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dabiggestu2fan

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Since we are hopefully about to get a ton of fan and industry reviews, it might be a good idea to have a seperate thread just for reviews only so that people don't have to go through pages and pages of other things in the other thread? If this is not ok, feel free to close thread. :)
 
I'd say that this time around, they seem to really have a plan with this release. They're being deliberate, measured, taking their time.
I'm baggled by the lack of reviews/leaks since they've been playing these songs to people for the best part of a year. Yet... it seems to be a plan.
Bring on Dec 1!

(And good thread idea)
 
The first industry review comes from Uncut magazine and it's new issue:

U2
songs Of Experience
IsLAND
6/10
Life lessons lack elevation

It may prove not to be U2’s smartest call, releasing the much delayed Songs Of Experience right after taking The Joshua Tree on an acclaimed 30th-birthday tour. Though their 14th studio album isn’t worthy of direct comparison, it contains fleeting proof of a band still capable of making sparks fly. Billed as a collection of reflective letters addressed to Bono’s loved ones, the heat-haze pop of “Summer of Love”, slap-bass ’80s throwback “red Flag Day” and How To Be A rock Star stomp of “The Showman” are terrific, while “The Landlady” positively oozes loveliness. Most of the rest, alas, is a soupy mix of reheated riffs, bolted-on choruses and faux-profound vaguery.
 
The first industry review comes from Uncut magazine and it's new issue:

U2
songs Of Experience
IsLAND
6/10
Life lessons lack elevation

It may prove not to be U2’s smartest call, releasing the much delayed Songs Of Experience right after taking The Joshua Tree on an acclaimed 30th-birthday tour. Though their 14th studio album isn’t worthy of direct comparison, it contains fleeting proof of a band still capable of making sparks fly. Billed as a collection of reflective letters addressed to Bono’s loved ones, the heat-haze pop of “Summer of Love”, slap-bass ’80s throwback “red Flag Day” and How To Be A rock Star stomp of “The Showman” are terrific, while “The Landlady” positively oozes loveliness. Most of the rest, alas, is a soupy mix of reheated riffs, bolted-on choruses and faux-profound vaguery.



Not a great review then :-( average review, not good not bad
 
The first industry review comes from Uncut magazine and it's new issue:

U2
songs Of Experience
IsLAND
6/10
Life lessons lack elevation

It may prove not to be U2’s smartest call, releasing the much delayed Songs Of Experience right after taking The Joshua Tree on an acclaimed 30th-birthday tour. Though their 14th studio album isn’t worthy of direct comparison, it contains fleeting proof of a band still capable of making sparks fly. Billed as a collection of reflective letters addressed to Bono’s loved ones, the heat-haze pop of “Summer of Love”, slap-bass ’80s throwback “red Flag Day” and How To Be A rock Star stomp of “The Showman” are terrific, while “The Landlady” positively oozes loveliness. Most of the rest, alas, is a soupy mix of reheated riffs, bolted-on choruses and faux-profound vaguery.

So four songs they reckon are good then, and for those of us that like Best Thing, Blackout, Get Out, Little Things...even American Soul - album sounding pretty good so far!
 
What Uncut gave to Imagine Dragon's last album or Killer's last album or Cold-coffee's last album ? Just to get a perspective of that magazine's reviewer's musical taste. He already got to the wrong side of me by disliking Blackout & Little Things.
 
Rather poor and unsurprising review. All signs point to this album getting average to below average reviews on the whole, minus the usual sycophants like RS. The value here is the song descriptions which continue to be intriguing. I'm finding the songs released thus far to be superficial and forgettable but sounds like the album does have some depth in parts.
 
Rather poor and unsurprising review. All signs point to this album getting average to below average reviews on the whole, minus the usual sycophants like RS. The value here is the song descriptions which continue to be intriguing. I'm finding the songs released thus far to be superficial and forgettable but sounds like the album does have some depth in parts.



At least Red Flag Day and Summer Of Love are consistently being referred to as awesome U2 songs that are superior to what they’ve put out from it so far. That’s what realistically one can hope from a band this late in their career - A handful of new songs that are great to be added to the catalogue.
 
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For me I love all 4 I've heard so far so if there's gonna be tracks that are better I'm a happy man
 
I'm starting to see a pattern, and unfortunately it won't be good for the reviews by most big media. What I've noticed is that regular people and the two reviewers a few days ago that had sat with the album for a while, all love it. Say its some of their best work. Even Flanagan said that its a grower of an album and some would not like it on first listen.

I'm thinking the Uncut guy listened once, maybe twice and shoots off a review and on to the next.
 
I am not discouraged by the Uncut review....from what I recall, they really are more of rock traditionalists and have never given U2 much praise. Interested more in Mojo or Q (although the latter seems to be the UK equivalent of Rolling Stone). What seems clear is that this album is their true pop and "songs" oriented one, and not with much emphasis on atmospherics and soundscapes. Although I do prefer the latter approach, I am not quick to dismiss the "pop" side of U2, as I tend to think they are a little deceptive and kind of creep into your consciousness over time in a good way.
 
The first industry review comes from Uncut magazine and it's new issue:

U2
songs Of Experience
IsLAND
6/10
Life lessons lack elevation

It may prove not to be U2’s smartest call, releasing the much delayed Songs Of Experience right after taking The Joshua Tree on an acclaimed 30th-birthday tour. Though their 14th studio album isn’t worthy of direct comparison, it contains fleeting proof of a band still capable of making sparks fly. Billed as a collection of reflective letters addressed to Bono’s loved ones, the heat-haze pop of “Summer of Love”, slap-bass ’80s throwback “red Flag Day” and How To Be A rock Star stomp of “The Showman” are terrific, while “The Landlady” positively oozes loveliness. Most of the rest, alas, is a soupy mix of reheated riffs, bolted-on choruses and faux-profound vaguery.



If you don't see the 6 rating for me this is a really great review.

I've really liked the songs we've heard so far so if the reviewer says words like "terrific" for some songs I haven't heard yet and "sparks" then I think I'm really going to love this album.

This review says I haven't heard the best stuff yet!! [emoji4]
 
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