Breathe is overrated thread

[adypole]

Give it a chance. It's been my leat favourite song on the album before, but whoosh, it sped up to third place only behind moment and caller (then stand up comedy and no line on the horizon)

 

[popshopper]

I think it's far better live, there's something off about the production on the album I think, I can't put it in words but it comes off as a bit I dunno "obvious"? on the album

 

[bigloader]

I think that Breathe is probably one of the only songs on the album that isn't overrated.

 

[last unicorn]

There are actually songs on the album I find underrated.

When is the right time to start with the "underrated" threads?

 

[youarenotimmune]

* 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"...

that's kind of what I thought the first time I listened to it as well. it just seemed too jumbled up and noisy. but I knew even then this one wud take a good number of listens to fully comprehend it! for your own good, I suggest u be more patient with this song, because i'm 99.99999 percent sure u'r goin to fall in uninhibited love with this absolutely JOYOUS song!

oh and all becuase of you is crap

 

[AtomicBono]

I think it's far better live, there's something off about the production on the album I think, I can't put it in words but it comes off as a bit I dunno "obvious"? on the album

I like the album version but it's a bit busy. The live version is more the "fuck-off live rocker" Edge(?) called it (the verses anyway). The cello is badass but I think I prefer the more raw version of Breathe.

 

[U2girl]

It is overrated by Eno (U2 being U2 to the max, and being the ultimate U2 song) and Edge. (f--off live rocker?)

 

[bram]

It's funny--this was the song I was looking forward to least after the beach clip, but it really works for me now that I've heard it a lot on the album. Maybe the cello did the trick.

 

[intedomine]

It lives up to it's beach clip and more....

 

[ozeeko]

What is it with Steve Lillywhite's production style these days? He's like a master of producing things that sound absolutely amazing on first listen, then get worse and worse after each succeeding listen.

I really want to love this song, but it just sounds, i dunno, neutored or something. And i was worshipping this as the second best song on the album after i first heard it!

I think Eno should've been the final word on this song, should've made it sound otherworldly and less BOMB-friendly. It's like a decent song that has been put thru the BOMB filter of mediocrity.

Fuck Lillywhite - don't let this guy anywhere near the studio.

And what happened to those crazy "breeeathee out...breeeaatthe" Bono shouts that we heard at the end of the beach clip? Why are we now subjected to what sounds like 4 measures of lame guitar looped 4 times. Way to ruin the climax. No catharsis after listening to this song. Just a feeling of "damn...missed opportunity" Not to mention it just sounds lost in between WAS and COL. Those 2 songs sound like a new, fresh, wiser, more world weary Bono, lived-in and experienced, no time for corny shit. Then this HTDAAB Bono crashes the party, and suddenly U2 sound like an MTV TRL NOW COMPILATION mainstream catering band again.

But stilll, i enjoy the song for what it is. Bittersweet song.

 

[LyricalDrug]

What is it with Steve Lillywhite's production style these days? He's like a master of producing things that sound absolutely amazing on first listen, then get worse and worse after each succeeding listen.

I really want to love this song, but it just sounds, i dunno, neutored or something. And i was worshipping this as the second best song on the album after i first heard it!

I think Eno should've been the final word on this song, should've made it sound otherworldly and less BOMB-friendly. It's like a decent song that has been put thru the BOMB filter of mediocrity.

Fuck Lillywhite - don't let this guy anywhere near the studio.

And what happened to those crazy "breeeathee out...breeeaatthe" Bono shouts that we heard at the end of the beach clip? Why are we now subjected to what sounds like 4 measures of lame guitar looped 4 times. Way to ruin the climax. No catharsis after listening to this song. Just a feeling of "damn...missed opportunity" Not to mention it just sounds lost in between WAS and COL. Those 2 songs sound like a new, fresh, wiser, more world weary Bono, lived-in and experienced, no time for corny shit. Then this HTDAAB Bono crashes the party, and suddenly U2 sound like an MTV TRL NOW COMPILATION mainstream catering band again.

But stilll, i enjoy the song for what it is. Bittersweet song.

lol... yeah, Lillywhite's shine seems to have faded a bit lately. I suppose he deserves credit for having delivered a commercial hit w/ HTDAAB (and it won 9 Grammys(!!) to boot), but from the hardcore fan's perspective, it seems like he turns potentially great U2 songs into syrupy, radio-friendly, commercial tracks... the so-called "Dad"-rock that gets played on adult-contemporary radio stations. *shrug*

I wish there was a way to let Eno & Lanois permanently run the production show. At this point, U2 should go for weird and avante-garde, instead of all the "biggest band in the world" and "be relevant" junk.

