Red Mosquito

I just listened to Better Days for the first time in forever. If there's something like that but with good production and a fully invested quintet, I'm not scared.

Better Days is such a random song to reference. Haven’t heard it in many many years.

Tuolumne wrote:

Jessica Fletcher wrote:

Tuolumne wrote:I don't get your guys' LB references. What do you mean by the LB aesthetic or sound or song choices? I mean, there's Getaway, Pendulum, Infallible, MYM, Yellow Moon ... all extremely different types of songs. I get that there are BoB production flourishes (I'm not a technical listener so I don't know what the fuck you guys are talking about half the time) some of you do not like from him, but in terms of songwriting and such .... there is no "Lightning Bolt" sound. This sounds like it's going to be another varied album w/ stuff for different types of fans ... but somehow people will pidgeonhole it into a thing. Backspacer I get ... there's a specific thing about it w/ punchy and condensed ... LB or Avocado for that matter, I don't really understand the pidgeonholing.

There is a unique lightning bolt sound. The songs were recorded, mixed and mastered in a cohesive manner, a manner I find distasteful. The mid-range is sucked right out of everything. Every instrument is presented in its most sterile form, devoid of any space or atmosphere outside of the bare minimum signal to allow what BOB deemed worthy to pass through ProTools to the master. I can’t speak for everyone but that’s what I think of when I think of Lightning Bolt as an album. There are good songs but that is secondary to the aesthetic or sound in my mind.

That's some wonky technical shit that I just don't get. A majority of the LB songs I really dig. There's a 2-3 weak ones. Mid-range? Minimum bare signal? HUH???? That's what I think when I see that. All I know is that Getaway rocks the hair off of my scrotum, it's a banger dude.

The songs are pretty fuckin different from one another. And you know what, so was an album called NO CODE. Habit and Who You Are could not be any more different from each other in every way imaginable. Yet, somehow No Code has some sort of cohesive aesthetic? HUH?? Maybe there's some technical mumbo jumbo where someone can convince themselves that they bear some common thread but y'all be smokin some dank weed to be able to do that.....

Hey if you don’t hear it, that’s great and you’re probably better off for it. You just expressed confusion at what people were referring to as the LB sound so I tried to elaborate. It doesn’t have anything to do with the songs or arrangements being the same or different. I’m not smoking any dank weed; it’s opinions I’ve formed from seven years of LB being the most recent PJ album.

scrub12 wrote:Better Days is such a random song to reference. Haven’t heard it in many many years.

This is why my head is spinning.

Clem Halibut wrote:

KidC- wrote:

Clem Halibut wrote:Well...I'm really confused & don't know what to think. Cohen The Billboard guy's review had me excited saying it was the best album since Yield. Then Kid C comes on here saying it's like Better Days & Lightning Bolt. I need some tequila.

Yep. Retrograde sounds like the end of better days. And the ending is awesome. That’s the comparison that came to mind. Is it exact? Nah. But it’s got that soaring thing down.

Cool! I love the ending of Better Days, and if Retrograde is like that, then I'm excited.

7'Oclock has me the most excited due to the Floyd reference. Does Mike have a solo in this one? Is this a Gilmore type Floyd...or Syd Barrett type Floyd?

I don’t remember. But 7 o’clock was a standout for sure. It was like an amplified fuuuck I’m blanking on the song. It was a riot act b side. You can’t know what it’s liiiiike. To feeeeeel. What is that song?

And again. These song comparisons are all coming from
a PJ nerd. I always enjoy when other people compare to existing songs. So. It’s not exact but it gives you an idea.

evenslow wrote:

scrub12 wrote:Better Days is such a random song to reference. Haven’t heard it in many many years.

This is why my head is spinning.

nothing makes sense. sometimes i feel like i don't even know kidc- anymore.

I had to go back and listen to Better Days. When it was referenced I thought he was talking about that Kinks cover Better Things...which had me scared...because that wasn't even a good Kinks song.

KidC- wrote:

Clem Halibut wrote:

KidC- wrote:

Clem Halibut wrote:Well...I'm really confused & don't know what to think. Cohen The Billboard guy's review had me excited saying it was the best album since Yield. Then Kid C comes on here saying it's like Better Days & Lightning Bolt. I need some tequila.

Yep. Retrograde sounds like the end of better days. And the ending is awesome. That’s the comparison that came to mind. Is it exact? Nah. But it’s got that soaring thing down.

Cool! I love the ending of Better Days, and if Retrograde is like that, then I'm excited.

7'Oclock has me the most excited due to the Floyd reference. Does Mike have a solo in this one? Is this a Gilmore type Floyd...or Syd Barrett type Floyd?

I don’t remember. But 7 o’clock was a standout for sure. It was like an amplified fuuuck I’m blanking on the song. It was a riot act b side. You can’t know what it’s liiiiike. To feeeeeel. What is that song?

