{"id":18583,"date":"2013-10-19T12:07:00","date_gmt":"2013-10-19T01:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/?p=18583"},"modified":"2013-10-19T12:07:00","modified_gmt":"2013-10-19T01:07:00","slug":"pearl-jam-%e2%80%93-lightning-bolt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/2013\/10\/pearl-jam-%e2%80%93-lightning-bolt\/","title":{"rendered":"Pearl Jam \u2013 Lightning Bolt"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Welcome back Pearl Jam, good to have you back\u2026 before we start, let me tell you a quick story about Pearl Jam\u2026 it dates back to 1991, I hear a song called \u2018Alive\u2019 I think \u2018uh oh\u2026 between this and that \u2018Smells Like Teen Spirit\u2019 song, something is happening here\u2026\u2019 at that time I was heavily in to the \u2018hair metal\u2019 genre, still am, but as grunge made its way into the scene and the 80\u2019s ended I guess I resented some of these bands that I felt played a part in the change and some of my favourite bands no longer making music. Pearl Jam was one of those bands I resented\u2026 It took me many years, actually until I saw them live for the first time to change my mind, to see the energy this band brought to the stage and what they did. This was 2003, some twelve years after my not so welcome introduction to them\u2026<\/p>\n

One, two, skip a few and many albums in now, here we have Pearl Jam\u2019s newest release \u2018Lightning Bolt\u2019 their tenth and I for one am keen to check it out and see what they\u2019ve come up with four years after their last effort \u2018Backspacer\u2019. It opens with \u2019Getaway\u2019 and in the traditional Pearl Jam sound, you have the unmistakable vocals of Eddie Vedder out front, that\u2019s really all you need to make a good Pearl Jam record, as they come in you\u2019re sold, but it takes the second track and lead single \u2018Mind Your Manners\u2019 to give us that frantic almost at times \u2018punk\u2019 sound but this is the Pearl Jam I dig, this is fast paced, and I think this would be a monster if played live, not to mention, it has a guitar solo, so that kinda rules and a perfect reintroduction to fans.<\/p>\n

\u2018My Father\u2019s Son\u2019 is a good with an oddly almost reggae breakdown, but let me just say that \u2018Sirens\u2019 was unexpected and welcomed, this ballad is a really interesting turn for the band, and one that I am enjoying. Lyrically it is meant and not just written if you know what I mean, and as much as I loved the rock above, this one is my stand out so far. Now, this is always my test for an album, the title track\u2026 I am intrigued as to why this song was so good that they\u2019d name the album after it, so let\u2019s see if it\u2019s worthy of its naming rights\u2026 In a simple way, yes. Great song musically and structure wise and if this song doesn\u2019t open their live shows then I\u2019ll eat my hat. Oh and a fade out, that leads directly into the next song, Brendan O\u2019Brien, you sir are a fine producer, with \u2018Infallible\u2019 this is a different feel for Pearl Jam, but I like it, wow, actually you know what this sounds like to me?\u00a0 This is the same sort of musical vibe that a band like Oasis had as it bops along but with that Seattle twang and PJ spin on it and the more I hear of this song the more I like it. Actually now that I think about it, this is somewhat of a varied album and I\u2019m only half way through.<\/p>\n

\u2018Pendulum\u2019\u2026 whoa\u2026 this song I picture playing over the credits of a movie that has just torn my heart out, or that has left me with my jaw on the ground from an ending I wasn\u2019t expecting, cue this sombre, haunting track that would have me walking out of the cinema slower just so I could hear it and try and comprehend what I just saw. Anyway, I\u2019ll stop writing movie scripts in my head just so I can use this song and just say that I am impressed with this song, they\u2019re really throwing me for six on this release, and well done. Ooh as a qualified audio engineer I love fun little recording tricks, and the guitar panning from the left to right speaker as \u2018Swallowed Whole\u2019 kicks off makes me happy, as this one starts with an acoustic type vibe it does rock itself up as the song builds in the chorus and slower in the verses, but another guitar solo shreds itself in there and keeps the vibe of the song up there which is a great way to fade it out.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get a little bluesy with \u2018Let The Records Play\u2019 and this one is OK, feels like a bit of a filler for me, but only because it\u2019s not as strong as previous tracks, either is \u2018Sleeping By Myself\u2019 which may have worked better on Eddie\u2019s solo album \u2018Ukulele Songs\u2019 and my hope is that this album doesn\u2019t just peter out, I want it to go out rockin\u2019 and here\u2019s hoping it does. With only two tracks to go, \u2018Yellow Moon\u2019 is another slower one and I guess the saving grace here is the guitar tone which is suited perfectly to this track. OK \u2018Future Days\u2019 what have you got for us to finish off? Pianos\u2026 ok\u2026 well you were unexpected\u2026 curse you Vedder\u2026 you can write a bloody good song. As much as I wanted to rock it out, this song is really, nice\u2026 and I honestly know that nice isn\u2019t a word that should ever go with Pearl Jam, but, it this song just is… Lyrically it\u2019s one of those songs that gets to you. In fact this song plays over the credits of a happy movie, one of those ones where you get the ending you want, the guy gets the girl and we all cheer. In fact, Pearl Jam, start writing songs for movies, do it, you\u2019ve got a knack for it\u2026 well at least if I write my movie, I\u2019ll be in touch.<\/p>\n

In closing, I feel like the \u2018aggression\u2019 of the 90\u2019s grunge era is long gone and now it\u2019s about producing just good songs and as Pearl Jam have grown over their career as has their sound and approach.\u00a0 Sure not everything they\u2019ve done over the years is perfect, but they\u2019re still making music and it\u2019s better than a lot of the music that bands from their era are still making. This was a solid album, although I would\u2019ve wanted a bit more rock at the end, but what they came up with was pretty damned good.<\/p>\n

Oh and by the way, you can WIN a copy of ‘Lightning Bolt’ by clicking HERE<\/a><\/p>\n

Essential Information<\/strong><\/h2>\n

From:<\/strong> Seattle, WA, USA<\/p>\n

Produced by:<\/strong> Brendan O\u2019Brien<\/p>\n

Release date:<\/strong> 11 October 2013<\/p>\n

Label:<\/strong> Universal Music Australia<\/p>\n

Website:<\/strong> http:\/\/www.pearljam.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Track Listing:
\n<\/strong>Getaway
\nMind Your Manners
\nMy Father’s Son
\nSirens
\nLightning Bolt
\nInfallible
\nPendulum
\nSwallowed Whole
\nLet the Records Play
\nSleeping by Myself
\nYellow Moon
\nFuture Days
\n\n

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