Lightning Bolt: the official album thread

[digster]

I think the three songs we've heard so far seem to point to what O'Brien was saying in that Rolling Stone interview; pretty much a continuation of what they were doing on Backspacer with a willingness to let the songs meet a bit more expansive/longer. I don't think any of these songs would have been too out of place on the last record.

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

Alarms of Nautical.

What's that?

[stip]

I think the three songs we've heard so far seem to point to what O'Brien was saying in that Rolling Stone interview; pretty much a continuation of what they were doing on Backspacer with a willingness to let the songs meet a bit more expansive/longer. I don't think any of these songs would have been too out of place on the last record.

certainly not the live ones. MYM is a bit dark.

[McParadigm]

Not dark. Just angry. Backspacer's outer candy shell is just fine, but it's emotional core is so mysteriously vapid. For a band that historically might be seen as "too" emotional at times, songs like Just Breathe and Force of Nature sure do carry a vague sense of insincerity...or of "talking at you."

[stip]

i haven't heard l-bolt in a few weeks. Think I'm going to listen again.

I don't mind the music at the start, but it is a bit too familiar and those lyrics drag it down. The song really takes off at 45 seconds. Chorus is ehh, the music following it is really good. Second verse is good. I like the build into the second chorus. Chorus is still kinda eh. Third verse reminds me a bit of the first, but much better this time (either cuz of the lyrics or because the simplicity is welcome coming down from the rest of the song). I feel like they stumble a bit at the 3 minute mark before they go into the outro--like they are getting tripped up on the song. I really like the outro.

This is going to be a good song.

Ole is to MYM as Unthought Known is to Lightning Bolt. Both songs seemed to have taken the bones of the other and gotten it right.

[stip]

Not dark. Just angry. Backspacer's outer candy shell is just fine, but it's emotional core is so mysteriously vapid. For a band that historically might be seen as "too" emotional at times, songs like Just Breathe and Force of Nature sure do carry a vague sense of insincerity...or of "talking at you."

fair enough (the angry, rather than dark), although in either case it would be out of place.

I think Force of Nature has a huge heart to it without becoming overwrought, something that could not always have been said about similar songs in their catalog. Just Breathe starts out pretty sincere, but it gets undercut by the saccharine chorus.

[stip]

might as well listen to future days again while I'm at it

Wow, what an 80s power ballad beginning. No wonder you guys keep bitching about the piano. Chorus is gonna need something else. Reminds me of thumbing my way, with worse lyrics, but nicer vocals (I like how Eddie sounds here, and there are some nice melodic moments). you can barely hear what the rest of the band is doing, but they're doing something. This song will live or dive based on whether or not they can paint a beautiful music picture. TMW fails for me because that never happens.

I like the bridge. And the third verse. There's POTENTIAL here. I don't know if they'll drag it out in the studio, but it's there. still, much less confident about this song than l-bolt, which I'm expecting to be pretty good.

[McParadigm]

I'd agree about Force of Nature in terms of lyrical content, but the performance just screams "rock band singing a song to impress you" rather than empathetic inspiration.

Just Breathe sounds (to me) like a guy who doesn't really get that type of simple hokum sincerity trying to grasp it, and coming across almost like he's making fun of it.

Go hang out in the Release forum for a while, stip.

[McParadigm]

I enjoy Force of Nature tho.

[Jorge]

I enjoy Force of Nature tho.

Me too. I recognize all the faults that people find in it, but I still really like it.

[stip]

I'd agree about Force of Nature in terms of lyrical content, but the performance just screams "rock band singing a song to impress you" rather than empathetic inspiration.

Just Breathe sounds (to me) like a guy who doesn't really get that type of simple hokum sincerity trying to grasp it, and coming across almost like he's making fun of it.

Go hang out in the Release forum for a while, stip.

I'll make my way there tomorrow at work.


I think the first verse is just breathe is really touching, and I love the finger picking Eddie is playing. The little keyboard accents make the whole thing feel quite homey, in a good way. I'm a lucky man to count on both hands the one I love is one of my favorite Eddie lyrics. If just breathe was just one minute long it'd be one of my favorite songs. The rest of the song is a big step down, but the first verse manages to carry it into something that's a good song. Could have been great though.


Force of Nature really gets killed by the opening 30 seconds of music, which does have a slightly shlocky feel to it. But as the song gets going the rugged 80s man's man main riff grows into the feel of the song, and once the first chorus (these are excellent choruses) hits the rest of the song is just tremendous. The second verse in particular is excellent, especially because they color in the main riff in a lot of interesting ways (it's a good headphones verse) which softens its excess. This is one of those songs that just gets better every moment it lasts.

And Eddie's vocals kinda remind me of what you'd get if the singer of journey had to sing don't stop believin for weeks on end because if he quit no ones dreams would ever come true. And that's basically what this song is about.

[Dr. Van Nostrand]

I enjoy Force of Nature tho.

Me too. I recognize all the faults that people find in it, but I still really like it.

[epilogue]

I enjoy Force of Nature tho.

Me too. I recognize all the faults that people find in it, but I still really like it.

I know you love it, Doc, and I love you for loving it. But it just isn't a Pearl Jam song to me. I've said it too many times before, but if it were a Garth Brooks song, I'd be all about it.

[ItsOkay]

They just say shit because they had to say something.

Honestly, the three songs we have still don't paint a very clear picture of what the album will be. Describing each one individually really takes you to 3 different places. I get hints of every album since Binaural listening to MYM , LB and FD.

So far I'm getting that it is going to feel like a Yield.

don't play with people's hearts like that.

[MemoFromTurner]

Sleeping By Myself into Our Future Days will be like taking your dentures out, putting them back in, and then taking them out again.

Can't wait!

[WaitingForBluey]

With 20 or so pages devoted to Where's the Sponge? there's not much talk about the 2 main reasons I would guess this is fake:

1) Apollo - one of Stone's Moonlander EPs
2) Undertow - already listed on at least one fake tracklist

[OmegaprimeVKM]

If that tracklisting is correct it will merely be a double skip from me, unless someone puts lasers all over both tracks.

[harmless]

I've said it before, but I'm pretty sure I've seen Post Script before as well.

[stupidmop]

I think the three songs we've heard so far seem to point to what O'Brien was saying in that Rolling Stone interview; pretty much a continuation of what they were doing on Backspacer with a willingness to let the songs meet a bit more expansive/longer. I don't think any of these songs would have been too out of place on the last record.

Yeah other than mym, so far it feels like they're using the songs that were too long for backspacer.

Maybe BoB was right not to use the word depth, they really are just longer

Just breathe got BoB'd right? He switched some stuff around and changed it from being just Eddie and a guitar? To make it the most beautiful song ever or someshit? I bet I'd prefer the original.

[Mine]

He made the chorus of what was originally the bridge.