Disco de The Waterboys: “Book of Lightning”

I was completely surprised at how wonderful that this new cd is and almost equally surprised by the lack of attention it is getting, considering that it was released in Europe months ago. As a big fan of The Waterboys in the 80's I've since listened to Mike Scott's output of the past almost 20 years and didn't care for a lot of it. Rock In A Weary Land (2001?) is a muddy sounding mess with poor songwriting and is practically unlistenable. Book Of Lightning is the polar opposite. The songs are catchy and bear up after repeated listenings, plenty of good rockers but also some softer introspective material. "She Tried To Hold Me" is a masterpiece that marries incredible lyrics with an amazing vocal. The production is perfect for the material, very clean but not sanitized and overproduced. Mike's voice is wonderful here. It is rough at times (I want to say Dylanesque, but I know that would put some people off) and sounds absolutely wonderful with this material. What also hearkens back to the 80's is the album length - 45 minutes - 10 songs and not one of them makes me reach for the skip button. I don't see restraint like that much from my favorite artists. If you like anything else by The Waterboys I can't imagine you being disappointed with this.

I've been a longtime Waterboys fan and couldn't wait for this release!

`Book of Lightning' starts out with `The Crash of Angel Wings'. I'm not connecting with it like I do with other Waterboys tunes. However, I can say it's quite catchy and I like the lyrics.

`Love Will Shoot You Down' is nothing short of fantastic! A true rock and roll song that is a definite highlight on this release. I especially like the lyrics on this track:

Time, old Time, King Time is moving back and forth

like a backlit dancer on a pale white horse

On a mad racecource in a hungry land

you will be forced to play your secret hand

and love will shoot you down, will shoot you down

`Nobody's Baby Anymore' surprised me, having an unusual vocal style for Mike. I love it!!! Gotta give it to the boys for always offering something different... and the vast majority of the time it works. This is another catchy song but what I really like about it is the subject matter. I read somewhere that it's about our planet and the lack of care for it. This track was partially penned twenty years ago and was recently completed for inclusion on `Book of Lightning'.

The pace of the album slows down a bit for a breather. `Strange Arrangement' is a hauntingly striking offering that tugs at my heart every time I listen to it. Mike Scott has a way of making his songs cozy and effortless to embrace. The feelings injected into this tune cannot be faked and really say a lot about him as a person - someone with lots of compassion, wisdom and soul. Mike is the founder, songwriter, vocalist & an instrumentalist.

I think everyone can relate to `She Tried To Hold Me'. This is a great, easy-going song with one of my favorite lines ever: `like she was skin surrounding thunder'. Wow.

My husband's standing behind me laughing. He claims that it's a perfect description of me on a daily basis. That may be so... but he's the tornado that spins a mess throughout the house! He agrees and we hug.

`You In The Sky' is delightful, dripping with glittered honey... and just a little Bob Dylan DNA. This track originally appeared on the `Fisherman's Blues' album.

Other Major Highlights are `It's Gonna Rain' and `Sustain'.

If you are familiar with The Waterboys you know that their music weaves its way into your veins. It becomes a large part of that soundtrack to your life. Please give `Book of Lightning' a listen.

For a record or two it seemed to me the Waterboys had let go of a part of their music that I personally enjoyed the most. Songs like the ones found in "Fisherman Blues" where they played almost to perfection, where Mike Scott was writing songs that not only touched the heart but pulled at it. I always claimed that "Room to Roam" is an awesome album and I still maintain that the set of songs in that album are something to behold. Songs from that album starting with "In Search of a Rose" to the final "Room to Roam" and all in between are to me quite enjoyable over the years. Then came "Dream Harder" and the following albums and I felt Mike Scott had sacrificed some of his magic to achieve something else entirely. Less Wind Instrumentation, leaning more on guitars still with enough genius in his lyrics to make it all worthwhile but not quite the greatness exhibited on "Fisherman Blues" and also (to me) "Room to Roam". With "Book of Lightning" The Waterboys return to their past splendor, a little more melodic a little less heavy guitar work. Not quite as brilliant as what I like to call their Best, but frankly dangerously close. One thing for sure, Mike Scott is one of the best out there, his lyrics cut right through you and the Waterboys music can only be described as beautiful when in full swing. I always buy the latest of The Waterboys and I have also purchased Mike Scott solo albums so anyone can tell I try. I just find them essential listening in my little world for I am always hoping to hear the kind of song that only them can provide. In the same vein I buy all the music that comes from "World Party", it seems the Waterboys and World Party elicit the same kind of response from me. I just love that kind of clever, refreshing and quality music they produce. This CD is much better than the previous two albums and in a way is a return to form, to the music I eagerly long for to hear from them. 4 Stars because I am sure they are capable of so much more that I have to leave room for the next 5 Stars from them. Love their words, Love their music and have nothing but the outmost respect for Mike Scott, who I believe is one of the greatest of this and other generations, and the Waterboys who are as good as good can be.

For those of you wishing to live in the Fisherman's Blues days forever, then keep spinning those discs. Remastered Fisherman's Blues and Too Close to Heaven could not be duplicated anyway - they are simply masterpieces. But if you want to move with Mike and the boys where their hearts take them, then this one won't disappoint. It has the flavor of the middle 80's at times, but also the weariness of Rock in the Weary Land, which is not nearly as bad as remarked elsewhere. The lyrics and melodies will grow on you, and fortunately Mike's vocals are not as affected as they've been recently. A couple of songs (It's Gonna Rain, for one) are toss aways, but on the whole it is a great outing, one that grows on you quickly. Of course 'Tumble' has that classic sound and so catches you immediately, but it's not the real gem on the album. Others, such as "Sustain' and "She Tried to Hold Me', which has a terrible chorus but brilliant lyrics, will grab you after a few listens. And don't worry if "You in the Sky' from Fisherman's Blues doesn't sound right here - it's different tempo here also works its magic. If you're not already a fan, you likely won't give this one a try anyway, but if you've been with the guys since '83/'84, then this should be a welcome listen

Let me say I love the Waterboys and Mike Scott. A Pagan Place, This Is The Sea and Fisherman's Blues are all great. Dream Harder is pretty good, as is Scott's Bring 'em All In. But Book of Lightning is some of the worst musical twaddle committed to disc. Even a pretty competent musical cast can't save this album from the massive weight of its dreadful material. Scott sings this stuff as if he's barely in the room and on one track he sounds to me like he's had a nip or two of some libation. Don't buy this!