Lightning Bolt: The Official Album Thread

[bada]

Why do the first two lines in MFS not rhyme but everything else does? Am I missing something?

I noticed that on first listen, and I've hated the song ever since. It's so awkward that I can't recover until after the first chorus, and by then I'm too pissed off to enjoy the song.

I recover then the bridge comes in.....ack.

[hbk]

I went in on this album having only listened to MYM and the video for Sirens, so most of the songs came into my head fresh.

I'm of the camp that thinks Backspacer is quite well done and is good for what it is. Not my favorite PJ record but I appreciated what they were doing in that disc.

Lighting Bolt surprises me in many ways. Ed's knack for busting out catchy melodies has definitely taken a further step from Backspacer, and I often found myself cracking a smile at certain points of listening to this.

I wonder if SBM would be this controversial to people if it hadn't been a released song on the uke record already. Would it "fit in" better with more people, or seem even more like the odd man out? For me, SBM sounds great and I probably cracked a huge shit eating grin once the uke part started playing near the end. It was a nice call back to the original version. It also reminds me of Mumford and Sons a little bit, and so I know my girlfriend is going to dig the hell out of the song.

I liked the "live" Sirens from the video a little better than the recorded version. The live take was more raw and felt more sincere to me. I also really enjoyed the entire band singing the "ah ah ah" part at the end instead of Ed harmonizing over himself on the recorded version. It's still a fine song, one I never thought they'd write, but I enjoy it none the less.

A lot has been said about Pendulum, my first reaction is that it musically seemed to be a cousin of Indifference in a way. Love it. Probably my favorite on this album.

Infallible is stuck in my head, it's a really good song. I felt like Ed channeled some early Jackson 5 MJ vocals at parts (somewhat similar to how he sang Someday at Christmas. I might also be thinking about another song on this CD also...i've only listened to it once so far). The music almost about felt like a ripoff of I Appear Missing from the new Queens of the Stone Age album.

I think the title track is only OK. The LBC, Unthought Known strumming style of the song I find boring, but the song goes up from there.

MYM is a great rocker, I'm sure we'll see it often early in setlists.

I may write more follow up later, so far this is all the songs I remember from my one listen last night.

It's a great time to be a PJ fan when an album is on its way out, and a tour is coming up. I look forward to seeing them at Voodoo Fest in New Orleans in three weeks!

[KurtLeon]

I just removed the piano from FD, and it got really better IMHO.

[bada]

Sort of enjoying Getaway, MYM, Sirens, LB, Swallowed Whole and Yellow Moon. I don't hate the other songs but they do nothing for me. MFS could have been something....probably rank the album in the bottom four.

[vedder316]

I've listened to some of these songs more than others, probably listened to the record twice the whole way through. I really liked Backspacer (ducking), and this is much better. I'll see how it ages:

Getaway 4/5
MYM 4/5
MFS 3/5
Sirens 4.5/5
LB 3.5/5 This could move up, wish they had continued jamming instead of fading out.
Infallible 3.5/5
Pendulum 3.5/5
SW 4/5 I like REM, and this sounds just like them to me w/out Stipe on vocals. this could end up 5 stars
LTRP 3/5 Fuck, and I love Stone. weakest track for me.
SBM 3.5/5 I liked Ukelele Songs, but based on early reviews I was expecting it to be awful. Its not bad at all, could move up

YM 5/5 Maybe it will be drop, I've played it too much already, but Eddie sounds fantastic on this. Mike fought to have this on? Wise move.
FD 3/5

[sward]

I wish I hadn't listened to the earlier leak so often. I find that I'm skipping over those songs to listen to the new ones over and over to get a feel. So...the album is feeling disjointed. That said, its definitely going to be my favorite since Riot Act..and maybe even since Yield.

With that said, the sheer boredom that Future Days brings on will probably not allow the album to make that leap.

Disclaimer: Future Days is a very pretty song but its fucking boring the life out of me. I have ZERO ambition to give it too many more listens. The only way its going to play in my house is when Im not close enough to the music player to skip it. (or i pass out from the boredom and am unable to switch it). In case you couldn't tell..I find the song boring.

One positive is it makes SBM tolerable for some reason.

[McParadigm]

Guys, describing your feels about a song by telling how many stars/points/whatever it got out of 5 is about as valuable as grading a paper by putting C- at the top and offering no other indicator as to what the person did right or where they screwed up.

