Lightning Bolt: the official album thread

[stip]

Does anyone have a Pendilum avitar I want one, but don't want to step on somebodys toes.

No

[Tj]

I'll go beat up Brendan O'Brien for you guys if you can get the Moonlander - Stone Gossard thread to 500 pages before Lightning Bolt is released.

This is the Key to my plan. So here is how it goes down we get Moonlander to five hundred. This guy goes to kick BoB ass. Then I show up and save BoB. He is so greatful he gives me a advanced copy of Lightning Bolt. Then it leaks.

[harmless]

i'd need to go back and read again, but weren't the people who mentioned the production talking more about the songs sounding like there were lots of layers more than it sounding polished and slick? Of course those aren't mutually exclusive options.

I'd have to go back and read again too, but it's also based a little on how Mind Your Manners sounds, which to me is still a little bright and shiny, but not as much as backspacer.

I wish there was more resonance on the drums, especially the snare. They're a bit clipped. The rhythm guitar is kinda buried, although the more I listen the more I can hear the subtleties I heard in Mike's video. I also think the higher 'lead' guitar in the riff sounds quite Backspacer-esque. But other than that, it's an improvement.

[harmless]

By the way I happen to think my new avatar is appropriate in every way to myself, real and imagined.

[Tj]

I like it.

[stupidmop]

I know nothing about production, how would you describe brendens other pj records? Would Yield not be considered particularly polished or anything?

To me backspacer just sounds bad, I thought eddies voice sounded way too loud and abrasive compared to anything else and all the guitars kinda merged together and sounded bland, unless they were pulling a FoN . I like johnny guitar but I can't remember anything memorable about the guitars. Then again I only ever listened to a majority if backspacer on YouTube ha, and not many times at that.

And when people say production, do they mean the ways the record actually sounds or musical choices like violins in the back and vocal Harmonies and shit or both......or neither?

[Farmer John]

One of my biggest problems with Backspacer is that Ed sounds like he has a cold. By all accounts so far, it sounds like he doesn't on this one, so the difference that alone makes will be huge.

[Tj]

Every time I try to get a Avitar the size is wrong WTF

[harmless]

I know nothing about production, how would you describe brendens other pj records? Would Yield not be considered particularly polished or anything?

I don't know what the narrative is exactly but he (as well as some of his records) suggested that his approach to production has changed quite a lot in recent years, and he really likes a polished / pro-tooled approach. I won't bore you about that because it's there in the music. At the time, Yield did sound very polished to me compared to what had gone before, and it took me a while to like. But it's nowhere near as flashy as what we got in Backspacer. That might be partly just to do with how technology has advanced since then. I've got a feeling BO'B really likes his production gadgetry and software.

To me backspacer just sounds bad, I thought eddies voice sounded way too loud and abrasive compared to anything else and all the guitars kinda merged together and sounded bland, unless they were pulling a FoN . I like johnny guitar but I can't remember anything memorable about the guitars. Then again I only ever listened to a majority if backspacer on YouTube ha, and not many times at that.

If you're prepared to, try it in good headphones. Youtube takes out everything even potentially enjoyable about the production of these songs. They won't become better songs in headphones, but the layers are more noticeable, and I think at least you get an appreciation for what people who like this kind of stuff are enjoying about it.

And when people say production, do they mean the ways the record actually sounds or musical choices like violins in the back and vocal Harmonies and shit or both......or neither?

It depends on the producer, I guess. Some will just produce the sound, feel and mood that the band wants, with effects, tones etc; they might bring their taste to it but ultimately they want to realise the band's vision. But for producers like Brendan, who wants to be involved in arrangement and orchestration as well, you're talking about the whole kit and caboodle. So when you hear a xylophone or a synth or a French horn, there's a good chance Brendan has had an influence in its appearance.

[harmless]

Every time I try to get a Avitar the size is wrong WTF

I just drag them into Microsoft Paint, resize them using pixels, and keep shrinking them until the site accepts them (90 pixels or less I think).

[Tj]

thanks

[stupidmop]

I know nothing about production, how would you describe brendens other pj records? Would Yield not be considered particularly polished or anything?

