Lightning Bolt: the official album thread

[stip]

That's not a knock on the new material; I think there's some pop tricks that are great songwriting tools, but I don't think the fact that songs on Ten became hit singles and songs on Lightning Bolt are written like hit singles necessarily makes them similar in terms of songwriting.

I'd describe the songwriting trend post-Riot Act as an increasing desire to be "friendly." Ten was catchy, but driving and a bit too dramatic to be completely coherent a lot of the time. I think that the band pushed in the direction of their muse and desired level of fame for a long time, and then around the switch of the decade it sort of felt like it backfired. Divorce, death, a feeling of having neutered themselves by withdrawing so completely when they felt the need to affect what they saw as desperately needed political change...I think that between the Binaural tour and the end of the Vote for Change stuff, the whole thing sort of went out from underneath. Ever since then, it's been a greater and greater push to be friendly/inviting/etc. The first step was to try and create an album that returned to what they saw as their "rock sound roots," or whatever...to try and be the band they used to be. It didn't totally work, though it didn't totally fail either. So then they added a bit more direct friendliness to that basic sound, and gentled it a bit, for Backspacer. That went over better, but it didn't really give them a clear path forward. This record seems to be trying to save that friendliness while injecting a little of something else into the mix.

that's part of it. I think the desire to have a voice again is a big part of this, especially coming out of the last era of the mega bands

[harmless]

Because song craft, if it's conscious enough, can work to achieve those feelings and emotions. You don't just accidentally come up with a song with feeling... not often, anyway.

Actually more often than not it is the way a song happens.

If you try and sit down and write something, 90% of the time you come up with nothing.

You have to have the initial spark of inspiration, sure, I'm not denying that. But a song doesn't really just fall into your lap. If it does, you get Backspacer.

I think we have to give Backspacer more credit than that even if some of us (myself included) are not big fans of it. I still would like to think that most elements of that record were a conscious decision as opposed to just lazy song writing.

Oh I agree, there was intention. I just think that the deliberate intention was to have fewer intentions, throw it all into a pot and see what came out, but not to spend much time on it. That seems to have been a very conscious decision for the band, and something they hadn't done before.

hey, the melodies on backspacer are strong

Often, not always in my opinion. But yeah OK I'll give you that.

[CupidStunt]

He's singing within his register
No screeching. No screaming.

I think you may want to listen to the latter parts of Lightning Bolt before readdressing the above statement(s).

[stip]

To me this is a song about faith or lack there of. A song about Ed trying to rationalize why faith is individualistic. Some are saying this is a direct shot at Christians. I completely disagree. To me, he’s saying you have a right to believe in whatever you want to and so do I. The curious aspect of this song is how he says “I got my own way to believe”. Implying he does have faith which I don’t understand. This will be a nice segue into Mind Your Manners, which keeps the same theme going.

Why don't you understand that he does have faith?It is not something exclusively for Christians or other religious people. And you are right about this theme finding a nice continuation in MYM. I 'sang' both in Dutch last night, for fun, and it was really very vivid. I could almost see the Jehovas with their feet between the door while Eddie was singing this to them .

These are the new lyrics from lightning bolt (from the Wrigley version). I find it funny that Ed’s songs are so confusing these days. This one is clearly telling a story, but I’m not quite sure who “she” is in the dialogue. I’m thinking She is a supreme being of some sort – God, Mother Nature, etc. Keeps the theme alive.

I think that is the good thing: confusion about who the 'she' is. That way, it can contain a lot more than when it was 'just' a person or 'just' one thing. To me, it's about inspiration. That could be litterally an inspiring person who brightens up your life, but also everything else. If you take the lightning bolt as the main example: you have to wait for it to strike, and it lights everything up and is beautiful, but at the very same time it is dangerous and causes fire. Fire can be both very good and very bad. And you can not hold onto it. It also makes a lot of sense with the interviews, in which they said they had to just wait for the music to come, for the inspiration to get there. Then, once it's there, all you have to (or can) do is ride the wave . When I saw someone mention they had managed to bottle the lightning, that was the same sort of image I got. And I hope most people will agree once the whole album is there to be experienced.

groetjes,
Mirella

exactly

grotetjes,

Stip

[IlluminEddie]

First off, I think Ed is hot fire here. I like him when he sounds most engaged, and in that respect these songs recall his performances on Yield and Into the Wild. He obviously doesn't have the voice from '93 anymore, but his approach to these 4 songs is just right in my book. He doesn't get screamy either, which is a plus.

Do you honestly think Ed's vocal delivery is good in Swallowed Whole? Particularly, the chorus?

