Dark Matters - Initial Thoughts/Reviews

JJ Burnel, ...., Baz Warne, Jim Macaulay.

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jason
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Re: Dark Matters - Initial Thoughts/Reviews

Post by jason »

theraven1979 wrote: 01 Oct 2021, 09:08
Ruby wrote:
punkerdgray wrote: 30 Sep 2021, 22:19 Is it only me that thinks Dark Matters is pretty average album some really great songs on it but most of it is pretty dull :roll:
I can think of at least one more. Image
I actually quite like the dull ones. For me Down and Breathe are the best tracks on the album. The Lines though is shit. No denying that

Jim

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I really didn't like the acoustic version of Down the first time I saw it but I like the album version a lot now. I think JJ's vocals could have maybe been better in a couple of places but overall it's a nice track.
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Re: Dark Matters - Initial Thoughts/Reviews

Post by toilerinblack »

jason wrote: 01 Oct 2021, 17:35
theraven1979 wrote: 01 Oct 2021, 09:08
Ruby wrote: I can think of at least one more. Image
I actually quite like the dull ones. For me Down and Breathe are the best tracks on the album. The Lines though is shit. No denying that

Jim

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I really didn't like the acoustic version of Down the first time I saw it but I like the album version a lot now. I think JJ's vocals could have maybe been better in a couple of places but overall it's a nice track.
Agreed,i don't like the acoustic version full stop but his vocals through the studio sounds better,it's the sort of song that Paul would of done really well i think.JJ has written a lovely song there but it's just the old vocal thing again for me.
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Re: Dark Matters - Initial Thoughts/Reviews

Post by Paul »

after a few listens, I think the new album is fantastic.
lots going on, production is awesome, I like all the tracks on it personally, singing best for ages, Dave's playing is totally brilliant and a great way to bow out.
I'm not sure comparing it to other albums is fair, as a stand alone album it's one on it's own, like most of the other albums.
Also, there seems to be bits in it from all the previous classic albums and it definitely has the stranglers sound, also there are some brilliant individual parts by all of the band
the fans I know personally love it and my non stranglers friends are impressed too.
the only thing thats pissing me off at the moment is that the Copenhagen gig was postponed, so I'll be going there drinking £8 pints without the chance of seeing the new stuff live just yet
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Re: Dark Matters - Initial Thoughts/Reviews

Post by paulinblack »

Jon the Impaler wrote: 01 Oct 2021, 16:33 Looks like going the same way as Giants maybe , euphoria to start then a steady realisation that things may not be so great .....novelty of the new .
Not sure about the first part of the sentence, but I quite like the summing up from euphoria to realisation and onwards. The 'novelty of the new' is a great way of putting it.

Find myself going back and playing This Song, Water and Stallion at the moment.
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Re: Dark Matters - Initial Thoughts/Reviews

Post by Jon the Impaler »

paulinblack wrote: 02 Oct 2021, 12:09
Jon the Impaler wrote: 01 Oct 2021, 16:33 Looks like going the same way as Giants maybe , euphoria to start then a steady realisation that things may not be so great .....novelty of the new .
Not sure about the first part of the sentence, but I quite like the summing up from euphoria to realisation and onwards. The 'novelty of the new' is a great way of putting it.

Find myself going back and playing This Song, Water and Stallion at the moment.
I just remember the initial posts on Giants were great , it was better than anything ever......maybe an exaggeration ......but...... A few weeks in and there then emerged dissenting voices . I got my copy a few weeks later , postage probs I think and I thought what was the fuss about , an average album at very best , I hadn't developed an irrational hatred of Mercury at that stage , saying that maybe it was more fitting in with Hugh's Nosferatu than Stranglers stuff( insult to Hugh I now realise ) . Anyway it took a little while for some to tag on that maybe Giants wasn't as good as first thought and that is the comparison I am trying to make .
Now this is easy to misinterpret , but I do like DM , some songs are very good , there is no dross unlike Giants , though 3 tracks I don't bother with....slow or semi accoustic , but as yet I don't know which way it will go . I really can't see me disliking it in any way but I may get bored of it as I did with the last Damned one , or maybe not , it is good , almost very good......but great ? When you talk great you talk Rattus to The Raven , La Folie for some.........and I don't think it is there .Mind you maybe The Raven wasn't considered great immediately .......then people are stupid 😂
All quiet ..........
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Re: Dark Matters - Initial Thoughts/Reviews

Post by aldinblack »


Jon the Impaler wrote:
paulinblack wrote: 02 Oct 2021, 12:09
Jon the Impaler wrote: 01 Oct 2021, 16:33 Looks like going the same way as Giants maybe , euphoria to start then a steady realisation that things may not be so great .....novelty of the new .
Not sure about the first part of the sentence, but I quite like the summing up from euphoria to realisation and onwards. The 'novelty of the new' is a great way of putting it.