And again. These song comparisons are all coming from
a PJ nerd. I always enjoy when other people compare to existing songs. So. It’s not exact but it gives you an idea.

Other Side

I like Better Days.

Jaeti wrote:I just listened to Better Days for the first time in forever. If there's something like that but with good production and a fully invested quintet, I'm not scared.

Retrograde. And it kills. Went with my sister who hasn’t been into PJ since yield. But still a major fan. She LOVED 1-4, 11, 12. Said it’s the best she’s heard from them since yield. So. She agrees with that reviewer dude.

evenslow wrote:

KidC- wrote:

Clem Halibut wrote:

KidC- wrote:

Clem Halibut wrote:Well...I'm really confused & don't know what to think. Cohen The Billboard guy's review had me excited saying it was the best album since Yield. Then Kid C comes on here saying it's like Better Days & Lightning Bolt. I need some tequila.

Yep. Retrograde sounds like the end of better days. And the ending is awesome. That’s the comparison that came to mind. Is it exact? Nah. But it’s got that soaring thing down.

Cool! I love the ending of Better Days, and if Retrograde is like that, then I'm excited.

7'Oclock has me the most excited due to the Floyd reference. Does Mike have a solo in this one? Is this a Gilmore type Floyd...or Syd Barrett type Floyd?

I don’t remember. But 7 o’clock was a standout for sure. It was like an amplified fuuuck I’m blanking on the song. It was a riot act b side. You can’t know what it’s liiiiike. To feeeeeel. What is that song?

And again. These song comparisons are all coming from
a PJ nerd. I always enjoy when other people compare to existing songs. So. It’s not exact but it gives you an idea.

Other Side

YEPPP. (Too MUCH weed in California I’m forgetting more and more really important things these days)

It reminded me of a more powerful other side.

it sounds like they've done river cross some serious justice at least.

evenslow wrote:

KidC- wrote:

Clem Halibut wrote:

KidC- wrote:

Clem Halibut wrote:Well...I'm really confused & don't know what to think. Cohen The Billboard guy's review had me excited saying it was the best album since Yield. Then Kid C comes on here saying it's like Better Days & Lightning Bolt. I need some tequila.

Yep. Retrograde sounds like the end of better days. And the ending is awesome. That’s the comparison that came to mind. Is it exact? Nah. But it’s got that soaring thing down.

Cool! I love the ending of Better Days, and if Retrograde is like that, then I'm excited.

7'Oclock has me the most excited due to the Floyd reference. Does Mike have a solo in this one? Is this a Gilmore type Floyd...or Syd Barrett type Floyd?

I don’t remember. But 7 o’clock was a standout for sure. It was like an amplified fuuuck I’m blanking on the song. It was a riot act b side. You can’t know what it’s liiiiike. To feeeeeel. What is that song?

And again. These song comparisons are all coming from
a PJ nerd. I always enjoy when other people compare to existing songs. So. It’s not exact but it gives you an idea.

Other Side

Huge if true.

KidC- wrote:

evenslow wrote:

KidC- wrote:

Clem Halibut wrote:

KidC- wrote:

Clem Halibut wrote:Well...I'm really confused & don't know what to think. Cohen The Billboard guy's review had me excited saying it was the best album since Yield. Then Kid C comes on here saying it's like Better Days & Lightning Bolt. I need some tequila.

Yep. Retrograde sounds like the end of better days. And the ending is awesome. That’s the comparison that came to mind. Is it exact? Nah. But it’s got that soaring thing down.

Cool! I love the ending of Better Days, and if Retrograde is like that, then I'm excited.

7'Oclock has me the most excited due to the Floyd reference. Does Mike have a solo in this one? Is this a Gilmore type Floyd...or Syd Barrett type Floyd?

I don’t remember. But 7 o’clock was a standout for sure. It was like an amplified fuuuck I’m blanking on the song. It was a riot act b side. You can’t know what it’s liiiiike. To feeeeeel. What is that song?

And again. These song comparisons are all coming from
a PJ nerd. I always enjoy when other people compare to existing songs. So. It’s not exact but it gives you an idea.

Other Side

YEPPP. (Too MUCH weed in California I’m forgetting more and more really important things these days)

It reminded me of a more powerful other side.

Big smile for that reference. Love Other Side.

LetMeSleep wrote:

KidC- wrote:

evenslow wrote:

KidC- wrote:

Clem Halibut wrote:

KidC- wrote:

Clem Halibut wrote:Well...I'm really confused & don't know what to think. Cohen The Billboard guy's review had me excited saying it was the best album since Yield. Then Kid C comes on here saying it's like Better Days & Lightning Bolt. I need some tequila.

Yep. Retrograde sounds like the end of better days. And the ending is awesome. That’s the comparison that came to mind. Is it exact? Nah. But it’s got that soaring thing down.

