The one blemish on PJ’s otherwise stellar career, in my opinion.
The only songs I can listen to 11 years removed from this record are MFS, LTRP, and Getaway.
3/12
Oh well!
Those first two are among the worst songs this band has ever come up with though...
To each their own, but I’d say future days is the consensus worst song on the album. Meanwhile, anecdotally, it seems MFS is widely thought of as one of the few quality tracks.
MYM is quite great. And quite great live. Sirens is an all time classic Too bad Getaway didn't "work" or turned up more live Future Days is banal, like The End on the former album Lightning Bolt is banal, like Amongst the Waves on the former album Yellow Moon should be played more
Post edited by Spiritual_Chaos on
"Mostly I think that people react sensitively because they know you’ve got a point"
I will go on record saying I like Lightning Bolt. I especially like MYM, Infallible, Sirens, Lightning Bolt, Yellow Moon. I can listen to those over and over.
Lighting bolt is amazing live. Sirens is a classic. I love yellow moon, sounds like old school pj to me. Pendulum has definitely grown on me over the years. The rest of the album is forgettable.
There are some great tracks on this record for sure. Pendulum stands out of course, but there also are Getaway, Sirens (it sadly suffers from the production), Infallible and Yellow Moon. Plus, there is no song I want to skip like Gigaton has with Buckle Up. So Lightning Bolt is still a fun ride all these years later.
Getaway, MYM, Infallible, Pendulum, Yellow Moon, Swallowed Whole are still in rotation for me. The rest are meh. LTRP is my least fav song in their catalogue
I think Lightning Bolt would benefit from subtraction. Get rid of "Let the Records Play" and "Sleeping by Myself"... plus get rid of the opening and closing piano (played by Brendan O'Brien) on "Future Days". That doesn't automatically make "Future Days" one of their top closers, but it improves it a bit. It's now a 10-song, 39 or 40 minute album at that point (Backspacer was 11 songs, 37 minutes). I might shuffle the order on "side 2" a bit after the 2 omissions, but I think this makes it a much, much better album.
"Let the Records Play" and "Sleeping by Myself" just kill the album. I should've been brought in with these suggestions. Big miss by the band for not reaching out to me.
Side 1 Getaway Mind Your Manners My Father's Son Sirens Lightning Bolt
Side 2 Pendulum (used as a concert opener a lot... would work great as Side 2 opener) Swallowed Whole Infallible Yellow Moon Future Days (minus piano)
I think Lightning Bolt would benefit from subtraction. Get rid of "Let the Records Play" and "Sleeping by Myself"... plus get rid of the opening and closing piano (played by Brendan O'Brien) on "Future Days". That doesn't automatically make "Future Days" one of their top closers, but it improves it a bit. It's now a 10-song, 39 or 40 minute album at that point (Backspacer was 11 songs, 37 minutes). I might shuffle the order on "side 2" a bit after the 2 omissions, but I think this makes it a much, much better album.
"Let the Records Play" and "Sleeping by Myself" just kill the album. I should've been brought in with these suggestions. Big miss by the band for not reaching out to me.
Side 1 Getaway Mind Your Manners My Father's Son Sirens Lightning Bolt
Side 2 Pendulum (used as a concert opener a lot... would work great as Side 2 opener) Swallowed Whole Infallible Yellow Moon Future Days (minus piano)
I agree strongly with this minus the removal of the piano on Future Days. I like the intro and outro piano.
I always felt like LB was 2 different records in 1. The first half is fantastic and then it really drops off, minus Future Days as a closer. I would re-do LB as a 6 song EP with the following order:
1. Getaway 2. MYM 3. Father's Son 4. Lightning Bolt 5. Sirens 6. Future Days
"Darkness comes in waves, tell me, why invite it to stay?"
Comments
That said, I don’t mind sirens. It’s ok. Nothing noteworthy though.
Sirens is an all time classic
Too bad Getaway didn't "work" or turned up more live
Future Days is banal, like The End on the former album
Lightning Bolt is banal, like Amongst the Waves on the former album
Yellow Moon should be played more
The atmosphere of this song is so intense!
Pendulum stands out of course, but there also are Getaway, Sirens (it sadly suffers from the production), Infallible and Yellow Moon.
Plus, there is no song I want to skip like Gigaton has with Buckle Up.
So Lightning Bolt is still a fun ride all these years later.
"Let the Records Play" and "Sleeping by Myself" just kill the album. I should've been brought in with these suggestions. Big miss by the band for not reaching out to me.
Side 1
Getaway
Mind Your Manners
My Father's Son
Sirens
Lightning Bolt
Side 2
Pendulum (used as a concert opener a lot... would work great as Side 2 opener)
Swallowed Whole
Infallible
Yellow Moon
Future Days (minus piano)
2000: 8/15, 8/18, 10/9, 10/11, 10/12
2003: 6/18, 6/21, 6/22
2005: 9/9, 9/28
2006: 5/16, 5/17, 6/26, 6/27
2007: 8/5
2009: 8/23, 8/24
2010: 5/3, 5/4, 5/21
2011: 9/3, 9/4, 9/11, 9/12
2013: 7/19, 11/16
2014: 10/3, 10/9, 10/12, 10/17
2016: 4/16, 8/20, 8/22
2018: 8/18, 8/20, 9/2
2022: 9/18
2023: 8/31, 9/2, 9/5
2024: 5/18, 6/29
I always felt like LB was 2 different records in 1. The first half is fantastic and then it really drops off, minus Future Days as a closer. I would re-do LB as a 6 song EP with the following order:
1. Getaway
2. MYM
3. Father's Son
4. Lightning Bolt
5. Sirens
6. Future Days
Same. Love Yellow Moon. And that show was amazing! My 2nd Pearl Jam Hamilton show.