticipated. I cant say that about the last 15 years. We all kind of settled into what pearl jam was at this point in their career. We accepted it for what it was.

This skirted expectations, like they used to do every release for their first 13 years of being a band.

I love it but i cant rank it and i dont care.

Dark Matter: Official Album Thread

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