American Soul.

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
A Man and A Woman might've been a bit cheesy but it didn't sound labored or cloying. Which is more than I can say about the band's more recent output.
 
I agree the idea these songs will evolve and improve with time is wishful thinking if not naive rationalization. You need 3 listens to have a full appreciation (or lack thereof) for these new songs, possibly excluding Blackout which may take 5 listens. drhark nailed it with the “mailing it in” sentiment. I really don’t know how else to consider it. I feel bad for my bro - an enormous U2 fan and accomplished musician himself - and he can’t even stomach a listen since the NLOTH release.
 
Last edited:
Iggy Fizz said:
I have listened to Volcano a lot and I am pleased to report - no loss of life, property doing just fine and infrastructure all up to snuff.

And no grief, pain or suffering either until I went back for my second listening of American Hell Hole. The song just sucks, big time.

Please Bono, just STFU about America already.
Click to expand...

:lmao:
 
I don't think it's a bad tune; just disappointing. The Kendrick Lamar sample certainly gave cause for raised expectations, and, while I think it's a serviceable latterday U2 rock song... ain't nobody begging for "serviceable latterday U2 rock songs" lol. But who knows--maybe there's an alternate cut of the tune waiting in the wings to be released on the bonus disc
 
Airseven said:
I agree the idea these songs will evolve and improve with time is wishful thinking if not naive rationalization. You need 3 listens to have a full appreciation (or lack thereof) for these new songs, possibly excluding Blackout which may take 5 listens. drhark nailed it with the “mailing it in” sentiment. I really don’t know how else to consider it. I feel bad for my bro - an enormous U2 fan and accomplished musician himself - and he can’t even stomach a listen since the NLOTH release.
Click to expand...

I think I'm seeing a pattern - Fans that want to blame the band for them losing interest - But it's not U2 to blame here, but fans themselves. We all change, or we more importantly, we DON'T change.

Yes, i'm going into broken record territory here, but U2 is and has ALWAYS been a journey. You think your brother is different than the fans back in 84 that didn't want to go from War to UF sound? Than the fans that shit on R&H cause of the blues/country trek. Than the huge amount of fans that wanted nothing to do with them after AB, or Zooropa, and then POP!!??
Then the fans of the 90's era that were then dissapointed with ATYCLB??

Come on man, this is just nonsense. SOI is an incredibly strong album. And if your bro can't stomach songs like RBW, EBW, SLABT, Iris, Reach or The Troubles, I truly find it bizarre. IMO Shits all over Bomb and most of No Line and ATYCLB...

You're either a fan that enjoys the journey and all the ups and downs and different directions, or you're one that gets stuck at a certain era and your journey ends. But it's nonsense to blame the band.
 
Last edited:
I love how Volcano has now taken on legendary status in some minds...3 years ago it was a shit song to a lot of users in this forum...:hmm:

Here's my take on SOE and the songs released so far:

No matter what song U2 releases people on this forum will find something to hate about it...:shrug:
 
Reggie Thee Dog said:
I love how Volcano has now taken on legendary status in some minds...3 years ago it was a shit song to a lot of users in this forum...:hmm:

Here's my take on SOE and the songs released so far:

No matter what song U2 releases people on this forum will find something to hate about it...:shrug:
Click to expand...

Yeah, never understood the hate for Volcano and the love for Reach?!? I was the exact opposite from the get go on those tunes. Love me some Volcano. :)
 
Volcano and Reach are two of U2’s best rocker type songs of the 2000’s...I like American Soul now but it’s not nearly as good as Volcano.
 
Reggie Thee Dog said:
I love how Volcano has now taken on legendary status in some minds...3 years ago it was a shit song to a lot of users in this forum...:hmm:

Here's my take on SOE and the songs released so far:

No matter what song U2 releases people on this forum will find something to hate about it...:shrug:
Click to expand...



Always enjoyed Volcano myself and don’t mind about the reuse of some of its elements in AS.

i will say there is a trend with some it seems that trash new music and then when something newer comes out say “this is garbage compared to the last one” or “at least the last one did XYZ”....lol

i tend to tune them out.
 
