I feel like, for me, this is good in a way when it comes to having expectations for Dark Matter before I hear it. They don't need to prove that they're capable of making a great record after such a long fallow period, as Gigaton had to do for me, so they have the opportunity to just do it.

Yeah, listen...no idea what kind of staying power this record is going to retain, but, it feels the most Pearl Jam they've felt in ages.
Like it actually belongs on the same continuum as the pre-Avocado band.

I think Upper Hand's intro alone is the best thing they've done since Riot Act. What the hell is that? It's gorgeous. Far better than the rest of the song. I'll take a whole album of that stuff, thanks.

I love it too. Ms Harmless said that was horror punk style and it works perfectly for me.

This is probably the best thing I could have read about the album. The band just seemed to take some different course (PRAMG) and I've been like WTF. Maybe this is really like a "return to form"?

And on first listen I don’t hear this as being much better than Gigaton. Hopefully it grows rather than recedes.

Having anticipated it from all the hype my first thought when hearing Waiting for Stevie is that it’s the song from How to Make a Pearl Jam song in 30 seconds https://www.tiktok.com/@juanmarcodeguar ... 98?lang=en

Ed has always made a horrible punk, so

No one wants to say those words, and the production choices re: loudness wars are frustrating, but yeah, I think so. They were always Pearl Jam, but going back to this way of making songs has rekindled something profound in them.

I feel I should be careful to qualify here.

Based strictly on songwriting quality? Yes, IMO

HOWEVER...

it's far too sleek and shiny as a modern production to give you any sense of false hope like that.
That might be a bridge too far.

Early days, in any case.

It now seems like Gigaton was more than a blip or outlier, but merely a baby step into the next era of Pearl Jam. A continuation of the PRAMG, but with better music.

It may have been a transitional record....A desperately needed one, but....yeah

Like in Back to the Future part 1 when Marty returns to 1985 but its not the right 1985. It sounds like Dark Matter has corrected the course.

I've only listened to the singles so far and while I like the songs, I am not crazy about the way it sounds (compressed, unnatural drum sound, too loud, etc..)

Good news fam- HD FLAC version is definitely easier on the ears and I can hear a lot more! Strat, you need this one!

haha, love the analogy

Any chance of getting hooked up with the .flac?

Weeeeeeeeeellllllllll....See, what had happened was....

It's.....really fucking crushing...like laser beams to your ear drums loud.
If you can endure it, or, I guess maybe keep the volume lower...there's so much to enjoy here.

Trag will find it still ¨impossible¨

Sad!