Red Mosquito

6. Infallible

Benz Liked this one a lot too! It has a nice Groove. Reminded me a bit of No Way. It`s not like No Way but the way a simple powerfull groove dominates this song just reminded me of it. Don`t remember much more only that i really liked it.

Franzi It's an unusual PJ song, It has strong drum (and bass) lines and not so much guitar. The music sounds a bit aggressive & has a
more contemporary feel to it than the usual stuff. Eds voice is still in the normal range as a contrast to the more loud music
Lyric snippet if I heard it right
"put your faith in good hands,
pay no more than a glance"
"you think you've been here before"
(oh god, how embarrassing if these lyrics would be totally wrong, but I had to write fast )
It gets screamier at the end & to me it feels a bit like alternative rock in the direction of the newer Foo Fighters songs.
It has a few voice overlays at the end.
& a fade-out again.
---
(from the Q&A:) Infallible is a Jeff song

Chris I found it to be rather long as well. Multiple guitars, backwards played open the song. The rhythm then is very "stompy" IMO. I wrote up some rhythmic notations and guesses a few harmonies (for some of the other songs too) but find it now hard to remember or express.

Becki Honestly I can't remember a lot of this one. I think I remember liking this... But Honestly, I can't really give you any good thoughts or description on this one.

Frank


Joost My first notes say: YES, YES, YES!!! This is exactly what I wanted from a new Pearl Jam record. They cover new ground here. Another bass heavy track (probably written by Jeff who owns this record). Excellent use of keyboards and weird effects. Lots of harmonies in vocals and instruments. Did I hear a cowbell (not sure on that…)?? It was the song I liked the most and their most experimental one in a decade. Hard to describe. But if you have heard Jeff’s latest solo record While My Heart Beats you can kind of get a feeling of what to expect here. Incubus goes Achtung Baby, for the lack of a better description…sorry

Dennis (5:15) This is the song that was played during the soundcheck in London, Ontario this year, only it has a different intro than the way it
started live. Lyrics featured lines such as "Keep on locking your
doors", "Won't get you this time", "Ships coming in and sinking",
"Thinking we're infallible, we're tempting faith instead". It features
a guitar solo and ends with a fade out.

Mirella This one fades in. To me this sounded a bit eighties British, in a good way. Not the music, but the way it is sung. There is a very distinctive part of the music I tried to write down, but ‘tudududu’ will not really help to get this across, unfortunately. I really want to hear this again. There is a lot of drama in the lyrics, with disasters and sinking ships, and one of the lines is ‘pay no more than a glance’. Another one: ‘you think you’ve been here before, you are mistaken’. Some stadium rock like music and some more bellowing, and then the part we heard in that Toronto sound check, but much clearer. ‘for everything is possible in the thoughts and minds of men’. The singing in the end is rather sensual, for lack of a better word.

? Another song that gives and overview the quieter second part of the plate initiates. Only clarifies the economy even more, such as Pearl Jam skillfully with minimal resources can heat a captivating and energetic drama.

Cai Trefor another rougher-edged song, the fifth of its kind so far – is a hard-grunge affair which finds Vedder hitting every note with real precision, like a spear fisherman not missing a single strike. It’s a wonder how this man’s voice has sustained across the years – he sounds every bit as strong here as he did on ‘Ten’ and ‘Vs.’, what feels like a lifetime ago (and, for some fans, probably is).

Benjamin Bland Ooh, more synths. This reminds me of some of the more interesting moments on Binaural. Probably the most exciting moment on the record upon first listen, but, as ever, it’s tricky to be too positive on the back of just one listen. Definitely one to look out for at any rate.

7. Pendulum

Benz Really nice slow song with a psychedelic touch. Brandon said they recorded this one already for Backspacer but it didn`t make it...

Franzi I loved Pendulum. I picture Ed in a dark and moody room, like in a club, but the feeling is very lonely.
Eds voice is very soft and extremely in front of the music (you actually can understand the lyrics very well). The lyrics are very dark.
"my shadow left me long ago"
"understand where we d(w)on't go
this may pass
this may last"
It's really dark and kind of trippy.
It has a strang "a-ah-ah-a-..." part at the end. not his typically "hiiihiii"
There is also a Tambourine which makes the song sound even weirder and it ends with a few fast drum beats, very unique.
---
(from the Q&A) Pendulum was recorded for Backspacer but later didn't fit.

