One of the better U2 articles you'll read ...

[Mac Phisto]

... well, according to me anyway.

It appeared in the New Yorker, and I think it does a fine job capturing what U2 is all about without coming off as sycophantic. The writer Sasha Frere-Jones, provides very unique takes and clearly has a very strong understanding of the band.

"This album is a long dinner with old friends, all of whom love each other, most of whom are born talkers, and some of whom hold the floor for too long. Not every anecdote holds up, and some of the food belongs, untouched, on the edge of your plate. But it would be small-minded to leave before the whole warm, rambling night is over."

That is good stuff.

Check it out: The Longest Run: Musical Events: The New Yorker

 

[BVS]

Eh

I think she got a lot wrong...

 

[Scorpionac]

Why do people keep quoting the line as "Password! You enter here!". I've always heard it as "Password: you! Enter here!"

 

[Mac Phisto]

Eh

I think she got a lot wrong...

Care to elaborate?

 

[BVS]

Care to elaborate?

Well two that popped out right away:

Yes, the band’s most famous member is the least technically gifted, and the most influential, the guitarist David Evans, a.k.a. the Edge, is the least likely to pipe up in public.

Another:

Bono’s voice can sound strained fairly quickly and isn’t in the same league of instruments as that of Michael Stipe or Robert Plant, men with rich, deeply textured voices.

Now this one is more subjective but I would never say it isn't in the same league as these two, in fact in some instances I would say beyond these two... Both great singers, but like Bono both have very obvious limitations.

 

[Chief43]

Haha she must be having a dig. Edge the least technically gifted? Most famous?

Wrong and wrong.

And most influential? Maybe musically but I still feel Larry is a strong voice, even if they talk about U2 needing to be a unanimous democracy.

 

[last unicorn]

"This album is a long dinner with old friends, all of whom love each other, most of whom are born talkers, and some of whom hold the floor for too long. Not every anecdote holds up, and some of the food belongs, untouched, on the edge of your plate. But it would be small-minded to leave before the whole warm, rambling night is over."

Well, she sure likes to use metaphors.

What a tiresome piece of writing from an author that is clearly full of herself. I've read many better articles than that.

 

[Jdelbove]

she lost me - i cant believe she said bono's voice was not on par will Micheal stipe. Dont get me wrong I like REM but i think it is a widely held belief that Bono is known to have one of the most distinctive, powerful voices in rock music and that is basically U2's signature sound with the edge - REM is good but Stipe is no powerhouse

 

[Jdelbove]

also One is "is a model of simplicity and unfussy positivity, which is the band’s real signature - um no - she has no understanding of the song

 

[asr]

I didn't know there was a song called 'The Joshua Tree.' Clearly she must have meant 'One Tree Hill.'

 

[Sister Moon]

Interesting article, I didn't agree with everything but I think it was great when she said U2 were all about "Uplift".

 

[Rob33]

she lost me - i cant believe she said bono's voice was not on par will Micheal stipe. Dont get me wrong I like REM but i think it is a widely held belief that Bono is known to have one of the most distinctive, powerful voices in rock music and that is basically U2's signature sound with the edge - REM is good but Stipe is no powerhouse

haha, exactly

Bono is in a league of his own....she is insane.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Haha she must be having a dig. Edge the least technically gifted? Most famous?

She's referring to Bono in the first part, then the Edge. So, Bono is the most famous/least gifted. Edge the most influental. It's poorly put.

 

[dward1]

I was just coming here to post that article. It was a great article in my mind. I don't think anyone really thinks NLOTH is on the level that JT and AB were but we need to be reminded how shocking it really is that a band can still come out with good, solid music and create the roar of a live crowd for their new singles after 30 years of being together. It's just unprecedented.

 

[Chief43]

She's referring to Bono in the first part, then the Edge. So, Bono is the most famous/least gifted. Edge the most influental. It's poorly put.

Ah that makes a lot more sense. Although Bono's Celtic voice is a gift in itself.

 

[Chief43]

I was just coming here to post that article. It was a great article in my mind. I don't think anyone really thinks NLOTH is on the level that JT and AB were but we need to be reminded how shocking it really is that a band can still come out with good, solid music and create the roar of a live crowd for their new singles after 30 years of being together. It's just unprecedented.

I know it is an amazing effort to have almost the same passion and intensity for such a long time. But its always fun to be cynical and have a dig at reviewers. Just giving back what they dish out

 

[U2girl]

"Yes, the band’s most famous member is the least technically gifted"

O-kay.

 

[last unicorn]

The article starts out quite nicely, but I don't agree with what she says about the lyrics and apparently she doesn't get Boots at all. But that's fine. What I don't like is that she tries to label NLOTH as an overly optimistic, uplifting record, because that's not true. I wouldn't even see much optimism in most of the songs on NLOTH, in fact, there is a darkness about them, but at the same time, hope. The dinner metaphor is just lame.

 

[dal975]

The article starts out quite nicely, but I don't agree with what she says about the lyrics and apparently she doesn't get Boots at all. But that's fine. What I don't like is that she tries to label NLOTH as an overly optimistic, uplifting record, because that's not true. I wouldn't even see much optimism in most of the songs on NLOTH, in fact, there is a darkness about them, but at the same time, hope. The dinner metaphor is just lame.

agreed, the dinner metaphor sounded so forced and plain dumb