Lightning Bolt: the official album thread

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

Here is the audio of the interview...

http://www.cfox.com/2013/09/09/dre/

No soundbytes from the album, just an interview

sweet, ill have to give this a listen tonight

[Monkey_Driven]

True story: this album has sucked for less time than your posting has.

agreed .
And I actually like that Arcade Fire song, so it's about time I start listening to them again. I am also all for a PJ disco album. And a cover album, a heavy metal one, and something really experimental.
Back to the possible singles: Future days and Lightning Bolt take turns in my head, so they definately have hit potential. And if Sirens becomes a single, and if it gets airplay, I would guess it would be their first number 1 hit since long. Because it is good.

groetjes,
Mirella (maybe Dennis can add some of his opinion once he's back home)

Awesome.

I have one more question about Sirens: does it feel related to, or an improvement on, Inside Job? If not, what previous songs does it remind you of?

I think Inside Job is more fragile and personal. Sirens, for what I know after this only time, is more a love/goodbye/comfort song. Although I just checked my notes again and it even has the word 'fragile' in the lyrics. I can not name a similar song. Or one to group this one with.

groetjes,
Mirella (maybe a tiny bit I am Open, but that is totally different as well)

I think I understand how it is better now

Also i haven't heard Mike's interview yet but didn't he say he wrote the solo for it does that mean this isn't his song originally?

he did say that... my interpretation of that is.. he took the time to write out a solo for the song (like he did for ATW), whereas usually he sort of improvises (for lack of a better term) his solos..

Here's hoping it is better than the ATW solo.

[Strat]

So, it sounds as though Ed may be the one who is not ready for a major left turn?

From that audio interview with ShitpantsMccready it sounds like Ed did not have much (if any) material in the first go round of sessions. After those sessions is where Stone talked about it being a little more alienating etc...

Then Ed comes in to the 2nd session with Lightning Bolt, Future Days, getaway etc...

Textbook.

Ed, pussy.

[Blenheim Augustine]

If they do go with "Sirens" as a single, they need to make an over-the-top video with choreography and dolphins and dolphin choreography.

Perhaps they can use the epic cliff footage from the original Even Flow video.

[harmless]

Nearly finished with the interview. It's more interesting and enlightening than I ever thought it would be. It's nice to hear Mike genuinely happy / content at where they are, and even if I don't agree with him, that he and the band are happy with BOB's input.

[HardTI]

So Mike says Future days sounds almost exactly like the demo. Just has some added piano.

[Strat]

If they do go with "Sirens" as a single, they need to make an over-the-top video with choreography and dolphins and dolphin choreography.

Perhaps they can use the epic cliff footage from the original Even Flow video.

[harmless]

So Mike says Future days sounds almost exactly like the demo. Just has some added piano.

A demo that we haven't heard. We heard the Wrigley soundboard recording. According to the reviews, FD has other instruments involved as well.

[EJ]

The "good songs to play live comment" comes up again in reference to the songwriting approach.

Damnit.

[harmless]

The "good songs to play live comment" comes up again in reference to the songwriting approach.

Damnit.

I don't care about that because I don't see them live enough. What worried me slightly more is that he seemed to imply that Lightning Bolt would be better live than on the album, which kind of felt like a backhanded compliment.

[Strat]

The "good songs to play live comment" comes up again in reference to the songwriting approach.

Damnit.

I know. I hate that shit. But, luckily, it appears as though 1/2 the album wont be played live which means 1/2 of the album will be great!

[EJ]

The "good songs to play live comment" comes up again in reference to the songwriting approach.

Damnit.

I don't care about that because I don't see them live enough. What worried me slightly more is that he seemed to imply that Lightning Bolt would be better live than on the album, which kind of felt like a backhanded compliment.

To me, those comments translate to: easy to play live.

So, they eschew potentially difficult ideas for ones they don't have to think about much when they're playing live.

[Lounge Lizard]

Were there at least clips/sound bites from the McCready interview?

I still haven't read it, but there were no [clips] claps.