Well, I've yet to watch a "lyric" video that has changed my view on a song I dislike and find hard to sit through (though clearly not impossible), now.. well I just know the words to said song and I get to see some graphics too, yae... It's still not a good song for me.
 
patternshirt170 said:
Well, I've yet to watch a "lyric" video that has changed my view on a song I dislike and find hard to sit through (though clearly not impossible), now.. well I just know the words to said song and I get to see some graphics too, yae... It's still not a good song for me.
Click to expand...



Lyric vid, i agree with you but there are some official vids that enhance a song.

i will say that both lyric vids so far have been very well done but to your point, if you don’t like it, you won’t start because of them.
 
Song is kinda all over the place - not bad though. I'm sure I might get into it more after several listens, despite some cheesy lyrics.

But comparing it to SUC? ugh.....that song was ghastly. Talk about cheese.
 
Dr. Lemonseed said:
Has anyone read Blake's SOI or SOE? My understanding is that he cross pollinated ideas and lyrics. Is that true? If so, I'm sure the Volcano reference is 100% deliberate with that in mind.
Click to expand...



Yes, Blake wrote about similar subjects from different perspectives. Good examples are “The Lamb” and “The Tyger” and the “Holy Thursday” poems.

I get the sense that this concept has fallen apart over the course of these albums though.
 
womanfish said:
I think I'm seeing a pattern - Fans that want to blame the band for them losing interest - But it's not U2 to blame here, but fans themselves. We all change, or we more importantly, we DON'T change.

Yes, i'm going into broken record territory here, but U2 is and has ALWAYS been a journey. You think your brother is different than the fans back in 84 that didn't want to go from War to UF sound? Than the fans that shit on R&H cause of the blues/country trek. Than the huge amount of fans that wanted nothing to do with them after AB, or Zooropa, and then POP!!??
Then the fans of the 90's era that were then dissapointed with ATYCLB??

Come on man, this is just nonsense. SOI is an incredibly strong album. And if your bro can't stomach songs like RBW, EBW, SLABT, Iris, Reach or The Troubles, I truly find it bizarre. IMO Shits all over Bomb and most of No Line and ATYCLB...

You're either a fan that enjoys the journey and all the ups and downs and different directions, or you're one that gets stuck at a certain era and your journey ends. But it's nonsense to blame the band.
Click to expand...

As an old geezer fan, I quite agree with you. Having first discovered U2 with October , loving War, I had some reservations about Unforgettable Fire. Then was hesitant to buy Joshua Tree (I got over that),. Then I remember AB coming out with the lead single "The Fly" and I was saying WTF? Of course I eventually appreciated AB and Zooropa. I was not a big fan of Pop, but I there were enough good songs there to keep the faith. Even when I questioned some of their musical direction or choices, I never felt they were just mailing it in.
Anyone who is old enough recognizes that there is an arc of creativity in almost every artist's journey. Look at any band that has been around long enough and you will see a period of strong creativity that can rarely be maintained. I don't expect that U2 will ever repeat the levels of creativity that occurred through the 80's and early 90's. Once I accepted that, I was able to enjoy a considerable amount of their output from ATYCLB forward. While I don't think they have been breaking barriers of creativity in some time, I don't for a second think that we would have been better off if they had broken up after a 10 or 15 year run.
 