"Whisper songs inside the Wiiaaiianndd... Breathing in forgiiiaaaiiveneeeaass... Liaaiiaaaf's vibrationnnnss with no end... hear the planet hummaiaiaaianing"

Weird pronunciation aside... I don't know why he has to give words with one syllable two, but there we have it. He sounds good and energised.

Fair enough. But, you would admit the weird pronunciation stuff is relatively new (like last 5-10 years), right? For me, it just bothers my ears. It really does. Some songs he doesn't do it, others it's piercing.

It's mildly annoying but it misses the forest for the trees. His energy and commitment to melody is what matters here.

Not trying to just disagree.... but, I honestly do. I think his delivery is OK on these with the exception of Swallowed Whole. Live his delivery is often poor due to this syllable waiver. To me, this topic isn't just mildly annoying, it's important. Ed's tone was the band. It's changed. It's still there though at times. I think one can argue that he's a better singer (technically) now, but they'd have to agree his tone has changed or changes on occassion. To me, as long as a singer is ok with the other vocal characteristics, a singer's tone is the most important thing. It's one of the major elements that attracted me to the Pearl Jam Ten was the vocalist's tone. I just didn't know what tone meant back then.

[harmless]

First off, I think Ed is hot fire here. I like him when he sounds most engaged, and in that respect these songs recall his performances on Yield and Into the Wild. He obviously doesn't have the voice from '93 anymore, but his approach to these 4 songs is just right in my book. He doesn't get screamy either, which is a plus.

Do you honestly think Ed's vocal delivery is good in Swallowed Whole? Particularly, the chorus?

"Whisper songs inside the Wiiaaiianndd... Breathing in forgiiiaaaiiveneeeaass... Liaaiiaaaf's vibrationnnnss with no end... hear the planet hummaiaiaaianing"

Weird pronunciation aside... I don't know why he has to give words with one syllable two, but there we have it. He sounds good and energised.

Fair enough. But, you would admit the weird pronunciation stuff is relatively new (like last 5-10 years), right? For me, it just bothers my ears. It really does. Some songs he doesn't do it, others it's piercing.

Weeeeyyuuunnnddddd rooolllssssss buuuuuuuuuaaayyyyyyyyyy lllluuhoooooooo luuuuiiiiiggghhtttttt.

Yeah its been around for a few years, its definitely a little annoying. Its what he sounds like now though, i try to look past it unless it totally fucks with the song. Fingers crossed its not too pronounced on the slower stuff on this album.

"Like he's riding on a motorbike in the strongest weeeyuuunds."

I guess it's always been there to some extent.

[digster]

that's part of it. I think the desire to have a voice again is a big part of this, especially coming out of the last era of the mega bands

I really do think there was this feeling in 05/06 about looking at a band like U2, and realizing that they wanted to be one of those zeitgeist bands, to play on that level so to speak. I don't think it necessarily came out of a desire to sell out, or make more money, except to be, as you put it, one of those mega bands.

[stip]

And about the poll: I do not think it is fair to judge Future Days without having heard the album version. Like most early reviewers agreed LB sounded much better on record than live, they said the same thing about FD.

groetjes,
Mirella

agreed, but every time they add a song I have to reset the poll, so future days will have it's due. What if someone actually does like it best right now, like whoever it was that interviewed Mike

[Mirella]

To me this is a song about faith or lack there of. A song about Ed trying to rationalize why faith is individualistic. Some are saying this is a direct shot at Christians. I completely disagree. To me, he’s saying you have a right to believe in whatever you want to and so do I. The curious aspect of this song is how he says “I got my own way to believe”. Implying he does have faith which I don’t understand. This will be a nice segue into Mind Your Manners, which keeps the same theme going.

Why don't you understand that he does have faith?It is not something exclusively for Christians or other religious people. And you are right about this theme finding a nice continuation in MYM. I 'sang' both in Dutch last night, for fun, and it was really very vivid. I could almost see the Jehovas with their feet between the door while Eddie was singing this to them .

Because he's a self-admitted atheist. We could get into a circular discussion on whether atheists have "faith" in nothing, but you know what I mean. If he's changed - great. If not, great. I don't really care. I just think it's curious using that line in this particular song is all.

You can be an atheist with strong beliefs, and even faith in humanity, or yourself, or anything else. I don't really see a problem with that, being an atheist myself . But this might need a separate thread in one of the other parts of this forum. What strikes me is that the world, or at least my own surroundings and what I see of the USA, has become more and more intertwined with religion. Is it really normal for a president to say things like 'God bless you', for instance? For me, it's as strange as if he would say something about the tooth fairy, or the flying spaghetti monster. It is surely meant well, but none the less weird. And in many places I visit, like Facebook groups, people keep bringing up religion, and other things they just believe instead of know. As if nobody is looking for reality anymore, but instead just repeats what they hear. That worries me a lot, since to me it seems people are getting dumber instead of wiser. And they try and let other people convert into their 'truths', even with force. I hear that in the lyrics, and it feels good as a backup to know I am not alone in this concern. I mean, I don't need Eddie or Pearl Jam for that, but it still feels good .

groetjes,
Mirella

[stip]

Lightning Bolt

....
She holds her lovely breast as her birds fall from the nest,
Flying towards the great northwest, yeh, yeh…
…..
She’s a lightning bolt
Uncontrollable
Like you.

