Song of the Moment: Lightning Bolt

[E.H. Ruddock]

Musical
Lyrical

So Inside Job 2?

[tommymtcom]

I know some people want them to go backwards like No Code era or something. But to me that's akin to when Ten era fans got mad when they got into the middle period. They're still moving forward.
.

Are they moving forward, though?

To me they were moving forward through Riot Act and then jumped backwards with Avocado and now they just make kinda boring pearl jam themed pop. I mean, there is a lot of their old sound in Backspacer, but it's just watered way down and mixed with a few Ed solo songs.

[hailroad]

This is better than Future Days, but not by much IMO. It's like a lovechild of U/MFC/Betterman. Fairly bland. My anticipation for this album is dropping rapidly.

[---]

so this is the song they thought fitting of titling the name after, huh?

MYM is better than this song, which seems cut from the same uninspired cloth that unthought known, amongst the waves, etc were cut from. not impressed.

What songs are included in your 'etc.' here?

the mid-tempo schlock that characterizes the last decade of their output: gone, come back, unthought known, amongst the waves, force of nature, speed of sound, inside job

[MemoFromTurner]

Alright, so I was there, and on the field, and got to hear a very crystal clear version of the song. My initial thoughts:

This is a step forward and continued progress for the band. The song has lift, dynamics, slower sections with melody, and then the rocking parts that take the song to a different place. Not sure if it comes through on the YouTube audio, but there are some nice Binaural era arpeggios going on. And Mike is using an ebow and just shredding it. I'm not sure we've ever seen him use that. Maybe comes from his soundtrack work. If I were to describe it, I'd say its Binaural meets Backspacer. It still has the melodic tightness I like in Backspacer (which I'm a fan of, suck it haters) but some added song structure from the Ed binaural tracks. The hook of the song is Backspacer and the jam is Binaural live era to me. Just my opinion. I think this is what Mike was talking about as an extension of Backspacer. It's got the uplift and punch of Backspacer (for which some people don't want to be uplifted I guess?) It takes some of the stuff they developed and stretched it out, made it jammier and more solos.

I know some people want them to go backwards like No Code era or something. But to me that's akin to when Ten era fans got mad when they got into the middle period. They're still moving forward.

I'll post a more complete review of the show. Very unique experience to say the least.

I am much more into the idea of Backspacer if they promise to never do it again. In the same way we didn't hear Ten Part 2 or Vitalogy Part 2. This song sounds a little too right smack dab in the middle of the last album. Maybe the recording will take it somewhere else and they were playing it live for the first time ever so instant analysis is cruelly premature. But I am worried. But mostly I'm worried about listening to a song that sounds Who-insired "awesome" with rubbish lyrics.

[harmless]

so this is the song they thought fitting of titling the name after, huh?

MYM is better than this song, which seems cut from the same uninspired cloth that unthought known, amongst the waves, etc were cut from. not impressed.

What songs are included in your 'etc.' here?

the mid-tempo schlock that characterizes the last decade of their output: gone, come back, unthought known, amongst the waves, force of nature, speed of sound, inside job

[Thejambi]

I've upgraded a bit from last night. I hope it's not the jewel of the album because its not a great song. It's middle of the road but I wouldn't call it bland like some of you are. The guitar work is very nice. I hate the constant bass drum and I think it would have benefitted greatly from more groove. Lyrics paint a decent picture but there is alot of awkwardness. Really don't hate "lightning bolt" as a lyric.

I slot it in Unthought Known's place in the catalog and think its better than that so it's a win in my book.

[harmless]

I know some people want them to go backwards like No Code era or something. But to me that's akin to when Ten era fans got mad when they got into the middle period. They're still moving forward.
.

Are they moving forward, though?

To me they were moving forward through Riot Act and then jumped backwards with Avocado and now they just make kinda boring pearl jam themed pop. I mean, there is a lot of their old sound in Backspacer, but it's just watered way down and mixed with a few Ed solo songs.

This is a great description of what happened.

At this point it feels like if they're progressing, they're doing so in the same way as global warming.

[harmless]

I've upgraded a bit from last night. I hope it's not the jewel of the album because its not a great song. It's middle of the road but I wouldn't call it bland like some of you are. The guitar work is very nice. I hate the constant bass drum and I think it would have benefitted greatly from more groove. Lyrics paint a decent picture but there is alot of awkwardness. Really don't hate "lightning bolt" as a lyric.

I slot it in Unthought Known's place in the catalog and think its better than that so it's a win in my book.

This is what I hope I end up thinking.

[MemoFromTurner]

I've upgraded a bit from last night. I hope it's not the jewel of the album because its not a great song. It's middle of the road but I wouldn't call it bland like some of you are. The guitar work is very nice. I hate the constant bass drum and I think it would have benefitted greatly from more groove. Lyrics paint a decent picture but there is alot of awkwardness. Really don't hate "lightning bolt" as a lyric.

I slot it in Unthought Known's place in the catalog and think its better than that so it's a win in my book.

I'm backing off my knee jerk "lyrics are terrible" commentary from earlier.The lyrics are tortured but Ed paints an interesting picture and he seems to be relating an intense experience in an passionate way. In other words, slightly disappointing from a prose standpoint but music is the sum of its parts and this song has potential.

[Iowaska_Experience]

Anyone else think this is about his daughter(s)? I sort of get that vibe from the lyrics. Must be a dad of daughters thing.....

[dprival78]

sounds more like "she's lightning bolt" than "she's a lightning bolt", no?

[dprival78]

good quality

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

I don't think i like the chorus, but im really liking the rest of the song, and as I've said a bunch already, ill wait to hear the studio version to make mu judgment

[Biff Pocoroba]

It's okay but could grow on me. Right now I'd put in the middle of pack, album filler/borderline b-side category. I might change my mind after multiple CD listens or I may not. Musically it's fine but lyrically/vocally it doesn't grab my attention.
I'm not a big fan of extended outros, we'll see if that's on the studio version.

[digster]

My first time listening after getting back from the show, and unfortunately both these new songs do absolutely nothing for me, either at the venue or afterwards.

[stupidmop]

Anyone else think this is about his daughter(s)? I sort of get that vibe from the lyrics. Must be a dad of daughters thing.....

I thought that, but that bit with the weeds sounds vaguely negative .

[E.H. Ruddock]

Doesn't Eddie say it's just called Lightning before the song?

[VinylGuy]

i really liked it...i hear MFC , some RVM, a lot of UK....seems its going to be a really nice song. I hope we get the jamming section at the end, because if i hear a fade in the studio version...

[harmless]

Doesn't Eddie say it's just called Lightning before the song?

Nope, he clearly says Lightning Bolt.