All Critical Reviews of the New album here

[BEAL]

It's just sad state of media.

I will admit the first listen I found myself going what the fuck is this? I'm not liking it, what have you done U2!?!?

But I kept going with it. And each listen a new color or perspective was revealed and I found myself getting more comfortable and liking the songs more.

I think it's been so long since U2 gave us a challenging record that we're not (or I'm not) sure how to respond. Our society demands instant gratification, and even U2 has tried to provide that with the biggest, best band in the world. (It's all about THE SONG)

There is so much to decipher in each song (maybe not Miracle) that it takes repeated listens. How many times could you repeat the past three albums and already know the song??

While I don't know if there is that instant classic, the album is a return to some of that magic that was missing for a long time. Some of the songs have that mystery, that ambience. I can't wait to hear them live and see where they go. There is a lot of room for edge, or Bono to take these songs even higher.

Screw the reviews. I'm just looking forward to the interviews


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[LPU2]

Can't believe any of us even read reviews anymore. In the web era, so many reviews are written by kids who don't know Joey Ramone from Romana and Beezus.

 

[super fly guy]

http://www.nme.com/reviews/u2/15625

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[prbiker15]

I have never directed much of my attention to music reviews - regardless of how great or shit they are, I can never digest them. I'm better off exploring the music myself.

 

[purpleoscar]

NME Reviews - U2 - 'Songs Of Innocence' | NME.COM

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Already posted.

LPU2;
so many reviews are written by kids who don't know Joey Ramone from Romana and Beezus.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Wow I am in shock, the comments section in the NME article actually has positive comments

 

[owl]

I have never directed much of my attention to music reviews - regardless of how great or shit they are, I can never digest them. I'm better off exploring the music myself.

x10

 

[corianderstem]

Can't believe any of us even read reviews anymore. In the web era, so many reviews are written by kids who don't know Joey Ramone from Romana and Beezus.

DUDE. Points for Ramona and Beezus reference!

 

[AEON]

Wow I am in shock, the comments section in the NME article actually has positive comments

from the comments:

Terrible review - No Line On The Horizon was a terrible album, and the one before that. Everyone hated it.

But this U2 album is the first good one in years. In fact, it's very very good, if not being a classic like the early records. And judging by the reaction from those who downloaded it, they share the same sentiments. Has a reinvigoration to it that hasn't been heard from U2 for years, and that's thanks to Danger Mouse's excellent production - he really knows the tricks of the trade and utilised them well with the band.

Sadly, I think come critics preconceptions on Bono are getting in the way of this album and jump on the bandwagon - resulting in highly unoriginal and cliche ridden reviews.

 

[CosmoKramer]

Wow I am in shock, the comments section in the NME article actually has positive comments

They are almost unanimously positive and one mentions this as a possible "classic" album....I'm tempted to believe the internet crossed worse somewhere and those are not NME readers but interference posters!


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[ajax]

Wow I am in shock, the comments section in the NME article actually has positive comments

The same happens and at the comments section in NME's Facebook page.

 

[Marko]

http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/music/u2-songs-of-innocence--first-listen-review-9722810.html

I guess this is a positive one

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[BigMacPhisto]

Metacritic now has an aggregator for the album. It currently has a 69/100.

Reviews for Songs of Innocence by U2 - Metacritic

NLTOH: 72/100
HTDAAB: 79/100
ATYCLB: 79/100

 

[Afliktor]

Love it or loathe it? Two EW critics debate U2's new album 'Songs of Innocence' | The Music Mix | EW.com

I think “Raised by Wolves” is kinda cool, although its Bloc Party-style dance punk thing would have been a lot more interesting if this was ten years ago.

lol what? you'd think someone who claims to have followed U2 since the 80's would recognize the obvious influence of their first three albums on that one... I adore Bloc Party but the "dance punk" he speaks of is really "post-punk revival." And who started out as post-punk? U2...

"49 unforgettable nude scenes" is one of the links on the side of the article, so I'm not exactly convinced EW are masters of music criticism. then again as others have pointed out most music critiques are bullshit anyway, and in the end it's just someone's opinion. just because they get paid for their opinion doesn't make it any less subjective than your own.

 

[YBORCITY]

Do some of them even listen to the music?, I am getting the feeling they don't.

I wonder the same thing ... alot of this is more of a comment on how much the writers hate Bono.

 

[womanfish]

Metacritic now has an aggregator for the album. It currently has a 69/100.

Reviews for Songs of Innocence by U2 - Metacritic

NLTOH: 72/100
HTDAAB: 79/100
ATYCLB: 79/100

Interesting how they only rate MOJO's glowing review as an 80?

Uneven start, but there will be hundreds added to these twelve. I'm guessing it will end up around 78 or 79. Critics interestingly went from being overly gushy to U2 to being very middle of the road cautious with their reviews of them. I guess they didn't want the feedback from the rabid haters and lovers of the band.

 

[sfu2doc]

Total beat down from New Yorker.

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/sasha-frere-jones/u2s-forgettable-fire


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[ajax]

Metacritic now has an aggregator for the album. It currently has a 69/100.

Reviews for Songs of Innocence by U2 - Metacritic

NLTOH: 72/100
HTDAAB: 79/100
ATYCLB: 79/100

ATYCLB score was based on 17 critics, HTDAAB on 26 and NLOTH on 30. I guess that SOI will have a score based on around 40 critics. That's why i think it is obvious that SOI will have a lower aggregator than the previous ones. Besides that, i also think that it is obvious to say that ''traditional'' music magazines (such as Rolling Stone, Billboard, even Uncut)will give to SOI generally favorable reviews, while "indie" musical sites will have mixed reviews.

 

[corianderstem]

That picture made me laugh. For a second I thought Tim Cook was Adam.

Also:

"Instead, U2 stuffed a locksmith card in your doorframe, which you’ve probably already tossed. In case you didn’t delete this modern-rock wet wipe, here is my track-by-track guide to “Songs Of Innocence,” by those famous tax-avoiders U2."

Spoiler

I'm really sorry I read any of that. This dude just comes across like a raging asshole who's pissed he has to review the new U2 album. (I recognize his name ... is he normally so crabby?)

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Still making me laugh people moaning about being given something for free,


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[purpleoscar]

Total beat down from New Yorker.

http://www.newyorker.com/culture/sasha-frere-jones/u2s-forgettable-fire


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One of the worst non-reviews.


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[prbiker15]

That picture made me laugh. For a second I thought Tim Cook was Adam.

Also:

"Instead, U2 stuffed a locksmith card in your doorframe, which you’ve probably already tossed. In case you didn’t delete this modern-rock wet wipe, here is my track-by-track guide to “Songs Of Innocence,” by those famous tax-avoiders U2."

Spoiler

I'm really sorry I read any of that. This dude just comes across like a raging asshole who's pissed he has to review the new U2 album. (I recognize his name ... is he normally so crabby?)

We have a winner!

 

[Flying FuManchu]

Music reviews from music mags are just more literate YouTube/ Yahoo comments. Almost stopped paying attention to them outside of needing something to read while sitting on the shitter.


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[womanfish]

ATYCLB score was based on 17 critics, HTDAAB on 26 and NLOTH on 30. I guess that SOI will have a score based on around 40 critics. That's why i think it is obvious that SOI will have a lower aggregator than the previous ones. Besides that, i also think that it is obvious to say that ''traditional'' music magazines (such as Rolling Stone, Billboard, even Uncut)will give to SOI generally favorable reviews, while "indie" musical sites will have mixed reviews.

My bad. I thought they used more reviews than that.

 

[lazarus]

Total beat down from New Yorker.

U2’s Forgettable Fire - The New Yorker


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This idiot actually brings up "consent" in terms of the iTunes delivery. Apparently what U2 has done is tantamount to rape.

 

[corianderstem]

Yeah, I chose to ignore that comment, because fuck that guy.

UGH.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Interesting how they only rate MOJO's glowing review as an 80?

Uneven start, but there will be hundreds added to these twelve. I'm guessing it will end up around 78 or 79. Critics interestingly went from being overly gushy to U2 to being very middle of the road cautious with their reviews of them. I guess they didn't want the feedback from the rabid haters and lovers of the band.

As you mentioned, you were off about the number of reviews they actually use, but you're also way off concerning the score. I actually think a lot of the more positive publications (including that "review" from Neil McCormick) have already had their say and that publications like Pitchfork will rightfully tear it apart because it doesn't offer anything new to them.

It will end up somewhere in the sixties (between about 64-68, I imagine). That would put it behind hundreds of albums for the entire year, but I can already say that I've heard over a hundred more interesting albums from 2014 myself..

 

[KUEFC09U2]

As you mentioned, you were off about the number of reviews they actually use, but you're also way off concerning the score. I actually think a lot of the more positive publications (including that "review" from Neil McCormick) have already had their say and that publications like Pitchfork will rightfully tear it apart because it doesn't offer anything new to them.



It will end up somewhere in the sixties (between about 64-68, I imagine). That would put it behind hundreds of albums for the entire year, but I can already say that I've heard over a hundred more interesting albums from 2014 myself..

You sound like you will be made up with this, and it's proving you right somehow?


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[trevgreg]

Deadspin.com:
U2 Never Gave Their New Album A Chance

 

[Gilead12]

Total beat down from New Yorker.

U2’s Forgettable Fire - The New Yorker


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This is the most snark-dripping awful useless piece of music journalism I have ever read.

SOI is no Joshua Tree, but Jesus Christ this makes me want to go proselytize the world with it. Shout it from the rooftops.

'Also: don't talk about Joey Ramone' is the most presumptuous irascible aside... if any band alive has a right to 'talk about Joey Ramone', it's U2. It's certainly not a jaded New Yorker critic who judges everything by the Beyonce Standard.