I don't know what the narrative is exactly but he (as well as some of his records) suggested that his approach to production has changed quite a lot in recent years, and he really likes a polished / pro-tooled approach. I won't bore you about that because it's there in the music. At the time, Yield did sound very polished to me compared to what had gone before, and it took me a while to like. But it's nowhere near as flashy as what we got in Backspacer. That might be partly just to do with how technology has advanced since then. I've got a feeling BO'B really likes his production gadgetry and software.

To me backspacer just sounds bad, I thought eddies voice sounded way too loud and abrasive compared to anything else and all the guitars kinda merged together and sounded bland, unless they were pulling a FoN . I like johnny guitar but I can't remember anything memorable about the guitars. Then again I only ever listened to a majority if backspacer on YouTube ha, and not many times at that.

If you're prepared to, try it in good headphones. Youtube takes out everything even potentially enjoyable about the production of these songs. They won't become better songs in headphones, but the layers are more noticeable, and I think at least you get an appreciation for what people who like this kind of stuff are enjoying about it.

And when people say production, do they mean the ways the record actually sounds or musical choices like violins in the back and vocal Harmonies and shit or both......or neither?

It depends on the producer, I guess. Some will just produce the sound, feel and mood that the band wants, with effects, tones etc; they might bring their taste to it but ultimately they want to realise the band's vision. But for producers like Brendan, who wants to be involved in arrangement and orchestration as well, you're talking about the whole kit and caboodle. So when you hear a xylophone or a synth or a French horn, there's a good chance Brendan has had an influence in its appearance.

Thank you! This was helpful.

[Lounge Lizard]

2. The one two punch of Getaway and Mind Your Manners will be the best album opening in their history.

There's no beating Go + Animal

[harmless]

I know nothing about production, how would you describe brendens other pj records? Would Yield not be considered particularly polished or anything?

I don't know what the narrative is exactly but he (as well as some of his records) suggested that his approach to production has changed quite a lot in recent years, and he really likes a polished / pro-tooled approach. I won't bore you about that because it's there in the music. At the time, Yield did sound very polished to me compared to what had gone before, and it took me a while to like. But it's nowhere near as flashy as what we got in Backspacer. That might be partly just to do with how technology has advanced since then. I've got a feeling BO'B really likes his production gadgetry and software.

To me backspacer just sounds bad, I thought eddies voice sounded way too loud and abrasive compared to anything else and all the guitars kinda merged together and sounded bland, unless they were pulling a FoN . I like johnny guitar but I can't remember anything memorable about the guitars. Then again I only ever listened to a majority if backspacer on YouTube ha, and not many times at that.

If you're prepared to, try it in good headphones. Youtube takes out everything even potentially enjoyable about the production of these songs. They won't become better songs in headphones, but the layers are more noticeable, and I think at least you get an appreciation for what people who like this kind of stuff are enjoying about it.

And when people say production, do they mean the ways the record actually sounds or musical choices like violins in the back and vocal Harmonies and shit or both......or neither?

It depends on the producer, I guess. Some will just produce the sound, feel and mood that the band wants, with effects, tones etc; they might bring their taste to it but ultimately they want to realise the band's vision. But for producers like Brendan, who wants to be involved in arrangement and orchestration as well, you're talking about the whole kit and caboodle. So when you hear a xylophone or a synth or a French horn, there's a good chance Brendan has had an influence in its appearance.

Thank you! This was helpful.

No worries. Normally you can separate instrumentation / orchestration choices from production ones. But because everyone here tends to think BO'B shits all over everything, we talk about it as all one thing

[stip]

I know nothing about production, how would you describe brendens other pj records? Would Yield not be considered particularly polished or anything?

I don't know what the narrative is exactly but he (as well as some of his records) suggested that his approach to production has changed quite a lot in recent years, and he really likes a polished / pro-tooled approach. I won't bore you about that because it's there in the music. At the time, Yield did sound very polished to me compared to what had gone before, and it took me a while to like. But it's nowhere near as flashy as what we got in Backspacer. That might be partly just to do with how technology has advanced since then. I've got a feeling BO'B really likes his production gadgetry and software.

To me backspacer just sounds bad, I thought eddies voice sounded way too loud and abrasive compared to anything else and all the guitars kinda merged together and sounded bland, unless they were pulling a FoN . I like johnny guitar but I can't remember anything memorable about the guitars. Then again I only ever listened to a majority if backspacer on YouTube ha, and not many times at that.