Chris Echo-y Piano Intro, like in a big hall. Dark mood overall.

Martin Pendulum" is KILLER!! One of my favourites!!!! New sound, new darker mood for PJ in my opinion! Doesn't fit on BS but here....perfect!!

Becki I remember really liking this song also. Kind of a dark slow song.
Found it interesting that Brendan O'Brien said it was suppose to be on Backspacer but it was cut.

Frank


Joost Remember that tour announcement video Pearl Jam posted some time ago with a mystery new song clip? If you liked the weird sounds you were hearing, then you will love this song! because it’s “Pendulum”. Some nice piano played for the intro. Another atmospheric and experimental track (it was at this point where I started to believe that Pearl Jam really made that record I ‘wanted’ from them). What’s that high sound? High Pitch vocals? Wow! It’s Ed! He has never sounded like this before. The harmonies again sound great. Lots and lots of dubbed vocals. Tight compressed drums. Another excellent track!



Dennis (3:36) This one starts with some drums and lyrics "We are here and then we're gone", "My shadow left me long ago", "Understand what we don't know".
Later in this song the guitar sounds a bit like a slide guitar. It's
definitely a darker song, also because of the lyrics which further
include "Into the fire but still I'm cold", "Nothing works for me
anymore". Ed later on starts singing "ah-ah-ah-ah-ah" and singing over
this as well. I liked the different layers of this song. Could become
one of my favourites on this album.

Mirella Starts with piano and bass, lyrics, and then drums. More lyrics, including ‘my shadow left me long ago’, and silence. This one has a beautiful haunting rhythm, and I think I also heard a tambourine. ‘easy come and easy go, easy left me a long time ago’. With the last ‘o’ being stretched. Beautiful guitar part, reminded me a bit of Snowy White. ‘I’m in the fire but I’m still cold, nothing works for me anymore’ ‘ah ah ah ah ah’ sounding as recorded with a voice box. I later heard this is the song you can hear parts of in the tour announcement video.

? While a Western guitar motif lost on the swings drum bass fusion, get your own thoughts into the subconscious often forgotten. "Pendulum" is a sweeping soul from the ballast. Brendan suggests, the song was actually written for previous album "Backspacer".

Cai Trefor And then, something completely different, as ‘Pendulum’ sounds unlike anything these men have recorded previously. It’s a bleak piece, reverbed guitar bringing a real sense of desolation to proceedings. A tambourine comes in, and an adagio bassline furthers the song’s atmospheric, experimental sound.

Benjamin Bland Yet more synths, and some piano too. We’ve gone full-on from punkier Pearl Jam to that rarest of Pearl Jam forms, the experimental Pearl Jam, in the space of the first seven tracks. Matt Cameron’s drumming gives this an almost krautrockian vibe, which is pretty damned cool it has to be said.

Niall Doherty The way they shift from the blues-y swagger of Let The Records Play to the percussive march of Pendulum and the R.E.M.-evoking country twang of Yellow Moon is a sure sign that they belong in the lineage of great American rock bands.

8. Swallowed Whole

Benz Didn`t really got into this one. It reminded me of something from Into The Wild but one of the more upbeat songs like Setting Forth..

Franzi It's the song that reminded me of Backspacer the most.
The lyrics are very environmental.
"I can feel the dawn,
I can feel the earth,
I can feel the living"
"Where's the song inside the wind?" (several times)
mid-tempo

Chris Has a rather fast riff, mainly played by an acoustic guitar. Eigth notes, and, if you know what I mean, to count: 1,2,3,1,2,3,1,2 (emphasizing the "1" - a classic alternative rock rhythm). I find the chorus rather "poppy". I noted an "OK" judging the song while listening. But, who know, if it evolves in my ears

Becki Don't remember a lot of this one either. But after the show and discussing it with Franzi and Chris, Chris pointed out "Swallowed Whole" was a lyric in the Song, Unthought Known.
"Swallowed Whole in Negatives" I found this very interesting and something I hadn't really thought about.
Really want to listen close on this one again. See if I find any similarities to Unthought known. Or if it's pure coincidence.

Frank


Joost Another Ed track, nice counterpart to ‘Lightning Bolt’. This is actually a great pop song, some jangle jingle REM like guitars with some Who-like chords under it. Another song that Ed could write in his sleep but on first listen I liked this one more that LB.

