Lightning Bolt: The Official Album Thread

[Lament]

They're anything but calculated live. Sloppy as fuck half the time.

This is true. Maybe Getaway will legitimately be better live when Ed is smashed and Mike is just showing off. It's a song that needs to be teetering continuously on the verge of falling off the tracks to be effective.

[harmless]

I like it a lot, but I agree; all of these songs could obviously do with the roughness of an earlier production style. I don't think that's a controversial opinion.

[Lament]

Getaway is the only one I think really suffers from it. I think performances need to be looser too, so it's more than just the production style.

Also the very beginning of it reminds me of Dress by PJ Harvey.

[Birds in Hell]

Getaway is the only one I think really suffers from it. I think performances need to be looser too, so it's more than just the production style.

Also the very beginning of it reminds me of Dress by PJ Harvey.

Dress is a much better song too, so that's probably not going to help.

[harmless]

I don't think you'd ever get the looseness you're looking for with Matt Cameron on the drums. There's more groove on this album than he's managed since Riot Act, but it's any which way but loose.

[Lament]

Dress is a much better song too, so that's probably not going to help.

Yeah, I didn't want to come out and say it and risk a bunch of people who don't understand PJ Harvey's genius ignorantly bashing her, but Dress most definitely is a much better song.

[Birds in Hell]

Dress is a much better song too, so that's probably not going to help.

Yeah, I didn't want to come out and say it and risk a bunch of people who don't understand PJ Harvey's genius ignorantly bashing her, but Dress most definitely is a much better song.

You're safe with me, pal.

We can even talk about the Manics if you want.

[BurtReynolds]

Dress is a cool song.

[Lament]

I don't think you'd ever get the looseness you're looking for with Matt Cameron on the drums. There's more groove on this album than he's managed since Riot Act, but it's any which way but loose.

This is a really good point. Like I said, I think in the hands of someone like Jack White it could've been a scorcher, but Pearl Jam kinda neuters it by being...well, Pearl Jam.

[Birds in Hell]

I don't think you'd ever get the looseness you're looking for with Matt Cameron on the drums. There's more groove on this album than he's managed since Riot Act, but it's any which way but loose.

This is a really good point. Like I said, I think in the hands of someone like Jack White it could've been a scorcher, but Pearl Jam kinda neuters it by being...well, Pearl Jam.

I can think of another Jack who'd improve the swing of that jam.

[southp]

1st listen just completed moments ago, after holding out on the leaks and even Sirens. I wanted the lossless, good stereo, big speaker, no one at home experience and finally got it today. Here are my initial thoughts as best as I can put them together:

Getaway - I was expecting a funky riff, and I got it. However overall there isn't much of a vocal hook that has held my attention. Its a solid opening, but after first impression I would say I like GSMF better.

MYM - I've had plenty of time with this song, and now that I've had a full album listen I'd say it doesn't fit on the record. On it's own, I like it just fine next to something like Comatose, but not really necessary for LB.

My Father's Son - As I hit track 3, I had a bit of a feeling of impending doom because I thought this should've been a stand-out and it didn't do anything for me. Right now I don't remember a thing about it. Hopefully it will reveal itself to me on the subsequent listens because I put a lot of weight on track 3's!

Sirens - Holy fuck this is a great song! I should mention that I'm a JB/The End fan, so I like the sappier stuff, and this one got me in the right spot. I don't know the lyrics, but when Ed comes out of that pre-chorus it's just so powerful..."I would take your hand" (?). I can see why some would be put off by this song, but it's just too good to be denied.

LB - Better than I thought it would be. I can see a lot of UK comparisons, and the chorus kinda weak but the build it is quite good, and although it's a bit muddy I like what's happneing at the end where Ed hits the higher range. At a certain point I had a smile on my face.... slowly getting over some early album disapointment.

Infallible - Now we're in uncharted territory. This song seems too cool for Pearl Jam and I like it. One of my early favourites. This one seems like the turning point of the record where it starts to get real interesting. When that initial riff hits I couldn't believe this was PJ. There is something reminiscent of a Jack White song.

Pendulum - YES! This is the PJ I love. Dark and pensive, with what seems like some strong lyrics and a bit of an awkward musical bed. Once i got to this song my fears from MFS were erased and I was happy with the album. However it's also the moment where I felt MYM was totally out of place. An album of Pendulums would suit me just fine. It seemed like a longer track but I could take a lot more. Has anyone mentioned an Of the Girl type of feel? This is only one listen mind you.

