Lightning Bolt: The Official Album Thread

[flannelking]

So future days is about 4 1/2 mins long. That was surprising. How did they stretch this simple tune out so far? Are there some instrumental parts to it or what?

[Juvenal]

Wow, that Stereogum review will be the best one we read of this album, surely.

The last four paragraphs almost perfectly describe my opinions of what Pearl Jam has become over the last 10 years and why. Not that I hold it against them at all, it's bound to happen. I haven't lost any respect or enjoyment out of them, either, it's just that these guys are close to becoming a version of themselves that is more about the past then about the future. It probably already has happened. This album makes me think twice about that statement, but I think over time, it will become clear that we probably started looking back once the '03/'04 tours were over, maybe sometime during the '06 tour.

I look back at the absolutely incredible gig that was Reading Festival 2006 with a little sadness and nostalgia. I still follow Pearl Jam and hopefully always will, but I do think it was something of the end of an era. For my life it was about to be the start of a new one, so that's OK.

That was a great gig. I got pulled out of the pit during Even Flow

[harmless]

I just have no fucking clue why this record ends with Future Days. My god.

Yellow Moon should end the record.

Actually, yellow Moon should be the last track, but that music we all love from Pendulum should creep back in after a minute of silence to finish us all off.

Fuck future days.

No, it's alright. As usual, everyone's ideas about what they should've done are better than what they did. But still, FD isn't that bad.

[stupidmop]

Guys, Vitalogy, No Code, Yield, Binaural, and Riot Act are all pretty different records. This idea that there's some "Middle-Period Pearl Jam Fan" who is longing for them to return to the "sound" from this era is silly. They covered a decent bit of ground in these years, and the reason so many of us are attached to these is records isn't because they sound a certain way, it's because THEY'RE REALLY FUCKING GOOD. SOMETIMES EVEN GREAT. I don't know why it's so easy to dismiss the idea that people like these albums because they're of a higher quality than other albums.

No. All those albums feature songs with no hooks or decent melodies . The lyrics are all obtuse and uninviting. The songs are emotionally unengaging and were constructed purposefully to be difficult and avoid pearl jams strengths as songwriters and eddies strengths as a singer.

Less O'Brien cheese too.

[stip]

I dunno, that Stereogum review is alot like RM, where there's some people that go, "I wish they were making the style from Binaural/Riot Act", which sounds alot like in the No Code era most of us heard from ex-fans "I wish they made music like Ten". It's just the nature of a band changing and not meeting you where you're at in a particular moment. Sure there's some songs that miss or could have been executed or included differently, but it's very reminiscent of that No Code era. I consider many members of this board to be "middle era" PJ fans, just like there are devotees (to this day) of "early" PJ. We're currently in "late era" PJ. It's just the changing nature of any band that goes this long. Over the several years I've been reading this and other boards, I've not been convinced it's anything otherwise.

He seems to give some pretty well-thought out justifications for his assessments. I think there's more to what he's saying then just "I wish they made music that was more like the music I liked from them."

As well thought and articlulate the writer is as you say, I disagree. He makes his points pretty eloquently, but it's still "I wish they were searching like they're used to, but they're still pretty good." That's a major theme of the write up, and he makes alot of good supporting analysis to back that up.

Which makes it a good review, whether or not you agree with it.

That was an excellent review. One of the best I ever read. I don't always agree with the assessments but it was contextualized, thoughtful, observant, and when the author made a judgement his own expectations and preconditions were clear, and you can adjust his assessment of the music appropriately

[harmless]

So future days is about 4 1/2 mins long. That was surprising. How did they stretch this simple tune out so far? Are there some instrumental parts to it or what?

Ha!

[harmless]

Guys, Vitalogy, No Code, Yield, Binaural, and Riot Act are all pretty different records. This idea that there's some "Middle-Period Pearl Jam Fan" who is longing for them to return to the "sound" from this era is silly. They covered a decent bit of ground in these years, and the reason so many of us are attached to these is records isn't because they sound a certain way, it's because THEY'RE REALLY FUCKING GOOD. SOMETIMES EVEN GREAT. I don't know why it's so easy to dismiss the idea that people like these albums because they're of a higher quality than other albums.

No. All those albums feature songs with no hooks or decent melodies . The lyrics are all obtuse and uninviting. The songs are emotionally unengaging and were constructed purposefully to be difficult and avoid pearl jams strengths as songwriters and eddies strengths as a singer.

Less O'Brien cheese too.

Wow, could you overstate that stuff any more than this post does?

[BurtReynolds]

Which one of you guys works for Stereogum? That was RMs review of Pearl Jam.

[McParadigm]

Which one of you guys works for Stereogum?

The one that likes Let the Records Play

[Tuolumne]

Guys, Vitalogy, No Code, Yield, Binaural, and Riot Act are all pretty different records. This idea that there's some "Middle-Period Pearl Jam Fan" who is longing for them to return to the "sound" from this era is silly. They covered a decent bit of ground in these years, and the reason so many of us are attached to these is records isn't because they sound a certain way, it's because THEY'RE REALLY FUCKING GOOD. SOMETIMES EVEN GREAT. I don't know why it's so easy to dismiss the idea that people like these albums because they're of a higher quality than other albums.

I read that as you objectively saying for everyone that those records are simply better, end of story. That is not my opinion. In fact, the general mass opinion is that Binaural and Riot Act were utter failures that put the band out in the pasture. It's a difference of opinion, you're truth is your truth and mine is mine. As far as for a consistent sound, of course there's not a "middle era" sound, but they are going into songwriting threads and tangents and a general exploration (especially with b-sides and live) where they're going off into some different paths. The "late era" has no b-sides, and it's about tighter melodies and thinking through every nanosecond of the record. They're just different time period with the band in a different headspace.

[stip]

Guys, Vitalogy, No Code, Yield, Binaural, and Riot Act are all pretty different records. This idea that there's some "Middle-Period Pearl Jam Fan" who is longing for them to return to the "sound" from this era is silly. They covered a decent bit of ground in these years, and the reason so many of us are attached to these is records isn't because they sound a certain way, it's because THEY'RE REALLY FUCKING GOOD. SOMETIMES EVEN GREAT. I don't know why it's so easy to dismiss the idea that people like these albums because they're of a higher quality than other albums.

I disagree with this. It's not that those albums all sound the same (they don't, just like lightning bolt doesn't sound like S/T) but there is an approach to the writing--the questions asked, the way they seek answers, and the way those answers are presented--that they all have in common. Yield and Vitalogy are outliers a bit, with feet firmly in both the vs/Ten era approach and (at least with Yield) in some ways anticipating what was to come.

[stupidmop]

Guys, Vitalogy, No Code, Yield, Binaural, and Riot Act are all pretty different records. This idea that there's some "Middle-Period Pearl Jam Fan" who is longing for them to return to the "sound" from this era is silly. They covered a decent bit of ground in these years, and the reason so many of us are attached to these is records isn't because they sound a certain way, it's because THEY'RE REALLY FUCKING GOOD. SOMETIMES EVEN GREAT. I don't know why it's so easy to dismiss the idea that people like these albums because they're of a higher quality than other albums.

No. All those albums feature songs with no hooks or decent melodies . The lyrics are all obtuse and uninviting. The songs are emotionally unengaging and were constructed purposefully to be difficult and avoid pearl jams strengths as songwriters and eddies strengths as a singer.

Less O'Brien cheese too.

Wow, could you overstate that stuff any more than this post does?

Idk I was being purposefully hyperbolic.

[harmless]

Which one of you guys works for Stereogum?

The one that likes Let the Records Play

Yeah that was a surprise.

[BurtReynolds]

Which one of you guys works for Stereogum?

The one that likes Let the Records Play

Clearly a red herring designed to throw us off.

[harmless]

Guys, Vitalogy, No Code, Yield, Binaural, and Riot Act are all pretty different records. This idea that there's some "Middle-Period Pearl Jam Fan" who is longing for them to return to the "sound" from this era is silly. They covered a decent bit of ground in these years, and the reason so many of us are attached to these is records isn't because they sound a certain way, it's because THEY'RE REALLY FUCKING GOOD. SOMETIMES EVEN GREAT. I don't know why it's so easy to dismiss the idea that people like these albums because they're of a higher quality than other albums.

No. All those albums feature songs with no hooks or decent melodies . The lyrics are all obtuse and uninviting. The songs are emotionally unengaging and were constructed purposefully to be difficult and avoid pearl jams strengths as songwriters and eddies strengths as a singer.

Less O'Brien cheese too.

Wow, could you overstate that stuff any more than this post does?

Idk I was being purposefully hyperbolic.

Oh, OK cool.

Lament, I would totally go with your point except for the fact that not everyone feels the "middle records" (I know, disingenuous term) were superior to anything. I do, but... yeah. I'd love to pretend that this is objective, but it isn't.

