SOE 32: let there be no leak puns..

[lazarus]

Sure.

It is my opinion that claiming an unreleased song that can only be heard via crappy recording is their best pop song in 30 years is fucking stupid.

 

[david]

Bono’s health scare was mentioned in that interview but not explicitly discussed. So I still wonder what the hell happened.

 

[Rachel D.]

Bono’s health scare was mentioned in that interview but not explicitly discussed. So I still wonder what the hell happened.

Same here. He said it made him have to change the way he lives. What can be that serious but he could still come back from in such a short time? The only thing I can think of is a heart attack. My boss had one last year, died on the table for a while, and was back at work within a couple of weeks. But who knows.

 

[kiwilad]

Same here. He said it made him have to change the way he lives. What can be that serious but he could still come back from in such a short time? The only thing I can think of is a heart attack. My boss had one last year, died on the table for a while, and was back at work within a couple of weeks. But who knows.

I reckon it has something to do with the purple glasses...

 

[The John Tree]

Gosh, I feel awful about myself after reading these forums sometimes. I must be the worst U2 fan ever, because I don't think Grace is that bad and I *really* don't think All My Life is that good. People (justifiably) slam "safe" 2000-era U2, but then want them to release their most cookie-cutter, bland unreleased pop song? "All my life I've been waiting for this moment I'm in." Yeah. I'll pass.

 

[The Slow Loris]

Well, aren't you just a bundle of joy and good vibes...

 

[Northside]

Same here. He said it made him have to change the way he lives. What can be that serious but he could still come back from in such a short time? The only thing I can think of is a heart attack.

You could be right.

I also thought "it made me change the way I live" could have been referring to the bike accident. Not that he doesn't still ride bikes, but perhaps he's more careful now. There's the secret health scare, and then there's the larger series of death-defying events that we know about, including his crash in Central Park. Not sure which one(s) he was referring to with the comment about making changes.

 

[HansaTonImbiss]

Same here. He said it made him have to change the way he lives. What can be that serious but he could still come back from in such a short time? The only thing I can think of is a heart attack. My boss had one last year, died on the table for a while, and was back at work within a couple of weeks. But who knows.

I'm pulling theories out of my rectum here, but when I hear people describe life changes like that, I think of only two things: heart attack or addiction. For the latter, remember how many painkillers this guy might have been on over the 4-5 years between the back injury and the bike accident. Whatever it is, thank heavens he saw the need to change and is back with us. It is also possible it was a behavioral thing as mentioned, but I have a hard time thinking that someone would view biking as "extreme activity"/living fast and prompt the delay of an album.

 

[Axver]

He probably just found out his favourite bakery changed the recipe of their meat pies.

I mean, I'd be pretty fucking confronted if that happened, I'd have to change how I live.

 

[Hewson]

December 1st is my wife's annual Girlfriend's Christmas Party...I get to make drinks for the ladies (and myself) and eat all the food she makes for them...then I'm going to retire to our 'Bonus Room' which I've equipped with a large HDTV and soundbar and I'm gonna blast the album...until they all pass out...

And after they all pass out?
I assume at the very least you'll write things on their foreheads with a Sharpie like "boozehound" or similar.

 

[The_acrobat]

I needed the daily reminder that America is not a country but an idea, thanks. [emoji848]

I was like "oh God no, he's gonna say it.... HE'S GONNA SAY IT....."

Then he said it! How can Edge keep a straight face after hearing that in person for the 4300th time? I'd be like "YOU SOUND LIKE A GOD DAMNED IDIOT!!!! FIND A NEW TAG LINE!!!"

Preachy Bono annoys me. He's made quite a comeback.

 

[Numb1075]

No one else has jumped on this bullshit yet?

ATYCLB is consistently unambitious and safe. That's about it. It certainly doesn't dazzle and surprise in the way that Pop does, on nearly every single track. It's teeming with life and energy whereas ATYCLB barely maintains a pulse.

agreed !

 

[dan_smee]

So, the big question. Will we get a leak over the course of this thread, or will we hit SOE33?

 

[womanfish]

So, the big question. Will we get a leak over the course of this thread, or will we hit SOE33?

Absolutely we will hit SOE33. I don't foresee a leak until possibly week of or day before or something... I think once physical cd's are in stores where rando's can have access to em, then we might get something.

I'm all good to wait til the 1st.

 

[LadySpinHead]

I'm pulling theories out of my rectum here, but when I hear people describe life changes like that, I think of only two things: heart attack or addiction. For the latter, remember how many painkillers this guy might have been on over the 4-5 years between the back injury and the bike accident. Whatever it is, thank heavens he saw the need to change and is back with us. It is also possible it was a behavioral thing as mentioned, but I have a hard time thinking that someone would view biking as "extreme activity"/living fast and prompt the delay of an album.

This is an interesting thought. Prince died in April of 2016 of an opioid overdose. Maybe that, pared with an overdose scare of his own, les him to making changes. Of course, who knows. Whatever it was, I’m just thankful it seems to be in the past.

 

[Airseven]

I enjoy the drip drop of info nuggets along the way instead of a full leak. I also expect my interest in this album to be rather fleeting so there is no rush. Savor the process.

 

[womanfish]

I enjoy the drip drop of info nuggets along the way instead of a full leak. I also expect my interest in this album to be rather fleeting so there is no rush. Savor the process.

I think the one thing that SOI really taught me was the importance to give an album a chance and repeated listens (even the songs i felt i didn't like at first) and let it digest for a few weeks.