These are the new lyrics from lightning bolt (from the Wrigley version). I find it funny that Ed’s songs are so confusing these days. This one is clearly telling a story, but I’m not quite sure who “she” is in the dialogue. I’m thinking She is a supreme being of some sort – God, Mother Nature, etc. Keeps the theme alive.

I would genuinely not be shocked if it was about his surf board.

Oh man wouldn't it be fun if all the songs on this we thought we're about his wife were actually about a personification of his surfboard. There can be a FD video with ed staring longingly at his surfboard while singing.

someone do this for just breathe, please

[harmless]

First off, I think Ed is hot fire here. I like him when he sounds most engaged, and in that respect these songs recall his performances on Yield and Into the Wild. He obviously doesn't have the voice from '93 anymore, but his approach to these 4 songs is just right in my book. He doesn't get screamy either, which is a plus.

Do you honestly think Ed's vocal delivery is good in Swallowed Whole? Particularly, the chorus?

"Whisper songs inside the Wiiaaiianndd... Breathing in forgiiiaaaiiveneeeaass... Liaaiiaaaf's vibrationnnnss with no end... hear the planet hummaiaiaaianing"

Weird pronunciation aside... I don't know why he has to give words with one syllable two, but there we have it. He sounds good and energised.

Fair enough. But, you would admit the weird pronunciation stuff is relatively new (like last 5-10 years), right? For me, it just bothers my ears. It really does. Some songs he doesn't do it, others it's piercing.

It's mildly annoying but it misses the forest for the trees. His energy and commitment to melody is what matters here.

Not trying to just disagree.... but, I honestly do. I think his delivery is OK on these with the exception of Swallowed Whole. Live his delivery is often poor due to this syllable waiver. To me, this topic isn't just mildly annoying, it's important. Ed's tone was the band. It's changed. It's still there though at times. I think one can argue that he's a better singer (technically) now, but they'd have to agree his tone has changed or changes on occassion. To me, as long as a singer is ok with the other vocal characteristics, a singer's tone is the most important thing. It's one of the major elements that attracted me to the Pearl Jam Ten was the vocalist's tone. I just didn't know what tone meant back then.

Right. It's a question of deciding for yourself whether you think these changes have ruined Pearl Jam or not, or whether you can get on board with the new Ed voice. That's not about any inherent flaws in the voice; many well-known rock singers can't sing at all and get by with their energy and charisma. Ed has always transcended that. Sometimes he doesn't now. He wasn't going to forever... It is what it is.

[stip]

He's singing within his register
No screeching. No screaming.

I think you may want to listen to the latter parts of Lightning Bolt before readdressing the above statement(s).

oh it sounds so good there. Same at the end of MYM. It is a great exclamation point. I can see being turned off if it is the entire song (ala johnny guitar, for instance)

[CupidStunt]

To be fair, Ed used to over syllable words and then Scott Stapp came along and saved us with his "mahan"s and "agaihan"s and Ed heard how shite it sounds and stopped.

[Mirella]

It's one of the major elements that attracted me to the Pearl Jam Ten was the vocalist's tone. I just didn't know what tone meant back then.

I imagined him to look totally different, then. Older, at least

groetjes,
Mirella

[harmless]

To me this is a song about faith or lack there of. A song about Ed trying to rationalize why faith is individualistic. Some are saying this is a direct shot at Christians. I completely disagree. To me, he’s saying you have a right to believe in whatever you want to and so do I. The curious aspect of this song is how he says “I got my own way to believe”. Implying he does have faith which I don’t understand. This will be a nice segue into Mind Your Manners, which keeps the same theme going.

Why don't you understand that he does have faith?It is not something exclusively for Christians or other religious people. And you are right about this theme finding a nice continuation in MYM. I 'sang' both in Dutch last night, for fun, and it was really very vivid. I could almost see the Jehovas with their feet between the door while Eddie was singing this to them .

Because he's a self-admitted atheist. We could get into a circular discussion on whether atheists have "faith" in nothing, but you know what I mean. If he's changed - great. If not, great. I don't really care. I just think it's curious using that line in this particular song is all.

