Rating songs SOE - 2.5 months after release

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BANZAI

BANZAI

War Child
Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
575
CLASSIC U2 SONGS 9-10/10
-

GREAT U2 SONGS 8-9/10
Landlady
The little things that give you away
Love is bigger than anything in its way
The blackout
Summer of love

GOOD U2 SONGS 7-8/10
Lights of home
Red flag day
Love is all we have left
13 (There is a light)
The showman (little more better)

AVERAGE U2 SONGS 6-7/10
Get out of your own way

BELOW AVERAGE U2 SONGS <6
You're the best thing about me
American soul
 
A solid album

CLASSIC U2 SONGS 9-10/10
-

GREAT U2 SONGS 8-9/10
Red flag day
Love is all we have left
The little things that give you away
Summer of love

GOOD U2 SONGS 7-8/10
Lights of home
Landlady
13 (There is a light)
The showman (little more better)
The blackout
You're the best thing about me

AVERAGE U2 SONGS 6-7/10
American soul
Love is bigger than anything in its way

BELOW AVERAGE U2 SONGS <6
Get out of your own way
 
CLASSIC U2
The Little Things That Give You Away
Red Flag Day

GREAT U2
Love is Bigger Than Anything In It’s Way
The Blackout

GOOD U2
Lights of Home
You’re the Best Thing About Me
Book of Your Heart
Landlady
Summer of Love
Love is All We Have Left

NOT BAD U2
The Showman (Little More Better)
Get Out of Your Own Way
13 (There is a Light)

”I’LL PASS” U2
American Soul
 
CLASSIC U2 SONGS 9-10/10
The little things that give you away

GREAT U2 SONGS 8-9/10
Red flag day
Love is all we have left
Summer of love
Landlady

GOOD U2 SONGS 7-8/10
Lights of home
13 (There is a light)
The showman (little more better)
The blackout
You're the best thing about me

AVERAGE U2 SONGS 6-7/10
Love is bigger than anything in its way

BELOW AVERAGE U2 SONGS <6
American soul
 
CLASSIC U2 SONGS 9-10/10
-

GREAT U2 SONGS 8-9/10
Landlady
The little things that give you away
Red flag day
Summer of love
Love is all we have left
13 (There is a light)

GOOD U2 SONGS 7-8/10
Lights of home (string version) - Very close to the great category
You're the best thing about me
Love is bigger than anything in its way
The blackout

AVERAGE U2 SONGS 6-7/10
Get out of your own way

BELOW AVERAGE U2 SONGS <6
American soul

INTO THE TRASH BIN
The showman (little more better)
 
I couldn't mark anything as great or classic on this album. A couple good U2 songs, a whole lot of average U2 songs, and a couple tracks which should go right in the trash bin. It's a decent album but I've lost interest in most of it at this point - 2018 is probably not going to be a big U2 year for me...I think I am going to skip the E+I tour and I just don't have the same buzz about them that I had in early 2017.

GOOD U2 SONGS 7-8/10
The Little Things That Give You Away (8)
Red flag day (7)
Landlady (7)

AVERAGE U2 SONGS 6-7/10
Lights of Home (6)
Get Out of Your Own Way (6)
The Showman (6)

BELOW AVERAGE U2 SONGS <6
Summer of Love (5)
Love Is All We Have Left (5)
You're The Best Thing About Me (4)

BIN IT
Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way (3)
13 (2)
The Blackout (2)
American Soul (2)
 
I haven't listened to the whole thing in while. I think SOE is a very solid U2 album. Still need time but I think its the strongest since POP.

The songs I do keep coming back and find classic U2:

-Little Things
-Red Flag Day
-Land Lady (reminds me a modern day 'Stay')
-Lights of Home
 
I don't think it's an album I will come back to a great deal, which is something I do with songs of innocence. Too many songs which are average by U2 standards.
There are a few great songs which stand with some of the best u2 songs and they are : love is all we have left, red flag day, little things, summer of love and book of your heart.
Landlady is very good, as is the showman.
There are two that I will put in with stand up comedy and never listen to again, American Soul and the blackout.
 
Little Things 10
Love is Bigger 9.0
Blackout 8.5 (might go to 9)
Summer of Love 8.5
Get Out of 8.0
Red Flag Day 7.5
Best Thing 7.5
LOH Strings 7.5*
Landlady 6.5
American Soul 6.0
Showman 5.5
LOH 5.5
Book of My Heart 5.5*
13(there is a light) 5
Love is All We Have Left 3

There are more songs on this album than any album since Achtung Baby that I consider good to classic (8-10) but the flow of the album doesn't sit well with me. I wish there was more of that classic Edge sound on the album or a killer riff in there somewhere.
 
I still don’t like the Kendrick Lamar speed bump. I listened to SOI today, and it was such a relief to not have something like that to cringe about. It’s so refreshing.
 
Last edited:
Rachel D. said:
I still don’t like the Kendrick Lamar speed bump. I listened to SOI today, and it was such a relief to not have something like that to cringe about. It’s so refreshing.
Click to expand...

