Lightning Bolt: the official album thread

[stupidmop]

I'm in terested in the AN review, how the reviewer says 50% of the record is the recorded he wanted them to release and the other 50% is the logical extension of BS...

I'm wondering if the 50% of the good stuff is from that first studio session where they were excited, especially Jeff. Then the logical extenstion of BS was from the last session that Jeff didn't seem that excited about? Wasn't there an article with something like that? Also, it seems Jeff wants this band to be more experimental, to push them to do things they haven't done, to try new things and Ed wants to do more upbeat poppy thing. At least that's the sense I get, how do you guys feel about that?

That would correlate with those interviews going from 'kinda experimental' 'might alienate people' to 'it sounds like pearl jam'

I also think the long gap has to do with Ed, one of those BoB quotes mentioned having to wait for Ed to give the go ahead to get started or something.

[Strat]

I think they still probably write some stranger songs but I feel Ed is the one scared to actually release them and put them on records. As he will not be able to "yea yea yea" all concert long. That whole feeling obligated to the people in the rafters in an arena show...

[digster]

Eddie just recently put out an album that was entirely ukulele. I don't think it's that good, but that doesn't really scream commercial potential.

I think they probably all are interested in being both poppy and experimental at different times; I think pretty much everyone in the band has shown an affinity for both routes through their songwriting.

[harmless]

Eddie just recently put out an album that was entirely ukulele. I don't think it's that good, but that doesn't really scream commercial potential.

I think they probably all are interested in being both poppy and experimental at different times; I think pretty much everyone in the band has shown an affinity for both routes through their songwriting.

Which is why they probably don't have an issue compromising when someone like BO'B wants that. If you have a wide enough taste, you can accept those tastes somewhere on an album as long as you think the execution is good enough.

[digster]

Maybe. I don't really think O'Brien has much to do with them becoming poppier on Backspacer. They were already starting to head in that direction on the previous record, which was done with Kasper.

[Mike]

I think they still probably write some stranger songs but I feel Ed is the one scared to actually release them and put them on records. As he will not be able to "yea yea yea" all concert long. That whole feeling obligated to the people in the rafters in an arena show...

They're even restraining themselves from making songs too complex or long because they wouldn't fit in setlists then.
" It was funny, because I told the guys when we were working on some arrangements, for better or worse, when we're talking about how many times to play the bridge or how many bars to add, I'm actually thinking about the set list. I may be getting ahead of myself here, but seriously, I'm thinking, if we double the bridge, this might end up being a song we play once a month, as opposed to three times a week. So, what do you think? How many times do you want to play this song? Is this song going to put wind in our sails, or will it be one we have to row through? At one of our gigs, without flashpots and electricity (laughs), there's only so much room for those more difficult listening songs. That was one example of how we kept the arrangements lean. The songs come off more like sparkling water than pea soup, and I think that's good for our group right now." - Ed

[harmless]

Maybe. I don't really think O'Brien has much to do with them becoming poppier on Backspacer. They were already starting to head in that direction on the previous record, which was done with Kasper.

Oh I think he has much to do with it. The evidence is hard to ignore. They wrote the songs, sure, but the problem goes far deeper than the songs.

[stupidmop]

Eddie just recently put out an album that was entirely ukulele. I don't think it's that good, but that doesn't really scream commercial potential.

I think they probably all are interested in being both poppy and experimental at different times; I think pretty much everyone in the band has shown an affinity for both routes through their songwriting.

Thats a different kind of crowd though. There's definitely something to ed wanting to please the crowd maybe too much, he says as much in that pj20 clip when hes wandering round his house.

[EJ]

I think they still probably write some stranger songs but I feel Ed is the one scared to actually release them and put them on records. As he will not be able to "yea yea yea" all concert long. That whole feeling obligated to the people in the rafters in an arena show...

They're even restraining themselves from making songs too complex or long because they wouldn't fit in setlists then.
" It was funny, because I told the guys when we were working on some arrangements, for better or worse, when we're talking about how many times to play the bridge or how many bars to add, I'm actually thinking about the set list. I may be getting ahead of myself here, but seriously, I'm thinking, if we double the bridge, this might end up being a song we play once a month, as opposed to three times a week. So, what do you think? How many times do you want to play this song? Is this song going to put wind in our sails, or will it be one we have to row through? At one of our gigs, without flashpots and electricity (laughs), there's only so much room for those more difficult listening songs. That was one example of how we kept the arrangements lean. The songs come off more like sparkling water than pea soup, and I think that's good for our group right now." - Ed

I've always hated that line of quotes. Its really offputting.

[digster]

Maybe. I don't really think O'Brien has much to do with them becoming poppier on Backspacer. They were already starting to head in that direction on the previous record, which was done with Kasper.

Oh I think he has much to do with it. The evidence is hard to ignore. They wrote the songs, sure, but the problem goes far deeper than the songs.

I'm not saying he has nothing to do with it, but I don't think he's the one leading the charge. They were talking about making Backspacer a leaner, more melodic record in interviews before O'Brien even signed on.

[gems and rhinestones]

I don't know what this thread is. Where's IlluminEddie to set us straight?

I was wondering where dat bro is myself.

[digster]

Eddie just recently put out an album that was entirely ukulele. I don't think it's that good, but that doesn't really scream commercial potential.

I think they probably all are interested in being both poppy and experimental at different times; I think pretty much everyone in the band has shown an affinity for both routes through their songwriting.

Thats a different kind of crowd though. There's definitely something to ed wanting to please the crowd maybe too much, he says as much in that pj20 clip when hes wandering round his house.

