Lightning Bolt: the official album thread

[McParadigm]

I bet Sleeping is gonna be just super out there, guys.

[Lounge Lizard]

Yeah, that is probably the most commercial song they've ever made. Heavy production/layers in there.

If somebody had released this song in 1994-2002, I would have pointed to it and said "See, THAT'S exactly what Pearl Jam will never sound like."

**That's not a values statement. That's an explanation of what makes it confusing to hear for the first time.

this is an accurate statement.

So incredibly true. For years, all I heard was how PJ was a breathe of fresh air when all the music sounded like this. we have come full circle.

Where do they go from this though? If I was optimistic I'd say somewhere strange, but realistically I'm thinking deeper into the shitbyss.

They got families, and kids, and a beige labrador, and timed lawn sprinklers, and an appointment with the speech therapist at pre school, and a binder of coupons from the local 7/11...

[Jaeti]

Maybe PJ are in that "there's no guilty pleasures anymore" stage with this?

This just may be true.

[rosser0432]

This song will be great or a skipper based entirely on one factor and one factor only: Will I want to belt this song out at the top of my lungs.

Exactly. I need to learn the words so I can give it this test on the car ride home from work.

[harmless]

Listened to it two times now - its a good song, have no idea where to put it in the Pearl jam catalog but I can definetely see this as a radio hit.
People listing bands like Extreme, Bon Jovi, Guns `n is far off (apart from the solo). I Know these bands as they are a big part of my Music taste too.
The band I will compare this too is Counting Crows, very much in the way the vocal harmonies are layered and the country twang, but its nothing Pearl Jam fans should be ashamed of

It definitely has that Counting Crows "looking out of a motel room window at night" feel to it.

[Heathen]

red mosquito: stunned...speechless...never heard a song like this before, so challenging

rest of the internet: sounds a bit like Nickelback

LOL, did anyone other than stip use the word "challenging"?

good try though

Absolutely. It's like when people wish PJ were challenging and alienating still, like Stone said this album would be, "like No Code." Well, it is (what is this song if not challenging?), but this time it's Red Mosquito being alienated, not the Pit. It kind of hurts when you're the one being alienated!

that post says people wish PJ were still challenging, meaning they arent anymore. or at least this "sirens" song hasnt been called "challenging" by anyone but stip, and even then he was talking about describing the song, not the song itself.

hmm no, that post clearly says the song is challenging, right here: what is this song if not challenging?

good try though

"Challenging" is anything that defeats expectations to the extent that they have to stretch themselves to it, not the other way round. "Challenging" is off-putting, something which challenges you for whatever reason. Even if you hear Dillinger Escape Plan's rhythms and ejaculate from your ears, it doesn't make the rhythms unchallenging. Binaural and Riot Act aren't "challenging" to 90% of the people here. The challenge here is "Will you still be into this if we choose to go in this direction?" The answer to that challenge, from most of us, has been no.

now please define "challenging for RM" because apparently it means something else entirely

[harmless]

This song will be great or a skipper based entirely on one factor and one factor only: Will I want to belt this song out at the top of my lungs.

Exactly. I need to learn the words so I can give it this test on the car ride home from work.

I think I've written them out accurately in the song thread.

Stip, they might want saving in the OP.

[Jaeti]

Will I want to belt this song out at the top of my lungs.

I have no idea. If I do it'll be amazing. If I don't it'll be an ipod shuffle listen.

It'll be amazing.

[IlluminEddie]

wishlist is one of the strongest pieces of writing in the catalog, lyrically.

This is one of the most retarded statements I've ever read. I like Wishlist (the song) for what it is. But, claiming wishlist is one of PJs strongest pieces of lyrical writing is hysterical...

...it's well, well, well below average - lyrically. This statement seems, somewhat... what's the word ---- contrarian?

stipian

[stip]

red mosquito: stunned...speechless...never heard a song like this before, so challenging

rest of the internet: sounds a bit like Nickelback

LOL, did anyone other than stip use the word "challenging"?

good try though

I don't mean challenging as difficult or complex--it's challenging in that I find myself uncertain what to say when confronted by this song. I've written over 250 pages in those guided tour threads alone. this is a new experience for me.

I'll rally

[harmless]

wishlist is one of the strongest pieces of writing in the catalog, lyrically.

This is one of the most retarded statements I've ever read. I like Wishlist (the song) for what it is. But, claiming wishlist is one of PJs strongest pieces of lyrical writing is hysterical...

...it's well, well, well below average - lyrically. This statement seems, somewhat... what's the word ---- contrarian?

stipian

I agree with stip.

[evenslow]

Don't get sucked into the Illumineddie vortex stip.

[rosser0432]

This song will be great or a skipper based entirely on one factor and one factor only: Will I want to belt this song out at the top of my lungs.

Exactly. I need to learn the words so I can give it this test on the car ride home from work.

I think I've written them out accurately in the song thread.

Stip, they might want saving in the OP.

Thanks, I'll check them out

[Revelator]

I don't know if I've ever seen such a mixed reaction over a PJ song, think I need to leave work early today...

[stip]

You'll like this song if you liked Betterman and Wishlist style songs. It's a commercial song that will get recognition. If you don't like that, you'll hate this. It's a pop song. Meaning nothing more than... popular culture will like it.

So, my guess, most here will hate it. #hipsters

those are two of my favorite songs, and on my first two listens I'm not feeling this one.

Not sure you're a hipster or not, stip. I would think you're more of the type that wants PJ to have loads of fans. But, I may be wrong.

But, the point was popular culture will enjoy this. Many hardcore fans won't. The most pop-friendly PJ songs I could think of were those two at the time. So, that's what I meant. It falls into that category.

I am most defintiely not a hipster. I probably anchor whatever side of the scale the opposite of a hipster is.

I agree this could be a very popular if it gets the right kind of audience.

[harmless]

Nickelback wishes they'd written a song as good as this.

[evenslow]

I agree this could be a very popular if it gets the right kind of audience.

It's really too bad Friday Night Lights isn't still around. This has closing 5-minute montage written all over it.

[BurtReynolds]

I still want to hear My Father's Son and Pendulum, but I think I can safely call it: Lightning Bolt and the band that spawned it are not for me.

I'm cancelling my appointment for that PJ tattoo as I type this.

i cant believer you are gonna take the money out of the artists pocket

She'd probably be happy not to waste her time on a Pearl Jam tattoo.

[IlluminEddie]

wishlist is one of the strongest pieces of writing in the catalog, lyrically.

This is one of the most retarded statements I've ever read. I like Wishlist (the song) for what it is. But, claiming wishlist is one of PJs strongest pieces of lyrical writing is hysterical...

...it's well, well, well below average - lyrically. This statement seems, somewhat... what's the word ---- contrarian?

stipian

I agree with stip.

You obviously don't know what you're talking about too. Congrats.

[stip]

Don't get sucked into the Illumineddie vortex stip.

i typed out a response and deleted it