“The thunder clouds broke up,” the sweet news writer said, quoting The Microphones for no discernible reason. “The rain dried up,” he continued, burying the lead even further. “But the lightning, it did not let up. It drew itself back as if by Zeus’ brawny forearms and it flew downward in a colossal Lightning Bolt.” Oh geez, I get it now, based on context clues, I’m going to guess there’s a new Lightning Bolt album coming out from Thrill Jockey? Is that right, Mr. News Writer? “There’s no black or white, no change of the light.” Okay, let’s leave the news writer up here in paragraph one and go deep on the details in paragraphs two and three.
The album’s called Fantasy Empire, and it’s a follow-up to 2012’s Oblivion Hunter, and proof that Brian Chippendale doesn’t just hang out with his buddies in Deerhoof these days. And yes, in case you had forgotten, a little-known online music publication that you are, coincidentally, reading right now did name Lightning Bolt’s 2003 cosmic flamebeast of an album Wonderful Rainbow as their number three album of the 2000s. That definitely happened.
But that’s all the past, let’s talk about the future, specifically March 24, which is the date that Fantasy Empire is coming out. The songs on the album have been kicking around for some time now, morphing through the band’s live sets, and even being recorded on more lo-fi equipment, before being scrapped and ultimately replaced with the versions that made it to the record. These versions are reportedly marked by a “more accurate translation of their live experience.” It’ll be just like all those amps and drums and mountains of sound are hanging out with you in your living room and your roommates will LOVE IT. The album is available for pre-order right now on CD and deluxe double LP, a limited 300 of which will be pressed on black-and-white-swirl vinyl (there will be more of the swirl vinyl available from the band on their as-yet-unannounced tour dates later this year). And there’s even a Thrill Jockey mailorder-exclusive t-shirt floating around in there if you’re looking to boost your apparel game. We really have come a long way from that unnecessary Microphones reference at the top, haven’t we?
Fantasy Empire tracklist:
01. The Metal East
02. Over the River and Through the Woods
03. Horsepower
04. King of My World
05. Mythmaster
06. Runaway Train
07. Leave the Lantern Lit
08. Dream Genie
09. Snow White (& the 7 Dwarves Fans)
• Lightning Bolt: http://laserbeast.com
• Thrill Jockey: http://www.thrilljockey.com
More about: Lightning Bolt
