No Leak Club

[BurtReynolds]

this month will be the best month of music for me in my entire life, with releases from: pearl jam (favorite band), pelican (favorite instrumental band), russian circles (top 5 favorite instrumental band), kayo dot (2nd or 3rd favorite band. was released digitally in september but put on cd a bit after), grails (top 5 favorite instrumental band) and earthless.

holy shit! I had no idea. PJ can wait!

[bodysnatcher]

going to the record store right now to pick it up. i'll give it a listen tonight or tomorrow, and post a "first listen" review in here for you motherhumpers

Take it easy, man. Don't rush.

Heard Getaway and MFS at the record store after I bought my vinyl and sat down in a booth.

Spoiler: show

Getaway struck me right away as pretty great. MFS was a "holy shit, wtf is this" moment, and don't remember much about it, but I know I liked it....a lot.

[flannelking]

this month will be the best month of music for me in my entire life, with releases from: pearl jam (favorite band), pelican (favorite instrumental band), russian circles (top 5 favorite instrumental band), kayo dot (2nd or 3rd favorite band. was released digitally in september but put on cd a bit after), grails (top 5 favorite instrumental band) and earthless.

holy shit! I had no idea. PJ can wait!

I have sniffed the sarcasm in your post but why didn't you also emphasize the other 2 instrumental bands? They're worthy of attention too, so no sense leaving them out in the cold. I'm a little curious if Pendulum is anything like the non-eastern stuff Grail's has put out. Grails are a great band to listen with headphones on. Earthless "rhythms from a cosmic sky" is great. Fear not, I will include all this great stuff and more on my upcoming "flannelkings list of good songs".

[stip]

Don't close the thread!
Canadians still haven't received the album.. Give us a chance to listen and share too.... Otherwise it was all for not

I agree, id still like to see all the no leak club members get to post their first thoughts in here

Exactly. Anyway, while the reason for the formation of the club is about the become redundant, is it still possible to keep this thread open? We've formed somewhat of a camaraderie here that has made this thread a special place.

Who's to say we won't experience new leaks in the near future, with possible EP's, B-sides, etc? It's nice to have this place to hide out when those moments may occur.

there's no need to lock the thread. Even if Skitch said so. It's not the like the request came from mind your tanners, or anything

[stip]

I'm in a very mixed place with it right now. It appears to better than Backspacer, and probably S/T as well. I said in a different thread (I think) that it seems to be raising more questions about the band than it is answering ones we already had. I have a pretty pretentious way of looking at these things, I'll be the first to admit. I'll have a much better idea when I sit down with it tomorrow (or even if I give it one more listen later before I call it a night).

I suppose right now the best way to put my thoughts would be that I can't figure out if this is a band fighting the good fight anymore, or if this is even a band where everyone is fighting the same fight. Are the high moments the product of a band trying to regain its shared focus and force and move forward in fighting shape, or are they the product of certain members forcing momentary flashes of excellence out of what's become a mediocre routine that the unit as a whole seems to be content to go through? Is this the first warm morning of an indian summer or just moments where the sunlight makes a bitter cold day seem a little less bitter?

(And yes guys, like I said, I know how pretentious this all seems, so you don't need to reiterate it)

sounds like you did not share my enthusiasm for the song lightning bolt

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

going to the record store right now to pick it up. i'll give it a listen tonight or tomorrow, and post a "first listen" review in here for you motherhumpers

Take it easy, man. Don't rush.

Heard Getaway and MFS at the record store after I bought my vinyl and sat down in a booth.

Spoiler: show

Getaway struck me right away as pretty great. MFS was a "holy shit, wtf is this" moment, and don't remember much about it, but I know I liked it....a lot.

looking forward to the rest

[stupidmop]

I'm in a very mixed place with it right now. It appears to better than Backspacer, and probably S/T as well. I said in a different thread (I think) that it seems to be raising more questions about the band than it is answering ones we already had. I have a pretty pretentious way of looking at these things, I'll be the first to admit. I'll have a much better idea when I sit down with it tomorrow (or even if I give it one more listen later before I call it a night).

I suppose right now the best way to put my thoughts would be that I can't figure out if this is a band fighting the good fight anymore, or if this is even a band where everyone is fighting the same fight. Are the high moments the product of a band trying to regain its shared focus and force and move forward in fighting shape, or are they the product of certain members forcing momentary flashes of excellence out of what's become a mediocre routine that the unit as a whole seems to be content to go through? Is this the first warm morning of an indian summer or just moments where the sunlight makes a bitter cold day seem a little less bitter?

(And yes guys, like I said, I know how pretentious this all seems, so you don't need to reiterate it)

I kind of feel the same way sometimes. But, and this is a big BUT, since it usually ends up being bullshit, ed did talk about maybe doing things differently, being more prolific, less precious etc, and in that huff post interview he sounded up for the idea of a conceptvalbum/ musical thing.......so they're talking about doing things differently and shaking things up a bit. However nothing might come of this at all. Womp.

[Sgt. Crackpot]

Don't close the thread!
Canadians still haven't received the album.. Give us a chance to listen and share too.... Otherwise it was all for not

I agree, id still like to see all the no leak club members get to post their first thoughts in here

Exactly. Anyway, while the reason for the formation of the club is about the become redundant, is it still possible to keep this thread open? We've formed somewhat of a camaraderie here that has made this thread a special place.

Who's to say we won't experience new leaks in the near future, with possible EP's, B-sides, etc? It's nice to have this place to hide out when those moments may occur.

there's no need to lock the thread. Even if Skitch said so. It's not the like the request came from mind your tanners, or anything

Thanks stip.

On a side note, I'd rather MYT didn't show his face in here.

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

Don't close the thread!
Canadians still haven't received the album.. Give us a chance to listen and share too.... Otherwise it was all for not

I agree, id still like to see all the no leak club members get to post their first thoughts in here

Exactly. Anyway, while the reason for the formation of the club is about the become redundant, is it still possible to keep this thread open? We've formed somewhat of a camaraderie here that has made this thread a special place.

Who's to say we won't experience new leaks in the near future, with possible EP's, B-sides, etc? It's nice to have this place to hide out when those moments may occur.

there's no need to lock the thread. Even if Skitch said so. It's not the like the request came from mind your tanners, or anything

Thanks stip.

On a side note, I'd rather MYT didn't show his face in here.

[WaitingForBluey]

The funny thing is... the new LB thread is just as much of a mess as the old one... Every time I go in there I feel poisoned somehow... so I'd much rather post here. It's as if this is our AA meeting and that thread is just a bunch of raging alcoholics... I'm tempted, but it's not worth it.

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

The funny thing is... the new LB thread is just as much of a mess as the old one... Every time I go in there I feel poisoned somehow... so I'd much rather post here. It's as if this is our AA meeting and that thread is just a bunch of raging alcoholics... I'm tempted, but it's not worth it.

its just so hard to keep up with that one, this one moves at a much better pace for me

[evenslow]

Is it too early to sign up for this club for the next album?

I couldn't help myself with a 4-year wait, but not hearing these songs for the first time as a whole album is fucking with my listening experience. I'm jealous of those who waited, even if there's no way I could have this time around.

[southp]

Alright, I only just got through my 3rd listen and then I got an extra dose of Sirens on the radio this morning (finally i didn't have to furiously change the channel!). Some of my thoughts from yesterday have changed. I also watched all of the vignettes, the EPK and the Apatow and Mark Richards interviews which have all influenced some of my listening - I'm glad I waited to watch all of those.

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!

I change my mind on Getaway after listen #2, and then watching Ed rock out in the Lincoln. This is a very fun opener and will keep my coming back. It's important that the first track has a big hook because that's the one that makes you want to put the album on. It's going to surpass GSMF (except maybe the Bueno sera part which is just sooo good)

As for MFS, after hearing the band (and some people here) gush over this track I gave it more time to sink in. If Stone says it's good, then it must be good right? This is exactly why I wanted to stay away from the interviews in advance. But ultimately I'm still not clicking with this song. It's certainly different with the two basses, no power chords, but I don't feel the hook yet. In general, the 1st three songs really exist in their own world and are completely detached from the rest of the album. Which leads to the 2nd act...

