Lightning Bolt: the official album thread

[Norah]

fuck you

[Kevin Davis]

What "grand pronouncement" did I make? I actually specifically limited my comment to those three songs. I'm still more than open to being floored by the rest of the album.

[Norah]

stop moving around so much, it's hard to keep my tongue on your nutsack

[Lament]

I might be wrong, but I don't see a lot of people saying they want something "darker," and then pointing to "Yield" as an example of what they would expect that to sound like. To a degree, I think you're kind of consolidating everyone's individual quibbles with Pearl Jam's new music into one catch-all platform and then acting surprised when that platform is inconsistent with itself.

What admirers of Pearl Jam's middle period miss isn't the "darkness," I don't think; it's an attention to sonic detail and nuance, an interest in putting slightly sideways spins on the more or less, as you say, "basic song structures" that they've been peddling since the beginning, regardless of whether or not they end up positive and optimistic like "Yield" or inward and claustrophobic like "Binaural." I think what you hear as "difficult and inaccessible" is the same thing that other people hear as multi-layered and stylistically diverse, a genuine curiosity over just how far the basic format of the group can stretch without breaking, or turning into something different altogether. While I've liked the last couple records for what they are, that sense of inquisitiveness is largely gone for me. These three new songs represent the first time I've ever felt just flat-out indifferent to new Pearl Jam. There's just no creative spark to them.

For someone admittedly so smart you show an amazing lack of restraint based on 3 songs - 2 of which were heard for the first time in a live setting only two nights ago. Your pessimism (and cutups subsequent ball licking) may end up ringing true, but I've got 11 studio tracks left to hear before I get righteous about anything other than the fact that we should, you know, wait til the record comes out before making any grand pronouncements about a large batch of unheard songs let alone context.

How is calling the three new songs "the first time I've ever felt just flat-out indifferent to new Pearl Jam" a grand pronouncement? It seems to be one of the measured responses to the new songs anyone has put forth up this point.

[Lament]

What "grand pronouncement" did I make? I actually specifically limited my comment to those three songs. I'm still more than open to being floored by the rest of the album.

Your words said "flat-out indifference" but your eyes said "THIS IS ALREADY THE WORST ALBUM EVER AND I HATE PEARL JAM FOREVER & EVER!"

[Norah]

It's not like their last two albums have been especially good.

Shit, I shouldn't talk with my mouth full.

[evenslow]

What "grand pronouncement" did I make? I actually specifically limited my comment to those three songs. I'm still more than open to being floored by the rest of the album.

What you said was clearly a lament about what you see as a lack of inquisitiveness and/or sonic nuance. What I said was you're making a ridiculous grand critique about how these songs fit into a context of the band's career when two of them were heard live for the first time two nights ago. We don't really have a sense of how they fit in bc we have yet to hear them in a studio setting. I also mentioned you may end up being right but if the Kevin Davis Fan Club requires not questioning you than, my apologies.

[malice]

FWIW, I'm pretty sure pete's ball-licking abilities are what gained him his high status on RM

[Lament]

What "grand pronouncement" did I make? I actually specifically limited my comment to those three songs. I'm still more than open to being floored by the rest of the album.

What you said was clearly a lament about what you see as a lack of inquisitiveness and/or sonic nuance. What I said was you're making a ridiculous grand critique about how these songs fit into a context of the band's career when two of them were heard live for the first time two nights ago. We don't really have a sense of how they fit in bc we have yet to hear them in a studio setting. I also mentioned you may end up being right but if the Kevin Davis Fan Club requires not questioning you than, my apologies.

There was that weird part where he attributed the lack of inquisitiveness & sonic nuance to "the last couple records." I don't think an album that hasn't been released yet counts as one of "the last couple records."

But I'm probably wrong. Oh well, at least I got nuts in my face.

[Waverider]

It's times like this I'm glad I only really care about what I think.

[Kevin Davis]

What "grand pronouncement" did I make? I actually specifically limited my comment to those three songs. I'm still more than open to being floored by the rest of the album.

What you said was clearly a lament about what you see as a lack of inquisitiveness and/or sonic nuance. What I said was you're making a ridiculous grand critique about how these songs fit into a context of the band's career when two of them were heard live for the first time two nights ago. We don't really have a sense of how they fit in bc we have yet to hear them in a studio setting. I also mentioned you may end up being right but if the Kevin Davis Fan Club requires not questioning you than, my apologies.

What is your problem?

I didn't make a "ridiculous grand critique" of them, or say anything about "how they fit into the context of the band's career." I just said I had an indifferent reaction to them, and that to me, they didn't sound particularly creatively engaged, which is something I miss about their records I like best. How is that in any way unreasonable? Do you really have to hear the entire album in a studio format before you can assess individual songs or performances on their own merits?