[harmless]

Let's rank the WTF songs:

Lightning Bolt -- this will be more neutered and 'nice' than the live version, but ultimately the best of the clunkers
SBM -- this will be really weird, even annoyingly so, until sometime down the line it clicks and becomes genius
FD -- this will be meh but a pretty way to end the album

[Monkey_Driven]

Let's rank the WTF songs:

Lightning Bolt -- this will be more neutered and 'nice' than the live version, but ultimately the best of the clunkers
SBM -- this will be really weird, even annoyingly so, until sometime down the line it clicks and becomes genius
FD -- this will be meh but a pretty way to end the album

My thoughts as well.

[harmless]

The "good songs to play live comment" comes up again in reference to the songwriting approach.

Damnit.

I don't care about that because I don't see them live enough. What worried me slightly more is that he seemed to imply that Lightning Bolt would be better live than on the album, which kind of felt like a backhanded compliment.

To me, those comments translate to: easy to play live.

So, they eschew potentially difficult ideas for ones they don't have to think about much when they're playing live.

Maybe. This wouldn't annoy me half as much if they would just admit that it's because they hardly ever see each other so have no time to rehearse. It's a perfectly reasonable, practical concern, but it just sounds stupid because they aren't allowed to give the real reason for it.

[harmless]

Let's rank the WTF songs:

Lightning Bolt -- this will be more neutered and 'nice' than the live version, but ultimately the best of the clunkers
SBM -- this will be really weird, even annoyingly so, until sometime down the line it clicks and becomes genius
FD -- this will be meh but a pretty way to end the album

My thoughts as well.

I still think the fact that 9 out of 12 songs sound good, is a very positive thing. Sirens may also be a clunker, but I'm working on the assumption that it won't be.

Edit: LTRP might also suck. We'll see.

[Strat]

The "good songs to play live comment" comes up again in reference to the songwriting approach.

Damnit.

I don't care about that because I don't see them live enough. What worried me slightly more is that he seemed to imply that Lightning Bolt would be better live than on the album, which kind of felt like a backhanded compliment.

To me, those comments translate to: easy to play live.

So, they eschew potentially difficult ideas for ones they don't have to think about much when they're playing live.

Maybe. This wouldn't annoy me half as much if they would just admit that it's because they hardly ever see each other so have no time to rehearse. It's a perfectly reasonable, practical concern, but it just sounds stupid because they aren't allowed to give the real reason for it.

Eh, mike says he feels that way because of what the crowd will bring to a song. Its like the difference between animal and sleight of hand. Of course animal is going to be a better song to play live because 20,000 can sing and scream along and elevate it.

I dont think it has to do with difficulty of song or ability to rehearse.

I still think its a shitty way to write an album but whatever - its pearl jam and they always have been an arena rock band with big chorus and crowd participation. Fortunately, for the most part, they have balanced this out with songs like Sleight of hand etc...

[harmless]

I thought someone said BO'B was interviewed with Mike? Really glad that didn't happen.

[harmless]

The "good songs to play live comment" comes up again in reference to the songwriting approach.

Damnit.

I don't care about that because I don't see them live enough. What worried me slightly more is that he seemed to imply that Lightning Bolt would be better live than on the album, which kind of felt like a backhanded compliment.

To me, those comments translate to: easy to play live.

So, they eschew potentially difficult ideas for ones they don't have to think about much when they're playing live.

Maybe. This wouldn't annoy me half as much if they would just admit that it's because they hardly ever see each other so have no time to rehearse. It's a perfectly reasonable, practical concern, but it just sounds stupid because they aren't allowed to give the real reason for it.

Eh, mike says he feels that way because of what the crowd will bring to a song. Its like the difference between animal and sleight of hand. Of course animal is going to be a better song to play live because 20,000 can sing and scream along and elevate it.

I dont think it has to do with difficulty of song or ability to rehearse.

I still think its a shitty way to write an album but whatever - its pearl jam and they always have been an arena rock band with big chorus and crowd participation. Fortunately, for the most part, they have balanced this out with songs like Sleight of hand etc...

I agree with this, but a lot of people wouldn't