Breathe is overrated thread

[Thanksandy]

I am not a big fan of the first part, particularly the "these days..." vocals, but it gets a lot better towards the end of the song when Edge comes to prominence.

 

[edgeplaytheblue]

I know for a lot of you this sounds like blasphemy, but I have a few problem with it (for now!)...

The difficulties with the song I seem to have are:

* The song doesn't sound "new" or innovative in what way whatsoever. To me, it sounds like a real HTDAAB-track.

* The pace/rhythm sounds like it drags and drags, Larry's predictable smash on the cymbal at all the same points underlines this dragging. Like the rhythm of "Trip Through Your Wires"... But here it works because it's a fun little song that's swaying instead of dragging.

* The song doesn't seem to know where it wants to go at several moments. It sounds like 3 or 4 songs chopped up and merged back together again.

* The sound is to "in your face" ...ehm....like 3 cats fighting between 4 tin rubbish cans.. or something like that... Just too loud and almost annoying like the sound of "All Because Of You" and "Crumbs"...

I might change my opinion but for now the song hasn't landed yet for me, and I don't get all the "Hallelujah's" about it... sorry.

Wrong wrong .. why does a song always need to sound new? It does sound like U2 .. and in what way. This song is greaaaaatttt ...

 

[shart1780]

The problem with the song is that a lot of the lyrics are really cheesy. The chorus lyrics are some of the most cliche'd corny Bono lyrics ever IMO. Its like if I was making a parody of bad U2 lyrics that's what I'd write.

Plus the "these days" part is pretty bad. Kind of like the "cool down mama" part of Crumbs From Your Table.

The Verses are great though. So are the Edge's parts. It's like they took a cool song and mixed it with a lame song.

 

[onyourkneesboy]

Wrong wrong .. why does a song always need to sound new? It does sound like U2 .. and in what way. This song is greaaaaatttt ...

In case of this album: YES!!

We all know the comments of, for example Lanois and Eno about how this new album would surprise the listener and would be a big, big departure from the last 2 albums. Hell, he even compared it to Achtung Baby when it came to new approaches, new sounds!
Also Bono said that the book regarding the last 2 albums was definately closed!

That's why it should sound "new"!
And Magnificent is a good example of that! In the core classic U2 but wrapped around in a complete new sound and mood. And the song SHINES and THUNDERS because of it!
Breathe instead just drags on the old HTDAAB-formula "thanks" to Lillywhite probably! When they would remove Lillywhite out of the room and approach Breathe in a similar way as they did with Magnificent: can you imagine what another passionate, stabile but mostly fresh sounding "cracker" Breathe would be?

 

[monsieur fly]

One problem with Breathe is that it takes 40 seconds from the end of the first verse at 1 minute to get to Bono's first "Neeeeed" in the chrous. That intervening section (Walk out into the street etc) drags really it should only take half that time. Does anyone else feel this?

 

[onyourkneesboy]

One problem with Breathe is that it takes 40 seconds from the end of the first verse at 1 minute to get to Bono's first "Neeeeed" in the chrous. That intervening section (Walk out into the street etc) drags really it should only take half that time. Does anyone else feel this?

yez...

 

[razredge]

One problem with Breathe is that it takes 40 seconds from the end of the first verse at 1 minute to get to Bono's first "Neeeeed" in the chrous. That intervening section (Walk out into the street etc) drags really it should only take half that time. Does anyone else feel this?

Then it would be just like Vertigo or BD, or any other pop song on the radio, verse then straight to chorus.

I like the three part (4 for the first one) chorus of Breathe gives the song a unique identity, for all the people who think it's not different enough.