Dark Matters - Second Thoughts

[theraven1979]

Now people have heard the album a few times what's your impressions now? For me, the fast burners (This Song, Dave etc) have all burned out and I find I'm not really listening to them. Breathe and Down are currently the best songs for me.


Jim

[8088]

My faves and non faves haven't changed - still got it on frequent rotation...although I am building up a mental list of production gripes where I think they missed opportunities to make it sound better.

[Josh]

Water - modern classic, quite like the intro /outro which has been a weakness with this type of song recently.

This song - very catchy, probably a fast burner though.

And if you should see Dave - hadn't listened too it much since the initial single release. Still a very heartfelt tribute, some poignant lyrics.

If something... - I like this a lot, was very underwhelmed by the initial snippet I'd heard pre-release. Not sure about the horns, perhaps evocative of old days with brass

No man's land - Baz gets a lot of stick, but I really like the vocal delivery on this. Chorus generally is lacking a bit though. Reminds me a little of Into the fire from NC.

The lines - I hated this initially but it's a grower.

Payday & Last man on the moon- Another 2 growers wasn't convinced by either live initially.

Down - I like this. Very minimalistic, this and the lines remind me of (admittedly inferior) versions of in the end

White stallion - Benefits from the bigger production sound, really like the drums on this too.

Breathe - for me this almost sums up the album, very eclectic.

[Cricklewood]

About nearly a week on, here's how I feel about them...

Water
Much improved from the live versions. Feels like the entire Stranglers band in full flow.

This Song
Maybe a bit too over the top with the vocals from Baz. For better or worse, it's the most reminiscent of their classic sound. I heard the Spess
version the other day which has better vocals imo but miss the trademark Dave keyboard runs heh.

And If You Should See Dave
It's a poignant tribute but like others have mentioned, I've heard it enough now :)

If Something's Gonna Kill Me
It's a nice detour from their usual stuff. I might have burned it out from the single a month ago but I still welcome it.

No Man's Land
Pretty quirky. Perhaps the chaotic section in the latter half could be made longer but otherwise a very engaging ditty

The Lines
I've warmed up to it a bit in the context of the album. It doesn't overstay its welcome.

Payday
I'm fine with the jazzy middle 8 section. I'm also fine with bisted and Twitter lol

Down
As someone had mentioned, it wouldn't be out of place in Coup de Grace. It's fine as a one off but prob my most skipped track so far

Last Men On The Moon
One of the standouts for me. It has an apocalyptic bent like "If Something" and coupled with a punchy hook throughout. I'm not hoping for a new single but this should be a contender imo

White Stallion
A very grand production. Quite meaningful and sounds great on my headphones.

Breathe
Sometimes I feel this is part 2 of White Stallion. It transitions nicely like Do You Wanna/Death & Night & Blood. Like the previous track, I find this beautifully theatrical

[markorbit]

Only minor changes for me... slight improvement in Water, the verse of White Stallion (I still think the other section is quite ridiculous BUT I could imagine a big production live version with screens etc) and I have a good handle on Breathe now which is ok. The rest about the same.

I think all the albums since and including Norfolk Coast aren't far apart at all in overall quality. All around 7/10.

[Jon the Impaler]

Standouts are still Water and White Stallion.
I like Moon , Payday , This Song and NML
Dave and Kill are ok-ish
Lines , Down. And Breathe not for me at all , oddly all the slow or accoustic type which I never like anyway .
Another plus on this album , not one of those shite jazz things , though I think Breathe could easily have morphed into one .Lines though short , has non of the energy of previous shorts like Longships or Shut Up , sort of throw away waste of time .
Still an overall 7/10 from me , Giants would rate as 4/10 ....but then that is on the basis of much filler and probably the worst 2 songs the band have ever done .So it's a big improvement , still early days though isn't it . See what we say this time next year .

[shah]

Settling in in Shah Towers now too.
Water, NML, WS are the stand outs to me.
Can't get the NML chorus out of my head - wish there were more instrumental breaks - I could see Dave cutting loose for a re run of the chorus chords without the words...
This Song is great in the spirit of S16 pop ditties. Still like it a lot.
Breathe is lovely, but getting tired of it now - it just doesn't go anywhere - it threatens to, but they don't explore.
Last Men - - pretty good - great atmospherics, but lacking something for me...seems a bit 'soft' and MOR?
Payday - it's a b side, right? Not better than Fools Rush Out even?
Down, Dave, Kill, Lines- quick skippage over here. Just no pull for me.

[Frederik]

Only listened to it once so far, on Spotify, CD remains unopened. Will get around to another listen some time.

[Ruby]

I've only played it twice but I am in no hurry for another listen just yet.I quite like the record but I don't get an irresistible temptation to play it over and over.Ambivalent.

[StanInBlack]

My second thoughts are the same as my first thoughts. Exactly the same.

[Greatkudu]

Still enjoying it, faves change daily, but Breathe is still fave at moment. Lt Kudu

[toilerinblack]

Now people have heard the album a few times what's your impressions now? For me, the fast burners (This Song, Dave etc) have all burned out and I find I'm not really listening to them. Breathe and Down are currently the best songs for me.


Jim

Well things haven't really changed for me on the second thoughts front to when i first heard them and that is No Mans' Lands a belter,Breathe i like you play alot at the moment too and think it's a real grower that's just a very refreshing and different song from them and i love the funcky guitar of baz's too it works very nicely in the style of the song. I say if you gonna keep on going like they have then do something new and different and that's a very healthy attitude and way of thinking for any band and that's what i feel they have done, there is a very varied style of song's on this album which should keep the most very happy i think,the views from the most on here have been very positive.
White Stallion's still great now from when i first heard it, i love the way it just goes off on a nice quick little string bit at the end after all that this song has going on in it and i still just love the kissing in the rain bit from JJ, great stuff.Moon's grown on me even more even though i've always liked it live and Water sounds even better,just a great opener to the album.But the surprise on this album looking back for me is No Man's Land where the hell did that come from...Blinder!...No Man's Land and This Song are your typical classic stranglers sounding songs for me.
Down with the Lines are my least liked and played songs to be honest, infact i never listen to lines at all.So over all two or three not so good songs and 8 i do like is pretty good going i think that overall spells quality from the band. But I do still keep finding myself playing the same three or four favourite tracks at the moment, but with it still being such a new album hot off the press i'm sure that will keep on changing alot.Still on second thoughts a big thumbs up from me.Maybe you might have to do a third and fourth thoughts after a few months time when people have really got used to them over time...and for those who don't like this album you never know may just come around to some with time.