Lets Actually Listen to the Album: Lightning Bolt

[tragabigzanda]

pearl jam sucks now

[stip]

I love Lightning bolt (the song) but those critiques aren't wrong. That's probably one of those songs where I've been with the band long enough that I fill in the missing parts in my head, and the experience is fairly seamless.

[chewm]

Lightning Bolt (the song) could have been amazing. I still like it but its frustrating.

[epilogue]

I've never been a big fan of Lightning Bolt (the song).

[darth_vedder]

I've never been a big fan of Lightning Bolt (the song the album).

FTFY

[joostone]

Released more than three years ago, no new album in sight.
Where every other PJ album had moments in time were I thought it was better or worse than I first thought.
This one still sound the same to my ears. It's still my least favorite PJ record.
Still like it, still think it could have been much better.

Songs I really like:
Getaway, MFS, Infallible, Pendulum, Yellow Moon

Songs that are OK:
MYM, LB, Swallowed Whole, Sirens,

Songs that only work as Lost Dogs:
SBM, LTRP, Future Days


2017 will be another year were I talk about LB as their latest record. Hopefully a new one will be on the horizon this year..

[VinylGuy]

yeah, the worst part about LB is that it still sounds pretty similar to the first time i listened to it...i have a WHOA moment with every PJ album and while i like this one, there is nothing new about it.

BUT

Those first 4 tracks are amazing, top notch.

[stip]

This definitely hasn't aged as well as backspacer for me, though it's still a perfectly fine mid tier album.

[wease]

Major flaw of Lightning Bolt: no Matt Cameron tunes.

[chewm]

Major flaw of Lightning Bolt: no Matt Cameron tunes.

I agree.

[darth_vedder]

Major flaw of Lightning Bolt:no Matt Cameron all the tunes.

FTFY

[ABNorman]

I LAL'd this as part of the Christmas depresstalgia, and I still like it. I really like the opening 5, Pendulum and SBM, and on this listen, I really enjoyed Infallible, and even quite liked Swallowed Whole.

There's whispers here of a really good PJ album, but they generally don't get much louder than speaking volume, and once again a weak back half really kills it. It'd be nice if the next album was 5 or 6 steps further along the path that begins Backspacer -> Lightning Bolt ->.

[VinylGuy]

The first 4 are amazing...then LB, the song comes...and its pretty awful. Not the song itself but the production, the fade out..the only other great ones are Pendulum and Yellow Moon...SW is meh, LTRP is meh...Infallible is okey..And i will forget FD ever happened.

[bodysnatcher]

Is "Sirens" the sequel to "Come Back"?

[jdopj]

The first 4 are amazing...then LB, the song comes...and its pretty awful. Not the song itself but the production, the fade out..the only other great ones are Pendulum and Yellow Moon...SW is meh, LTRP is meh...Infallible is okey..And i will forget FD ever happened.

I like LB, the song, live but god the production is horrible but it still isn't the standout they wanted. Pendulum is a standout for me. I really like Getaway a lot but they haven't pulled it off live. SW is a good song, probably underrated.


So Sirens. I am torn. Lyrics speak to me as an old man, father of two young kids and a wife I love. Still like the song. Don't necessarily want to hear it live tho

[stip]

sirens is a quality song

[Jorge]

Whelmed by the grace

[Monkey_Driven]

The music video of Pendulum is by far the best version.

[dprival78]

i. i.
o. o.
i. i.
o. o.

Everybody now..

[mikejasond]

Sure why not.

The weird thing is I'm pretty sure I liked this album when it released (Which feels like yesterday but is...not...wow)

But now it doesn't do much for me, and songs I used to like I now don't like anymore. That sucks.

Im feeling harsh today, I wonder if earlier in this thread I defend these same songs but we'll see.

1. Getaway: I think this is one of their weakest openers. It actually might be their weakest besides Breakerfall. I really hate the way Eddie sings a lot of his lines on this song. Not his voice itself, just his...diction? The verses are pretty good but the chorus is a letdown. I kind of find it annoying, especially the way he sings "Its OOOOOkay". The lyrics just seem very pretentious to me. Also there's a lot of 'hw' sounds in this (Geta-hway). I think I used to like this song too, but now idk, it just doens't do it for me <_<

2. Mind Your Manners: I never liked this song. Actually that's not true...the first time I heard it I liked it because it sounded so different from Backspacer. I was happy they were making some hard music again. Since then I've grown an appreciation for Backspacer, and hate this song. I am kind of biased though. I wouldn't hate it so much if they didn't like it so much. Has there been a concert since it came out that didn't include this song? And it's always at a prime spot, sometimes even the opener. They even performed it on TV. I just think its not that good.

The chorus with the harmonies was really cool at first, but now I no longer like it because I just don't think Eddie's voice sounds good on it. I like the solo though. I also like live when Eddie screams the 'livin in hell' part at the end. "Or we could something else" is one of the worst lyrics in the catalogue IMO, and I still picture his lyric sheet reading "Or we could (SOMETHING ELSE)" and he never bothered to replace it.

3. My Father's Son: I do like how MYM goes into this. It's cool. This was one of my favorites at first. I do still like it. Cool bass, and its kind of unique - doesn't really sound like anything else in their catalogue. Eddie's voice on the chorus is again the weak part. But I do really like when he starts yelling. The verses where it strips down to mostly Eddie and the bass are cool. Actually the bridge is awesome too, especially how it builds into that last verse. This is one of the best moments on the album by far. That last verse starting from "NOWWWWW" is just great, Eddie sounds intense.

I have to say though, lyrically, I HATE HATE HATE them starting the song without rhyming in the first verse. "son" and "line". All the other verses rhyme except that one at the start, and its awkward to me.

4. Sirens: When this released I LOVED it. I remember discussing it on here back when that happened, and defending it and how much I really loved the lyrics, and how they presented a more mature Eddie. A song with lyrics that could only be written by Eddie at this point in his life, where he is a different person than he was on Ten. I think I still stand by that.

I do really like the harmonies on this song. Still some of those anoying Eddie vocals "Knowin DAAAT nothin lasts for EE verrr". In general I just find his vocals so much more strained at this point in his career than early on, and I rarely think he sounds great on a song. His voice on "All thiiings chaaaange" is weak. But the melodies are good, and the lyrics work for me even if a couple are cheesy.

Its got a good vibe. Its a good song. Its different. Its not as good live because Eddie can't sing it though, and their harmonies are always rough live. Also some of the vibe is kind of tinny live in the guitars. Its just a better song on the album than live in general.

Also this is the song that has "If I think too much I can get over......whelmed" which is....<_<. I also hate "I always loved you, held you high above too". And as for delivery, I hate the "fear goes a - waaay - eee" STOP BREAKING UP WORDS INTO 3 WORDS. Nice guitar solo that sounds like sirens kind of.

Good ending. I think OVERALL this one is a strength of the album and of their later catalog.