Lightning Bolt: the official album thread

[verb_to_trust]

Guys, production isn't going to save this stuff. If a song is any good it will come off live, these two didn't. They were just......there.

[harmless]

Production has saved a lot of PJ stuff. Even the old stuff. Maybe I just don't like them as much as I used to.

[harmless]

And also, I don't believe that if a song is good it will come off live. PJ have been butchering their live material for a long time now, and I almost always prefer it on the CD.

[verb_to_trust]

Remember...we still have some hand claps to look forward to.

[Revelator]

I know I'm new, but not really getting all the negativity about the new songs. I mean yeah the chorus of Lightning Bolt is weak, but the verses sound solid, even if I can't quite make out the lyrics yet. I try not to pin too much on live debuts of songs...for starters, the quality is almost always on the crappy side with people chit chatting and shit in addition to the acoustics of a large venue.

That said, I'm not really digging Future Days at all and side with those who are hoping that it's not part of the new album and rather a track from Out Of The Furnace. It came off rather cheesy and sounds like something we've already heard a dozen times now from Ed. Lightning Bolt on the other hand has some promise, IMO, it's a bit light like something off of Backspacer and also has a very Who-ish quality, but I have a good feeling the studio version will outshine the live debut (especially if they didn't cut or fade out Mike's solo at the end).

We'll know soon enough, I don't think it's time to bury the band yet though, haha, far from it.

So you don't get all the negativity, but you agree with it when it comes to Future Days? Got it!

Haha, I guess I just didn't get all the extreme negativity. I don't think either song is as terrible as some were making them out to be. Future Days is not great, but it's not horrible either. Again, need to wait till I hear a better quality version, which hopefully won't be on Lightning Bolt

[verb_to_trust]

And also, I don't believe that if a song is good it will come off live. PJ have been butchering their live material for a long time now, and I almost always prefer it on the CD.

They are a 'live' band, they always have been. I think its just been about 10 years since they put enough effort in for you to remember that. If a song sucks live, its going to suck on the album. Thats true for most any band, but especially Pearl Jam.

[harmless]

I know I'm new, but not really getting all the negativity about the new songs. I mean yeah the chorus of Lightning Bolt is weak, but the verses sound solid, even if I can't quite make out the lyrics yet. I try not to pin too much on live debuts of songs...for starters, the quality is almost always on the crappy side with people chit chatting and shit in addition to the acoustics of a large venue.

That said, I'm not really digging Future Days at all and side with those who are hoping that it's not part of the new album and rather a track from Out Of The Furnace. It came off rather cheesy and sounds like something we've already heard a dozen times now from Ed. Lightning Bolt on the other hand has some promise, IMO, it's a bit light like something off of Backspacer and also has a very Who-ish quality, but I have a good feeling the studio version will outshine the live debut (especially if they didn't cut or fade out Mike's solo at the end).

We'll know soon enough, I don't think it's time to bury the band yet though, haha, far from it.

So you don't get all the negativity, but you agree with it when it comes to Future Days? Got it!

Haha, I guess I just didn't get all the extreme negativity. I don't think either song is as terrible as some were making them out to be. Future Days is not great, but it's not horrible either. Again, need to wait till I hear a better quality version, which hopefully won't be on Lightning Bolt

Extreme negativity and hyperbole is our style. We'll be open to both of these songs growing on us. For some of us, they will, and for others of us, they won't. I think some people just made the mistake of imagining the kind of album they wanted again. I didn't. So I'm not overly impressed with these cuts but that's not gravely disappointing to me. I'll leave the grave disappointment to my album listen.

[EJ]

Again, need to wait till I hear a better quality version, which hopefully won't be on Lightning Bolt

Oh, I think you can count on it being on the album. BOB played on it last night, right? These guys aren't prolific songwriters as a band anymore. I think its safe to say this will be there. Just hope for some lasers.

I think the only thing people can unrealistically hope for is that the band has not finalized what songs will be on the album. Maybe they'll pay attention to the feedback on these songs? But, we really know that's not going to happen.

[---]

harmless i don't remember you being this PJ-weary. when did this happen?

[broken iris]

Yeah. I'm just not sure why 'the first live runs through the material' have to sound worse than the 75th. If you've rehearsed them properly...

Alas, we are speaking about post-2006 Pearl Jam. Can we at least be positive the two new songs were not 2 minutes and had decent choruses?

[---]

Can we at least be positive the two new songs were not 2 minutes and had decent choruses?

you heard them, right?

[verb_to_trust]

Yeah. I'm just not sure why 'the first live runs through the material' have to sound worse than the 75th. If you've rehearsed them properly...

Alas, we are speaking about post-2006 Pearl Jam. Can we at least be positive the two new songs were not 2 minutes and had decent choruses?

LIGHTING BOLT! .............LIGHTNING BOWWWLDT!...........LIGGGGGHHHTNING BOOOOOOOOOOOLT!

[broken iris]

Can we at least be positive the two new songs were not 2 minutes and had decent choruses?

you heard them, right?

