Lightning Bolt: the official album thread

[harmless]

and this is why your opinion is so highly valued and your posts so eagerly anticipated.

Because I'm not interested in listening to some shitty sounding leak 4 weeks before the actual album comes out like you guys?

So you 'can't understand why people like them' despite the quality of the leaks?

[Lounge Lizard]

Did Pendulum leak or someone just being a cheeky shite?

Where did you hear about Pendulum leaking at all?

[Lounge Lizard]

and this is why your opinion is so highly valued and your posts so eagerly anticipated.

Because I'm not interested in listening to some shitty sounding leak 4 weeks before the actual album comes out like you guys?

No, because of something else

[digster]

Thanks to the person who got me these.

Well, I think what this thread desperately needs is one more review, soooooo.......

These sound very close to Backspacer to me, regardless of quality. I don't even know about logical extension, I think you could have easily stuck any of these songs in the middle of that record, and at least sonically it wouldn't have stuck out that much. Eddie's voice sounds a bit fuller, but I think overall he pretty much sounds like he did on the last record; if you liked his voice then, you'll probably like it now and vice versa. I come down on the songs kind of where KD is; there's a few really cool ideas here, some unexplored avenues, but as the first significant peek behind the curtain since 2009 I can't but feel a little disappointed. Some of it is really intriguing, and some of it falls into the same holes that I think PJ has been falling into for the past years in regards to songwriting. Surprisingly to me (I wouldn't have thought it when it was released), I think Mind Your Manners is still the best of the bunch.

1. Getaway - this is definitely "PJ goes pop" down to a vocal melody that wouldn't be out of place on American Bandstand and that drum and vocal breakdown straight out of the 60's. That being said, I enjoyed this song more than most of their other pop attempts and it's my favorite of the four that got released. They play well, it's got a strong melody, and Ed sounds very good at points....but here's where something comes up that I found on Backspacer as well. One of Ed's biggest strengths as a vocalist is how unique and inherently dramatic his voice is; it's what powered a lot of their best songs. But when he tries to sing a melody like this, and doesn't change his style (or maybe he can't) it just ends up sound awkward most of the time and takes me out of the song. It just sounds like Eddie Vedder singing a pop song, and while I know that's what it is, there's no attempt to bridge the gap and make it feel seamless. Maybe his voice is too unique for it, I don't know.

2. Lightning Bolt - better than the Wrigley version, though it's a pretty faithful rendition. I actually think some of the grit and grime from the shoddy recording helped this track (maybe all of the tracks). The extra percussion at the end of the first verse makes it almost feel like Tom Waits wandered into an 80's anthem, but it's a brief moment. Other than that, what can I say. It's a well captued version of a song that hasn't done much for me, but I do like Ed's last chorus quite a bit.

3. Let the Records Play - and the attack of the WTF Chorus strikes again. I can almost hear it working as a joke, but I think Ed would have to remove some of the gravity of the vocal for that to work. The melody in the verse is pretty cool, and the moments where he echoes Stone's guitar at the end of each verse is cool, and unsettles the listener for a moment in the manner in which the bottom drops out of the song briefly. That being said, it's a cool moment; why can't PJ just hold on moments like that a little longer? Here, the ending in LBolt, the drum and vocal section in Getaway; they're the most inspired moments of each song and they're gone in like five seconds. It's okay to let a cool moment marinate in a song.

4. Swallowed Whole - this could end up being my second favorite; I'm not really sure how I feel about it yet. I love Matt's work on this song; for being such a straight up Ed folk ditty deluxe, Matt really finds ways to fuck with the momentum and make his mark on the piece. A lot of it sounds really disjointed, like they were just throwing verses and choruses at the wall and trying the first order they saw, but Ed's written songs like that in the past that I ended up loving; maybe it'll just take time and more listens. I'm interested to explore it more.

So there we are; I like these songs with some big reservations, and I could see the record being better than the last two. But I think the remaining five we haven't heard have got to go far to aim higher than that. I'm just looking forward to a PJ song knocking me on my ass again. It's been ages.

[WtOB?]

it's pretty shallow if you can't see through a bad bit rate. if i heard sleight of hand in a 120kbps mp3 i'd still know it was a good fuckin' song.

[digster]

Also, without anything at all to base this on, I'm just not sure these songs are going to be viewed favorably in the long term.

[stip]

and this is why your opinion is so highly valued and your posts so eagerly anticipated.

Because I'm not interested in listening to some shitty sounding leak 4 weeks before the actual album comes out like you guys?

no, because with a crying baby in my lap I have minimal patience for snotty amateur trolling

[Evolution6579]

Did Pendulum leak or someone just being a cheeky shite?

Where did you hear about Pendulum leaking at all?

Nevermind. BurtReynoldssaidit.

[verb_to_trust]

Based on the KD post I previously quoted it seems like more of the same. Either way, there is not even a small part of me interested in listening to some poor quality half leak when I can give the album an honest assessment via the vinyl in 4 weeks.

[stip]

Also, without anything at all to base this on, I'm just not sure these songs are going to be viewed favorably in the long term.

that's very possible, but I also couldn't say I trust my judgement regarding which songs will be the ones that age well.

[Lounge Lizard]

I think what Backspacer taught us is to be cautious and not cave in to the initial wow-factor of the first impression.
HOWEVER I think LB is deeper than BS and will have a lot more staying power despite being all shiny or polished.

[stip]

Based on the KD post I previously quoted it seems like more of the same. Either way, there is not even a small part of me interested in listening to some poor quality half leak when I can give the album an honest assessment via the vinyl in 4 weeks.

that's fine but it's not what you said. If you want to make obnoxious posts go ahead and do it, but own it if you're called on it.

[verb_to_trust]

and this is why your opinion is so highly valued and your posts so eagerly anticipated.

Because I'm not interested in listening to some shitty sounding leak 4 weeks before the actual album comes out like you guys?

no, because with a crying baby in my lap I have minimal patience for snotty amateur trolling

Will you do a guided tour of my trolling? So that I may better understand my shortcomings?

[stip]

you'll have to collect the posts for me. Then we can see if you're a logical extension of McParadigm

[Lounge Lizard]

Based on the KD post I previously quoted it seems like more of the same. Either way, there is not even a small part of me interested in listening to some poor quality half leak when I can give the album an honest assessment via the vinyl in 4 weeks.

"I've followed you for 100 miles of snow storms to tell you how much I don't care about you" (c) Ordinary Miracle by Eugene Shwartz.

[Iowaska_Experience]

Based on the KD post I previously quoted it seems like more of the same. Either way, there is not even a small part of me interested in listening to some poor quality half leak when I can give the album an honest assessment via the vinyl in 4 weeks.

"I've followed you for 100 miles of snow storms to tell you how much I don't care about you" (c) Ordinary Miracle by Eugene Shwartz.

[verb_to_trust]

The main reason I felt like posting that I had not heard the leak was because I was getting PM's for it. That wasn't even a troll. Based on KD's post there is nothing to really get excited about anyway...

[stip]

I apologize. I have a baby freaking out and it puts me in a really shitty mood

[harmless]

Verb, when you actually think about what you post, you're pretty reasonable. The only way I can empathise with you is to remember all the rage I've been venting against Brendan O'Brien lately.

[verb_to_trust]

Based on the KD post I previously quoted it seems like more of the same. Either way, there is not even a small part of me interested in listening to some poor quality half leak when I can give the album an honest assessment via the vinyl in 4 weeks.

"I've followed you for 100 miles of snow storms to tell you how much I don't care about you" (c) Ordinary Miracle by Eugene Shwartz.

That cuts deep, lot lizard