SOE 25 - The Freakout

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
Status
Not open for further replies.
There's no way I'm reading 27 pages of reviews of the song, so I'll just give my belated and unanticipated two cents:

Best chorus for a single/lead track since Vertigo.

Verses aren't as strong.

Overall, I dig the vibe.

Yay.
 
Headache in a Suitcase said:
If they released Bomb in 2004 as a free album automatically given to everyone's iTunes account, they would have been celebrated.

If they released Bomb in 2014 as a free album automatically given to everyone's iTunes account, the reaction would have been exactly the same as it was for Songs of Innocence.
Click to expand...



This one million percent.

Bomb was one of u2's most anticipated albums. Dare I say it u2 were still cool and relevant back then. It was during the vertigo tour when it went all tits up and everyone started hating on Bono and it became cool to hate u2
 
dan_smee said:
I think my favourite thing here is the fill riff between lines in the verses - not common in U2 songs, and songs they have written that are similar to the Blackout don't have anything like it. You can just see them developing this song and not having it, and it being half the song it is.
Click to expand...



Where the hell is our like button?

[emoji106]
 
dan_smee said:
I think my favourite thing here is the fill riff between lines in the verses - not common in U2 songs, and songs they have written that are similar to the Blackout don't have anything like it. You can just see them developing this song and not having it, and it being half the song it is.
Click to expand...



Yes! Seems like new territory for them.
 
Headache in a Suitcase said:
If they released Bomb in 2004 as a free album automatically given to everyone's iTunes account, they would have been celebrated.

If they released Bomb in 2014 as a free album automatically given to everyone's iTunes account, the reaction would have been exactly the same as it was for Songs of Innocence.
Click to expand...

I'll go even further: If they released The Joshua Tree in 2014 as a free album automatically given to everyone's iTunes account, the reaction would have been exactly the same as it was for Songs of Innocence.
 
A yardstick I use to measure u2 songs is trying to imagine whether I would want to listen to it again or shazam it if I just heard it on radio and didn't know who the artist was. And when the song is new I have often convinced myself that it would pass the radio-shazam test, but felt underwhelmed about it later. I liked Boots and said so here when it came out, and although I don't dislike it, its limited charm wore off pretty fast.

So with blackout, best case scenario: it's not u2 by numbers (the only thing that I can say for sure at this point) and because it sounds good currently, and fresh and unexpected, it's the end of the fight of good being the enemy of great that Bono talks about and the marriage of U2' s good and great qualities, so far thought by many to be irreconcilable (is that a word?). Down this path is the potential for some very rich music.

Worst-case scenario: it is forgotten in a few weeks, with a chorus that seemed to fly high but turned out rapidly to fall.

Right now, I feel like listening to it again because there is a lot of interesting, not recently heard of things in that song. I'm ducking in for another listen. Whether that is because its u2 or I am genuinely enticed is very much up in the air.

EDIT: I posted my email on that thread more than an hour ago. Not that I feel entitled to it, but if someone could send me the file it will just be awesome. Streaming it is not the most convenient thing
 
Last edited:
david said:
I found the criticism in this review to be surprisingly constructive and yet optimistic in regards to U2's future.

"And yet, they've been working with Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic, eschewing further collaboration with their longtime co-conspirators Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois in order to chase the warmed-over, U2-like sound that so dominates mainstream rock radio. There is greatness yet in this band. Their bond and their legacy will never fully dissipate. But they need to be willing to break their path once again and rise to the desperate occasion they're so keen to call out if they're going to tap it. If they've taught their fans anything, it's that they can still hope for more."
Click to expand...

Proud to say this is my bestie/songwriting partner. I thought he was very fair.

:up:
 
The in your face, rockier U2 songs aren't my go to's when I want to listen to them. This is a fun tune and is definitely much cooler than boots or the miracle if we want to compare. I'm still waiting for this albums Iris (in talking newer U2) that pulls on the heart strings. Given on the strength of this song I'm sure there is one.
 
mikal said:
Yes! Seems like new territory for them.
Click to expand...

Can someone explain this more?

My gripe with the song is Edge, which has been my gripe with the band since NLOTH. I know he's a minimalist, and he has his signature style.....but he really settled on to this for the rock songs.

Big riff to start the song --- Blackout differs in that he's not playing the signature riff, but instead making a lot of sound regardless

Verses -- Quiet, scratch/muted strings -- Blackout isn't much different. I feel like this is a song where a Reach style wah wah would have filled in the blanks nicely

Chorus -- Signature riff of the song comes in. Not bad, and hoping with the "crowd" noise that the album version has some more color too it.

Overall I like that he wasn't trying to be Jimmy Page with the riff, but still wish he'd explore the sound more. I'm sure live will be different.
 
plp said:
I'll go even further: If they released The Joshua Tree in 2014 as a free album automatically given to everyone's iTunes account, the reaction would have been exactly the same as it was for Songs of Innocence.
Click to expand...