Swallowed Whole - I had read the REM comparisons and it's bang on in a good way. The band's fullness makes it much bigger than a jangly song from Fables however. I like this one a lot, and if I remember correctly it has a great middle-8 section where Ed does something interesting.

LTRP - Umm...again a bit of uncharted territory but maybe not in a good way? It's different, and I really like some of that nasty blues guitar going on, but there's not a lot of vocal melody to tie it together. At this point I checked the credits for the first time expecting it to be a Mike song, but was surprised to see Stone. Not sure what the inspiration was, but I would've preferred a 1/2 Full or RM type jam song in it's place. At least they're trying new directions.

SBM - Fantastic re-imagining of the original. I like it much better than the Uke version, with some interesting guitar work, great backing vocals to fill in the texture, and good (spare) use of the uke at the end.

Yellow Moon - Holy shit another fantastic song... this and Pendulum are where PJ should be now-a-days. I love the darkness coupled with the brilliantly crisp guitar tone from Mike. I could turn the lights off and get lost in a song like this for days. At this point I was really enjoying the more subdued tone of the album.

FD - I don't know what everyone is saying about this song, it's another dark beauty and it fits very well after that previous two. Just like The End it's the perfect album closer, and the use of that slightly dissonant piano sound is perfect for the theme of the song. The keys are also slightly distorted in a way that makes it okay.

Between FD, Sirens, Pendulum and YM there is a great heaviness to this record that I really like. It was somewhat present on BS, but the ambiance was lacking. While Getaway, MFS and Infallible have some potential to stand up to the PJ rock songs, I find it's the moodier songs that are stronger here, and that's what made me fall in love with this band... something that was epitomized by Immortality or Indifference. It's slightly aged or diluted, but there's a mood that's back with this album that we haven't seen since RA.

Time for listen #2

[super nintendo chalmers]

Anyone going the Volcom pop up at midnight tonight in Manhattan?

[Lament]

You're safe with me, pal.

We can even talk about the Manics if you want.

[Mine]

I like it a lot, but I agree; all of these songs could obviously do with the roughness of an earlier production style. I don't think that's a controversial opinion.

[BurtReynolds]

There's really no reason why we couldn't or shouldn't slowly transform PJchat into PJHarveychat.

[Lament]

There's really no reason why we couldn't or shouldn't slowly transform PJchat into PJHarveychat.

This may be the wisest post in the history of posts.

[harmless]

I don't think you'd ever get the looseness you're looking for with Matt Cameron on the drums. There's more groove on this album than he's managed since Riot Act, but it's any which way but loose.

This is a really good point. Like I said, I think in the hands of someone like Jack White it could've been a scorcher, but Pearl Jam kinda neuters it by being...well, Pearl Jam.

I'm listening to this for the first time now. It's fucking awesome. I love the snares on every 3rd 8th beat in the verse. To be fair, bits of the riff sound like "Pretty Vacant" so it still borrows, but it does it will style.

[Lament]

I don't think you'd ever get the looseness you're looking for with Matt Cameron on the drums. There's more groove on this album than he's managed since Riot Act, but it's any which way but loose.

This is a really good point. Like I said, I think in the hands of someone like Jack White it could've been a scorcher, but Pearl Jam kinda neuters it by being...well, Pearl Jam.

I'm listening to this for the first time now. It's fucking awesome. I love the snares on every 3rd 8th beat in the verse. To be fair, bits of the riff sound like "Pretty Vacant" so it still borrows, but it does it will style.

Are you talking about Dress?

[harmless]

I don't think you'd ever get the looseness you're looking for with Matt Cameron on the drums. There's more groove on this album than he's managed since Riot Act, but it's any which way but loose.

This is a really good point. Like I said, I think in the hands of someone like Jack White it could've been a scorcher, but Pearl Jam kinda neuters it by being...well, Pearl Jam.

I'm listening to this for the first time now. It's fucking awesome. I love the snares on every 3rd 8th beat in the verse. To be fair, bits of the riff sound like "Pretty Vacant" so it still borrows, but it does it will style.

Are you talking about Dress?

Damn, sorry yes I am.

[Lament]

Are you talking about Dress?

Damn, sorry yes I am.

That whole album is awesome.