I don't think i really gave No Line that chance, and i always just gravitated to the songs that hit me positively right away.
I don't love every song on SOI. But i can confidently say there isn't a flat out BAD song on the album. Miracle and SFS are my weakest, and they are sort of middle of the road.

I can honestly say I am very doubtful that SOE is going to contain a song that can beat The Troubles or EBW for me. But I'm trying to keep an open mind.

 

[Numb1075]

Alright, who was it?

The NYC subway passenger who pushed LeBron James’ phone away tells his side of the story | For The Win

Haha, that's awesome.

Wonder if he was listening to "Moment of Surrender"?

I was speeding on the subway
Through the stations of the cross
Every eye looking every other way
Counting down 'til the pain will stop

 

[Numb1075]

If the doctors told him he needed to change the way he lived, my guess is he needed to cut out the booze or possibly pain medications.

 

[purpleoscar]

If the doctors told him he needed to change the way he lived, my guess is he needed to cut out the booze or possibly pain medications.

If he's drinking Noel Gallagher under the table then I don't think he's cutting the booze.

Noel Gallagher got so drunk with Bono on tour that he tried to escape - NME

 

[BVS]

I'm pulling theories out of my rectum here, but when I hear people describe life changes like that, I think of only two things: heart attack or addiction. For the latter, remember how many painkillers this guy might have been on over the 4-5 years between the back injury and the bike accident. Whatever it is, thank heavens he saw the need to change and is back with us. It is also possible it was a behavioral thing as mentioned, but I have a hard time thinking that someone would view biking as "extreme activity"/living fast and prompt the delay of an album.

Tapering off opioid addiction takes time and rehab if done properly, and the last thing your family and friends want you to do is go on tour. So I’m a little hesitant to think this might be a possibility.

 

[Axver]

So, the big question. Will we get a leak over the course of this thread, or will we hit SOE33?

Even if the album leaks by the end of this week we won't just hit SOE 33, but 34, 35, and maybe 36.

And as for Bono's brush with mortality, we all know he's a shit driver. He probably nearly collided with somebody and slid off the road.

 

[purpleoscar]

https://twitter.com/SoE_nigma

I haven't seen these updates yet:

Most of what I wrote initially in my first impressions still holds up though whatever snippets of influences I recognized or imagined have now vanished. And the strengths of the the songs on their own remains.

Don't get me wrong, I like 'Best Thing' but I get the sense that with it U2 continues their recent "tradition" of making peculiar choices for a lead single.

I'm not saying it's the 'Get on your Boots' of SoE, but it could be it's 'Miracle'. Not a bad song, but not the best.

Think I was too harsh on 'Landlady' when I said schmaltzy. The parts that give off that vibe really jump out at you but there are subtle parts that give it weight

And I'll never know
Never know what starving poets meant
Cause when I was broke
It was you that always paid the rent.

The Showman is growing on me. I don't know how else to describe that chorus other than 'unabashed'. They went for it.

At the risk of sounding crazy and/or turning everyone off of it, it's like 'Crazy Tonight' x 'Wild Honey' x early Beatles (say '63-'64)

Another song that's gotten better on repeated listens is 'Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way' (thx for 280 Twitter).

It's a highlight of the album when a chorus of voices seems to drop down from the sky to sing on the bridge and outro. You'll know what I mean. Glorious.

 

[Montrose]

If the doctors told him he needed to change the way he lived, my guess is he needed to cut out the booze or possibly pain medications.

Yeah, the booze could have finally caught up to his liver, and he was told to cut it out or taper back. That, or something like diabetes. I know people dealing with both issues, and each does require a life change.

 

[Airseven]

Comparisons to other U2 tracks give a real sense of these songs. Thanks for that. I love Wild Honey and despise Crazy Tonight (well at least the chorus), finding the prior to be charming and the latter contrived. Nice descriptions there.

 

[womanfish]

https://twitter.com/SoE_nigma

I haven't seen these updates yet:

That's awesome. Gives a better sense of where these songs stand. Landlady and The Showman have been the two songs that seem to be the least described thus far.
I remember Bono saying the Showman was like a certain period of The Beatles.
It will be interesting.

Hoping Landlady is a grower...

Also really nice to hear that Love is Bigger is maybe better than we were first lead to believe. even using the word glorious to describe the bridge and outro.
aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh its getting close people!!

 

[rennowba]

2 weeks Friday. Tempted to book the day off work. My wife is in London till late so I'll listen to it non stop when I finish work at 3.30. My young girl can mute moana that's for sure

 

[david]

I just realized I’m off Friday, December 1st. Cool.

 

[mwheelonh]

I'm pulling theories out of my rectum here, but when I hear people describe life changes like that, I think of only two things: heart attack or addiction. For the latter, remember how many painkillers this guy might have been on over the 4-5 years between the back injury and the bike accident. Whatever it is, thank heavens he saw the need to change and is back with us. It is also possible it was a behavioral thing as mentioned, but I have a hard time thinking that someone would view biking as "extreme activity"/living fast and prompt the delay of an album.

My first thought, hearing the initial mentions of a scare, was that there was something unexpected. Like a regular check up at the doctor, but this time there was a lump found, or a shadow on an x-ray.

Not something that made him actually sick and needing to recover before album/tour, more like a doctor saying, “Hopefully, when we run the tests, it turns out benign. If not...we’ll need to discuss options, because there won’t be much time left.”

That’s the sort of swift kick of mortality—with a definite period of uncertainty and “What if this really is the end?”—that could turn into a lot of introspection and, ultimately, joy, when the tests ultimately come back negative.

 

[redhill]

I just realized I’m off Friday, December 1st. Cool.