Jump to content

[PO] Lightning Bolt – Sonic Citadel – Oct. 11


Recommended Posts

KDKxc01.gif

DxTvvyL.png

 

eu1aaXv.png

 

 

OCTOBER 11TH

 

I know that pre-orders for the newest Lightning Bolt were met with hushed enthusiasm (over in this thread), but we got a fresh single and I'm too hyped so it's getting its own thread.  For those late to the party, there's currently only limited edition to chase down.  A magenta pink, as shown above.

 

https://lightningbolt.bandcamp.com

https://thrilljockey.com/products/sonic-citadel

 

Media Mail wasn't an option at Thrill Jockey when I went to place my order, so I opted for a Bandcamp copy.  They may have added it since then, though.  Your results could vary.  Either way; $20 for a double LP, before shipping, is just nutty.

 

About the album:

 

Quote

Lightning Bolt play with abandon that is unmatched and remarkably undiluted since the duo’s formation 25 years ago. They are often called one of the loudest rock outfits in existence, both on record and on (or famously, off) the stage. Brian Gibson creates sounds that are unexpected and remarkably varied with his virtuosic bass playing and his inventive approach to the instrument, centered around melody rather than rhythm. The dizzying fury of Brian Chippendale’s drums twist from primal patterns into disorienting break beats as his distorted, looped, and echoing vocals weave more melody into the mayhem. Amidst the fray there has always been shreds of a pop songs discernible in the eye of every Lightning Bolt song. For their seventh full length, Sonic Citadel, Gibson and Chippendale have done the daring, stripping away some of the distortion mask to reveal the naked pop forms as never before. Their relentless energy, inventiveness and, unrestrained joy still drive their songs, pulling you in and compelling you to bounce and yes, even sing along.

 

Over their career Lightning Bolt’s incomparable sound has been built on the ebb and flow between the power of raw, unbridled simplicity and a boundless, childlike sense of wonder. Sonic Citadel marks the duo’s most varied and diverse work since their seminal album Wonderful Rainbow, exploring a large breadth of emotions between and within each song. Gibson and Chippendale again recorded with Seth Manchester at the esteemed Machines With Magnets to capture the abandon of their music with clarity and Gibson’s incredible dynamic range clearly to make the record as visceral an experience as their live performances. The pummeling “Blow To The Head” and swirling “Van Halen 2049” bookend the album with two of the most ferocious songs in the band’s catalogue, with the former built as a Black Pus (Brian Chippendale’s solo outlet) track on steroids. In stark contrast, songs like “Don Henley In The Park,” and “All Insane” take on almost conventional pop shapes despite being entirely spontaneous pieces crafted in the studio. “Hüsker Dön’t” too defies expectations as one of the poppiest songs in their discography with a chugging but clear chord progression and some of Chippendale’s least distorted vocals. These wildly varying approaches are a testament to the duo’s immeasurable capacity to explore new sonic territory organically, and largely through improvisation.

 

For the bulk of Lightning Bolt’s work together, they have slowly molded improvised jams which sometimes take years to develop on the road. The song “Halloween 3” may sound familiar to fans who have seen the band live in the last 15 years, and is named after a popular video of the duo performing an early version of the song. Sonic Citadel, however, also prominently features songs which began as solo recordings, be it a Black Pus 4-track recording or a series of looped bass figures from Gibson. In the four years between album releases, each member’s increasingly prolific creative endeavors limited their time to create together. Brian Gibson was the sole artist, musician and co-designer of the acclaimed video game Thumper, which has since proliferated across a multitude of platforms, and won countless awards including the 2019 Apple Design Award. Brian Chippendale, who has always created the band’s visual art, released the graphic novel Puke Force, was included in Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Drummers of All Time,” and recently collaborated with fashion designers Eckhaus Latta. Coupled with their consistent touring, as well as Chippendale recently becoming a father, the duo took the challenge of their time constraints head on as a compositional tool. By keeping some songs more direct and focusing on their central ideas, the duo managed to increase the overall intensity of their music while leaving space to for the songs to breath and stretch out live.

 

The impact that Lightning Bolt has had on underground music since its inception is immense, and remains pervasive beyond any genre tag that has been attached to them. Sonic Citadel is the work of band unafraid to challenge themselves, unbound by expectations, joyfully defiant, and possessed of the same inventive curiosity which set them apart on day one and is unmatched still 25 years later.

Edited by Derek™
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, DecayToDeath said:

You check out Air Conditioning yet?  I had no idea what to expect but it managed to impress.  The jump in production is noticeable but it feels like it's got just as much grit and bite as anything else they've ever done.  I sort of feel the "pop" angle that the writeup references – the stretch at 2:47 has been stuck in my head all day... which is a bizarre thing to admit about a Lightning Bolt song.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

For anybody who missed out on the magenta variant from Thrill Jockey, there are apparently green variants available from a few different retailers:
http://www.resident-music.com/productdetails&product_id=64947

https://www.normanrecords.com/records/178391-lightning-bolt-sonic-citadel

https://beartreerecords.com/products/lightning-bolt-sonic-citadel-2xlp?variant=28496972513346

There is also a blue variant available from Bull Moose:
https://www.bullmoose.com/p/31952806/lightning-bolt-sonic-citadel-blue-vinyl-2lp-blue-vinyl-w-download-card
I just now snagged a copy of the blue variant myself. Love both of the singles - really looking forward to hearing the rest of the album.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, this was everything I was hoping it’d be and then some.  On first listen, anyway.  Love how they retained a lot of their monstrous volume and grime but managed to slip in a surprising amount of melody.  I get what that writeup meant when it said that this is the closest they’ve come to a “pop” record, or whatever.  Big Banger goes in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×

AdBlock Detected

spacer.png

We noticed that you're using an adBlocker

Yes, I'll whitelist