 

[ozeeko]

At this point, U2 should go for weird and avante-garde, instead of all the "biggest band in the world" and "be relevant" junk.

Especially when to "be relevant" today means to have hardly any talent at all, and merely pay tribute to earlier artists (basically, what U2 did to themselves on the BOMB album...and what they thankfully only did to about 3 songs on NLOTH)instead of learning what made them great and using that shit to form something new and exciting.

 

[dalivoxhewson]

Just saw them perform this at Letterman and it sounded phenomenal live. Let me put the doubt to rest this is going to be a crowd favorite on this tour. It sounds amazing live, better than on the album and it has the right energy for a U2 concert. I was on the fence about the hype but now that I have seen it live this is definitely one of my favorites. Catch it on Letterman but believe me when you see it live is when it really takes off. (Not unlike most of their big hits!)

 

[cobl04]

I'm surprised to see this has become a popular early favourite. I enjoy the song, don't get me wrong, but it's definitely one of the new tracks I've played least (partly because I think its album placement is terrible; it sounds quite good between Crazy Tonight and Boots instead). It definitely has a strong HTDAABy feel, especially in the chorus, and I feel like Bono's overdoing it on the fast verses. The drum intro and guitar solo are good stuff, though.

This.

Hidden between White as Snow and Cedars, two of the much more quiet, reflective songs, it's the placement that kills it more than anything.

 

[senrab]

It took me 2 weeks of listening to it to like it, I still can't stand the "cockatoo" line though. LOL

 

[bedouin fire]

probably the best u2 song since please.

 

[monsieur fly]

Breathe is far better than any of the cookie-cutter hokum they put on HTDAAB- for a start that wobbly cello is amazing and there are enough changes of tempo to keep it interesting. Maybe the guitars could have been given a more mysterious treatment, perhaps like on UTEOTW. Other than that, I love it.

 

[monsieur fly]

What is it with Steve Lillywhite's production style these days? He's like a master of producing things that sound absolutely amazing on first listen, then get worse and worse after each succeeding listen.
.

That is a fair point- he really needs to be axed quickly. HTDAAB was going to rock very hard before he came along and convinced him it was the wrong approach.

 

[monsieur fly]

Especially when to "be relevant" today means to have hardly any talent at all, and merely pay tribute to earlier artists (basically, what U2 did to themselves on the BOMB album...and what they thankfully only did to about 3 songs on NLOTH)instead of learning what made them great and using that shit to form something new and exciting.

Hallelujah

 

[U2FloridaFan]

There are actually songs on the album I find underrated.

When is the right time to start with the "underrated" threads?

AMEN!! It's a great album..all around...not a weak song in the bunch, the music is truly beautiful!

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

if we couldn't breathe we would be dead...definitely not overrated.

Love the song, this thread, not so much.

 

[Popmart Shopper]

I think this is an awesome song with one of their best prechorus's ever.

 

[phommel]

Well, did we see the live version at the Jonathan Ross show?

It's AMAZING

 

[CosmoKramer]

probably the best u2 song since please.

Never liked Please...just couldn't get into it. With that said, Breathe is a good song. The more I hear it, the more Im getting into it.

Also, I really love the sound (perhaps violins) at around 3:20-3:30 into the song.

 

[purpleoscar]

One of the best U2 songs ever for me.

 

[roy keane]

We can discuss songs, someone like it, someone don't and that's fine,that's what forums are about in the first place. However I just don't see the point of this thread. NLOTH was not released two years ago, it has just been released. Breathe was not first single, it may not be single at all. And as far as I can see it is not some superior fan favorite song on these boards. So a simple " I dont like it because..." would be just fine instead of " Breathe is overrated".

 

[Bean Skidds]

After seeing it live on J Ross, and then Letterman last night, I think this thread can be closed

As usual with the best stuff from U2, they take it up 2 notches live and blow the doors off. Great tune!

 

[Silence]

So any of ya "critics" ever wrote a song as good?

 

[cstar]

Right now I'm not enjoying Breathe very much, but songs do grow on me, especially hearing live (case in point ABOY). Saw the French tv performance, and was not that impressed. I really do not like the piano, which sounds jarring and forced. I do like edge's guitar and the solo but it sounds out of place. I still have to watch the Letterman performance for another try. I want to like it, but time will tell.

Whether or not it's "overrated" does not interest me.

 

[shart1780]

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"...

This is my main complaint with the song. It seems a little too cluttered to me. Also the lyrics during the choruses are pretty bad IMO.

It's my least favorite song from the album. Still, it's not that bad.