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.

Sirens really is incredible. Call me a big pussy but I literally got choked up when I heard this song. Coming out of MFS I find it cuts through the frenetic energy of the opening three. Then you get LB, which is another stand-alone that ends the 1st half the album wishing that it soared a bit more. It could almost have a GTF-like release, but it never quite happens. Still solid all'round though. On to the 2nd half...

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.

I need to digest the 2nd half of the album more. It actually has 2 parts IMO with LTRP being a strange interlude between them. Remove LTRP and the 2nd half works really well together. I don't know which songs were recorded in which sessions but it does feel like two albums in one. Most of the albums have a rocker around track 8 or 9, but LTRP doesn't quite hit the mark. It's better than Supersonic or Big Wave, but it ain't no Grievance! And it sure as hell ain't no Corduroy. If they had sequenced something like Of the Earth in that spot it would've worked really well with the theme of the album and the darkness of the 2nd half.

My take on the final trio hasn't changed, I really like the way this album comes to a close. You have to have a heart of stone to not like FD. It's so good, and the use of the piano and keys is spot on. If it were just played on the acoustic it wouldn't have the same power, but the texture and build makes it all work so well. It's too early to say where this fits against similar songs in the catalog but as of right now it's better than things like Gone, Comeback, Inside job, Speed of Sound...

My early impressions have this clearly above the last 3 records. Yes it tops Riot Act, but maybe a step below Binaural. Bottom line, Lightning Bolt doesn't retread the tone of the 1st three like S/T did, but it maintains a depth that can match some of the middle albums, and that says lot.

[dimejinky99]

I admire you guys and your discipline.
I'll be joining you for the next album.

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

I admire you guys and your discipline.
I'll be joining you for the next album.

i hope you do, its nice having just about everything be new, i find myself less interested MYM which i love because i had listened to it like 10 or 15 times before getting the album

[dimejinky99]

I definitely will
Having those few songs that leaked fucked up how I view the whole.
MYM especially

[@SkitchP]

there's no need to lock the thread. Even if Skitch said so. It's not the like the request came from mind your tanners, or anything

But he's already made his weekly post!

[harmless]

I'm in a very mixed place with it right now. It appears to better than Backspacer, and probably S/T as well. I said in a different thread (I think) that it seems to be raising more questions about the band than it is answering ones we already had. I have a pretty pretentious way of looking at these things, I'll be the first to admit. I'll have a much better idea when I sit down with it tomorrow (or even if I give it one more listen later before I call it a night).

I suppose right now the best way to put my thoughts would be that I can't figure out if this is a band fighting the good fight anymore, or if this is even a band where everyone is fighting the same fight. Are the high moments the product of a band trying to regain its shared focus and force and move forward in fighting shape, or are they the product of certain members forcing momentary flashes of excellence out of what's become a mediocre routine that the unit as a whole seems to be content to go through? Is this the first warm morning of an indian summer or just moments where the sunlight makes a bitter cold day seem a little less bitter?

(And yes guys, like I said, I know how pretentious this all seems, so you don't need to reiterate it)

I liked this post a lot, and it describes very well the (now tempered) excitement I have over this album. What is their intention from now on? On one level, I'm happy that they haven't overtly told me that it's to make more LTRP's. There are a thousand possible directions represented on this album. But on the other hand, that's a scary thing; what if they go forward with the less interesting aspects of this album? I expect that they won't (they can only "progress" from Backspacer, I hope) but it's no dead cert. So yeah... I'm torn, and even after having heard this album now, like, a lot.

[dimejinky99]

I don't get it.

It's easily the best record since Yield. And as a statement of intent/snapshot of their musical geographical location, it works on almost every level.

[Heathen]

What is their intention from now on?

I'm torn

Don't go giving them ideas now