[Jorge]

Overall I think I have a more positive view of the album than some of my "middle-period" brethren. Other than "Future Days" and "Let the Records Play" I don't think there are any bad songs on the record.

[McParadigm]

Overall I think I have a more positive view of the album than some of my "middle-period" brethren. Other than "Future Days" and "Let the Records Play" I don't think there are any bad songs on the record.

On the album, Future Days >>>>>> Sirens through Infallible.

The more I listen, the more I feel like cutting Records out would turn the back half into a really solid EP.

[harmless]

This album is a bit like raiding the Pick-n-Mix at the cinema, and you grab all of your favourite colours and textures and tastes to put in the bag. But when the lights go off and the movie starts, you reach into the bag, put your first morsel in your mouth, and realise you accidentally picked up chocolate raisins instead of chocolate peanuts.

[LooseGroove927]

I just removed the piano from FD, and it got really better IMHO.

How did you do that? Any way you can share the file with us?

[DeeDee]

Anyone catch a REM Nightswimming vibe to the piano on Future Days?

Me.

[EJ]

How did LTRP get on this album? That's more of a head scratcher to me than SBM and FD.

[Mike]

How did LTRP get on this album? That's more of a head scratcher to me than SBM and FD.

They didn't want Stone to be sad. It's his only song.

I wish Sirens and Lightning Bolt would be at another place on the record. It would feel so much more cohesive to me if Infallible would follow MFS. What we have feels like they're starting the album with three songs, then shift to a double single with Sirens and Lightning Bolt and then go back to the album with Infallible. I like both Sirens and Lightning Bolt but it's like eating a really delicious steak and then someone shoves icecream in your face in the middle of it. Real sugary ice cream. With sprinkles on top.

[harmless]

How did LTRP get on this album? That's more of a head scratcher to me than SBM and FD.

They didn't want Stone to be sad. It's his only song.

I wish Sirens and Lightning Bolt would be at another place on the record. It would feel so much more cohesive to me if Infallible would follow MFS. What we have feels like they're starting the album with three songs, then shift to a double single with Sirens and Lightning Bolt and then go back to the album with Infallible. I like both Sirens and Lightning Bolt but it's like eating a really delicious steak and then someone shoves icecream in your face in the middle of it. Real sugary ice cream. With sprinkles on top.

Agreed. The frustrating thing is that it's so obvious how one could retrack it.

[jdopj]

For me this is different than BS in a good way. Lots of diverse songs on here that will go up or down for me.
At this point FD, SBM, LTRP bottom 3 although I don't hate them.

I really, really like this album. Much more consistent and with more depth than the last 2. Surprised by the hate. There seems to be something for everyone here.

[EJ]

How did LTRP get on this album? That's more of a head scratcher to me than SBM and FD.

They didn't want Stone to be sad. It's his only song.

I wish Sirens and Lightning Bolt would be at another place on the record. It would feel so much more cohesive to me if Infallible would follow MFS. What we have feels like they're starting the album with three songs, then shift to a double single with Sirens and Lightning Bolt and then go back to the album with Infallible. I like both Sirens and Lightning Bolt but it's like eating a really delicious steak and then someone shoves icecream in your face in the middle of it. Real sugary ice cream. With sprinkles on top.

Agreed. The frustrating thing is that it's so obvious how one could retrack it.

Who's put together the ideal re-tracking?

[Mike]

How did LTRP get on this album? That's more of a head scratcher to me than SBM and FD.

They didn't want Stone to be sad. It's his only song.

I wish Sirens and Lightning Bolt would be at another place on the record. It would feel so much more cohesive to me if Infallible would follow MFS. What we have feels like they're starting the album with three songs, then shift to a double single with Sirens and Lightning Bolt and then go back to the album with Infallible. I like both Sirens and Lightning Bolt but it's like eating a really delicious steak and then someone shoves icecream in your face in the middle of it. Real sugary ice cream. With sprinkles on top.

Agreed. The frustrating thing is that it's so obvious how one could retrack it.

How would you do it? I have no idea where to put Sirens.

[Django Butterworth]

Yellow Moon > Lowlight

[Monkey_Driven]

One of the things I love most about this band is how many different songs people list as their favorites or least favorites on each album.