Find myself going back and playing This Song, Water and Stallion at the moment.
I just remember the initial posts on Giants were great , it was better than anything ever......maybe an exaggeration ......but...... A few weeks in and there then emerged dissenting voices . I got my copy a few weeks later , postage probs I think and I thought what was the fuss about , an average album at very best , I hadn't developed an irrational hatred of Mercury at that stage , saying that maybe it was more fitting in with Hugh's Nosferatu than Stranglers stuff( insult to Hugh I now realise ) . Anyway it took a little while for some to tag on that maybe Giants wasn't as good as first thought and that is the comparison I am trying to make .
Now this is easy to misinterpret , but I do like DM , some songs are very good , there is no dross unlike Giants , though 3 tracks I don't bother with....slow or semi accoustic , but as yet I don't know which way it will go . I really can't see me disliking it in any way but I may get bored of it as I did with the last Damned one , or maybe not , it is good , almost very good......but great ? When you talk great you talk Rattus to The Raven , La Folie for some.........and I don't think it is there .Mind you maybe The Raven wasn't considered great immediately .......then people are stupid Image
you're right, come on greatness like the first 4,5 or 6 albums just isn't possible by any band these days.
But like you say we've got a good album without any dross.
I'm confident DM will remain good for years to come..
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jason
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Re: Dark Matters - Initial Thoughts/Reviews

Post by jason »

I think the Stranglers journey has been incredible. I've honestly enjoyed every album. Yes there was a slight dip in the middle but they have returned strongly with the last four albums. Hugh's vocals and songwriting has been missed but Paul, John Ellis, Baz and Jim have all made brilliant contributions over the years.
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Re: Dark Matters - Initial Thoughts/Reviews

Post by toilerinblack »

jason wrote: 02 Oct 2021, 19:30 I think the Stranglers journey has been incredible. I've honestly enjoyed every album. Yes there was a slight dip in the middle but they have returned strongly with the last four albums. Hugh's vocals and songwriting has been missed but Paul, John Ellis, Baz and Jim have all made brilliant contributions over the years.
I think that's fair to say that along this 47 year journey all the different members have played their part to the overall entity of the stranglers.We may all prefer different time periods and stages of the journey as they've all CONTRIBUTED to making this the band what it has been and still is today.Not many fans who picked a band to follow from the '70s would expect to still be doing that 47 years on in 2021,with me it's been a case from a teenager at school to now middle aged,quite incredible that this band has always been there to listen to all through my adualt life, i couldn't ever imagine not listening to them through the years.So like abba once said....Thank you for the music, that goes to every single member they've all done their bit.
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Re: Dark Matters - Initial Thoughts/Reviews

Post by Jon the Impaler »

I think something to bear in mind , if the Sex Pistols had lasted , if they had the same or similar career to The Stranglers, they wouldn't still be writing Never Mind The Bollocks stuff . As musicians bands want to do different and hopefully the fans go with them on the journey .
All quiet ..........
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Re: Dark Matters - Initial Thoughts/Reviews

Post by 8088 »

Jon the Impaler wrote: 03 Oct 2021, 08:01 I think something to bear in mind , if the Sex Pistols had lasted , if they had the same or similar career to The Stranglers, they wouldn't still be writing Never Mind The Bollocks stuff . As musicians bands want to do different and hopefully the fans go with them on the journey .
But most fans (on here) cheer loudest when they try to reproduce something 1977 flavoured.

When The Stranglers did actually evolve and do something different (in the 80s) it was considered by many (again, on this forum) to be their low point.
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Re: Dark Matters - Initial Thoughts/Reviews

Post by Ruby »

Jon the Impaler wrote: 03 Oct 2021, 08:01 I think something to bear in mind , if the Sex Pistols had lasted , if they had the same or similar career to The Stranglers, they wouldn't still be writing Never Mind The Bollocks stuff . As musicians bands want to do different and hopefully the fans go with them on the journey .
ACDC still have the same formula to my ears and they pack out stadiums.Quo were the same.It's not for me personally, I like the different Stranglers albums and styles and the variety of the live set but many fans seem to favour the 'traditional' sound or the 'classic' sound of their favourite band.
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Re: Dark Matters - Initial Thoughts/Reviews

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You can pretty much divide MKI's output into four distinct phases: their pre-punk/soft rock beginnings, then the Rattus/No More Heroes era, then the era that most fans deem to be their most interesting when they were making music only THEY could have made which spans from Black and White to Feline, and then lastly a return to melodic pop-rock from Aural Sculpture to 10.
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