I agree.

I listened to SoI a few months back, listened the whole way through and really loved it, have been listening regularly ever since.

Whilst it still baffles me that songs as brilliant as Invisible and Crystal Ballroom didn't make it(I prefer the original Stingray Guitar to lucifer's Hands) it still holds up as a top album.

My ratings for SoE (including book of your heart as I love it so much) are at present:

Book Of Your Heart 9
Love Is All We Have Left 9
Red Flag Day 9
Summer Of Love 9
Little Things 8
Landlady 8
The Showman 7
Love Is Bigger 6
Lights Of Home 6
Best Thing 6
Get Out Of Your Own 5
13 5
Blackout 2
American Soul 1

I'm generally pretty generous with my marks for U2 songs but this is the first U2 album where I haven't given a song a 10. I don't think it's their worst album, but even their worst album has a 10 (COBL).
 
Still listening to the record every day if I'm honest. Loving it. Listen to it on the drive home every day from work. Have a break on weekends [emoji2]

Classic

Little things
Summer of love
Red flag day

Great

The showman
The blackout

Good

Lights of home
Get out of your own way
You're the best thing about me
13
Love is bigger

Average

American soul
Landlady
Love is all we have left
 
Rachel D. said:
I still don’t like the Kendrick Lamar speed bump. I listened to SOI today, and it was such a relief to not have something like that to cringe about. It’s so refreshing.
Click to expand...



Partially agree.

The end of GOOYOW is horrendous with Kendrick Lamar’s speech. It doesn’t fit at all and is cringeworthy.

However, while not my favorite, I do think it had a nice flow into American Soul. It boggles my mind why thy wouldn’t put the whole speech in American Soul and spread it out over two songs. If you just listen to GOOYOW, you are left thinking “WTF was that random shit”.
 
Love is all we have left- 8/10
LOH- 5
Best thing- 7/10
GOOYOW- 8/10
AS- 5/10 (corny lyrics, and the lazy use of the Volcano bridge is completely pointless. However, I do like enough of the song to never skip it).
SOL- 8/10
RFD- 9/10
Showman- 6/10 (fluff piece. Throwaway)
Little Things- 11/10
Landlady- 9/10
Blackout- 8/10
LIBTAIIW- 8/10
13- 7/10
BOYH- 8/10

Overall I'm very pleased. I'm not as into it as I was SOI, but I still like it a lot.
 
CosmoKramer said:
Partially agree.

The end of GOOYOW is horrendous with Kendrick Lamar’s speech. It doesn’t fit at all and is cringeworthy.

However, while not my favorite, I do think it had a nice flow into American Soul. It boggles my mind why thy wouldn’t put the whole speech in American Soul and spread it out over two songs. If you just listen to GOOYOW, you are left thinking “WTF was that random shit”.
Click to expand...

Haha. Just think anyone for the rest their days (tomorrow, 2 years from now, & 20 years from now) goes in a bar and puts on GOOYOW and then Kendrick Lamar will come on.

This would be like 2Pac or Snoop Dog talking after 'Please'. Good times :doh:
 
prbiker15 said:
CLASSIC U2
The Little Things That Give You Away
Red Flag Day

GREAT U2
Love is Bigger Than Anything In It’s Way
The Blackout

GOOD U2
Lights of Home
You’re the Best Thing About Me
Book of Your Heart
Landlady
Summer of Love
Love is All We Have Left

NOT BAD U2
The Showman (Little More Better)
Get Out of Your Own Way
13 (There is a Light)

”I’LL PASS” U2
American Soul
Click to expand...


This works
 
CLASSIC U2:
-The Little Things That Give You Away

GREAT U2:
-Red Flag Day
-Lady Land
-Love Is Bigger Than Anything in its Way

VERY GOOD U2:
-Lights of Home
-Summer of Love
-Love Is All We Have Left
-You're The Best Thing About Me
-The Blackout

GOOD U2:
-Get Out Of Your Own Way
-Showman

OK U2:
-American Soul
-13
 
Love is Bigger 9
Book of Your Heart 8.5
Little Things 8.5
Blackout 8
Summer of Love 8
Red Flag Day 7.5
Landlady 7
Showman 6.5
Get Out 6
Best Thing 6
13(there is a light) 6
American Soul 5
Love is All We Have Left 5
LOH 4
 
U2freakboy said:
Love is Bigger 9

Book of Your Heart 8.5

Little Things 8.5

Blackout 8

Summer of Love 8

Red Flag Day 7.5

Landlady 7

Showman 6.5

Get Out 6

Best Thing 6

13(there is a light) 6

American Soul 5

Love is All We Have Left 5

LOH 4
Click to expand...



Other than Book of Your Heart, all of your “scores” are within range of what I have. I support this list ;)
 
I haven't listened to this in over a month probably..

