Lightning Bolt first reviews

Marcus Maximus

Of The Aggie wrote:

I'm in the extreme minority here but after two listens, I can't get into this album at all. Not one song really stands out for me. There's a couple of so-so songs and the rest is just forgettable. At this point I'd say I'd rather listen to Backspacer.

The person who mentioned Adult Contemporary was spot-on. I fully expect to turn on my local AC station and hear some of these songs in heavy rotation.

The songs that I can stand to listen to are:

MYM
Swallowed Whole
Let The Records Play

Everything else is just forgettable and MYM is the only song that really rocks and I really never liked it much to begin with.

After two years of sporadically working on this project, my suspicions were confirmed that they just didn't have any solid ideas or inspiration and were grasping at something to throw together. This is same way I feel about the next Tool album whenever it might be released. If it takes this long and your side projects and other adventures take precedence, then something is not right.

100% with you man, not sure of your age but I really think the older fans are loving it. Maybe because they have familes and feel more in touch with the lyrical content, if someone stuck this album on and I didn't know it was PJ I'd would be taking the piss out of it's cheese factor.

barb

Love it!
Thanks again guys...

PJ_Soul

Marcus Maximus wrote:

PJ_Soul wrote:

Marcus Maximus wrote:

If it's not middle of the road rock what is it?

I dunno - Pearl Jam? They're super unique IMO. Do I really need to come up with some kind of definition? If so, I would still call them an alt rock band. Are you trying to convince me that it's middle of the road aka average rock? Because I completely disagree. However, I respect your incredibly negative reaction to the album.... nothing is going to please everyone. I personally hate the Foo Fighters and DMB. That fucking suck.

To me its in the same leauge as Foo Fighters actually it's slighlty below. It sreams of springteen esq rock and me that radio rock. I like how you tried to sugar coat you dig at me.

Wow, it's like we're hearing 2 different albums. Oh well.
I wasn't taking a dig at you at all - I don't even know what you're referring to!

PJ_Soul

Marcus Maximus wrote:

Of The Aggie wrote:

I'm in the extreme minority here but after two listens, I can't get into this album at all. Not one song really stands out for me. There's a couple of so-so songs and the rest is just forgettable. At this point I'd say I'd rather listen to Backspacer.

The person who mentioned Adult Contemporary was spot-on. I fully expect to turn on my local AC station and hear some of these songs in heavy rotation.

The songs that I can stand to listen to are:

MYM
Swallowed Whole
Let The Records Play

Everything else is just forgettable and MYM is the only song that really rocks and I really never liked it much to begin with.

After two years of sporadically working on this project, my suspicions were confirmed that they just didn't have any solid ideas or inspiration and were grasping at something to throw together. This is same way I feel about the next Tool album whenever it might be released. If it takes this long and your side projects and other adventures take precedence, then something is not right.

100% with you man, not sure of your age but I really think the older fans are loving it. Maybe because they have familes and feel more in touch with the lyrical content, if someone stuck this album on and I didn't know it was PJ I'd would be taking the piss out of it's cheese factor.

I don't have a family and I love it (I'm 37 - does that make me an older fan?).
Maybe a lot of people just have different tastes than you?

CROJAM95

great album

8.5/10

Future Days is a good song, just doesnt fit here and I think they could have ended the record more triumphantly a la Inside Job, ALL Those Yesterdays, Partying Ways . I dont mind SBM.

The rest is killer

Marcus Maximus

PJ_Soul wrote:

Marcus Maximus wrote:

Of The Aggie wrote:

I'm in the extreme minority here but after two listens, I can't get into this album at all. Not one song really stands out for me. There's a couple of so-so songs and the rest is just forgettable. At this point I'd say I'd rather listen to Backspacer.

The person who mentioned Adult Contemporary was spot-on. I fully expect to turn on my local AC station and hear some of these songs in heavy rotation.

The songs that I can stand to listen to are:

MYM
Swallowed Whole
Let The Records Play

Everything else is just forgettable and MYM is the only song that really rocks and I really never liked it much to begin with.

After two years of sporadically working on this project, my suspicions were confirmed that they just didn't have any solid ideas or inspiration and were grasping at something to throw together. This is same way I feel about the next Tool album whenever it might be released. If it takes this long and your side projects and other adventures take precedence, then something is not right.