Indeed. And in 2014/2018 Streets, WOW, Still haven't found.... would NOT be big hits. Just like I think that 'Every Breaking Wave' would have been a hit if it was released in 1987....
 
dan_smee said:
I think my favourite thing here is the fill riff between lines in the verses - not common in U2 songs, and songs they have written that are similar to the Blackout don't have anything like it. You can just see them developing this song and not having it, and it being half the song it is.
Click to expand...
Totally agreed! That really caught my by surprise in my first listen.

I'm really digging the song. It hit me right out of the gates in a way that Miracle never did, mostly because it is just a little more inventive and interesting in terms of chord progression/song structure. The groove in the verses is really on point, (sup Adam) the pre-chorus is neat and adds some flavor to the song, and the build-up after the bridge really sells the last chorus. Definitely not a "by the numbers" song as you can tell they put some serious thought into the structure.

More than happy with this one - bring on TBT! Expecting it'll get a bit of a cooler reaction from the "community" but could get decent radio/streaming traffic.
 
rennowba said:
This one million percent.

Bomb was one of u2's most anticipated albums. Dare I say it u2 were still cool and relevant back then. It was during the vertigo tour when it went all tits up and everyone started hating on Bono and it became cool to hate u2
Click to expand...

Because by then Vertigo had been annoying everyone for months in the iPod commercial that was always on. Those were good for exposure but it often turned into overexposure (see also: Feist's 1234).
 
Song seems fine, but nothing special. Not unlike the other things we've heard from SOE, unfortunately. I predict that this will have legacy similar to that of Invisible.

#hatersgonnahate

(Disclaimer: I've had an awful day, so that may be affecting my opinion.)
 
Consequence of Sound calls it a "sweeping anthem." Rolling Stone calls it "Galvanic." Uproxx says it's a "high energy party anthem."

Only comments I've found so far from the national critics.
 
BEAL said:
Can someone explain this more?
Click to expand...



On the U2.com video around 1:59.

I use the second verse because I think there's more happening and it's clearer.

U2 in the past have often had verses that flow, and recently almost no place to breathe. But even in the songs that did breathe between verses the riff remained the same, this one breaks that pattern.

Now maybe there are more examples of that, but off the top of my head I can't think of any, and this very much stood out on first listen.

I think you'll be surprised by the studio version, there's definitely some interesting things happening in there. Even on this version a headphone listen revealed some cool things. Problem with this version, there's a few things happening that I can't tell if they're heavily effected guitar parts or synths.
 
I don't have a huge opinion. It seems fun. And bouncy. And there are elements that are really good. I prefer "The Little Things..." as heard on Kimmel. That is a song I am really looking forward to hearing/hoping they didn't alter.


Vertigo, the comparison many are making, sold me with the lines from "They know that they can't dance, at least they know..." to the chorus. Something about that run of lyric got me, made me overlook any old man "bah" I had about the hugeness of the track.

This has potential to grab me in some way. I am thrilled to have it. But I am still looking forward to "The Little Things" most..
 
Last edited:
BVS said:
I think you'll be surprised by the studio version, there's definitely some interesting things happening in there. Even on this version a headphone listen revealed some cool things.
Click to expand...

Yeah, songs usually sound better through headphones, but this version of this song sounded *much* better that way.
 
TheFox said:
The way the song pulses and is gritty is great. Very impressed, blows away most of their recent material. I hear shades of the Crystal Ballroom with quite a bit of EBTTRT.
Click to expand...



Intro reminded me of a hybrid of zoo station and EBTTRT guitar which was awesome. Whole thing gave me a Zepp vibe too, good to see them grabbing the rock bull by the horns!!
 
corianderstem said:
Oh, so the video is a live version and not what will be on the album? Interesting.
Click to expand...



It's odd to me. Clearly there are clips of the video that don't match the audio (Larry hitting the hi hat when he's hitting toms or clearly not hitting the drum as hard as he should be to make the toms sound that loud). There were reports that there were multiple takes done but did the band actually play the live version we are hearing in this video? Could have played it live in the studio and put the cheering over it. I guess we will have to wait and see to hear the album version. I hope Adams bass and Larry's drums survive. The volume of Larry hitting the bell of the ride cymbal during the easy on me part makes the song sound that much more rockish. They kick ass in this video.
 
Last edited:
Wasn't one of the delay rumors about reworking the songs to have a more live feel? I wonder how different the studio version will be. Supposedly they played parts of a recorded version during the filming? Be interesting to see if it will be the same minus cheering or a considerable difference in production?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

3
Hello, Hello! Hola!
Replies
1
Views
229
Headache in a Suitcase
Headache in a Suitcase
DaveC
US Politics XXXVIII: "Patriots" vs Reality
54 55 56
Replies
2K
Views
46K
BEAL
BEAL
Scorpionac
Songs that would fit better on SOI vs. SOE?
Replies
1
Views
411
Headache in a Suitcase
Headache in a Suitcase
pacemaker
New Album Discussion 10 - Songs of Sir, this is a Wendy's, durr
52 53 54
Replies
2K
Views
77K
Hewson
Hewson
DaveC
2024 NFL Playoff Pick 'Em
2
Replies
41
Views
2K
DaveC
DaveC

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom