The 'I didn't expect the album to be this great' thread

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SexyBootsU2 said:
From all the reviews about the sonic eno sounds, and hearing boots, i was more than worried about the album, also after hearing bono sound so bad at the cannes in 2007, things coudnt of looked worse, but since i heard them 45 second clips, and NOTLH 2 i though yes, and yesterday i got the full album, wow amazing, every song im just dancing to and going crazy, im only 14 and have been a big fan for about 7 years now, so i dont know what it was like when there other best albums first came out, but i certainly love this one.
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You've been a big fan since the age of 7? You must have been some sort of wunderkind. :wink:
 
Fullonedge3 said:
You've been a big fan since the age of 7? You must have been some sort of wunderkind. :wink:
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Hey, my 2 year old is a fan. If I play a U2 concert, she watches transfixed, and when the camera pulls away from Bono, she says "Where Bono go?"

Corruption at a young age. Very important.
 
ozeeko said:
On this album, I feel like U2 needed to have CT and SUC as insurance plans, to bail the album out of becoming too dark, and also to cater to the needs of this generation's U2 fans, the fans that want U2 to save them and comfort them. Don't get me wrong, these aren't horrible songs, but they're what's holding U2 back.
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This is exactly what I think. To me, the middle trio of Crazy Tonight, Boots, and Stand Up Comedy is a chunk that just doesn't fit with the rest of the songs on the album. Boots maybe, but the other two no way. I'm not saying they're bad songs, but they feel like they are coming from a fundamentally different place than every other song on the album.
 
Me and my cousin had a bet; He said the album would be a big let down and I said that it would be great... I think I won! He hasn't heard it yet but we are having a listening party tonight. I'm excited to be able to listen to it with another person.

I had my doubts! I was scared that it woudld be crap... I had no reason. Incredible piece of work!

Thank you U2
 
I didn't either espcially after hearing the 30 sec audio clips.......I was worried
 
Yep gotta say it is a definite return to form and the first proper album in 12 years in my opinion. The last 2 albums were ok but a bit like they were on autpilot. If you don't agree just stick on "Unknown Caller" loud and listen on a good system. Anyone should be able to see that song is probably the best thing they have done in over 10 years.
 
Chill Mike D said:
This is exactly what I think. To me, the middle trio of Crazy Tonight, Boots, and Stand Up Comedy is a chunk that just doesn't fit with the rest of the songs on the album. Boots maybe, but the other two no way. I'm not saying they're bad songs, but they feel like they are coming from a fundamentally different place than every other song on the album.
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I agree with this, but only for Boots and Stand Up. I think Crazy Tonight fits absolutely perfectly after the first 5 songs. The transition from UC is simply magical, pure joy after all this density.

Boots and Stand Up do not fit as well with the rest of the album, but it's probably because the rest sounds so amazingly cohesive. They're both really good songs too, just very different.
 
I was expecting quality. Some songs were as good as I expected, some a little better, and a couple were worse.

Breaks about even. I was expecting it to be fantastic and it is.
 
rjhbonovox said:
If you don't agree just stick on "Unknown Caller" loud and listen on a good system. Anyone should be able to see that song is probably the best thing they have done in over 10 years.
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It's funny to me that you would single THAT song out. While I agree with you, I think there are at least 5 songs on this album that you could say the exact same thing about.
 
It exceeds my expectations by far. Didn't think they still had it in them to make such a beautiful soul record but this is the real deal.
 
laurent37 said:
It exceeds my expectations by far. Didn't think they still had it in them to make such a beautiful soul record but this is the real deal.
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I agree with what you say about soul, and their bringing Gospel. I think this album will succeed. :hyper:
 
I've had this album on repeat, obviously, on my iPod since it leaked. When I walked out of the house this morning I started at Fez-Being Born. And listening to the end of Cedars segue right into NLOTH's driving beat, I suddenly realized that the final 4 songs on the album are almost flawless listening. The mood of Breath, verse and chorus, is perfect when surrounded by the other 3 more experimental tracks. As soon as I came to this realization, I felt that then I knew that this album was special. I'd be shocked if this isn't in my top 4 U2 albums by the end of the year. My very high expectations were more than met. :up:
 
bram said:
I've had this album on repeat, obviously, on my iPod since it leaked. When I walked out of the house this morning I started at Fez-Being Born. And listening to the end of Cedars segue right into NLOTH's driving beat, I suddenly realized that the final 4 songs on the album are almost flawless listening. The mood of Breath, verse and chorus, is perfect when surrounded by the other 3 more experimental tracks. As soon as I came to this realization, I felt that then I knew that this album was special. I'd be shocked if this isn't in my top 4 U2 albums by the end of the year. My very high expectations were more than met. :up:
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:up:

i think we both agreed that the strength of the last 4 songs would go along way in determining how good this album would be. after the first listen, other than Fez-Being Born, i was a little underwhelmed and concerned. but after many more listens, i feel very stupid for being underwhelmed and concerned. songs like WAS and COL are solid gold, and Breathe is very fun too, though still growing on me.
 
oceane said:
I agree with this, but only for Boots and Stand Up. I think Crazy Tonight fits absolutely perfectly after the first 5 songs. The transition from UC is simply magical, pure joy after all this density.

Boots and Stand Up do not fit as well with the rest of the album, but it's probably because the rest sounds so amazingly cohesive. They're both really good songs too, just very different.
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Yes, I have to agree here also, but it doesn't affect my enjoyment of what is really an outstanding album.

High expectations? I dont know, I had high hopes for sure. I knew they were easily capable of another great album, but I've been disappointed before. But my lord, there really is something special about this album, its something else. For me, the first 4 tracks are magical, have such an essence of continuance..........and then, the final 4 tracks are simply outstanding, such atmosphere that I didnt dare hope they could evoke. The middle 3 are good, and Im fine with them being there......but god, 8 out of 11 tracks being simply essential? That I didn't dare imagine.

Congratulations boys........you really did it.
 
I never thought I would say a U2 album would pass Pop in greatness. But it has.
 
I have a good friend who is a minor U2 fan, but seemed to like everything I threw at him (I think TUF is his favorite U2 album, but he also really like TJT and AB) until I threw Boots and NLOTH2 at him. He didn't like Boots at first, although he warmed up to it a bit. He thought NLOTH2 was terrible.

I gave him a copy of NLOTH, and he listened with an open mind but low expectations. Turns out, he thinks its an amazing album, and even likes Boots more than he did before. So there's an NLOTH "success story".
 
I'm literally stunned by this record. I just listened to it a couple of hours ago and I still can't believe what I heard . To be sincere I never thought they were capable of this once again, should shut up a lot of people I know who give me shit for liking U2
 
mikal said:
:up:

i think we both agreed that the strength of the last 4 songs would go along way in determining how good this album would be. after the first listen, other than Fez-Being Born, i was a little underwhelmed and concerned. but after many more listens, i feel very stupid for being underwhelmed and concerned. songs like WAS and COL are solid gold, and Breathe is very fun too, though still growing on me.
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Yeah, I agree--I didn't have terribly strong impressions from the 2nd half of the album after the first listen, even with Fez-Being Born (which I now think is absolutely amazing, and I'm stunned I didn't pick up on this after the first couple listens). WAS has continued to grow on me, and I think reading up on the background of that song in the Observer has had an impact as well. I am enjoying Breathe much more than I thought I would--the cello is great, the mix is very strong and the choruses are infinitely less cheesy than I thought they'd be. A minor nit-pick would be that I wish they'd left in Bono's outro vocals. A few weeks ago, I was speculating that this track may have been better served early in the album--I feel like an idiot for ever suggesting this. Perfectly placed. Cedars is another grower--I love the creepy "Return.....". And I can't say it enough: this song flows perfectly back into NLOTH and every time it does I realize that I'm already hungry for the early songs again. At this point, a special record indeed.

I pretty much agree with you LemonAid--listening to this album from track 8 through 4 is an absolutely stunning experience. I think Crazy Tonight works well in its place, but the middle 3 have been pretty heavily overshadowed by the rest for me so far. It'll be interesting to see how my feelings on this change (or don't).
 
TheEnd said:
This would be the camp I fall into. I didn't really have any expectations but this album has really surprised me. Much better than I even hoped.
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I agree with this. U2 have really made an effort with this one. It washes the taste of HTDAAB away for sure..
 
slightly nuts said:
I'm literally stunned by this record. I just listened to it a couple of hours ago and I still can't believe what I heard . To be sincere I never thought they were capable of this once again, should shut up a lot of people I know who give me shit for liking U2
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Yeah, I'm almost getting a "fuck you, haters and glorified tribute bands (*cough*coldplaykillerskingsofleon*cough*)" vibe from the album... especially from the title and the title track. It gives the latter something new to look at and realize how much work they have to do, and how hard it is to impersonate a band that keeps reinventing itself.
 
digitize said:
Yeah, I'm almost getting a "fuck you, haters and glorified tribute bands (*cough*coldplaykillerskingsofleon*cough*)" vibe from the album... especially from the title and the title track. It gives the latter something new to look at and realize how much work they have to do, and how hard it is to impersonate a band that keeps reinventing itself.
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Yeah very true . I'm honestly proud to be a U2 fan, it feels like it's a great time to be one. Perhaps the right time for my generation ( I'm 21).

On something related , as a drummer , I feel like I've heard Larry's drumming at it's very best. "Crazy Tonight" has an amazing beat.
 
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