If you're prepared to, try it in good headphones. Youtube takes out everything even potentially enjoyable about the production of these songs. They won't become better songs in headphones, but the layers are more noticeable, and I think at least you get an appreciation for what people who like this kind of stuff are enjoying about it.

And when people say production, do they mean the ways the record actually sounds or musical choices like violins in the back and vocal Harmonies and shit or both......or neither?

It depends on the producer, I guess. Some will just produce the sound, feel and mood that the band wants, with effects, tones etc; they might bring their taste to it but ultimately they want to realise the band's vision. But for producers like Brendan, who wants to be involved in arrangement and orchestration as well, you're talking about the whole kit and caboodle. So when you hear a xylophone or a synth or a French horn, there's a good chance Brendan has had an influence in its appearance.

Thank you! This was helpful.

Fixer, Johnny guitar, amongst the waves, and even FON (ESP from the 2nd verse on) all sound much more layered and interesting with headphones

[stupidmop]

Hopefully the songs'll be so awesome we'll only start bitching about Bo'B months after its out and we've exhausted all other topics of conversation.


What?.....It could happen.

[harmless]

I know nothing about production, how would you describe brendens other pj records? Would Yield not be considered particularly polished or anything?

I don't know what the narrative is exactly but he (as well as some of his records) suggested that his approach to production has changed quite a lot in recent years, and he really likes a polished / pro-tooled approach. I won't bore you about that because it's there in the music. At the time, Yield did sound very polished to me compared to what had gone before, and it took me a while to like. But it's nowhere near as flashy as what we got in Backspacer. That might be partly just to do with how technology has advanced since then. I've got a feeling BO'B really likes his production gadgetry and software.

To me backspacer just sounds bad, I thought eddies voice sounded way too loud and abrasive compared to anything else and all the guitars kinda merged together and sounded bland, unless they were pulling a FoN . I like johnny guitar but I can't remember anything memorable about the guitars. Then again I only ever listened to a majority if backspacer on YouTube ha, and not many times at that.

If you're prepared to, try it in good headphones. Youtube takes out everything even potentially enjoyable about the production of these songs. They won't become better songs in headphones, but the layers are more noticeable, and I think at least you get an appreciation for what people who like this kind of stuff are enjoying about it.

And when people say production, do they mean the ways the record actually sounds or musical choices like violins in the back and vocal Harmonies and shit or both......or neither?

It depends on the producer, I guess. Some will just produce the sound, feel and mood that the band wants, with effects, tones etc; they might bring their taste to it but ultimately they want to realise the band's vision. But for producers like Brendan, who wants to be involved in arrangement and orchestration as well, you're talking about the whole kit and caboodle. So when you hear a xylophone or a synth or a French horn, there's a good chance Brendan has had an influence in its appearance.

Thank you! This was helpful.

Fixer, Johnny guitar, amongst the waves, and even FON (ESP from the 2nd verse on) all sound much more layered and interesting with headphones

[Lounge Lizard]

I like johnny guitar but I can't remember anything memorable about the guitars.

The guitar parts are simple to a point that I think they were deliberately kept simple. However the melodic sequence of the chords (I believe there are four chords during the verses with an additional two to pin point the final phrases) is so pleasant, that simplicity doesn't matter. From the music writing point Johnny Guitar is just great great great. I love it. I only wish the mid section ("And I sleep with the lights on...") was a bit more energetic, and the outtro reminds me too much of a poppified Corduroy, but still -- great song that I really can say I love.

[harmless]

Johnny Guitar is another one benefited by headphones, as is Got Some. I think a lot of the 'patterns' Ed talks about, which we all enjoy laughing at, are the repeated sequences that are layered in the background of the music. They're not spontaneous, they're quite highly rehearsed and they add to the overall texture of the music, even if they're very simple taken individually. My only gripe with the approach is that it's nothing to write home about if there aren't many layers or 'patterns' going on. Just to take a more extreme example, NIN's 'The Fragile' had a lot of these patterns and layers, but Trent went all out. Same with the new album in places.

[Tj]

2. The one two punch of Getaway and Mind Your Manners will be the best album opening in their history.

There's no beating Go + Animal

I love both these songs, but to my ears they don't set the table well for Vs. That is just my thought I would have tracked this different