9 Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way
9 Red Flag Day
8.5 The Little Things That Give You Away
8 13 (There Is A Light)
8 Book Of Your Heart
7.5 Summer Of Love
7 Landlady
7 Love Is All We Have Left
6.5 Lights Of Home ± St Peter's String Version
6 The Showman (Little More Better)
5.5 You're The Best Thing About Me
5 Get Out Of Your Own Way
3 The Blackout
2 American Soul
 
CLASSIC U2 SONGS 9-10/10
The little things that give you away

GREAT U2 SONGS 8-9/10
Landlady
Summer of love
Love is all we have left
13 (There is a light)

GOOD U2 SONGS 7-8/10
Lights of home (string version) - Very close to the great category
You're the best thing about me
Love is bigger than anything in its way
The blackout
Red flag day

AVERAGE U2 SONGS 6-7/10
Get out of your own way

BELOW AVERAGE U2 SONGS <6
American soul

GARBAGE
The showman (little more better)
 
Little Things is classic. On the tier of Beautiful Day, Kite, City of Blinding Lights, and Moment of a Surrender in my rankings of U2 songs this century. (Hard to sub-rank, but it’s competitive with all of these.)

Landlady is a great song.

Most everything else is good/average. Nothing really stands out. American Soul may be a little grating, but I also really like where its heart is, even with the “Refu-Jesus” comment. (Christianity being used for social justice causes instead of gay-shaming tends to get positive attention from me.)

The Showman isn’t very good. It’s a lot like SUC in my mind, although I happen to like SUC better for internal reasons I can’t quite place that may entirely be enjoyment/nostalgia for the whole of NLOTH.

On the whole, not a very memorable album, but nor was Songs of Innocence. It’s not terrible, mind you, but it’s just not that excellent.

Except for Little Things. I would be incredibly thankful if this amazing band had just given us that song this late in their career. To get even more is a gift.
 
digitize said:
On the whole, not a very memorable album, but nor was Songs of Innocence. It’s not terrible, mind you, but it’s just not that excellent.
Click to expand...

I'd agree with this statement. Though I thought SOI was decidedly better.

SOE is the first album where none of the songs really stood out for me. Usually there is at least one song that gets my attention, then others grow on me and might eventually become standouts.

This is a good album, I'd say it even flows better than SOI if you listen through from start to finish. But nothing classic.

American Soul, Lights Of Home and 13 get bogged down by lyrics the previous songs from which they're taken. Red Flag Day is catchy. Love Is All We Have Left is a nice prelude. You're The Best Thing About Me is the right choice for a single, it chimes and shimmers and is catchy like RFD. The Little Things is noteworthy enough when it finally takes off.

Again, a good album. But far down the list for me on U2's catalog if I had to rank them.
 
CLASSIC U2 SONGS 9-10/10
The Little Things That Give You Away

GREAT U2 SONGS 8-9/10
Lights of Home
Red Flag Day
Landlady
The Blackout

GOOD U2 SONGS 7-8/10
Summer of Love
13
Get Out of Your Own Way
Love is All We Have Left

AVERAGE U2 SONGS 6-7/10
Get Out of Your Own Way
The Showman

BELOW AVERAGE U2 SONGS <6
American Soul
You're The Best Thing About Me


This is a good album. Little Things is a classic, Red Flag Day is an energetic War-era song, Landlady is a haunting love tune, and Blackout is going to be a great arena rocker.
 
RoKKeR said:
CLASSIC U2 SONGS 9-10/10
The Little Things That Give You Away

GREAT U2 SONGS 8-9/10
Lights of Home
Red Flag Day
Landlady
The Blackout

GOOD U2 SONGS 7-8/10
Summer of Love
13
Get Out of Your Own Way
Love is All We Have Left

AVERAGE U2 SONGS 6-7/10
Get Out of Your Own Way
The Showman

BELOW AVERAGE U2 SONGS <6
American Soul
You're The Best Thing About Me


This is a good album. Little Things is a classic, Red Flag Day is an energetic War-era song, Landlady is a haunting love tune, and Blackout is going to be a great arena rocker.
Click to expand...

Love your list, I think you nailed it. :up::up:
Even The best thing & Ameican soul have some great moments within the complete song, but overall nowhere near the quality of the other songs on the album. Also really excited for The Blackout live.
 
I love it and i need to listen To it more than SOI...

Top To bottom...

Red flag day
Book of your heart
Love is all we have left
Summer of love
Little things
Showman
Lights of home
Blackout

Landlady
13
Love is bigger
Amercian soul

Best thing




Get out of your own crap


8 great To classic songs, 4 average, 1 ok... And 1 horrible.
 
Where I am today:

1. The Little Things That Give You Away
2. The Blackout
3. Lights of Home
4. Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way
5. Get Out of Your Own Way
6. The Showman (Little More Better)
7. Landlady
8. 13 (There Is A Light)
9. Red Flag Day
10. You're the Best Thing About Me
11. Love Is All We Have Left
12. American Soul
13. Summer of Love
 
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