MERGED ----> U2 now: Dare to read! And respond! (parts 1 & 2)

[jacobus]

Zoomerang96 wrote: i've heard far more people agree with that on this board, than people who've said atyclb or bomb are the band's best work.

the sad truth is, that the U2 of the 2000s have become just another ordinary band. they've lost their balls. unfortunately. they progressed into an average band for supermarket music. mainstream chart compatibility. sorry for my harsh comment, but i fear they fulfilled mr. boners own prophecy...two bad albums in a row and you're out...maybe not for the mass market but for the importance / influence.
c'mon guys and try again for a killer album. bring back the joy of eperimentation....please!

 

[hcbiggs2002]

As soon as I read the sentence " I may sound rough and harsh on at lot of points" and saw the length of your post, I knew it wouldn't worth the waste of my valuable time to read it! What makes you think anyone cares what you think?!
Yes, I'm bias and I'm proud of it! U2 is the best rock band ever. And HTDAAB helped me through some of the most darkest moments of my life especially Miracle Drug, Original of the Species and Yahweh.

 

[onyourkneesboy]

U2 now: Dare to read! And respond! (part 2)

Well, first off I would like to state that my review/comment is NOT a "copy and paste"-thing from other reviews. It's my opinion..
But I agree: I sometimes sound a little ambivalent and yes, my feelings are mixed about this album and U2 right now..!!! But like I said before: that's because I care so much and I want to get some things of my chest...!
But that doesn't take away from the fact that I am utterly suprised about the intolerance around here of some fans!!! Things like: "if you don't like it find another band!" and it's all "complaining"... Well, sorry to say but: I like to stay objective about my most favourite band EVER! I am not the kind of guy who cheers and yells "halleluja" if U2 would decide to record some farts and Bono says again "it's they're best ever!" (Not that I mean this about HTDAAB!!) (Before I get scalped again by some "blind-U2-follower(s)")

Anyway, like it or don't: here's part 2:
(try to comment on what I say about the songs, please)

Love And Peace Or Else
+: Heavy! But also with a little wink. The song bursts open with a very cool metalish sound. (…”lay down your treasure”) Maybe thanks to Flood? Anyway, the most appealing to my ears was the driving guitar part in the end! Now, that’s how I like Edge! Tempting, chasing..! A bit like the intro of Wire. Or moments in Bullet.
Although I know it has a war anthem enclosed, it’s a perfect song for a beautiful girl to strip to!! No, it’s not my dirty mind…U2 did put a fair amount of sexiness in this song..! A little bit like the bombast of “Hey Big Spender”. So don’t blame me…!
-: Although I like this song very much, this kind of “heaviness” in a song I’ve heard before from the boys: Zoo Station, Bullet, New York. But, no problem, actually!

Conclusion: A big one! Great track. Great singing from Bono!


City Of Blinding Lights
+: The part ..”and I miss you when your not around” I like very much. The verses and bridges are O.K. But that’s about it.
-: As Eno would put it: “this song has quite a few problems”. Well, to my opinion the whole song is a problem! I know I’m offending a lot of people now and that’s not my intention, but as a longtime fan, it’s just how I hear the song.
First of: The piano intro. I understand U2 decided they wanted a simple piano riff. But this riff is so slow, predictable that a toddler would come up with something more original. But one of the biggest problems is about to come: The “slaaiiiide-guitaaahhr!!!” Yugh!!
This is the most WHINING, ANNOYING, MOANING guitar slide-riff Edge ever produced!! He must have had a very uninspired, bad day otherwise he would never come up with such a boring, whining slide-riff. He seeks a certain emotion, I hear that, but instead he takes a wrong turn and it gets enormously cheesy, I’m sorry.. I can’t believe, he himself, and the other members of the band let him get away with it. get away with it.
Then you get the high ooooh, ooooh’s together with Adam’s pumping bass which sounded pretty good to me on first listen. I remember getting a little pumped up the first time I heard this part. This sounded very promising for the BIG chorus to come…
So I held on tight and then…: “oh…you…look…so…..biejooedifohohol…tonaaaiit………..” What??????? That’s it? Just a stupid yell over the same chord-sequence as the “ooooh, oooooh’s?? I couldn’t believe my ears!! And like it still wasn’t enough, that annoying “slaaaaiide-guitar” again. And although I heard the song for the first time I knew Bono was about to sing:…”in the city of blinding lahaits..” And he did!! How predictable…
Man, I could not believe how much of a caricature U2 themselves were making of this song. The chorus should have gone in a whole new direction so that one really could go: WOW!!! What a great surprising chorus!!! That would have saved the song (from mainly the intro!)
O.K. back to the song: Then you get a bridge and Bono start whining like he wants ice-cream: ..”tssaaahm, tssaaahm, tssaaahm, won’t leave me as I am” to wreck again my nerves with: “oh…you…look…so…biejooedifohohol…tonaaaiit………..” on repeat. And this supposed to be the climax!! Truly this is the worst chorus I have heard from this band in 20 years. Then it fades with the same dull piano…
I can’t believe they want to display so much recklessness and laziness regarding the chorus of this song and the cheesiness of Edge’s guitar. I can’t believe they skipped a song like “Mercy” for this track. Already in demo-form this song grabs your hand and flies off with you. Much more passion and drive!

Conclusion: They should have left City Of…on the shelves and rework it later to a really good song with more inspiration. And give more effort to get the cheesiness out. In this form it’s U2 unworthy. U2 are know for their superb intro’s but this one is so thin, vague, whiney. Like I said: The song is a caricature. Live it sounds a little better though. I’m sorry if I hurt somebody’s feelings about this song.

All Because Of You
+: One can hear they really worked on this song and put a lot of time in it. Probably because it’s been around for years and years (“She’s Gonna Blow Your House Down”) and never got a good molding into a real song. They kind of pulled it off now. Edge’s guitar solo in the end is very cool and Bono’s chanting …”I’m alive, etc..” brings back good old memories of the “raw” Rattle And Hum-era. Live this song would blend perfectly with All Along The Watchtower. Nice intro.

-: Again, like in City Of Blinding Lights, the chorus is a major problem: “…all because of you, …aaaaaaaaaaaaaall because of you..” Come on, which of you here were happy when they heard this out-of-tune yell? Bono or no Bono: this is not singing, this is putting the listeners ears to the test how much he/she can take! It really sounds like: “I need something here (a melody/phrase) and this will do..” In many occasions on this album it really shows that Bono was just around ‘part-time’ in the studio to contribute his singing-parts on this album. One can really hear that Bono did not (or was not able) to take time to use his creativity to the fullest. That results in numerous weak spots on the album. The band (and the songs) really need him to push songs in a new direction and inspire mainly himself.

Conclusion: They tried but again didn’t nail it.


(More to come...)

 

[Aardvark747]

I'll read this 2moro!

 

[onyourkneesboy]

"What makes you think anyone cares what you think?"

The fact that this thread has already 3 pages, and the fact that YOU are responding!!!!

 

[MrBrau1]

the sad truth is, that the U2 of the 2000s have become just another ordinary band. they've lost their balls. unfortunately. they progressed into an average band for supermarket music. mainstream chart compatibility. sorry for my harsh comment, but i fear they fulfilled mr. boners own prophecy...two bad albums in a row and you're out...maybe not for the mass market but for the importance / influence.
c'mon guys and try again for a killer album. bring back the joy of eperimentation....please!

Yeah...that's all horse-shit. The only good records are experimental records?

What a shallow and boring way to listen to music, where the song get back-seat billing to drum machines, samplers, squak boxes, 5/4 timing, or whaterer is considered "experimental." It's all about the dressing.

U2 have written some of their best work over the past 5 years.
It's a shame good songs aren't enough for some people.

 

[roy]

Yeah...that's all horse-shit. The only good records are experimental records?

What a shallow and boring way to listen to music, where the song get back-seat billing to drum machines, samplers, squak boxes, 5/4 timing, or whaterer is considered "experimental." It's all about the dressing.

U2 have written some of their best work over the past 5 years.
It's a shame good songs aren't enough for some people.

I'm sure some people criticised The Beatles for not being experimental enough when Abbey Road first came out. It's without doubt one of their very best albums.

 

[Zoomerang96]

Yeah...that's all horse-shit. The only good records are experimental records?

What a shallow and boring way to listen to music, where the song get back-seat billing to drum machines, samplers, squak boxes, 5/4 timing, or whaterer is considered "experimental." It's all about the dressing.

U2 have written some of their best work over the past 5 years.
It's a shame good songs aren't enough for some people.

i'm sure picasso could draw a really, really accurate picture of the road outside his flat. i'm sure it would be a lot nicer than most other's who'd dare give it a go.

but that's not what made picasso great, was it? picasso went to new, interesting places and left his mark forever.

you don't do that by painting a simple picture...over and over again without trying something new.

not that u2 have never tried anything new, but wow, is it ever time they started TRYING again.

 

[BVS]

i'm sure picasso could draw a really, really accurate picture of the road outside his flat. i'm sure it would be a lot nicer than most other's who'd dare give it a go.

but that's not what made picasso great, was it? picasso went to new, interesting places and left his mark forever.

you don't do that by painting a simple picture...over and over again without trying something new.

not that u2 have never tried anything new, but wow, is it ever time they started TRYING again.

Picasso went through various stages and some of those stages included simple realistic paintings of people with guitars, flowers, etc.

 

[LJT]

One of the London art schools, had to teach many of its students classical drawing and painting techniques as in recent years they had put too much focus on the abstract and experimental as such, some of them couldn't do the basics.

So they have been teaching them to work on their technique of just drawing and painting...but to draw and paint interesting subjects and items.

I think that is the same as what U2 are trying to do..to remember their basics, their songwriting ability as such and to create good and great sounding songs.

(sorry if my details on that story are a bit vague it was in the news a couple of months back)

 

[Pero]

I tried to stay aside, but i can't when you bash something like that. ok, i think that this album isn't perfect, but it's good.
You compare these songs to OLD, EXPERIENCED AND 1000 TIMES PERFORMED SONGS!!!!!!
So what if you knew that he will say in the city of blinding lahaits?
IT'S THE NAME OF THE SONG.
All because of you into All along the watchtower, only alphabettically.

City of blinding lights has a cheesy solo, AND????

You want u2 to be always the best, to be raw, crazy and all kinds of stuff, ok.
YOU ARE THE BIGGEST WHINER, BIGGEST CRYBABY EVER IN THE WHOLE UNIVERSE.
IF YOU ARE SO SMART, WHY DON'T YOU MAKE REMIXES OF THEM. THE EASIEST THING IS TO SIT AND BE THE SMARTEST ON THE EARTH.

You whiner, what, your mommy won't listen to you, because she found a new boyfriend.

COMPLETE WASTE OF SPACE

 

[Aardvark747]

^

 

[MrBrau1]

i'm sure picasso could draw a really, really accurate picture of the road outside his flat. i'm sure it would be a lot nicer than most other's who'd dare give it a go.

but that's not what made picasso great, was it? picasso went to new, interesting places and left his mark forever.

you don't do that by painting a simple picture...over and over again without trying something new.

not that u2 have never tried anything new, but wow, is it ever time they started TRYING again.

2 records? That's all you could put up with in term of song based material? Do people have that short an attention span?

They were experimenting through the 90's with 4 albums. Good or bad, the band goes through cycles.

I've always like U2 because of the breadth of material and balance. If people only listen to U2 for experiments, they're missing 1/2 the picture.

 

[hcbiggs2002]

There's no point arguing about taste! If you don't like the album, that's fine by me, but I love HTDAAB, I think it's one of the best albums they've ever produced and nothing anyone can say, objective or not, will ever change my opinion. Here's something for you to chew on, I don't like War, never have never will. And there are plenty of other U2 songs I don't like, I could give you list but it probably wouldn't make for very interesting reading!!!

 

[bsp77]

I tried to stay aside, but i can't when you bash something like that. ok, i think that this album isn't perfect, but it's good.
You compare these songs to OLD, EXPERIENCED AND 1000 TIMES PERFORMED SONGS!!!!!!
So what if you knew that he will say in the city of blinding lahaits?
IT'S THE NAME OF THE SONG.
All because of you into All along the watchtower, only alphabettically.

City of blinding lights has a cheesy solo, AND????

You want u2 to be always the best, to be raw, crazy and all kinds of stuff, ok.
YOU ARE THE BIGGEST WHINER, BIGGEST CRYBABY EVER IN THE WHOLE UNIVERSE.
IF YOU ARE SO SMART, WHY DON'T YOU MAKE REMIXES OF THEM. THE EASIEST THING IS TO SIT AND BE THE SMARTEST ON THE EARTH.

You whiner, what, your mommy won't listen to you, because she found a new boyfriend.

COMPLETE WASTE OF SPACE

WTF?

 

[Earnie Shavers]

2 records? That's all you could put up with in term of song based material? Do people have that short an attention span?

They were experimenting through the 90's with 4 albums. Good or bad, the band goes through cycles.

I've always like U2 because of the breadth of material and balance. If people only listen to U2 for experiments, they're missing 1/2 the picture.

I love how everyone assumes that everyone else is in only one of two boxes. Either you want Miracle Drug or Mofo, but there's no room for an opinion that lands somewhere in between?

'Experimental', for the last fucking time, does not mean weird. 'Song based', for the last fucking time, does not mean conservative or classic. Song based and experimental can be the exact same thing. Song based can still be original and interesting. Experimental can still be classic and conservative. Deal with that. I also believe that U2 can still create music that is commerically successful, while also being steps forward for them, and up there with the most interesting, original and exciting music I hear from dozens of other artists every year. I do believe that. I also believe that U2 can safely sit on their well known sound and reputation, with their incredible songwriting ablilties, and produce commercially successful album after album, without ever actually reaching any kind of real new ground or musical greatness. It just happens that only one of those U2 incarnations interests me.

Is that okay?

It's pretty much not even worth having discussions in here anymore because 45% of the forum instantly jump into one bullshit position and another 45% jump into the other bullshit position while the 10% who bother to try and discuss the music get shot down from both sides.

 

[Zoomerang96]

THANK YOU EARNIE.

couldn't agree more.

 

[U2DMfan]

I love how everyone assumes that everyone else is in only one of two boxes. Either you want Miracle Drug or Mofo, but there's no room for an opinion that lands somewhere in between?

'Experimental', for the last fucking time, does not mean weird. 'Song based', for the last fucking time, does not mean conservative or classic. Song based and experimental can be the exact same thing. Song based can still be original and interesting. Experimental can still be classic and conservative. Deal with that. I also believe that U2 can still create music that is commerically successful, while also being steps forward for them, and up there with the most interesting, original and exciting music I hear from dozens of other artists every year. I do believe that. I also believe that U2 can safely sit on their well known sound and reputation, with their incredible songwriting ablilties, and produce commercially successful album after album, without ever actually reaching any kind of real new ground or musical greatness. It just happens that only one of those U2 incarnations interests me.

Is that okay?

It's pretty much not even worth having discussions in here anymore because 45% of the forum instantly jump into one bullshit position and another 45% jump into the other bullshit position while the 10% who bother to try and discuss the music get shot down from both sides.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Well, I'm going to say this from a point of view of someone who hasn't really bothered listening to their most recent album, other than the singles, and I can safely say that even without being a U2 fan, I think their music still sounds distinguishable and completely different to the other mainstream rock on the radio. I can still certainly see experimentation - mostly because of the album's 'live' feel throughout, something that I am aware of.

So I wouldn't go as far as to say that they sound like every other rock band... they never did.

 

[Ellay]

Personally I find HTDAAB original and distinctive as anything they've done in the past, It may have a similar kind of sound as ATYCLB, but then it's no surprise seeing as they're consecutive releases, Zooropa & AB did, and JT and R&H did.

I love some songs on bomb, and I don't particularly like others, just like I do with all the other albums they've ever put out.

I find fast cars and love and peace challenging pieces of music, Blinding lights soars, OOTS and SYCMIOYO are fantastic emotionally, and Vertigo just rocks.

U2 in the 21 century are great stuff as far as Im concerned, and if a lot of people are prepared to go out and buy their records and turn them into huge commercial successes, then brilliant - it'll spur them on to produce even more.