Songs of Experience 37 - now with bonus orchestra

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In regards to Bono's interview I find his concern about the lack of music that young males can channel their range into ironic since U2 has never been that band. I've always felt they are at their worst when they try to be punk. Also, I don't know why hip hop being the only outlet for male rage is "not a good thing".

That said I like the album a lot. I don't care for the lengthy song titles which say too much, IMO. The lyrics can be a bit too on the nose but musically I think it's one of their strongest albums in years!
 
In regards to Bono's interview I find his concern about the lack of music that young males can channel their range into ironic since U2 has never been that band. I've always felt they are at their worst when they try to be punk. Also, I don't know why hip hop being the only outlet for male rage is "not a good thing".

That said I like the album a lot. I don't care for the lengthy song titles which say too much, IMO. The lyrics can be a bit too on the nose but musically I think it's one of their strongest albums in years!
When have U2 tried to be punk, other than Bono saying so?
 
When have U2 tried to be punk, other than Bono saying so?
They haven't really other than Bono saying so. But to me songs like GOYB and Vertigo are their attempts at that and they're not my favorites.
 
I, uh, think he'd be referring more to songs like those on Boy, October and War as opposed to Vertigo and Boots when referring to outlets for young teenage angst...

Songs by bands started in garages from high school message board postings, as opposed to after art school get togethers at the coffee house.
 
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I don't know, Bono is the guy who reckons Best Thing is "punk Supremes".
 
I don't know, Bono is the guy who reckons Best Thing is "punk Supremes".

That Bono doesn’t see a different in spirit between something like Electric Co and something like All Because of You is one of the more puzzling things about post 2000s U2.
 
In regards to Bono's interview I find his concern about the lack of music that young males can channel their range into ironic since U2 has never been that band. I've always felt they are at their worst when they try to be punk. Also, I don't know why hip hop being the only outlet for male rage is "not a good thing".

That said I like the album a lot. I don't care for the lengthy song titles which say too much, IMO. The lyrics can be a bit too on the nose but musically I think it's one of their strongest albums in years!

Agreed. That was the strangest part of the interview for me (other than the specific "girly" comment, which was just a foolish choice of words to use). The melodic, softer, anthemic sound that is so pervasive across the Rock scene now, can largely be attributed to the influence of U2. I mean when we talk about the major bands of today: Coldplay, One Republic, The Killers, and even groups like Imagine Dragons, have cited U2 as a major influence on their musical upbringing and sound.
 
Agreed. That was the strangest part of the interview for me (other than the specific "girly" comment, which was just a foolish choice of words to use). The melodic, softer, anthemic sound that is so pervasive across the Rock scene now, can largely be attributed to the influence of U2. I mean when we talk about the major bands of today: Coldplay, One Republic, The Killers, and even groups like Imagine Dragons, have cited U2 as a major influence on their musical upbringing and sound.
Right. And I'd even argue that their earliest work just doesn't strike me as suffused with rage. I just don't see someone listening to "I will follow" as a soundtrack to unleashing their rage.
 
Right. And I'd even argue that their earliest work just doesn't strike me as suffused with rage. I just don't see someone listening to "I will follow" as a soundtrack to unleashing their rage.




One of the reasons I like War and Boy so much, and especially when I was a teenager, is that they are filled with anger towards various forms of injustice. The opening drumbeat if SBS is about the most galvanizing, tribal thing I can think of, even 30+ years later.

In fact, the cover of the War album is of an angry young man.
 
Wish they would hurry up and announce these European dates. Need something to look forward to. Going back to work after the Christmas break has been like a really bad kick in the balls :)
 
Wish they would hurry up and announce these European dates. Need something to look forward to. Going back to work after the Christmas break has been like a really bad kick in the balls :)



Is there ever a good kick in the balls? [emoji3]
 
Is there ever a good kick in the balls? [emoji3]



It really hurt coming back after Christmas. :)Haven't booked a holiday yet either. I'm standing here in a workshop heating copper up while it's dark cold and pissing down outside. I'm gonna get me a lottery ticket on the way home :)
 
Oh for crying out loud. Really Bono?

Well, the piece had two of the things I predicted here Bono would do...be self-effacing, and say that he got a good talking to by his women at home. It's a good message he has, but it will be ignored because of the timing. And of course social media will still scream "WHERE'S THE APOLOGY!!!!" They don't want want to make things better for women, Bono, that's what you don't understand. They just want their scalps.

Well, at least he didn't grovel with a "sorry if anyone was offended" Tweet.
 
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Obviously it's the timing.

But you're right, he has been on this for years. Which makes some of the more over the top (if not vicious) self-rightious attacks on him all the more obnoxious.
 
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Yeah, this doesn’t even read like a response to that controversy at all. I can’t imagine him totally ignoring it. I hope the next interviewer makes sure to confront him about his words.
 
The "girly" "controversy" has already quieted down. I saw a few comments referring to it on a Rolling Stone tweet about the column, but that's it. It's not spreading like wildfire like the previous thing did.

I think it's mostly already forgotten, and rightfully so. Worth a tsking and a raised eyebrow, but no more than that.

I wonder if the timing of this column is based on the kerfuffle. It does have this line, which I think works as addressing the business. (It doesn't need to be an apology.)

"Sexism is rampant, conscious and unconscious. I'm still working on my own."
 
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13 has slowly emerged as my favorite from this album. It's always been among the top songs, but there's a brutal genuinety to it that hits the hardest for me in terms of the earnestness that's been talked about.

The SFS chorus works well in the songs, but more than anything it's the verses that carry the song. The interesting thing I didn't quite realize the extent of in the beginning is how much the melody of them differ. The second pre-chorus is my favorite melody in the album ("When all you've left is leaving..."). The delivery is perfect (especially live) and I particularly love the lyrical touch of matching words with the same first vocal sound in every line; so first you have left and leaving, then got and grieving, and finally know and needing (different first letter, but same sound).

Lyrically the final pre-chorus hits me the hardest. "Are you tough enough to be kind?" might not strike someone as particularly unique of a line, but at the same time it's oddly strange to hear someone sing that, a 57-year old rock dude at that, and mean every word of it, in the year 2017. Amazing song.
 
I really like it a lot. The piano is so understated and sad. And I love the swelling keyboards like some kind of siren/horn in the background on the chorus. Nice work with the mallets by Larry throughout as well.

One thing I find odd is that in the second verse, the final line is Bono just going "da da da da da..." instead of the previous verse's "darkness gathers around the light" and one wonders if he meant to put something else there but couldn't think of anything.

I still feel The Troubles is a better track overall, but this one is considerably more personal and it has a particular resonance.
 
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