Better Album: Backspacer or Lightning Bolt

KN219077

Lightning Bolt

Long Red said:

edocon said:

I did a track-by-track listenability comparison. In my opinion:

1. Gonna See My Friend > Getaway
2. Got Some == Mind Your Manners
3. The Fixer > My Father's Son
4. Johnny Guitar < Sirens
5. Just Breathe > LIghtning Bolt
6. Amongst the Waves > Infallible
7. Unkthought Known > Pendulum
8. Supersonic == Swallowed Whole
9. Speed of Sound > Let The Records Play
10. Force of Nature == Sleeping By Myself
11. The End  == Yellow Moon and/or Future Days
 
Backspacer 6
Lightning Bolt 1
Toss-up 4

Whoa, hold on. Force of Nature is LEAPS AND BOUNDS better than Sleeping By Myself. 

I wouldn’t go that far, both are pretty cheesy.

pledgeagrievance

Backspacer

Backspacer, by a little. I listen to it more. Feels more like an album, LB is a collection of songs. It didn’t age as well. LB the song didn’t age well either. Feels like safe dad rock. I was scared that this song signaled where the band was headed forever. Plus Future Days is possibly the most cringe worthy song in the cannon. 

GSMF, Got Some, Just Breathe, Unthought Known, all hope to hear at shows. 

Getaway, MYM, Pendulum, Swallowed Whole, Yellow Moon, all hope to hear at shows. 

Gibson

Lightning Bolt

The only reason I voted the way I did is because of Yellow Moon.

mcdevittpb

1. Gonna See My Friend = Getaway
2. Got Some = Mind Your Manners
3. The Fixer > My Father's Son
4. Johnny Guitar < Sirens
5. Just Breathe > LIghtning Bolt
6. Amongst the Waves = Infallible
7. Unkthought Known < Pendulum
8. Supersonic = Swallowed Whole
9. Speed of Sound = Let The Records Play
10. Force of Nature Sleeping By Myself
11. The End  <Yellow Moon and Future Days

Overall equal.  Both solid albums.  

cp3iverson

Backspacer

1. Gonna See My Friend = Getaway
2. Got Some = Mind Your Manners
3. The Fixer > My Father's Son
4. Johnny Guitar < Sirens
5. Just Breathe > LIghtning Bolt
6. Amongst the Waves > Infallible
7. Unthought Known > Pendulum
8. Supersonic = Swallowed Whole
9. Speed of Sound > Let The Records Play
10. Force of Nature >>>>>>>Sleeping By Myself
11. The End  >Yellow Moon and Future Days

KM73780

Backspacer

Dang LB has taken the lead again. 

JimmyV

Backlighter:

Gonna See My Friends
Got Some
Mind Your Manners
Sirens
Just Breathe
Lightning Bolt
Amongst The Waves
Unthought Known
Pendulum
Yellow Moon
Future Days

The End (hidden track)

1ThoughtKnown

Backspacer

Long Red said:

edocon said:

I did a track-by-track listenability comparison. In my opinion:

1. Gonna See My Friend > Getaway
2. Got Some == Mind Your Manners
3. The Fixer > My Father's Son
4. Johnny Guitar < Sirens
5. Just Breathe > LIghtning Bolt
6. Amongst the Waves > Infallible
7. Unkthought Known > Pendulum
8. Supersonic == Swallowed Whole
9. Speed of Sound > Let The Records Play
10. Force of Nature == Sleeping By Myself
11. The End  == Yellow Moon and/or Future Days
 
Backspacer 6
Lightning Bolt 1
Toss-up 4

Whoa, hold on. Force of Nature is LEAPS AND BOUNDS better than Sleeping By Myself. 

Absolutely. Not even close: Force of Nature is one of the top 3 songs on BS and Sleeping By Myself is the worst song of LB. One of the worst PJ songs ever IMO.

HesCalledDyer

Today I'd vote one way, tomorrow I'd vote another, Saturday... and so on.  But I could do that with all PJ albums, really.  Love em all!

Of The Aggie

Backspacer

LB is by far PJs absolute worst album!  BS is so short that I can put it on and listen in 30 minutes when I want something quick.

ty914

Backspacer

BS by a very slight margin with Fixer and especially Speed of Sound putting it over the top.  I think if you put the best of these two together, it makes a really good single album.  

Lightning Spacer:

1.) Getaway
2.) Got Some
3.) My Father's Son
4.) Johnny Guitar
5.) Just Breathe
6.) Mind Your Manners
7.) The Fixer
8.) Sirens
9.) Swallowed Whole
10.) Speed of Sound
11.) Pendulum
12.) Unthought Known

mr bungle

Backspacer

Long Red said:

edocon said:

I did a track-by-track listenability comparison. In my opinion:

1. Gonna See My Friend > Getaway
2. Got Some == Mind Your Manners
3. The Fixer > My Father's Son
4. Johnny Guitar < Sirens
5. Just Breathe > LIghtning Bolt
6. Amongst the Waves > Infallible
7. Unkthought Known > Pendulum
8. Supersonic == Swallowed Whole
9. Speed of Sound > Let The Records Play
10. Force of Nature == Sleeping By Myself
11. The End  == Yellow Moon and/or Future Days
 
Backspacer 6
Lightning Bolt 1
Toss-up 4

Whoa, hold on. Force of Nature is LEAPS AND BOUNDS better than Sleeping By Myself. 

I agree!

iOnlyownMymind

Backspacer

Force of Nature is one of the most underrated songs in the catalog.  Would love to hear it live someday. 