100% with you man, not sure of your age but I really think the older fans are loving it. Maybe because they have familes and feel more in touch with the lyrical content, if someone stuck this album on and I didn't know it was PJ I'd would be taking the piss out of it's cheese factor.

I don't have a family and I love it.
Maybe a lot of people just have different tastes than you?

Of course this is all our own opinions thats why music is so amazing everyone here's something else. I'm not very mainstream when it comes to music PJ would be the most commercial band I follow the rest mostly are on indie lables or the amazing Irish music scene at the minute, there are so many good bands here that sometimes there is no need to look outside (not that I do) I;m always looking for new music.

Of The Aggie

Marcus Maximus wrote:

Of The Aggie wrote:

I'm in the extreme minority here but after two listens, I can't get into this album at all. Not one song really stands out for me. There's a couple of so-so songs and the rest is just forgettable. At this point I'd say I'd rather listen to Backspacer.

The person who mentioned Adult Contemporary was spot-on. I fully expect to turn on my local AC station and hear some of these songs in heavy rotation.

The songs that I can stand to listen to are:

MYM
Swallowed Whole
Let The Records Play

Everything else is just forgettable and MYM is the only song that really rocks and I really never liked it much to begin with.

After two years of sporadically working on this project, my suspicions were confirmed that they just didn't have any solid ideas or inspiration and were grasping at something to throw together. This is same way I feel about the next Tool album whenever it might be released. If it takes this long and your side projects and other adventures take precedence, then something is not right.

100% with you man, not sure of your age but I really think the older fans are loving it. Maybe because they have familes and feel more in touch with the lyrical content, if someone stuck this album on and I didn't know it was PJ I'd would be taking the piss out of it's cheese factor.

I'm actually one of the older, female, fans pushing 40. I love the angrier/grittier songs of the past. Although I did like Avocado a lot maybe because it was written during a more politically charged era.

PJ_Soul

Marcus Maximus wrote:

PJ_Soul wrote:

Marcus Maximus wrote:

100% with you man, not sure of your age but I really think the older fans are loving it. Maybe because they have familes and feel more in touch with the lyrical content, if someone stuck this album on and I didn't know it was PJ I'd would be taking the piss out of it's cheese factor.

I don't have a family and I love it.
Maybe a lot of people just have different tastes than you?

Of course this is all our own opinions thats why music is so amazing everyone here's something else. I'm not very mainstream when it comes to music PJ would be the most commercial band I follow the rest mostly are on indie lables or the amazing Irish music scene at the minute, there are so many good bands here that sometimes there is no need to look outside (not that I do) I;m always looking for new music.

I am pretty open minded when it comes to music styles. Mainstream if it's good, indie, whatever I like I like. I just don't think that this album falls into the Foo Fighter's category or anything, although I will agree that Sirens sounds pretty mainstream, and I didn't like it much when I first heard it, but somehow it did grow on me, and that actually happened against my will. I do not like SBM or Future Days much and wish they'd ended the album a lot better, but the rest I think is unique and aside from Sirens doesn't sound mainstream at all.... It's probably all about brain waves or something.

Marcus Maximus

100% with you man, not sure of your age but I really think the older fans are loving it. Maybe because they have familes and feel more in touch with the lyrical content, if someone stuck this album on and I didn't know it was PJ I'd would be taking the piss out of it's cheese factor.[/quote]

I'm actually one of the older, female, fans pushing 40. I love the angrier/grittier songs of the past. Although I did like Avocado a lot maybe because it was written during a more politically charged era.[/quote]

Yea I guess that's the way our brains our tuned we like our music on the raw side. I think they spent way too much time on LB on all aspects.

mfc2006

I really like it.

My least favorite songs are SBM (which I like more than the Uke version) & Future Days (could be b/c of the placement on the album) & I still like them. The rest of it is fantastic...esp Getaway, Infallible & Pendulum. Pendulum really stands out to me as my favorite song on the album.