Well, he definitely deserves more of the blame (or credit), since he's the one steering the ship. That being said, I'm not sure he took anywhere where they didn't want to go. Remember Stone was initially the one interested in making a very concise record the last time around (which wasn't a bad idea in theory at the time, IMO. It's the execution that was off, rather than the idea of having a "pop" record).

[harmless]

I think they still probably write some stranger songs but I feel Ed is the one scared to actually release them and put them on records. As he will not be able to "yea yea yea" all concert long. That whole feeling obligated to the people in the rafters in an arena show...

They're even restraining themselves from making songs too complex or long because they wouldn't fit in setlists then.
" It was funny, because I told the guys when we were working on some arrangements, for better or worse, when we're talking about how many times to play the bridge or how many bars to add, I'm actually thinking about the set list. I may be getting ahead of myself here, but seriously, I'm thinking, if we double the bridge, this might end up being a song we play once a month, as opposed to three times a week. So, what do you think? How many times do you want to play this song? Is this song going to put wind in our sails, or will it be one we have to row through? At one of our gigs, without flashpots and electricity (laughs), there's only so much room for those more difficult listening songs. That was one example of how we kept the arrangements lean. The songs come off more like sparkling water than pea soup, and I think that's good for our group right now." - Ed

The problem with this quote is that it doesn't seem as much about songs that are catchy and memorable and 'work with the crowd', but about songs they can be bothered to play a lot, and probably songs they'll be easily able to rehearse, given the fact that they hardly meet up during the year.

[harmless]

Maybe. I don't really think O'Brien has much to do with them becoming poppier on Backspacer. They were already starting to head in that direction on the previous record, which was done with Kasper.

Oh I think he has much to do with it. The evidence is hard to ignore. They wrote the songs, sure, but the problem goes far deeper than the songs.

I'm not saying he has nothing to do with it, but I don't think he's the one leading the charge. They were talking about making Backspacer a leaner, more melodic record in interviews before O'Brien even signed on.

OK, yep, fair enough. That makes them at least OK with Brendan's vision, at least temporarily. If that were true, I don't think it's an unrealistic hope that they might want something else in the future.

[stupidmop]

Eddie just recently put out an album that was entirely ukulele. I don't think it's that good, but that doesn't really scream commercial potential.

I think they probably all are interested in being both poppy and experimental at different times; I think pretty much everyone in the band has shown an affinity for both routes through their songwriting.

Thats a different kind of crowd though. There's definitely something to ed wanting to please the crowd maybe too much, he says as much in that pj20 clip when hes wandering round his house.

Well, he definitely deserves more of the blame (or credit), since he's the one steering the ship. That being said, I'm not sure he took anywhere where they didn't want to go. Remember Stone was initially the one interested in making a very concise record the last time around (which wasn't a bad idea in theory at the time, IMO. It's the execution that was off, rather than the idea of having a "pop" record).

I'm not so much blaming him, just thinking that because he's in this headspace we're less likely to get a left turn record or whatever. For that to happen he would have to be the one really gunning for it, or at least really down with the idea.

And i agree with you on the execution thing, i woulda taken an album full of Leatherman, Hitchhiker, Don't gimmie no lip, U, Black red yellow etc. To me thats poppy "fun" PJ. ( i may be the only one )

[dimejinky99]

You're all forgetting ed did himself a really serious injury during that break.
Bad enough to cancel a tour. We'd probably have had this record even a year ago had it not been for that.

[evenslow]

Eddie just recently put out an album that was entirely ukulele. I don't think it's that good, but that doesn't really scream commercial potential.

I think they probably all are interested in being both poppy and experimental at different times; I think pretty much everyone in the band has shown an affinity for both routes through their songwriting.

ding ding ding ding ding!!

[harmless]

Eddie just recently put out an album that was entirely ukulele. I don't think it's that good, but that doesn't really scream commercial potential.

I think they probably all are interested in being both poppy and experimental at different times; I think pretty much everyone in the band has shown an affinity for both routes through their songwriting.

Thats a different kind of crowd though. There's definitely something to ed wanting to please the crowd maybe too much, he says as much in that pj20 clip when hes wandering round his house.

Well, he definitely deserves more of the blame (or credit), since he's the one steering the ship. That being said, I'm not sure he took anywhere where they didn't want to go. Remember Stone was initially the one interested in making a very concise record the last time around (which wasn't a bad idea in theory at the time, IMO. It's the execution that was off, rather than the idea of having a "pop" record).

I'm not so much blaming him, just thinking that because he's in this headspace we're less likely to get a left turn record or whatever. For that to happen he would have to be the one really gunning for it, or at least really down with the idea.

And i agree with you on the execution thing, i woulda taken an album full of Leatherman, Hitchhiker, Don't gimmie no lip, U, Black red yellow etc. To me thats poppy "fun" PJ. ( i may be the only one )

You're definitely not. I've said it before but I happen to like their surf rock (Gremmie) and 50's rock and roll / Eddie Cochran type stuff (Leavin' Here) which they had a fair bit of on Lost Dogs. That's pop that I'd be fine with, but basically because it's legitimate rock music, not glitter. I wish they'd gone there rather than here. But it's also why I'm prepared to give stuff like Sirens and Let The Records Play a chance. At least they sound more intriguing and likeable than FoN and Supersonic.

[evenslow]

You're all forgetting ed did himself a really serious injury during that break.
Bad enough to cancel a tour. We'd probably have had this record even a year ago had it not been for that.

Yep, and then Soundgarden reunited, throwing it off further.

[WaitingForBluey]

Can anyone tell me whether we have received any new reviews this morning? The AN review was the last one I read. I'm about to post a link to a summary file that I put together (of all the listening party reviews so far) and I didn't want to miss anything.