Lightning Bolt
by Pearl Jam
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 115 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 92 out of 115
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 115
  3. Negative: 5 out of 115
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  1. treegtrekkik
    Dec 20, 2013
    4
    As a huge PJ-fan since 1994 it almost hurts to say this, but this album is really boring! The last time they had any fire in them was 2006's Avocado-album, but ever since they seem to have lost it.
    Backspacer was rescued a little bit thanks to 'The end' and 'Just breathe', but gems like that are absent on L.B..
    Don't get me wrong, they'll probably never make a really bad album. I'm    As a huge PJ-fan since 1994 it almost hurts to say this, but this album is really boring! The last time they had any fire in them was 2006's Avocado-album, but ever since they seem to have lost it.
    Backspacer was rescued a little bit thanks to 'The end' and 'Just breathe', but gems like that are absent on L.B..

    Don't get me wrong, they'll probably never make a really bad album. I'm just afraid that they're turning into a band that just releases an album to have an excuse to go on tour again.

    In the nineties they tried to reinvent themselves over and over because they didn't want to be one of those boring radio friendly rockbands. Now that's just what they're becoming.    … Expand
  2. prodigalsuun
    Oct 19, 2013
    4
    The most generic rock record I've heard in a long time. Pearl Jam actually sound like a band with families, two cars and a mortgage. They're like a band of dads that get together in their board shorts on Sundays in Eddie's garage and dusts off their instruments.
  3. Kathymilnes
    Oct 23, 2013
    5
    I thought the album was going to have a lot more punch particularly after the "mind your manners" teaser While lightning bolt is in no way hard to listen to it certainly is no Ten or Verses I think it lacks the rawness and emotion that gave pearl jam their amazing talent for producing some of the most memorable songs of all time Maybe these middle aged guys have had years of therapyI thought the album was going to have a lot more punch particularly after the "mind your manners" teaser While lightning bolt is in no way hard to listen to it certainly is no Ten or Verses I think it lacks the rawness and emotion that gave pearl jam their amazing talent for producing some of the most memorable songs of all time Maybe these middle aged guys have had years of therapy and become happy and well adjusted which in turn has had the follow through effect on there music … Expand
  4. jdirt2019
    Feb 12, 2014
    4
    I disagree that this is everything a Pearl Jam fan could hope for. Specifically, a PJ fan could hope for growth, or a fan could hope for the same angst/cutting edge that made so many fans in the preceding decades. I feel this album is tired and the boys i once loved so much ('91-2002) are now just grasping at straws of what USED to rock. "Ooh, now a keyboard plays rhythm chords alongsideI disagree that this is everything a Pearl Jam fan could hope for. Specifically, a PJ fan could hope for growth, or a fan could hope for the same angst/cutting edge that made so many fans in the preceding decades. I feel this album is tired and the boys i once loved so much ('91-2002) are now just grasping at straws of what USED to rock. "Ooh, now a keyboard plays rhythm chords alongside the guitars, awesome." Hardly. If the best I can say is that half of these songs would've/could've been left on the Yield/Binaural cutting room floor, maybe that's where they should've stayed. I'm sure they're giving it their all, and more power to them, but i'm not interested. To me, this is Pearl Jam in name only.… Expand
  5. GenotypeX
    Apr 22, 2017
    5
    As one of the first rock bands I ever loved as a teenager listening to TEN, VS, Vitalogy , I have to say I don't quite see the mystery Pear Jam were so good at painting in their songwriting. I'm not saying this is a bad album by no means, it just means It's not dark and mysterious anymore. Bands change, people change. It's good music but it's not what I liked about them. The first trackAs one of the first rock bands I ever loved as a teenager listening to TEN, VS, Vitalogy , I have to say I don't quite see the mystery Pear Jam were so good at painting in their songwriting. I'm not saying this is a bad album by no means, it just means It's not dark and mysterious anymore. Bands change, people change. It's good music but it's not what I liked about them. The first track Getaway, Eddie is basically just singing typical generic notes to a melody, it's tragic. He used to be so good at changing the entire dynamic of a track by vocally spinning it on it's head and owning the entire concept. My Fathers son is pretty rocking on the bass line, except for some jarring guitar chords here and there, enjoyable.… Expand
  6. palmmars
    Dec 5, 2018
    4
    This album as well as Backspacer reminds me a lot of middle aged mom's drunk off of red wine dancing around to some good old rock n roll while their toddlers locked in the game room while Stacy, Who is barbaras older daughter babysits. All the children are in the room, half of them drawing on an etch a sketch, while the other half ponders around, bored of the little mermaid playing on theThis album as well as Backspacer reminds me a lot of middle aged mom's drunk off of red wine dancing around to some good old rock n roll while their toddlers locked in the game room while Stacy, Who is barbaras older daughter babysits. All the children are in the room, half of them drawing on an etch a sketch, while the other half ponders around, bored of the little mermaid playing on the TV curious to the racket their parent's are making. U2 is up next!… Expand

Awards & Rankings

48
#48 Most Discussed Album of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. Blurt Magazine
    Dec 19, 2013
    40
    The problem is that Pearl Jam at this point is just repeating itself--or others.
    Read full review
  2. Magnet
    Dec 18, 2013
    60
    Lightning Bolt is only more competent than Foo Fighters, Vedder and Co.'s rival for the planet's straightest rock band. [No. 105, p.57]
  3. Under The Radar
    Dec 4, 2013
    75
    Lightning Bolt finds Pearl Jam sounding more comfortable in its collective skin and with its collective influences than perhaps even before. [Nov-Dec 2013, p.92]
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