You can be an atheist with strong beliefs, and even faith in humanity, or yourself, or anything else. I don't really see a problem with that, being an atheist myself . But this might need a separate thread in one of the other parts of this forum. What strikes me is that the world, or at least my own surroundings and what I see of the USA, has become more and more intertwined with religion. Is it really normal for a president to say things like 'God bless you', for instance? For me, it's as strange as if he would say something about the tooth fairy, or the flying spaghetti monster. It is surely meant well, but none the less weird. And in many places I visit, like Facebook groups, people keep bringing up religion, and other things they just believe instead of know. As if nobody is looking for reality anymore, but instead just repeats what they hear. That worries me a lot, since to me it seems people are getting dumber instead of wiser. And they try and let other people convert into their 'truths', even with force. I hear that in the lyrics, and it feels good as a backup to know I am not alone in this concern. I mean, I don't need Eddie or Pearl Jam for that, but it still feels good .

groetjes,
Mirella

There are one or two people who don't think Ed has a right to be an atheist himself but write agnostic lyrics, or at the very least, lyrics with a "Live and let live" attitude. It's weird. He's down on religion and control, not faith itself in my opinion, and it annoys me when people equate the two.

[harmless]

He's singing within his register
No screeching. No screaming.

I think you may want to listen to the latter parts of Lightning Bolt before readdressing the above statement(s).

oh it sounds so good there. Same at the end of MYM. It is a great exclamation point. I can see being turned off if it is the entire song (ala johnny guitar, for instance)

The screaming in Lightning Bolt sounds a shit-ton better than his screeching at Wrigley. He reaches the notes, for a start.

[IlluminEddie]

To me this is a song about faith or lack there of. A song about Ed trying to rationalize why faith is individualistic. Some are saying this is a direct shot at Christians. I completely disagree. To me, he’s saying you have a right to believe in whatever you want to and so do I. The curious aspect of this song is how he says “I got my own way to believe”. Implying he does have faith which I don’t understand. This will be a nice segue into Mind Your Manners, which keeps the same theme going.

Why don't you understand that he does have faith?It is not something exclusively for Christians or other religious people. And you are right about this theme finding a nice continuation in MYM. I 'sang' both in Dutch last night, for fun, and it was really very vivid. I could almost see the Jehovas with their feet between the door while Eddie was singing this to them .

Because he's a self-admitted atheist. We could get into a circular discussion on whether atheists have "faith" in nothing, but you know what I mean. If he's changed - great. If not, great. I don't really care. I just think it's curious using that line in this particular song is all.

You can be an atheist with strong beliefs, and even faith in humanity, or yourself, or anything else. I don't really see a problem with that, being an atheist myself . But this might need a separate thread in one of the other parts of this forum. What strikes me is that the world, or at least my own surroundings and what I see of the USA, has become more and more intertwined with religion. Is it really normal for a president to say things like 'God bless you', for instance? For me, it's as strange as if he would say something about the tooth fairy, or the flying spaghetti monster. It is surely meant well, but none the less weird. And in many places I visit, like Facebook groups, people keep bringing up religion, and other things they just believe instead of know. As if nobody is looking for reality anymore, but instead just repeats what they hear. That worries me a lot, since to me it seems people are getting dumber instead of wiser. And they try and let other people convert into their 'truths', even with force. I hear that in the lyrics, and it feels good as a backup to know I am not alone in this concern. I mean, I don't need Eddie or Pearl Jam for that, but it still feels good .

groetjes,
Mirella

Like I said, this could easily go off topic and become a circular argument.

P.S. I don't think the "God Bless You" line from any President is new. Nor do I think people are getting "more religious". But, you're right... topic for another thread. We may simply disagree.

[dimejinky99]

He's singing within his register
No screeching. No screaming.

I think you may want to listen to the latter parts of Lightning Bolt before readdressing the above statement(s).

To be fair, that's the only song I'm not in love with but even in that one, I gotta give it to him, it sounds managed and purposeful.
The point of all the screaming before was to express a feeling through to abandon.
I don't feel this is the case in this song.

[warehouse]

eddie vedder admitted to being an atheitst in like 1994. if anyone has been paying attention to his lyrics in the last 10 years or so u can see he's been writing alot more spiritual leaning songs. he's even mentioned an afterlife a few times.

[Mirella]

And about the poll: I do not think it is fair to judge Future Days without having heard the album version. Like most early reviewers agreed LB sounded much better on record than live, they said the same thing about FD.

groetjes,
Mirella

agreed, but every time they add a song I have to reset the poll, so future days will have it's due. What if someone actually does like it best right now, like whoever it was that interviewed Mike

Thanks, I had not looked at it from that practical point of view yet . I will just wait instead of feeling sorry for the song for only getting 2 votes so far .

groetjes,
Mirella