Just last night at the show. Haven't had the heart to relisten this morning.

[ItsOkay]

I'm not trying to be a smart ass and by no means do I think this is the worst thing in the world, but it does seem that this new record is in fact a logical extension to backspacer. I think it's backspacer w more meat on the bone

Sounds about right, which is sad because it was the perfect time for them to something else

I really wanted to really like this album, and its not looking like i will now.

All i ask for now is one song i like as much as any of the 2000 and before material.

C'mon soundcheck song.

Am I putting to much hope into one poorly recorded soundcheck? Yes. Am I setting myself up for dissapointment? Yes. Will I continue to listen to soundcheck sound everyday til the record? Yes.

[stupidmop]

They've finished the album right? not still tweaking things? they got a long time till october....

Production wont make a shit song amazing, but it might make a ok song good, and occasionally a good song great see: insignificance live vs studio, sleight of hand live vs studio

[harmless]

harmless i don't remember you being this PJ-weary. when did this happen?

Over the last 4 years since Backspacer, I realised more and more that I found it kind of boring and don't revisit it anymore. I always disliked S/T, even though I can stomach half of it. But mostly it's not the music that I've gone off, mostly it's the attitude they seem to give off with every song they write now: this is OK, but we couldn't be bothered to make it any better because we have better thinks to do and we'll make enough money from this anyway. I don't know when it clicked that I want more from this band, and I'm tired of making excuses for them. That said, when I say 'more', I don't mean much more.

[ItsOkay]

And also, I don't believe that if a song is good it will come off live. PJ have been butchering their live material for a long time now, and I almost always prefer it on the CD.

They are a 'live' band, they always have been. I think its just been about 10 years since they put enough effort in for you to remember that. If a song sucks live, its going to suck on the album. Thats true for most any band, but especially Pearl Jam.

What baffles me is Ed saying Backspacer was recorded with live shows in mind. There isn't any Backspacer song that I'd be sorry to be left off a setlist.

[Revelator]

I know I'm new, but not really getting all the negativity about the new songs. I mean yeah the chorus of Lightning Bolt is weak, but the verses sound solid, even if I can't quite make out the lyrics yet. I try not to pin too much on live debuts of songs...for starters, the quality is almost always on the crappy side with people chit chatting and shit in addition to the acoustics of a large venue.

That said, I'm not really digging Future Days at all and side with those who are hoping that it's not part of the new album and rather a track from Out Of The Furnace. It came off rather cheesy and sounds like something we've already heard a dozen times now from Ed. Lightning Bolt on the other hand has some promise, IMO, it's a bit light like something off of Backspacer and also has a very Who-ish quality, but I have a good feeling the studio version will outshine the live debut (especially if they didn't cut or fade out Mike's solo at the end).

We'll know soon enough, I don't think it's time to bury the band yet though, haha, far from it.

So you don't get all the negativity, but you agree with it when it comes to Future Days? Got it!

Haha, I guess I just didn't get all the extreme negativity. I don't think either song is as terrible as some were making them out to be. Future Days is not great, but it's not horrible either. Again, need to wait till I hear a better quality version, which hopefully won't be on Lightning Bolt

Extreme negativity and hyperbole is our style. We'll be open to both of these songs growing on us. For some of us, they will, and for others of us, they won't. I think some people just made the mistake of imagining the kind of album they wanted again. I didn't. So I'm not overly impressed with these cuts but that's not gravely disappointing to me. I'll leave the grave disappointment to my album listen.

Understood, a lot will hinge on the studio cuts for me, too. For instance, if my first listen to MYM had been from their live debut I would have chalked it up to another average PJ punk song. The studio version has balls though and is really quite good (I'm not saying it sucks live, just needs more fine tuning which comes with time).

[ItsOkay]

harmless i don't remember you being this PJ-weary. when did this happen?

Over the last 4 years since Backspacer, I realised more and more that I found it kind of boring and don't revisit it anymore.

I realized the same when I was stuck in my car with only Backspacer (all my other music in our other car). I skipped every song but Force of Nature, then turned on ESPN radio. I don't want to try and like Lightning Bolt like I did Backspacer and S/T.

If you were stuck in your car with one Pearl Jam album, which would you NOT want it to be?

[---]

harmless i don't remember you being this PJ-weary. when did this happen?

Over the last 4 years since Backspacer, I realised more and more that I found it kind of boring and don't revisit it anymore. I always disliked S/T, even though I can stomach half of it. But mostly it's not the music that I've gone off, mostly it's the attitude they seem to give off with every song they write now: this is OK, but we couldn't be bothered to make it any better because we have better thinks to do and we'll make enough money from this anyway. I don't know when it clicked that I want more from this band, and I'm tired of making excuses for them. That said, when I say 'more', I don't mean much more.

I see.

I was thinking after hearing "Future Days" this morning: why is every post-2003 PJ acoustic number pretty much the exact same? Why don't they create something understated, something vital that exists in its own unique space? Why have they excised the Strangest Tribes and Fatals from their unplugged leitmotif (Parachutes is an obvious exception)?