Lightning Bolt: the official album thread

[EJ]

Riot Act and Vitalogy were probably the closest versions of Pearl Jam concept albums that we'll ever get.

(song exceptions: Get Right, You Are, and Better Man)

[E.H. Ruddock]

Is there any official news about Sirens and when it's being released? I posted the rumour that it's going to be the next single and that it's dropping this week. I haven't followed up on the sources or read anything further since.

You are the one who posted the rumor. So if your "source" is legit, wouldn't you know before us?

[harmless]

The possibility this album has a thematic unity and will benefit from people joining dots themselves (I'm almost certain it will) should add to your enjoyment of it, whether or not PJ calls it a "concept album". Ed did explicitly say on the EPK, according to the reviews, that it was about the bad shit that goes on in the world and what we can do about it. Or words to that effect.

[IlluminEddie]

I'm assuming with the inclusion of SBM, that hopes of this really being a concept album (or apocalyptic rock opera of sorts) are through. Same thing happened with my guess on Self-titled (based on the track names) prior to release. Wrong again, I guess.

I wish I was this band's manager. A concept album by a good band would not only sell records, it would force people to listen to the entire thing. And it's something PJ could easily create. They've got all the parts for it - good lyricist, decent band of songwriters that can create conceptual music. It's kinda sad that 10 albums have gone by and Ed never really went beyond the Mamasan Trilogy - outside of I guess Into the Wild -which I think is pretty disjointed anyway.

So, your saying the band should create a concept album based on what management tells them? That would be a silly reason. If they were to have one in them, they'd do it, if they felt like it. An artist shouldn't be taking requests from anyone, not from their management, fans, mothers, whatever.

A concept double-album of "atmospheric" and "layered" music would have a high percentage of sucking donkey balls.

Yeh, I think the problem is the difference of definitions of concept album. Really, I mean a rock opera. I just hate that term.

I may not be describing this right, but I think a PJ version of Tommy would not suck donkey balls at all. I think it could be quite good, actually.

And I know the artist doesn't have to listen to me (and certainly won't listen to me), which was the point of my post. I hoped they were making one is all. And I actually thought they were with Self-titled (due to track names) and was wrong. I thought they were again - I may be wrong again. I've been hoping this since...

,...The album "Life"... which then changed to Vitalogy. Prior to hearing it, I was thinking it would be kick ass to have a full out rock opera from birth to death. I mean, they had already written Breath at that point which is a song about birth, so it didn't seem far fetched.

[harmless]

Riot Act and Vitalogy were probably the closest versions of Pearl Jam concept albums that we'll ever get.

(song exceptions: Get Right, You Are, and Better Man)

I would go as far as to call Yield and Vitalogy concept albums, or close to it.

[harmless]

I'm assuming with the inclusion of SBM, that hopes of this really being a concept album (or apocalyptic rock opera of sorts) are through. Same thing happened with my guess on Self-titled (based on the track names) prior to release. Wrong again, I guess.

I wish I was this band's manager. A concept album by a good band would not only sell records, it would force people to listen to the entire thing. And it's something PJ could easily create. They've got all the parts for it - good lyricist, decent band of songwriters that can create conceptual music. It's kinda sad that 10 albums have gone by and Ed never really went beyond the Mamasan Trilogy - outside of I guess Into the Wild -which I think is pretty disjointed anyway.

So, your saying the band should create a concept album based on what management tells them? That would be a silly reason. If they were to have one in them, they'd do it, if they felt like it. An artist shouldn't be taking requests from anyone, not from their management, fans, mothers, whatever.

A concept double-album of "atmospheric" and "layered" music would have a high percentage of sucking donkey balls.

Yeh, I think the problem is the difference of definitions of concept album. Really, I mean a rock opera. I just hate that term.

I may not be describing this right, but I think a PJ version of Tommy would not suck donkey balls at all. I think it could be quite good, actually.

And I know the artist doesn't have to listen to me (and certainly won't listen to me), which was the point of my post. I hoped they were making one is all. And I actually thought they were with Self-titled (due to track names) and was wrong. I thought they were again - I may be wrong again. I've been hoping this since...

,...The album "Life"... which then changed to Vitalogy. Prior to hearing it, I was thinking it would be kick ass to have a full out rock opera from birth to death. I mean, they had already written Breath at that point which is a song about birth, so it didn't seem far fetched.

Read the snatches of lyrics we have from the listening party reviews.

[IlluminEddie]

I'm assuming with the inclusion of SBM, that hopes of this really being a concept album (or apocalyptic rock opera of sorts) are through. Same thing happened with my guess on Self-titled (based on the track names) prior to release. Wrong again, I guess.

No, not really. If it's the odd one out, that's very likely to be only one song. So we're not wrong yet. It's much easier to fit one song into the 'narrative' than, like, half the album. S/T was basically two concept albums split apart. And the tracks weren't unified lyrically or by the artwork; this time, they're both.

I don't know about S/T, depends on your definition of concept album. I guess I kinda meant lyrically tells a linear story - so rock opera is probably a better term. By concept album, I could see a lot of their work trying to be placed into that definition, I suppose.

As for this one, they are definitely linked with artwork. I'm just hoping for a lyrical link. I feel like SBM probably tosses out the probability of that happening. It's not dead, just alot lower.

[WaitingForBluey]

Does this mean anything?

From @Shore104's (Vancoucer radio station) Twitter:

WIN @PearlJam tickets this afternoon w/ @pamonshore104 #LightningBolt Listen for the Pearl Jam #Sirens

They playing it?...

That's the closest we've seen to official news so far that Sirens is the next single.
Good work!

[harmless]

I'm assuming with the inclusion of SBM, that hopes of this really being a concept album (or apocalyptic rock opera of sorts) are through. Same thing happened with my guess on Self-titled (based on the track names) prior to release. Wrong again, I guess.

No, not really. If it's the odd one out, that's very likely to be only one song. So we're not wrong yet. It's much easier to fit one song into the 'narrative' than, like, half the album. S/T was basically two concept albums split apart. And the tracks weren't unified lyrically or by the artwork; this time, they're both.

I don't know about S/T, depends on your definition of concept album. I guess I kinda meant lyrically tells a linear story - so rock opera is probably a better term. By concept album, I could see a lot of their work trying to be placed into that definition, I suppose.

As for this one, they are definitely linked with artwork. I'm just hoping for a lyrical link. I feel like SBM probably tosses out the probability of that happening. It's not dead, just alot lower.

Of course not. It's about a relationship, and we have to conduct relationships in the context of everything going on in the world. And sometimes we struggle. So the song could be said to be about the strains and stress that something like political climate and oppression can put a personal relationship under. The personal is political. That's a message S/T had, but there it was far less consistent. And as I said above, we have lyrics... some of them people have guessed at, but there are enough there to think that we might get some thematic unity.

[KurtLeon]

Yeah, the Sirens clip I got was literally sirens with google translater saying "hear the sirens"
It would be funny if it wasnt so fucked up.

[harmless]

Does this mean anything?

From @Shore104's (Vancoucer radio station) Twitter:

WIN @PearlJam tickets this afternoon w/ @pamonshore104 #LightningBolt Listen for the Pearl Jam #Sirens

They playing it?...

That's the closest we've seen to official news so far that Sirens is the next single.
Good work!

That tweet is gobbledygook to me. They're saying they'll play Sirens this afternoon on PJ radio?

[Walker Bait]

Does this mean anything?

From @Shore104's (Vancoucer radio station) Twitter:

WIN @PearlJam tickets this afternoon w/ @pamonshore104 #LightningBolt Listen for the Pearl Jam #Sirens

They playing it?...

That's the closest we've seen to official news so far that Sirens is the next single.
Good work!

That tweet is gobbledygook to me. They're saying they'll play Sirens this afternoon on PJ radio?

Wait...WHAT?!

Oh wait that was a premature post on my part...I didnt' see your question mark.

[WaitingForBluey]

They're saying they'll play Sirens this afternoon on PJ radio?