PJ_Soul

Of The Aggie wrote:

Marcus Maximus wrote:

Of The Aggie wrote:

I'm in the extreme minority here but after two listens, I can't get into this album at all. Not one song really stands out for me. There's a couple of so-so songs and the rest is just forgettable. At this point I'd say I'd rather listen to Backspacer.

The person who mentioned Adult Contemporary was spot-on. I fully expect to turn on my local AC station and hear some of these songs in heavy rotation.

The songs that I can stand to listen to are:

MYM
Swallowed Whole
Let The Records Play

Everything else is just forgettable and MYM is the only song that really rocks and I really never liked it much to begin with.

After two years of sporadically working on this project, my suspicions were confirmed that they just didn't have any solid ideas or inspiration and were grasping at something to throw together. This is same way I feel about the next Tool album whenever it might be released. If it takes this long and your side projects and other adventures take precedence, then something is not right.

100% with you man, not sure of your age but I really think the older fans are loving it. Maybe because they have familes and feel more in touch with the lyrical content, if someone stuck this album on and I didn't know it was PJ I'd would be taking the piss out of it's cheese factor.

I'm actually one of the older, female, fans pushing 40. I love the angrier/grittier songs of the past. Although I did like Avocado a lot maybe because it was written during a more politically charged era.

I love the gritty stuff too! Love it all.... I don't think there is any need to pigeon hole people here. There is room in one brain to appreciate all kinds of different sounding music.

Anarmyofpeace

I thought half the album was very good and half wasn't. I don't care much for the 'Dad Rock' stuff, i.e. Sirens, Sleeping By Myself, Future Days. It's just too cheesey. I'm sure he's trying to preserve his voice but I really can't stand the mid-sentence voice changes Ed does now days. All-in-all it's a good album though.

I do think the album is going to get some good publicity next week but it will be short lived since Arcade Fire's album drops the following week.

Marcus Maximus

PJ_Soul wrote:

Of The Aggie wrote:

Of The Aggie wrote:

I'm in the extreme m


After two years of sporadically working on this project, my suspicions were confirmed that they just didn't have any solid ideas or inspiration and were grasping at something to throw together. This is same way I feel about the next Tool album whenever it might be released. If it takes this long and your side projects and other adventures take precedence, then something is not right.

100% with you man, not sure of your age but I really think the older fans are loving it. Maybe because they have familes and feel more in touch with the lyrical content, if someone stuck this album on and I didn't know it was PJ I'd would be taking the piss out of it's cheese factor.

I'm actually one of the older, female, fans pushing 40. I love the angrier/grittier songs of the past. Although I did like Avocado a lot maybe because it was written during a more politically charged era.

I love the gritty stuff too! Love it all.... I don't think there is any need to pigeon hole people here. There is room in one brain to appreciate all kinds of different sounding music.[/quote]

I'm not trying to tell people what they think and what they are into. As I said this is music that does nothing for me and in my tastes is extremly easy listening and mainstream

PJ_Soul

Marcus Maximus wrote:

PJ_Soul wrote:

I love the gritty stuff too! Love it all.... I don't think there is any need to pigeon hole people here. There is room in one brain to appreciate all kinds of different sounding music.

I'm not trying to tell people what they think and what they are into. As I said this is music that does nothing for me and in my tastes is extremly easy listening and mainstream

Yeah, I understand. I'm just jumping in to make sure that those who like this album aren't dismissed as old people who don't like the older grittier stuff, since that is very far from the truth.

Keep on Jammin

Anarmyofpeace wrote:

I thought half the album was very good and half wasn't. I don't care much for the 'Dad Rock' stuff, i.e. Sirens, Sleeping By Myself, Future Days. It's just too cheesey. I'm sure he's trying to preserve his voice but I really can't stand the mid-sentence voice changes Ed does now days. All-in-all it's a good album though.

I do think the album is going to get some good publicity next week but it will be short lived since Arcade Fire's album drops the following week.

I didn't like either of the Arcade Fire songs from SNL.

PJ_Soul

Keep on Jammin wrote:

Anarmyofpeace wrote:

I thought half the album was very good and half wasn't. I don't care much for the 'Dad Rock' stuff, i.e. Sirens, Sleeping By Myself, Future Days. It's just too cheesey. I'm sure he's trying to preserve his voice but I really can't stand the mid-sentence voice changes Ed does now days. All-in-all it's a good album though.

