Lets Actually Listen to the Album: Lightning Bolt

[Jorge]

The call-and-response part is kind of cool, especially how it ends. Pretty violent. I like that. The whole song should've sounded like that.

[Jorge]

"My Father's Son". I really like this song, even with the complete misuse of the six-string bass (this is second only to playing "Glorified G" on the fretless as far as pointless bass decisions go). The chorus to this is really excellent. Very urgent-sounding.

The bridge. Like "Brain of J"'s bridge, it opens up a very claustrophobic sounding song.

It's cool that they have a song that's so bass-driven. I really wish the details during the last verse in the left channel were more audible.

[Jorge]

Oh God, "Sirens" just barges in like an unwelcome guest. Who did the tracking for this? Awful.

[Jorge]

I mean, the song is what it is, whatever, it sounds like something that would've been huge in 2003, like that Hoobastank song "The Reason". Remember that song? Man, that song sucked.

[Jorge]

I like some of the choices in the arrangement, like that quiet slide guitar in the chorus. It gives it a stormy sound.

The pre-chorus is nice, I just wish the song surrounding it was better.

[BurtReynolds]

Is that all you have to say for it, Burt?

I can easily dismiss the 2nd half as back album filler, half abandoned ideas and what I generously call "experiments", but the real unforgivable part is the meat of the album. That Sirens/LightningBolt/Infallible stretch. Pure impotence set to music. Those songs are so full of bluster and gloss, but have no real reason to exist beyond sounding big. They shine a huge spotlight on themselves, but they're hollow. I could probably go ahead and throw Getaway and MYM on that pile too, but at least they can fake trying to say something for 3 minutes. None of these songs have any conviction.

[Jorge]

That Eddie moment before the chorus bothers me. "HUU!". Why? Just don't sing that.

[Jorge]

Some weird vocal effect going on during the "I studied your face" line.

Also, what a stupid line.

[Jorge]

The build to the final chorus is awkward as all hell. There's something missing there, musically.

I can get over.

[Jorge]

Whelmed by the grapes.

[Jorge]

I'll say I do think the "want you to know, that should I go, I always loved you..." line is sweet in its stark simplicity and sincerity.

[Jorge]

That song was nothing like "Black".

[Kevin Davis]

Some weird vocal effect going on during the "I studied your face" line.

I think that's just 2013 Eddie trying to sing falsetto.

[mastaflatch]

Some weird vocal effect going on during the "I studied your face" line.

Also, what a stupid line.

*"a stud in your face"

[Jorge]

Fucking "Lightning Bolt". I've warmed up to it over the months, but that opening verse sounds so bad. Why can't Eddie keep it together for one verse? Just one verse without overemoting or splitting syllables like you're doing a weird Charlton Heston impression.

[Jorge]

I think the "YOU GOTTA KNOW YOU'LL NEVER LET'ER GO" part is now my favorite part of the song. It's really fucking catchy. More than the verses.

[Jorge]

I get what people are saying when they say this song is structurally interesting. It is oddly shaped. I can't really make sense of it from a songwriting standpoint, but I like that.

Stop yelling Eddie

[Jorge]

Some weird vocal effect going on during the "I studied your face" line.

I think that's just 2013 Eddie trying to sing falsetto.

It's double tracked, though, right?

[Jorge]

Like others, I think the ending jam is really cool, and would've liked hearing it go on further. This is one song that is elevated live.

[Jorge]

Fucking hell, "Infallible". Here we go. I fucking loathe this song.