[stip]

Which one of you guys works for Stereogum?

The one that likes Let the Records Play

Clearly a red herring designed to throw us off.

I smiled when he thought that it was the chorus that saves the song.


One of the things that makes the last decade so confounding is how hard it is to find moments that make everyone happy.

[digster]

Guys, Vitalogy, No Code, Yield, Binaural, and Riot Act are all pretty different records. This idea that there's some "Middle-Period Pearl Jam Fan" who is longing for them to return to the "sound" from this era is silly. They covered a decent bit of ground in these years, and the reason so many of us are attached to these is records isn't because they sound a certain way, it's because THEY'RE REALLY FUCKING GOOD. SOMETIMES EVEN GREAT. I don't know why it's so easy to dismiss the idea that people like these albums because they're of a higher quality than other albums.

Spot on. There's way more connecting thread in the last two records PJ has made than those.

[stupidmop]

Which one of you guys works for Stereogum?

The one that likes Let the Records Play

Clearly a red herring designed to throw us off.

It's obviously stip. He used the board for research, but couldn't bring himself to diss ltrp too.

[Birds in Hell]

Wow, that Stereogum review is fantastic.

[Noaheb]

Here's my first take review of the album I posted up on official PJ forum. I've not bothered to proofread it, so apologies in advance:

I'm in the group of people who think there is some brilliant stuff and some dreadful stuff on this album. What I love on this album I REALLY love. What I hate on this album, I REALLY hate. Unfortunately, there are songs on this album I am completely digging and then there's a chunk of "cheez" thrown right into the middle of it. This album is better than Backspacer no matter how you slice it.

Getaway - I am quite satisfied with this song. It's not my favorite album opener ever, but it doesn't have to be for me to think it's great. Hearing Jeff's bass sound on this song made me smile and I love it when I hear his contributions come alive. I don't hear any of Brendan O'Brien's cheez on this song and that's perfect. I love the build in this song, but wish they had pushed it just a tad further as their opener. No real complaints about this song as I think it works.

Mind Your Manners - I don't think it is getting its proper accolades as we all hear the album in its entirety due to it being familiar. I love this song, but do wish it was a little grittier in the production area. This is some pretty vibrant and alive Pearl Jam. I welcome the return to some lyrics that are rather overtly confrontational. I think that this song holds up pretty well in the pantheon of punkier Pearl Jam songs. Once again, I don't hear any O'Brien cheez on this song, which leaves me a bit confused when he pours that shit on thick elsewhere on the album. This has to be a fun song live.

My Father's Son - This was a surprise. I found myself jamming along pleasantly on my first listen and then it breaks into a wtf moment as it transforms abruptly into island music. I still don't understand that and think the song suffers horribly because of it. If it did not have that wtf moment, I would say that the opening salvo of the first three songs were brilliant. I still think that even despite the island music moment, the first three hold up as a really strong trilogy of songs to start the album off. This song is challenging me and that island music moment is a mystery to me that I feel like I need more time with to hopefully unravel.

Sirens - The transition to this from My Father's Son is pretty brutal. I wasn't in the camp that flat out hated this song on first listen, but this is where Brendan O'Brien's infection really seems to begin on the album to me. I know that people will assume that I simply don't like slow Pearl Jam or something, and that couldn't be farther from the truth. I still find myself rather indifferent to this song, but I'm already not wanting to hear it again. I'm happy to skip it as I listen to the album already. I think Ed's singing on it is quite excellent. I just don't feel like the music is all that compelling or enjoyable. I know it will float some people's boat, but this isn't the version of Pearl Jam that turns my crank. I don't think Mike's echoing solo works all that well on this song either. It's ok, but not his finest moment. This is one of the increasingly numerous songs that seem like there is a foreign band member present. I've learned that his name is Brendan O'Brien and I am growing to resent him. I think that this song has a chance of working out live and can see an audience taking the ending to some interesting places.

Lightning Bolt - This one is infected with Brendan O'Brien's cheez additions. There's a good song buried in there, but it could use some lyrical revision and less of the phantom band member's presence (O'Brien). From the Dr. Who sounds to xylophones (or whatever the fuck they are) and twinkling pianos, there's way too much in this song that doesn't originate from Pearl Jam and rather comes from an overzealous producer. Need proof? Revisit the first three songs to see who the band members actually are and compare it to this song and the odd sound effects that litter it. Rather than filling voids in the song with his wankery, O'Brien needed to encourage the band to fill it (if it was even necessary) on their own. The build up of this song is good, the fade sucks and kills all that was built up.

Infallible - To me, it strikes me a bit as a more polished Tremor Christ (that doesn't mean better). I don't think the lyrics are as good as the aforementioned song, but at the same time it isn't as jarring. On it's own, I don't imagine this song will feel all that great, but in the context of the album it works alright for me. I know it will not be the song I go back to often from this album, but there's certainly worse offerings. This song went into light territory instead of into darker shadows where I think it would have likely had more success. I also think that darker territory musically would have suited the lyrics better. I would have liked to even seen it just stay in more funky territory rather than drift toward the more polished and poppy areas it approaches before coming back to a close with it's funky sound.

Pendulum - This one hooked me and felt like it belonged on a really great album... which this one strives to be, but stumbles before reaching. This was the first song I felt I had to go back and put on repeat to listen to. There's a lot of very interesting things going on with this song. I don't understand what happens to Eddie's voice as he sings the extended "goooooooooooooo" and I'd say it is a production problem that I don't notice elsewhere on the album. I find this song to be a better song than similar efforts I'm reminded of like Strangest Tribe. I've seen others stating that they wish this one was longer, and so do I. It's a song I can get lost in and represents a mellow side of Pearl Jam I totally fall in love with. Again, I don't hear jarring and cheezy additions from O'Brien on this cut.

Swallowed Whole - I can't help but hear a mashup of Into the Wild and REM on this song. I also hear way too many foreign additions to this song that I can only assume come from O'Brien once again. Overall, I like the song well enough but I think this album has better songs on it. There's also a bit of it that conjures a western movie to my mind (or at least a bad Bon Jovi video) and I don't think that sits well with the lyrics at all. Part of what bothers me about this song is that they have a song called Down already that makes liberal use of that particular word.

Let The Records Play - I start it and I start bobbing and jamming. It conjures an image of a bow-legged cowboy full of swagger coming onto the scene for me. And then suddenly the music shifts and Tom Hanks during his Bosom Buddies days runs out, kicks the cowboy in the nuts and puts a blonde wig on him and the two begin dancing together for a moment as the song transforms into a dreadful chorus that could be ripped straight from a sitcom. And then we're sucked right back into a song with all it's swagger. This back and forth continues way too much throughout this schizophrenic song. Swagger, to sitcom, to clapping, to spitting in the spittoon... all in one song. It's... fascinating in a train wreck sort of way. This song had tons of potential, but in the end I feel violated. This song ends up being a pretty good summary of how I'm feeling about the overall album so far. There's half I love and half I can't stand and all too often it occurs in the same song.

Sleeping By Myself - A mistake. As a song on its own, it's not the worst thing I've ever heard. On this album, it is horribly out of place. I view it as totally unnecessary and it seems like the choice of a producer with way too much authority in song selection. It reaches a point in the song that I feel like I'm watching a commerical that wants me to buy Christmas gifts. This is one of my primary wtf moments on this album. What a fucking cheezy ending.

Yellow Moon - This is interesting slow Pearl Jam to me. It's not my favorite and it conjures images of Eat, Pray, Love to my mind. I'd go so far as to say that this song belongs on this album and fits in with other songs like Pendulum. Its home seems like this album, unlike Future Days and Sleeping By Myself. The tail end of this album begins to drag due to the sequence of ending songs and the blistering start that it had. For this reason, I think that Yellow Moon may end up not getting the recognition it might otherwise be deserving, but I know that it is way too early to leap to any conclusion. I would have liked to see a little less lyrical repetition in this song and some more lyrical landscape covered. I'm strangely okay with the additions to this song that likely didn't originate with the band.

Future Days - This is fucking terrible. The beginning piano is atrocious and dripping with O'Brien's cheez just as it did during its live debut. I could see this song working with something like Neil's organ and even the honky violin or viola backing that is has, but there's been too much added to this song in an attempt to make it something it simply isn't. This is a sorry closing for this particular album and likely isn't a strong enough song to close out any Pearl Jam album. I could see this one being a hit in the same vein that Just Breathe garnered some success, but I think it's dreadful. A fluttering Eddie and the O'Brien's song closing out this album that contains some distinctly Pearl Jam music and literally having the final notes of the album played by somebody who isn't even in the band... it's a crime. Fuck that nonsense.

absolutely perfect write-up!
I'm with you almost 100%