Cool! I love the ending of Better Days, and if Retrograde is like that, then I'm excited.

7'Oclock has me the most excited due to the Floyd reference. Does Mike have a solo in this one? Is this a Gilmore type Floyd...or Syd Barrett type Floyd?

I don’t remember. But 7 o’clock was a standout for sure. It was like an amplified fuuuck I’m blanking on the song. It was a riot act b side. You can’t know what it’s liiiiike. To feeeeeel. What is that song?

And again. These song comparisons are all coming from
a PJ nerd. I always enjoy when other people compare to existing songs. So. It’s not exact but it gives you an idea.

Other Side

YEPPP. (Too MUCH weed in California I’m forgetting more and more really important things these days)

It reminded me of a more powerful other side.

Big smile for that reference. Love Other Side.

Yeah now we’re cooking with gas.

KidC- wrote:

Clem Halibut wrote:

KidC- wrote:

Clem Halibut wrote:Well...I'm really confused & don't know what to think. Cohen The Billboard guy's review had me excited saying it was the best album since Yield. Then Kid C comes on here saying it's like Better Days & Lightning Bolt. I need some tequila.

Yep. Retrograde sounds like the end of better days. And the ending is awesome. That’s the comparison that came to mind. Is it exact? Nah. But it’s got that soaring thing down.

Cool! I love the ending of Better Days, and if Retrograde is like that, then I'm excited.

7'Oclock has me the most excited due to the Floyd reference. Does Mike have a solo in this one? Is this a Gilmore type Floyd...or Syd Barrett type Floyd?

I don’t remember. But 7 o’clock was a standout for sure. It was like an amplified fuuuck I’m blanking on the song. It was a riot act b side. You can’t know what it’s liiiiike. To feeeeeel. What is that song?

And again. These song comparisons are all coming from
a PJ nerd. I always enjoy when other people compare to existing songs. So. It’s not exact but it gives you an idea.

Otherside is the B side you're talking about. I like that one. I can imagine it would be pretty hard to remember everything from first listen. Pearl Jam albums always take a few spins before I understand what I'm hearing.

It took me about 3 plays of DOTC before I could form an opinion.

Anyways, thanks for sharing this with us.

WtOB? wrote:it sounds like they've done river cross some serious justice at least.

Stand. Out. I was next to eddie while it played. The drums they added to it are perfection. It’s so good. Just hints of other shit but the organ and drums are the ground for it. So eager to hear it again.

Clem Halibut wrote:Well...I'm really confused & don't know what to think. Cohen The Billboard guy's review had me excited saying it was the best album since Yield.

Beware the overenthusiastic hype from superfans who are coasting off the adrenaline of just having enjoyed privileged access to a special event where they possibly got drunk on tequila with their hero. "Best album since x" is the same hooey that gets thrown around every time any veteran artist releases a new album -- we've all been through this enough times to know not to put any stock in stuff like this.

That said, comparisons are in the eye of the beholder, so I can turn a blind eye to references to "Better Days" and Lightning Bolt. The comment that sticks out for me is the confirmation that "DotC" is anomalous enough to "stick out like a sore thumb." That's disappointing. Certainly the songs themselves will be the final word, but it seems highly unlikely to me that a record comprised of "rock, punk, and Eddie songs like 'Better Days'" is going to be capable of embodying that same spirit that we've all been so captivated by these past few days.

KidC- wrote:

WtOB? wrote:it sounds like they've done river cross some serious justice at least.

Stand. Out. I was next to eddie while it played. The drums they added to it are perfection. It’s so good. Just hints of other shit but the organ and drums are the ground for it. So eager to hear it again.

great to hear. so cool how old that organ is and sounds really promising that they used the original demo. i had the fortune of seeing the live debut and it was very moving.

Kevin Davis wrote:

Clem Halibut wrote:Well...I'm really confused & don't know what to think. Cohen The Billboard guy's review had me excited saying it was the best album since Yield.

Beware the overenthusiastic hype from superfans who are coasting off the adrenaline of just having enjoyed privileged access to a special event where they possibly got drunk on tequila with their hero. "Best album since x" is the same hooey that gets thrown around every time any veteran artist releases a new album -- we've all been through this enough times to know not to put any stock in stuff like this.

That said, comparisons are in the eye of the beholder, so I can turn a blind eye to references to "Better Days" and Lightning Bolt. The comment that sticks out for me is the confirmation that "DotC" is anomalous enough to "stick out like a sore thumb." That's disappointing. Certainly the songs themselves will be the final word, but it seems highly unlikely to me that a record comprised of "rock, punk, and Eddie songs like 'Better Days'" is going to be capable of embodying that same spirit that we've all been so captivated by these past few days.

Some might say doors open up to interpretation.