Dennis (3:49) I pictured this song to be more somber but it actually is quite a lot
more happy sounding. It begins with some nice strumming guitar sound
and the lyrics seemed to be more darker than the song itself. It
features some rhyme repeating words like drown, drown, drown and loud,
loud, loud, the currents pull me down, the songs are like wind,
breathing forgiveness. Thinking back on it, it could have the same
meaning as 'In Hiding' and it definitely features typically Ed ocean
imagery. Enjoyed this song as well, also because of the way it was
sung. Ends with a guitar solo.

Mirella Starts like it could have been on the Singles soundtrack. At first glance this sounds a bit pretentious but it is still beautiful. Lots of nature references. Finally a good guitar part again. ‘where’s the songs inside the wind’.

? Great covered song, not immediately jumping in the face, for it consistently and forcefully pulled through. Repeated "down down down" words depict soulful rock with plenty of space.

Cai Trefor ‘Swallowed Whole’ is similar to ‘Sirens’ – it begins quietly but builds to a rocking climax.

Benjamin Bland We’re back to the jangly Backspacer sound again. After the two previous tracks this one is a bit hard to get too excited about, but it’s not necessarily any worse, just more straightforward.

9. Let the Records Play

Benz Easily one of my favs. Good old school blues rock. Sounded like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club meets Black Keys!
Really nice can`t wait to hear it again.

Franzi It's a fun and ironic rock'n'roll song. It's really catchy and easy to listen to but I think it will get boring after time, at least for me.
It has a break shortly before the end & then more solo guitar and instrumental music for about 20 seconds til the end.
---
(from the Q&A) Let The Records Play is a Stone song

Chris I'm with Franzi - Rock'N'Roll riffs (the verse and fragments here and there), sounds rather ironic (without recognizing the lyrics). If I am right, Mike plays slide guitar licks and a slide guitar solo with wah-wah effect. I also noted: "Bridge!" I guess I liked it

Becki Fun Catchy Rock Song. I think I will like it more as I listen to it. For some reason in my head I was thinking it would be something along the lines of Spin the Black Circle. But it definitely was not.
All in all I do remember enjoying the song.

Frank


Joost Ladies and Gentlemen…it’s time to kick out the jams and twist and shout. Roll over Beethoven, Jack White and Dan Auerbach…This is Pearl Jam’s take on a blues rock featuring hand claps and tube-screaming solos. A light and fun song, much better than “Supersonic”. Not the best track on the record but I had a huge smile on my face. Nothing original but new for Pearl Jam. Will be fun live.

Dennis (3:42) The most blues rock song on the album but with a fun feel to it and
therefore it stands out from the others, like someone in a party mood
suddenly enters a room where others are having a serious discussion.
Typically a goofy Stone song. Lines include "When the kingdom comes,
he puts the records on", "Shaking but waking, wisdom in his bones".
Features a Stone solo and handclaps (according to my fellow companions
but I did not notice them myself) and ends with a fade out. This song
could go any which way after a few listens. Difficult to say if it
stays with you or not.

Mirella I loved this one! Pretty standard rock, pretty standard structure, but exactly why pretty standard rock can rule. Good sing-along, bit of rhyming, ‘when the kingdom comes’, and somehow a part even reminded me of ‘in the summertime’, however weird that may sound. ‘Down’ is sung low, Mike has a great part in this one, and it also ends with a fade out.

? The track exudes a blues vibe that sniffs the scent of the good old school from the 60s. Not far-fetched, but Pearl Jam demand on the board hearing.

Cai Trefor A swaggering bass dominates the mix on ‘Let The Records Play’, the track’s jam-like qualities crystallising a very ‘90s sound, albeit one mixed with the raw garage of Iggy And The Stooges.

Benjamin Bland Oh dear. This is one of those rare moments when Pearl Jam come off as almost pastiche-like in their attempts to make a song that’s pure “fun”. They have rarely pulled off the trick successfully since ‘Rats’ two decades ago. Unfortunately they definitely don’t get it right here.

