So anyone who likes this album they must be a casual listener who doesn't know as much from the band as you do? I just don't get how saying every 5 posts how much you hate the album and PJ post-2000 is doing anything productive It is valid not to like it, sure. But between this, the comment about Eddie's wife being a model in the other thread, and just the nonstop bashing, it is beyond reasonal critique at this point
I really like this song! But there's something not right about the production of this album. It sounds like Soundgarden's 'Badmotorfinger', but if it was coming through an AM radio that's slightly off-station. I want to 'tune it in' and get it clearer, if that makes sense! Maybe it needs more widening of the stereo spectrum, but EQwise a lot of instruments seem to be hogging similar frequencies. The album itself, songwise, is okay. Not sure where to rank it amongst their other material - if it was produced better then maybe I'd get a better handle on whether it's up there with Ten, Vs and Vitalogy. I really liked Backspacer, and songs like Johnny Guitar. A good album to liken this album to, is Jeff Lynne's ELO album 'From Out Of Nowhere', from 2019. It too is missing the same frequencies that make it seem like all brittle and treble-dominant. I still see people recommending Jeff Lynne to produce certain people but I frankly would not trust his ears given that recent ELO album. A shame because the songs are actually quite good.
So far, I put this below Lightning Bolt and below Backspacer which would be at the very bottom. Not unwilling to reevaluate but it's bad on all fronts really. I like Gigaton way better. All of the previous comments about odd production issues, brick wall mastering problems mentioned before are valid and I agree that the songs are boring as well. Whew.....
This album just isn't doing it for me. I assumed it would because I enjoy ALL of their albums. Can't say it's bad...it's just not for me, I guess.
I hear ya and respect your opinion. I guess not everyone has got to like it. I definitely like Gigaton as well as Backspacer and Lightning Bolt. Again as I said earlier in this thread Dark Matter is still sinking in with repeated listens.
I hadn't really connected with any of their albums wholly since Avocado, and even then I was on my way out. I loved Binaural and Riot Act. Dark Matter is bringing me back in to the fold, and is certainly my favorite since RA. I'm going backwards now to see if I have a new perspective on any of the intervening albums.
Pearl Jam ‘Scared of Fear’ Live on the Stern Show | Watch Pearl Jam run through “Scared of Fear” off their new album #DarkMatter live on the #SternShow. | By The Howard Stern ShowFacebook
It’s taken a lot of listens - arguably too many listens - but I’m now getting into this and definitely enjoying the songs. It’s almost like I needed to listen through the production, but I’m playing it now because I actively want That is probably been 5 or 6 spins for it to sink in, and there’s not many albums I’d persist that long with. So for those struggling to dig this, you might if you persevere, but it’s of course reasonable not to. In terms of rankings, for me, right now, the songs feel a lot more consistent than Lightning Bolt and I prefer them to Gigaton. It’s not ahead of too much else in their catalogue, although I’m one of those who found Binaural quite inaccessible, and that was also a blind spot.
I havent been tempted to have another listen in a week. Sorry state of affairs but that's what happens when poor production choices combine with lacklustre song writing. It was the same with the last Smashing Pumpkins album(s).
I am working fairly diligently on this remix/remaster (e.g. in my hobby hours), and have roped another experienced mastering guy into the project. This will happen and we'll keep you posted.
I forgot the thread itself but he was sort of dogging Eddie for marrying a woman who had done modeling and calling him a hyprocrite, citing the lyrics for Satan's Bed as evidence, as if the lyrical context of modeling as referenced in that song means falling in love with a woman who has done modeling, is Eddie apparently losing his sense of self lol
Maybe this? I did a search for "Vedder model" and this was the top result: all things PEARL JAM .... news, speculation, general discussion Post 788: "Hanging around presidents and A list celebs has certainly polluted his brain. He also slagged off models in the song Satans Bed and then went on to marry one. He's just another hypocrite in the rock world, not the first and not the last."
Yeah that is what I remember, his whole vibe regarding Eddie and disliking recent Pearl Jam just seems so over the top to me both in content and repetitiveness
It's distortion. Clipping and peak limiting on each track. Whoever recorded this and mixed it knows nothing about audio recording.
I really can't figure out how the guys that mix these songs can't hear what we all hear? Are they all deaf? Or only mixing wtih ear buds? I think the distortion is evident even on ear buds. My goodness. Unreal.
My own pet theory on the issue is that the powers that be with these big legacy act artists, there are other hands at work besides the audio engineer/ producer mastering tech - that push the loudness to the point past distortion to compete in the charts with other pop music. Hmmmmm... I guess their plan worked in this case since it's getting people to notice them more because it's sounds like every other current bland release out there.
Thanks for the feedback. Wow, DPK! Now that's some research! I have that thread on my Internet Bookmarks list. Thank you for pointing it out anyways. I read this forum to be informed on releases, demos, remixes, live performances, etc. . . . . . . . and I don't really pay too much attention to the other stuff that's in forum posts. I just wanted to make sure I was aware of other Pearl Jam-related threads.
I came out hard against Wotman's involvement with this. But after digging deep into the Atmos stems, I can say with confidence that Wotman and his engineers got really good tracks with nice headroom. The damage was done in the mixing stage (Serban Ghanea) and/or the mastering stage (no mastering credit!).
You obviously know and understand this technically way better than me. So interesting to hear that. Would a producer have no ultimate oversight on mixing and mastering? Obviously, its not like a movie director having ultimate ownership of editing and cinematography.
"They pretty much hate what the modern working class stand for." What the hell are you spewing, man???