I do think the album is going to get some good publicity next week but it will be short lived since Arcade Fire's album drops the following week.

I didn't like either of the Arcade Fire songs from SNL.

I think Reflektor kind of sucks, which I wasn't expecting, since I usually love whatever David Bowie collaborates on. I think they maybe decided to draw from the success of the latest Daft Punk album, and failed at the attempt. I haven't heard anything else from the new album though. Maybe it's great, I don't know.

slightofjeff

If you don't like Getaway, then this whole music thing is just not for you.

grazman

Have had quite a few listens to this album and really loving the first 7 songs, and then the album gets a little disjointed for me, kindof flows really well upto Swallowed Whole and then loses its way a little. I really cannot get my head around the chorus of Let The Records Play, I think that's the problem - maybe if that kicks in I can appreciate the final 15 minutes abit more but overall its definitely the best album their produced since Yield. Sirens, Yellow Moon, My Fathers Son - 10/10 songs for me - 1 clunker which may grow on me. Very happy with album and can't wait to hear these babies live.

jakesbluskyhome

Just wanna put it out there that I am 18 and love the really hard gritty angry tunes (because yes, I do have a lot of anger at this age hahah) BUT I also Love the softer stuff from them, the sentimental or ballady or touching "cheesy" songs.

The thing for me is that I don't really find them cheesy, least not in a bad way. It's like ya, the dude is almost 50, has wife and kids, not much anger towards political stuff lately, so naturally its not as angry or aggressiv eor whatever and has some of that "sappier" stuff.

But c'mon people, is it just me, or does noone do "cheesy" like eddie and Co? And don't say they fell off or whatever cuz if you listen to come back, or just breathe, or future days or sirens, its like yes sometimes they feel a bit too much, so sure you have to be in the mood for them. But they are still such fucking good songs!!

That's the beauty of pearl jam, thats why I like them even more than the beatles or any band anywhere. I didn't grow up with this shit, it was never cool or "in" for me to like them. I never heard em on the radio. Its just pure love of a band that I swear just has their shit together! Suuuuch great music, to suuuuuch great lyrics, and everything else they have!

Long short of it, PJ fucking rocks, and I understand if you only enjoy heavier/aggressive you may not love this release, but to those who like a wider range of music, HOW BOUT THIS ALBUM EH?

CANT WAIT FOR TOUR!!!!! N :corn: see ya there chaps Ill be the tall skinny dude rocking to MYM and crying to sirens haha

Marcus Maximus

jakesbluskyhome wrote:

Just wanna put it out there that I am 18 and love the really hard gritty angry tunes (because yes, I do have a lot of anger at this age hahah) BUT I also Love the softer stuff from them, the sentimental or ballady or touching "cheesy" songs.

The thing for me is that I don't really find them cheesy, least not in a bad way. It's like ya, the dude is almost 50, has wife and kids, not much anger towards political stuff lately, so naturally its not as angry or aggressiv eor whatever and has some of that "sappier" stuff.

But c'mon people, is it just me, or does noone do "cheesy" like eddie and Co? And don't say they fell off or whatever cuz if you listen to come back, or just breathe, or future days or sirens, its like yes sometimes they feel a bit too much, so sure you have to be in the mood for them. But they are still such fucking good songs!!

That's the beauty of pearl jam, thats why I like them even more than the beatles or any band anywhere. I didn't grow up with this shit, it was never cool or "in" for me to like them. I never heard em on the radio. Its just pure love of a band that I swear just has their shit together! Suuuuch great music, to suuuuuch great lyrics, and everything else they have!

Long short of it, PJ fucking rocks, and I understand if you only enjoy heavier/aggressive you may not love this release, but to those who like a wider range of music, HOW BOUT THIS ALBUM EH?

CANT WAIT FOR TOUR!!!!! N :corn: see ya there chaps Ill be the tall skinny dude rocking to MYM and crying to sirens haha

To say not enjoying this albums means you have a lesser range of music is untrue, to me this type of easy listening type rock is way to simplistic and unengaging, I listen to way more music styles than rock I like contemporary music no matter what genre