Niall Doherty The way they shift from the blues-y swagger of Let The Records Play to the percussive march of Pendulum and the R.E.M.-evoking country twang of Yellow Moon is a sure sign that they belong in the lineage of great American rock bands

10. Sleeping By Myself

Benz I don`t know... It`s a bit like a joke. It`s not that much different than the Uke version but with a funny groove. Don`t know how to say it but it`s difficult to find a reason why this one should be on the album. It really feels like a joke. Not in a bad way but just like they make fun of themselves or something.

Franzi It's similar to the Uke version, it's more folky, in the direction of Mumford&Sons. With vocal harmonies from the band.
There are louder instrumental parts between the choruses, then the music gets in the background, Eds voice to front & back again.
I wrote "feels displaced". It's just a strange place on the album & Brendan told later that he was the one who wanted this song on the album so bad,
soooo. It's his fault. Would be more fitting as a b-side.
---
(from the Q&A) Then the topic changed to Sleeping By Myself. B said something about it
being PJ written, which I didn't understand, maybe he meant that Ed
initially thought this would be a PJ song but later put it on his solo
record. Brendan loooved the song and wanted it on a PJ record badly so he
convinced the band to do a band version of it.

Chris There is a "solo" (related to the vocal melody) as an instrumental bridge before the last chorus, I guess. I made a footnote: "Almost trivial." I recognized an Ukulele at the end of the song.

Martin good alternate version of the song but WHY NOT A B-SIDE??? I just want to hear new songs on a new album. this is no recycling station.

Becki Sleeping By Myself... Disappointed. I really do like the song. Great lyrics and Great song. But I wanted them to change it up. Make it a super rock song, something totally different than the Uke Version. It seemed Very Folk like.
And you do notice just a small bit of the Uke at the end of the song. Maybe I'll like it more after listening to it a bit.
But it seemed out of place on the album.
Brendan O'Brien said HE was the one who pushed to have this song on the album. HE wanted it on.

Frank


Joost Why? Why Ed? Why Brendan? Why is this on the record….it doesn’t belong here. Basically it’s the same as the ukelele song only with some arrangements. The arrangements are nice but they don’t add much. I liked the ukelele version much much better, that was its home. Feels out of place here. Uninspiring moment for the band. But who knows, it could very well be the next single and become a hit. But “Of The Earth” or “Cold Confession” would be fit here much better, fuck even “Olé” would have been better.

Dennis (2:59) Considering the reactions this song got from the rest of the company I was in, most people are going to shit all over this song. Brendan
O'Brien even said they had a hard time making this song sound less
commercial, which makes you wonder you even more about what the other
versions of this song sounded like.
This is definitely the Speed of Sound of this album. I actually still
kind of liked it. It's as if they made a happier sounding version of
this song, like it is actually quite swell to be sleeping by oneself.
I wrote down that this version reminded me of 'Soon Forget'. It still
features a uke as well. Looking forward to people's reaction to this
once the album is officially out.

Mirella We know the song from Eddie solo, but this is a real band version. More flashy, TV show like, maybe even cabaret, guitar singing along, very full. Background singing, lots of bass. Really strange if you keep the version we know in your mind. I wonder what this sounds like if it is the first version you hear. A part is acoustic, but then the whole band joins again. Frank, one of the writers who sat next to me, had a face that showed exactly what he wrote down: WTF. I am still thinking I want to like this song. Really not something to decide after just one listen.

? One-and-bred Southern ballad, although the band still comes from Seattle, the westernmost northern United States. Their oldie-country charm they could often play towards the end of their albums.

Cai Trefor ‘Sleeping By Myself’ is taken from ‘Ukulele Songs’, but further developed here, as you’d expect from a full-band version. The emotion of the original remains, though, with a great connection between the lyrics and melodic backing.

Benjamin Bland A reprisal of one of the songs from Eddie’s solo Ukulele Songs record from a couple of years back. Apparently this was re-recorded and included on the album at the suggestion of producer Brendan O’Brien. He’s had better ideas.

11. Yellow Moon

Benz Don`t know felt it was a bit boring.

Franzi It's a slower song, reminded me of Mark Lanegans Bleeding Muddy Water.
It had a few lyrics with metaphers of the sky & falling stars and stuff.
Otherwise, for the first listen there's not so much I could write about it.

Chris In the verse it has a odd time signature: 6/8 - 5/8 ... I noted "echo-y vocals" and something like a dark "fairy tale".

Martin a song like "Yellow Moon".....can i say It's GREAT? or BORING?? i need a second listen, and one more and more and more....but it's at least a GOOD song. the same with others...

Becki Yellow Moon... It was a slower song. Don't remember a lot of details on it though.

Frank


Joost Another dark and atmospheric song. This will definitely be a grower, it has weird time signatures. Some great vocals and a really nice solo by Mike. Another song that I already want to hear again.

Dennis (3:47) Here we arrive at my personal favourite song on the album. I was even singing along halfway into the song, which prompted Mirella to shush
me. Not really sure what made me like the song so much but it was just
like seeing a great jacket in a shop and when you try it on it fits
like a glove. It could have been the words as well, which went
something like "Here far away, feel the earth vibrate, the moon
chasing shape", "Round we go, where we stop no one knows", "As the sky
grows dark, we're falling stars". The chorus goes "Yellow moon on the
rise" with the rise part being sung as riiiiiiiise. Looking forward to
hearing this song again soon.

Mirella This song is very easy to immediately like. It starts out in a way I recognized from another song, but I could not pin down which one. ‘here far away one could feel the earth, moon changing shade and shin’. Long sung words, ‘roooouund we go where we .. stopping no one knows’. Nice image painting lyrics, sudden end. The song was not short, but it felt like it was much too short.

? With the bright "Yellow Moon", Pearl Jam feel to their old grunge dejection. Eddie whispered in the gloom away endlessly syllables.

Cai Trefor The penultimate ‘Yellow Man’, too, manages to convey this fluency between each member’s role, the despair-soaked vocals reflecting the lead guitar’s tone.

Benjamin Bland Quite an atmospheric track, and features some great guitar playing from Mike McCready. It feels like it’s trying to be a bit more epic than it’s perhaps capable of, but it’s definitely a massive step-up from the previous two songs. “One life, one grave”; Eddie at his least cheerful or his most philosophical?

Niall Doherty The way they shift from the blues-y swagger of Let The Records Play to the percussive march of Pendulum and the R.E.M.-evoking country twang of Yellow Moon is a sure sign that they belong in the lineage of great American rock bands.

12. Future Days

Benz Eddies voice is great but still it`s a bit boring to me.

Franzi You all heard it. It's really cheesy It has a light echo effect on Eds voice and vocal harmonies. Also it's more like an Ed song, only little soft background music.
The end has the cheesy keyboard. But I guess all the non-PJ-fans will love it, haha.

Chris I never found that song too cheesy but considered it to be a challenge to accept it in the catalogue, haha. I like the production...I understand why the piano fits into it...but I could live without a piano here

Becki Again we have all heard it by now.

Frank


Joost Much better than the live version. It still has that Springsteen sound. Nice touches with the violin and no drums. The cheesy piano outro actually works here..it fades out. Not the best track on the record but a good way to end this record.

Dennis (4:20) The album version opens with a piano, at least to me it sounded like a real piano and not a keyboard. A lot of different instruments can be
heard on this song. A mandolin, a violin. I asked Brendan about it and
he said that only the violin was played by someone outside the band
and the rest was all played by the band itself and Brendan. The
beginning is just a single guitar with Ed singing. The song itself has
a Springsteen feel to it. It ends with the piano as well and
eventually fades out. Lots of fades on this record. There were two
songs which sort of seemed to blend into each other but I cannot
remember which ones these were.

Mirella And the last one was also played live already. Starting with piano it sounds very much like a Eddie solo song, church-like, strings and more, mandolin (?). Lyrics about human relationships and the elements, like most of this album and the one before. And not cheesy at all, while I thought it was a bit too sentimental when played live. Piano at the end as well. Good positive song to end with.

? Their retirement remains an emotive ballad that brings to help the serene contemplation piano and strings.

Cai Trefor Closer ‘Future Days’ is the first time on ‘Lightning Bolt’ where the lyrics are completely positive, perhaps expressing the contentment these men have found in middle age, with families beside them. They’re happy, and this folk-like number comprises a fine bookend to this tenth studio album.

Benjamin Bland We’re at the end already. This comes off a bit like the band’s attempt at ‘Love Reign O’er Me’ at first, largely thanks to a sweeping piano intro. It ends up being a bit lower key than that though. There are no drums, but there is some nice violin playing. A nice way to end the album, and the best ballad-like track on the record into the bargain.