Did I do something to personally offend you? I really have no idea where this completely disproportionate combativeness is coming from.

[evenslow]

Before Pearl Jam releases No Code we hear Who You Are as the single and then get I'm open and Mankind in concert.

Of course I'm not comparing Lightning Bolt to No Code but the drift is to, ya know, wait things out. And as you know this amazing exercise can be applied to any album.

[Norah]

FWIW, I'm pretty sure pete's ball-licking abilities are what gained him his high status on RM

Hey, girl.

[LetMeSleep]

FWIW, I'm pretty sure pete's ball-licking abilities are what gained him his high status on RM

Wait, high status doesn't equal well regarded, right?

[evenslow]

What "grand pronouncement" did I make? I actually specifically limited my comment to those three songs. I'm still more than open to being floored by the rest of the album.

What you said was clearly a lament about what you see as a lack of inquisitiveness and/or sonic nuance. What I said was you're making a ridiculous grand critique about how these songs fit into a context of the band's career when two of them were heard live for the first time two nights ago. We don't really have a sense of how they fit in bc we have yet to hear them in a studio setting. I also mentioned you may end up being right but if the Kevin Davis Fan Club requires not questioning you than, my apologies.

What is your problem?

I didn't make a "ridiculous grand critique" of them, or say anything about "how they fit into the context of the band's career." I just said I had an indifferent reaction to them, and that to me, they didn't sound particularly creatively engaged, which is something I miss about their records I like best. How is that in any way unreasonable? Do you really have to hear the entire album in a studio format before you can assess individual songs or performances on their own merits?

Did I do something to personally offend you? I really have no idea where this completely disproportionate combativeness is coming from.

Again, I mentioned how you didn't like these tracks for their lack of inquisitiveness and sonic nuance in relation to the famed middle period (which is a debate for another time) when you have yet to hear them in a studio setting. I could say this again 10 minutes from now but it's already boring. Or I could simply agree with you and the other easily offended and we go to bed. I, however, don't feel that arguing with Kevin Davis or whoever else is a threatening endeavor. Is arguing with your point or finding what you have to say ridiculous not allowed?

[malice]

FWIW, I'm pretty sure pete's ball-licking abilities are what gained him his high status on RM

Hey, girl.

i was just sitting here pondering the last couple pages and I think evenslow is bothered by a a mistaken perception of what Kevin Davis wrote. maybe he just wants to be happily expectant for new songs and is frustrated that the level of enthusiasm here is a bit lacking?

being famous for my own bad interpretations of posts on the interents ...well, I'm guessing that kind of where he's coming from.
plus, I was only kidding, you are horrid at ball-licking

[malice]

FWIW, I'm pretty sure pete's ball-licking abilities are what gained him his high status on RM

Wait, high status doesn't equal well regarded, right?

no, man. it was a reference to smoking pot

[Norah]

FWIW, I'm pretty sure pete's ball-licking abilities are what gained him his high status on RM

Hey, girl.

i was just sitting here pondering the last couple pages and I think evenslow is bothered by a a mistaken perception of what Kevin Davis wrote. maybe he just wants to be happily expectant for new songs and is frustrated that the level of enthusiasm here is a bit lacking?

being famous for my own bad interpretations of posts on the interents ...well, I'm guessing that kind of where he's coming from.
plus, I was only kidding, you are horrid at ball-licking

You seemed to enjoy it in the Buick.

[Kevin Davis]

Before Pearl Jam releases No Code we hear Who You Are as the single and then get I'm open and Mankind in concert.

Of course I'm not comparing Lightning Bolt to No Code but the drift is to, ya know, wait things out. And as you know this amazing exercise can be applied to any album.

Again, I'm not sure how I conveyed that I was pre-emptively judging the new album as a whole, but even in your No Code example, wouldn't it be perfectly reasonable to assess those three songs on their own merits? Sure, the release of the album may recontextualize your understanding of them, but even then, the release of the following album may recontextualize it again. All work is perpetually subject to the emergence of new information or material which may alter your understanding of it. Until then all you can do is see it for what it is at the time.

Is arguing with your point or finding what you have to say ridiculous not allowed?

No, not at all, I just feel like you're arguing with something that I specifically didn't say. I also really don't understand this completely juvenile chip on your shoulder.

[malice]

FWIW, I'm pretty sure pete's ball-licking abilities are what gained him his high status on RM

Hey, girl.

i was just sitting here pondering the last couple pages and I think evenslow is bothered by a a mistaken perception of what Kevin Davis wrote. maybe he just wants to be happily expectant for new songs and is frustrated that the level of enthusiasm here is a bit lacking?

being famous for my own bad interpretations of posts on the interents ...well, I'm guessing that kind of where he's coming from.
plus, I was only kidding, you are horrid at ball-licking

You seemed to enjoy it in the Buick.

i miss that car