Where is that? I didn't see anything about that?

[HardTI]

Yeah, the Sirens clip I got was literally sirens with google translater saying "hear the sirens"
It would be funny if it wasnt so fucked up.

That's a cruel joke.... but it's fucking hilarious. haha

[harmless]

Does this mean anything?

From @Shore104's (Vancoucer radio station) Twitter:

WIN @PearlJam tickets this afternoon w/ @pamonshore104 #LightningBolt Listen for the Pearl Jam #Sirens

They playing it?...

That's the closest we've seen to official news so far that Sirens is the next single.
Good work!

That tweet is gobbledygook to me. They're saying they'll play Sirens this afternoon on PJ radio?

Wait...WHAT?!

What? I'm asking, I don't know!

[harmless]

They're saying they'll play Sirens this afternoon on PJ radio?

Where is that? I didn't see anything about that?

"Win tickets with whatever-the-fuck-it-says (a radio station?). Listen for the Pearl Jam #Sirens." Why would they hashtag it Sirens if they didn't mean "Listen to hear PJ play Sirens? Otherwise, what's the hashtag for?

[Walker Bait]

Does this mean anything?

From @Shore104's (Vancoucer radio station) Twitter:

WIN @PearlJam tickets this afternoon w/ @pamonshore104 #LightningBolt Listen for the Pearl Jam #Sirens

They playing it?...

That's the closest we've seen to official news so far that Sirens is the next single.
Good work!

That tweet is gobbledygook to me. They're saying they'll play Sirens this afternoon on PJ radio?

Wait...WHAT?!

What? I'm asking, I don't know!

Yeah, I didn't see your question mark until after i pulled the trigger...hehe sorry.

[IlluminEddie]

I'm assuming with the inclusion of SBM, that hopes of this really being a concept album (or apocalyptic rock opera of sorts) are through. Same thing happened with my guess on Self-titled (based on the track names) prior to release. Wrong again, I guess.

No, not really. If it's the odd one out, that's very likely to be only one song. So we're not wrong yet. It's much easier to fit one song into the 'narrative' than, like, half the album. S/T was basically two concept albums split apart. And the tracks weren't unified lyrically or by the artwork; this time, they're both.

I don't know about S/T, depends on your definition of concept album. I guess I kinda meant lyrically tells a linear story - so rock opera is probably a better term. By concept album, I could see a lot of their work trying to be placed into that definition, I suppose.

As for this one, they are definitely linked with artwork. I'm just hoping for a lyrical link. I feel like SBM probably tosses out the probability of that happening. It's not dead, just alot lower.

Of course not. It's about a relationship, and we have to conduct relationships in the context of everything going on in the world. And sometimes we struggle. So the song could be said to be about the strains and stress that something like political climate and oppression can put a personal relationship under. The personal is political. That's a message S/T had, but there it was far less consistent. And as I said above, we have lyrics... some of them people have guessed at, but there are enough there to think that we might get some thematic unity.

I browsed em'. Yeh, I could see a unified "theme". In fact, I think the theme aspect probably will happen. I guess what I was hoping for is a bit broader than just a theme.

I'd prefer a linear story of sorts, like mamasan.

I have to say that future days being the final act seems to lend more hope to that. The artwork did too. It certainly seems like the theme is religious in nature and maybe a move towards one's own notion of spirituality. That's the theme. I was hoping for a linear story though (lyrically). I felt that it's tough to stick a random song into a linear narrative format, that's all. Which by the sounds of it Brendan kinda pushed in. Which is why I'm losing a bit of hope of a "rock opera".

I now feel like (the song) Lightning Bolt's lyrics have rock opera written all over it, actually. So, who knows...

[SomethingCreative]

I can't tell anything about Jeff's video other than he is easily my favorite band member at this point

word.

I've been very excited to hear what he brings to the table on this album ever since hearing RNDM.

RNDM?

A band that Jeff is in:

http://rndmband.com/

[Lounge Lizard]

So has we got a new single tonight or no?