Psychobabble said:
As an old geezer fan, I quite agree with you. Having first discovered U2 with October , loving War, I had some reservations about Unforgettable Fire. Then was hesitant to buy Joshua Tree (I got over that),. Then I remember AB coming out with the lead single "The Fly" and I was saying WTF? Of course I eventually appreciated AB and Zooropa. I was not a big fan of Pop, but I there were enough good songs there to keep the faith. Even when I questioned some of their musical direction or choices, I never felt they were just mailing it in.
Anyone who is old enough recognizes that there is an arc of creativity in almost every artist's journey. Look at any band that has been around long enough and you will see a period of strong creativity that can rarely be maintained. I don't expect that U2 will ever repeat the levels of creativity that occurred through the 80's and early 90's. Once I accepted that, I was able to enjoy a considerable amount of their output from ATYCLB forward. While I don't think they have been breaking barriers of creativity in some time, I don't for a second think that we would have been better off if they had broken up after a 10 or 15 year run.
Click to expand...
This is entirely sensible, articulate and correct. I'm somewhat jealous of those who discovered U2 so early. My wife's boss remembers seeing them in the UK 1980ish. Bastard.
I was a 6 year old when The Unforgettable Fire came on the radio enough times for men to be obsessed with it, but not enough times for my parents to know it and tell me who it was. Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum were perfection to my ears.
Achtung Baby infuriated me for the first 10 minutes. Then about 2 minutes into One I realised I was listening to something great.
And that has just continued happening. They evolve, I struggle, then eventually appreciate them.

However I never got the attraction of some of Bono's lyrics from Pop onwards. SOI was lyrically one of his best though...

Bottom line I'm prepared to be disappointed, ecstatic, confused, elated - all at the same time as I listen to this album for the first time in a week or so. Wonderful!
 
I’ve heard this song now about 20-30 times.

One of my least favorite SOE songs. I’m afraid this won’t change anymore.

It’s a pity. I actually like the start of the song and the verses. The chorus ruins it for me, especially the chorus at the end (twice too often) which makes the song even a bit annoying.
 
I like the first couple of minutes of this track but it seems to lose its way. The overuse of the "you are rock and roll" line towards the end makes me want to press the skip button. Missed opportunity, could have been great but I think they ran out of ideas half way through this track.
 
It seems like I'm really in the minority, but I really enough this song. I absolutely hated it upon the first couple of listens, but it quickly grew on me. Great groove during the verses, rocking chorus. I love the "siren" sound from Glastonbury that's added into the chorus later in the song. It flows great out of Get Out of Your Own Way.
 
I've only heard the two other released songs and the live versions of Little Things so it will be interesting to see how I truly feel about this song when I finally listen to the full album on Friday. Right now, I love the intro and the song just keeps going at a great pace with some interesting background vocals and guitars throughout. The chorus really doesn't add anything to this song and probably takes away from it more than anything. I think it will be fun live, in an "Elevation" sort of way....enjoyable live but something I rarely listen to when going through U2 albums or making a playlist.
 
riteshbhatt1 said:
I've only heard the two other released songs and the live versions of Little Things so it will be interesting to see how I truly feel about this song when I finally listen to the full album on Friday. Right now, I love the intro and the song just keeps going at a great pace with some interesting background vocals and guitars throughout. The chorus really doesn't add anything to this song and probably takes away from it more than anything. I think it will be fun live, in an "Elevation" sort of way....enjoyable live but something I rarely listen to when going through U2 albums or making a playlist.
Click to expand...
Yes, i forgot to add that I think this is going to be a killer live song.
 
I still think this is one of the more sonically inventive songs on the album. I think if people had never heard Volcano, they would enjoy it much more.
 
U2freakboy said:
I think if people had never heard Volcano, they would enjoy it much more.
Click to expand...

I would agree with that.

re comparisons to Stand Up Comedy - I can see a comparison in that they're both loud, stompy rockers. I think American Soul is more successful at it than Stand Up Comedy, though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Scorpionac
Songs that would fit better on SOI vs. SOE?
Replies
1
Views
411
Headache in a Suitcase
Headache in a Suitcase
dan_smee
I listened to No Line on the Horizon right through tonight for the first time in about 10 years…
2 3
Replies
83
Views
2K
lazarus
lazarus
R
Instrumental Songs in the waiting area?
Replies
11
Views
971
ARMOGI
A
Reggie Thee Dog
Are we NOT discussing the Dolby Atmos Mix of Achtung Baby?
Replies
13
Views
1K
count rushmore
count rushmore
W
A Boy Falls From the Sky is some U2's best work
Replies
3
Views
2K
zoocarolina
Z

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom