Lightning Bolt: The Official Album Thread

[stupidmop]

Yeah, I can tolerate a solo but I rarely get excited about them. The NAIS solos are way OTT, but I really like the song so I just shrug them off.

I personally think the "sing-along anthemic chorus trying to be sing-along anthemic" theory is wrong because... well, because it doesn't work. It's not very sing-along anthemic at all. Which makes it very comparable to something from Binaural or Riot Act (like NAIS). The people who dislike those songs dislike them because they hear "failed anthems" that don't quite lift the way they're (apparently) trying to. The people who love those songs, though, say that their quirky "failure" to properly lift into a sing-along chorus is what makes them special. "Infallible" is no different -- if you don't like it, it'll be "trying to be an anthem", but if you do like it, it'll just be good. This chorus is no more (and no less) an anthem than "Love boat captain, take the reins and steer us toward the clear." Which was a cheesy, horrible anthem in itself. The fact that Ed sings it in the lower register might make all the difference to the ear, perhaps.

When I say "horrible anthem" I don't mean that I dislike it. I love the song. But its failure to be a Ten anthem is part of its charm.

Yeah, i had to youtube LBC to remind myself what i think about it. Meh generally, but its better than i remember. Parts of it are really good, but other parts ...are not.

I don't even think infallible is trying to be a ten anthem. Not in a big emotional release kind of way. Just in a pull out your lighters and sing along kinda way. I dunno. meeeeehhhhh.

What's the difference? One is the description of a song you think is obviously great, and the other is the description of something you think is a bit meh, an anthem for an anthem's sake. But they're both essentially the same thing, no? What stops this being a "pull out your lighters" anthem is that apart from the chorus talking about "we", and philosophising a bit, the lyrics are pretty unexciting and unemotional. It's pretty dry social commentary, not very emotionally cathartic, etc.

I dont think all 'big emotional release' songs are great, i'd probably catergorize sirens as such if i had to. By the wave the lighter thing i meant that chorus seems engineered to say 'listen to this im saying something important, everybody remember this part, feeeelll this part'. I dunno honestly i'm probably going about this the wrong way, you might have hit the nail of the head with the dry social commentary thing. I hate that bit about the hearts and minds of men as a lyric. The lyrics are kinda dry, the melody is cheesy and combined it gives me an 'ugh shutup bono' vibe. Not that i'm saying it sounds like a u2 song, but it sounds preachy. Even though its not saying more than 'hey maybe we should not be doing this'.

[harmless]

Yeah, I can tolerate a solo but I rarely get excited about them. The NAIS solos are way OTT, but I really like the song so I just shrug them off.

I personally think the "sing-along anthemic chorus trying to be sing-along anthemic" theory is wrong because... well, because it doesn't work. It's not very sing-along anthemic at all. Which makes it very comparable to something from Binaural or Riot Act (like NAIS). The people who dislike those songs dislike them because they hear "failed anthems" that don't quite lift the way they're (apparently) trying to. The people who love those songs, though, say that their quirky "failure" to properly lift into a sing-along chorus is what makes them special. "Infallible" is no different -- if you don't like it, it'll be "trying to be an anthem", but if you do like it, it'll just be good. This chorus is no more (and no less) an anthem than "Love boat captain, take the reins and steer us toward the clear." Which was a cheesy, horrible anthem in itself. The fact that Ed sings it in the lower register might make all the difference to the ear, perhaps.

When I say "horrible anthem" I don't mean that I dislike it. I love the song. But its failure to be a Ten anthem is part of its charm.

Yeah, i had to youtube LBC to remind myself what i think about it. Meh generally, but its better than i remember. Parts of it are really good, but other parts ...are not.

I don't even think infallible is trying to be a ten anthem. Not in a big emotional release kind of way. Just in a pull out your lighters and sing along kinda way. I dunno. meeeeehhhhh.

What's the difference? One is the description of a song you think is obviously great, and the other is the description of something you think is a bit meh, an anthem for an anthem's sake. But they're both essentially the same thing, no? What stops this being a "pull out your lighters" anthem is that apart from the chorus talking about "we", and philosophising a bit, the lyrics are pretty unexciting and unemotional. It's pretty dry social commentary, not very emotionally cathartic, etc.

I dont think all 'big emotional release' songs are great, i'd probably catergorize sirens as such if i had to. By the wave the lighter thing i meant that chorus seems engineered to say 'listen to this im saying something important, everybody remember this part, feeeelll this part'. I dunno honestly i'm probably going about this the wrong way, you might have hit the nail of the head with the dry social commentary thing. I hate that bit about the hearts and minds of men as a lyric. The lyrics are kinda dry, the melody is cheesy and combined it gives me an 'ugh shutup bono' vibe. Not that i'm saying it sounds like a u2 song, but it sounds preachy. Even though its not saying more than 'hey maybe we should not be doing this'.

Strangely, I agree with this assessment. It's awkward. In the same way that my favourite Ed preachy songs are also awkward. But I find them endearing as well. I guess I'm a bit weird.

[harmless]

The "Infallible" chorus is not something I'd be ashamed to belt out live, in the vein of "Having tasted, a life wasted, I am never going back again!" That was cheesy...

[stupidmop]

Yes thats not a good one either
Basically you find that stuff endearing, i find it

[harmless]

I'm a pretty sentimental, sincere sadsack.

[WaitingForBluey]

The Infallible chorus is going to sound great live... and I will be able to confirm that this weekend

On another note, I knew I was going to like LTRP from the moment I heard that opening guitar riff... and I'm pretty sure I freakin' love it by now... I wonder if those who have reacted so negatively to LTRP are still stuck in "this is what Pearl Jam is supposed to sound like" land.

[WaitingForBluey]

Btw, I was a little disappointed with Infallible after the first listen... but if there's any song on LB that keeps getting better and better with each listen, it's definitely this one...

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

Btw, I was a little disappointed with Infallible after the first listen... but if there's any song on LB that keeps getting better and better with each listen, it's definitely this one...

yep, and in my first impressions i blamed my lack of love for infallible at first on all the hype it got from a shitty soundcheck recording from outside the building, it was never gonna live up to what people built it up to based off of what they thought they were hearing. once i got past that i realized how good it was

[harmless]

The Infallible chorus is going to sound great live... and I will be able to confirm that this weekend

On another note, I knew I was going to like LTRP from the moment I heard that opening guitar riff... and I'm pretty sure I freakin' love it by now... I wonder if those who have reacted so negatively to LTRP are still stuck in "this is what Pearl Jam is supposed to sound like" land.

I don't mind it. It's just there, a non-event. And I'm generally the kind of person who says PJ can do whatever the hell they like, as long as they do it well. And the problem with this song is that I can see what they were trying for, or what I think they could be trying for, and it's not pushed in either direction. It stays in the middle, not going in either of the directions I want it to. But I mostly like it because Matt provides the right amount of groove and swagger to it.

[Sarah.]

The Infallible chorus is going to sound great live... and I will be able to confirm that this weekend

On another note, I knew I was going to like LTRP from the moment I heard that opening guitar riff... and I'm pretty sure I freakin' love it by now... I wonder if those who have reacted so negatively to LTRP are still stuck in "this is what Pearl Jam is supposed to sound like" land.

I've listened to it twice, so this is first impressions. I don't like it. Mostly because it sounds like it could be a good song, and then isn't. It's the only song I've had a strong negative reaction to right away though, so all could change.

[Thejambi]

Btw, I was a little disappointed with Infallible after the first listen... but if there's any song on LB that keeps getting better and better with each listen, it's definitely this one...

yep, and in my first impressions i blamed my lack of love for infallible at first on all the hype it got from a shitty soundcheck recording from outside the building, it was never gonna live up to what people built it up to based off of what they thought they were hearing. once i got past that i realized how good it was

I tried to temper it with the Force of Nature comparison.

[digster]

The Infallible chorus is going to sound great live... and I will be able to confirm that this weekend

On another note, I knew I was going to like LTRP from the moment I heard that opening guitar riff... and I'm pretty sure I freakin' love it by now... I wonder if those who have reacted so negatively to LTRP are still stuck in "this is what Pearl Jam is supposed to sound like" land.

I've listened to it twice, so this is first impressions. I don't like it. Mostly because it sounds like it could be a good song, and then isn't. It's the only song I've had a strong negative reaction to right away though, so all could change.

I think the verse is actually pretty cool, and it sounds a little less restrained in those moments than the majority of the rest of the record. It's just (and I feel like I'm a broken record everytime PJ puts a record out in the past ten years)...it's that damn chorus that comes along and screws it up. WWS, Marker, Army Reserve, Just Breathe, Amongst the Waves, Lightning Bolt...there have been a whole bunch of songs that have cool stuff going on that get let down by their choruses.

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

Btw, I was a little disappointed with Infallible after the first listen... but if there's any song on LB that keeps getting better and better with each listen, it's definitely this one...

yep, and in my first impressions i blamed my lack of love for infallible at first on all the hype it got from a shitty soundcheck recording from outside the building, it was never gonna live up to what people built it up to based off of what they thought they were hearing. once i got past that i realized how good it was

I tried to temper it with the Force of Nature comparison.

im one of the ones here who loves force of nature, and right now i like infallible better, but i cant really compare yet

[Coach]

Getaway is tomorrow's opener.

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

Getaway is tomorrow's opener.

im still shocked that wasnt an every night song

[WaitingForBluey]

Getaway is tomorrow's opener.

I'll be a little pissed if it's not Pendulum on Saturday...

[Juvenal]

Interestingly, if you subscribe to the whole "concept" album thing, have a look at what's at the centre of the LTRP graphic. He's having a party but the Yellow Moon is coming...

[Jorge]

"Should be darker!" is just about the last thing on my mind when I'm going over all the reasons that song sucks.

McParadigm and Theplatypus are both wrong about infallible. I just want that stated. It's a great song. Possibly the best song on the record.

That is all.

If you like shitty songs, sure.

[harmless]

"Should be darker!" is just about the last thing on my mind when I'm going over all the reasons that song sucks.

McParadigm and Theplatypus are both wrong about infallible. I just want that stated. It's a great song. Possibly the best song on the record.

That is all.

If you like shitty songs, sure.

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

"Should be darker!" is just about the last thing on my mind when I'm going over all the reasons that song sucks.

McParadigm and Theplatypus are both wrong about infallible. I just want that stated. It's a great song. Possibly the best song on the record.

That is all.

If you like shitty songs, sure.

this place would be so boring if we didn't always have people on both sides with such strong opinions