BloodMeridian80

Lightning Bolt

The lyrics to most of Backspacer, minus JB, Unthought, and the end are just empty. The first 4 songs on BS, I’d rather just have instrumentals. Amongst the Waves and FoN as well. It’s the low point in their discography imo, mostly because of the lyrics.

Sparkie

Lightning Bolt

Combined you make a really good, tight 10 song album. As is....Lightning Bolt is the better overall effort IMO. Especially lyrically.
Although, the production is somewhat deadened on it. (Having said that, I love how songs like Yellow Moon and Pendulum sound.) Just doesn't seem to be energy and life in it. Backspacer's production has a bit of zip to it...and given the brevity of the album, BS makes for an easier listen. But the consistency of LB wins out for me

cp3iverson

Backspacer

Im actually really surprised.  I know neither of these are popular amongst the Porch folks, but i thought Backspacer would runaway with this.  

Matts3221

Lightning Bolt

LB Bangers - 8
Getaway
Mind Your Manners
Sirens
Lighting Bolt
Infallible
Swallowed Whole
Sleeping By Myself
Future Days

Back Spacer Bangers - 7
Got Some
The Fixer
Just Breath
Amongst The Waves
Unthought Know
Speed Of Sound
The End

vedpunk

Backspacer

Backspacer and it's not even close.  Don't get the hate for Backspacer.   Tight, fun rockers with actual melodies...best since Yield.   What's not to love?

F Me In The Brain

Backspacer

I enjoy both of these records....neither one are in bottom 3, to me.  Glad to see some speaking well of both.  
I really enjoy the first 2/3 of LB...but BS has (and forever will have) a special spot for me based on where I was when it came out.  (Figuratively)

pledgeagrievance

Backspacer

Lightning Spacer:

PenduluM

Gonna see My Friend

Got Some

Mind Your Manners

Unthought Known

Just Breathe 

The Fixer

Swallowed Whole 

Lightning Bolt 

Infallible

Getaway

Yellow Moon

The End 

tino_11

Lightning Bolt

1. Gonna See My Friend < Getaway
2. Got Some = Mind Your Manners
3. The Fixer < My Father's Son
4. Johnny Guitar < Sirens
5. Just Breathe > LIghtning Bolt
6. Amongst the Waves < Infallible
7. Unthought Known = Pendulum
8. Supersonic < Swallowed Whole
9. Speed of Sound > Let The Records Play
10. Force of Nature > Sleeping By Myself
11. The End  < Yellow Moon and Future Days

I honestly can't believe that quite a few of you rate GSMF as high as Getaway. Then again, I really like My Fathers Son and that gets a lot of hate around here.

I like both albums, but LB has more tracks I really like. Agree with comments that BS feels more like cohesive album but not much depth to the lyrics (musically just OK for me too).

Gern Blansten

Lightning Bolt

I hate to call BS my least favorite album but it is....still a good piece of work though

jeffbr

Lightning Bolt

A few good songs on both records, but I don't think either are strong albums. So it is a close one for the bottom of the list. Almost a coin toss. Don't ever feel compelled to listen to either one start to finish anymore.

mlcoon23

Backspacer

Backspacer is a more complete album.  Lightning bolt has good tunes but I ship more songs on it than backspacer. 

KN219077

Lightning Bolt

Both albums combined would have made one good album if you culled the throwaway tracks 

KM73780

Backspacer

I’m surprised that LB has more support than BS. I always thought BS was ok until I came to this forum. First three tracks on BS are better than anything on LB except MYM. 

1ThoughtKnown

Backspacer

KM73780 said:

I’m surprised that LB has more support than BS. I always thought BS was ok until I came to this forum. First three tracks on BS are better than anything on LB except MYM. 

When comparing albums as others have, the BS slow rockers of Just Breathe, Speed of Sound and The End (if you have ever known a person in this situation this song tears you up inside) are far superior IMO than LB’s Future Days, Sleeping By Myself and Yellow Moon. I really only want to hear Yellow Moon, has an Uncle Neil feel to me, Future Days is ok... and SBM (ugh). 

Gern Blansten

Lightning Bolt

vedpunk said:

Backspacer and it's not even close.  Don't get the hate for Backspacer.   Tight, fun rockers with actual melodies...best since Yield.   What's not to love?

best since Yield...except for Binaural, Riot Act, and S/T

JPPJ84

Lightning Bolt

1ThoughtKnown said:

KM73780 said:

I’m surprised that LB has more support than BS. I always thought BS was ok until I came to this forum. First three tracks on BS are better than anything on LB except MYM. 

When comparing albums as others have, the BS slow rockers of Just Breathe, Speed of Sound and The End (if you have ever known a person in this situation this song tears you up inside) are far superior IMO than LB’s Future Days, Sleeping By Myself and Yellow Moon. I really only want to hear Yellow Moon, has an Uncle Neil feel to me, Future Days is ok... and SBM (ugh). 

This way of comparing albums doesn’t make much sense to me. What does it matter how both songs 3 compare? You like a song or you don’t and at the end of the album you know how many songs you like

PJNB

I am not sure just going head to head with tracklistings and tallying it up is a fair way to say which album is better. Some of those wins could be squeakers while others are huge wins and to weigh them evenly would not make sense imo. 

I think Pendulum is slightly better than Unthought Known. That gives 1 point to LB and it acts as if Unthought Known is not even on the album since it gets no credit. I know this is just for fun and interesting to see but it is just a thought.