Lightning Bolt: the official album thread

[nomorecrackpipes]

I don't think they're lazy at all, if anything they over think and over produce their songs. Why has it taken four years to write and record a new one? I think they're worried about sullying their legacy.

[Norah]

It's taken 4 years to record the record not because they've been agonizing over making it perfect for the last 4 years, but because they have other shit they'd rather be doing.

[verb_to_trust]

It's taken 4 years to record the record not because they've been agonizing over making it perfect for the last 4 years, but because they have other shit they'd rather be doing.

I think this is going to be glaringly obvious come October if they don't give us something better than the last two...and smart money is they won't.

[MemoFromTurner]

I don't think I listen to anything for nostalgic reasons. I listen if I like it, even a little bit. If I don't like something I'll go off it and not listen, like plenty of bands from my childhood, and like most of S/T and Backspacer. I guess if the nostalgia argument held up, I'd still be listening to Green Jelly or Ugly Kid Joe.

I don't know if there's a nostalgia aspect, but I definitely am sure I give PJ a pass due to them being such an important band to me. I pop in Backspacer or S/T every once in a while; I just can't see me ever listening to those records if it wasn't this band, or another band that has a similar stature for me.

This is true. I just don't think that can be boiled down to nostalgia. It's attachment, it's trust, the same thing that keeps you in love for the same amount of time and longer. We don't stay married because we're nostalgic for our wedding day, and we don't still listen to our favourite bands because of old material. We listen to them because however lacklustre they've been, they've never let us down to such an extent there's any reason to drop them.

The marriage analogy is tired and obvious but also apt. In 1991 I trusted Pearl Jam would continue to make great music after Ten and that they'd stick together. I trusted they would evolve as a band and not embarrass me by sucking, repeating themselves artistically, or breaking up. My marriage to the band has been a success (producing 6 or 7 amazing kids!) but now we're in those delicate mid-life crisis years when the looks have faded, the stories have grown stale and patterns have begun to grate.

If I get to the point where I have to honestly admit that the band is producing garbage and should pull the plug it will be a painful day. The buzz coming out of the Pearl Jam camp is that an amazing album is dropping in October. The band and I are in marriage therapy. I remain optimistic despite some ominous signs.

[warehouse]

didn't they write half the record 2 years ago, and then wrote the other half this year? im not really sure what to expect, especially w/ the 3 songs ive heard. mym is awesome. i'm still not sold on LB. i've been trying to forget about the other one, so im not even gonna type the name. regardless, i have pit tickets for the 2nd philly show.

[BurtReynolds]

At this point I'm hoping for a decent big dumb rock record to keep me entertained for a week. It seems they have taken off the restraints that Backspacer was shackled with, so thats good. I fear that Ed's incessant need to preach and teach will probably interfere with that. These songs work better to me when they are just about drugs and partying and generally being awesome, not talking about waves.

I was hoping for an angry record (as Ed's fire and brimstone preaching is infinitely better than his new age guru approach), but these two new songs blew that hope out of the water.

[JimX6]

At this point I'm hoping for a decent big dumb rock record to keep me entertained for a week. It seems they have taken off the restraints that Backspacer was shackled with, so thats good. I fear that Ed's incessant need to preach and teach will probably interfere with that. These songs work better to me when they are just about drugs and partying and generally being awesome, not talking about waves.

I was hoping for an angry record (as Ed's fire and brimstone preaching is infinitely better than his new age guru approach), but these two new songs blew that hope out of the water.

[Norah]

Let's be real, this thing is going to suck.

[BurtReynolds]

Let's be real, this thing is going to suck.

yeah probably

[Birds in Hell]

At this point I'm hoping for a decent big dumb rock record to keep me entertained for a week.

I would be very okay with that.

[B]

Has anyone mentioned the theory that that spooky music at the beginning of this video may be the intro the album? Mind Your Manners is track #2, and when they played it on Pearl Jam radio the day it came out, it started with that stuff as an intro.

[Norah]

Yeah, people have speculated that.

[Farmer John]

At this point I'm hoping for a decent big dumb rock record to keep me entertained for a week.

I would be very okay with that.

A couple songs worthy of including on a nice PJ mix would be nice.

[HardTI]

Has anyone mentioned the theory that that spooky music at the beginning of this video may be the intro the album? Mind Your Manners is track #2, and when they played it on Pearl Jam radio the day it came out, it started with that stuff as an intro.

That would be fucking fantastic. Did I also hear someone mention that there is a better rip or mix of MYM out there?

[Thejambi]

Has anyone mentioned the theory that that spooky music at the beginning of this video may be the intro the album? Mind Your Manners is track #2, and when they played it on Pearl Jam radio the day it came out, it started with that stuff as an intro.

That would be fucking fantastic. Did I also hear someone mention that there is a better rip or mix of MYM out there?

Nah I was talking about how much different it sounded on the radio.

[verb_to_trust]

Let's be real, this thing is going to suck.

yeah probably

All signs point towards a big shiny rock album captained by a really rich guy singing about how happy he is. You guys into that?

[Sgt. Crackpot]

Let's be real, this thing is going to suck.

yeah probably

All signs point towards a big shiny rock album captained by a really rich guy singing about how happy he is. You guys into that?

We already had to put up with Creed. Goddamn it, now we must destroy them!

[Thejambi]

Let's be real, this thing is going to suck.

yeah probably

All signs point towards a big shiny rock album captained by a really rich guy singing about how happy he is. You guys into that?

About as into it as listening to a really rich guy bitching and moaning about being rich rich people while pretending he isn't rich.

Edit

[Walker Bait]

I don't know if I'm in the minority here but i think its gonna be great! I've been trying to think of a description for my feelings towards it so far from what we've heard and I couldn't until now and.... EUREKA IVE GOT IT! ! "Organic" it feels much more organic to me...Backspacer felt very polished....too polished and structures. ..this feels organic to me which I love.

[Thejambi]

I don't know if I'm in the minority here but i think its gonna be great! I've been trying to think of a description for my feelings towards it so far from what we've heard and I couldn't until now and.... EUREKA IVE GOT IT! ! "Organic" it feels much more organic to me...Backspacer felt very polished....too polished and structures. ..this feels organic to me which I love.

I dunno about organic but I am excited and the 3 tracks so far haven't tempered it. It might have a pop glaze but I won't mind. These have felt more developed than Backspacer so far .