Songs of Experience 36 - Now with 20% fewer acronyms

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I'm enjoying my lyric booklet:

"Hold on brother John, too many mothers weeping. Dream on brother John, but in your dreams you can't be sleeping."

"And like flowers growing in a bomb crater from nothing, a rose, it grows."

"Paradise is a place you can't see when it's yours."
 
Well I just finished my first listen through and am making my way through listen number two. On the whole, I'm definitely liking what I'm hearing. There were a few moments that really surprised and impressed me, and thankfully only a couple of moments that made me second guess the band's thinking. I don't want to play the rank against the past records game so early, but I think it's safe to say it's high up there.

I'll post my initial song rankings though. Of course, I just looked back at the initial rankings I had for SOI when it came out and it's basically completely different from how I look at that album nowadays. But it's nice to get those first impressions out there so you can see the changes your mind makes over time.

Anyway...

Red Flag Day -
I'm a big fan of their first three albums so I'm not surprised this is the one that I liked the most, after hearing others reactions. Love they brought that sound back for such an infectious song. Definitely the song that made me smile the most.

The Little Things That Give You Away -
Honestly it's funny I have this so high because I felt like the first half was a bit of a disappointment - a little over produced, not enough space to breathe. But that second half is just perfect and classic U2 in the best possible way. The chills moment for me of the album.

Lights of Home -
This was a surprise to me, but I pretty much loved this front to back. Probably the song I was most interested to revisit once I finished.

The Showman (Little More Better) -
No doubt the must fun track here. Had me singing along, which is something I rarely do on a first listen.

The Blackout -
It's still killer. I have a couple issues with the mix (and where it's placed on the album, I mean, really?) but still a great song.

13 (There Is a Light) -
The most pleasant surprise to me of the album. Love how they took the most sickly sweet and classic U2 song off SOI (and, also, the worst) and completely turned it on its head with some definite Pop-level darkness. Some real heft there.

Love Is All We Have Left -
I feel like this is very much a piece with 13. They work perfectly as thematic, atmospheric bookends. Starting off with this made me kinda go "oh shit," and set just the right tone. I don't even hate the auto-tune, honestly if anything it only adds to the sci-fi/Passengers (!) sound.

You're the Best Thing About Me -
Hearing this, I sort of wish I hadn't listened to anything before I got the album. Because it's kind of hard to evaluate amongst the rest of the record when, as soon as it comes on, my mind just shifts into a different mode (if that makes sense). It's still a pretty good song, and I never minded the single version, but here it definitely feels a bit out of place sonically. This is the one that gets me most thinking of alternate track lists (with probably the sci-fi soul mix).

Summer of Love -
Reading reactions I thought I'd like this more, and maybe it was overhyped or maybe it'll grow on me. But, while I liked this song, I felt like it was mainly a tease, building and building to a pay off that never came. We'll see how I feel later.

Landlady -
I honestly liked this one quite I bit when I heard it, but I really can't remember it at all. I'm guessing it's a grower.

Get Out of Your Own Way -
My thoughts on this haven't changed much. It's a solid tune, if a bit basic and maybe to brief for its own good.

Love Is Bigger Than Anything in its Way -
I wanted to like it. I really did. And, really, I kinda did. But (and I'm not usually one to complain about this sort of thing), but the production kills it. Not that I hate that modern type of production, and honestly I feel like deep down it's a good song, but the production is just so overbearing, it's hard to get into it.

American Soul -
Reading the reactions here, I expected this to be the least of the album's offerings and, well, it was. Although I didn't really think it was that bad. It's a fun tune, but there's really just a couple things that stand out (you can guess what). People warned about "you are rock and roll" and "refu-jesus" but I didn't take the warnings seriously. Thing is, I really don't mind that bit in Volcano (or the idea of reusing lyrics), but when it's so front and center like this it just feels supremely cheesy. Speaking of cheese, I thought "refu-jesus" would just be an easily ignorable, quickly passed-over lyric in the song. But, nope! He literally yells it in the dumbest way possible! Yeah, pretty bad!

On the whole, I do think we have a pretty great album on our hands. Excited to spend more time with it (and the deluxe songs that I purposefully put aside for a bit).
 
I think Andy Barlow might be my favorite U2 producer since the Eno+Lanois dream team. I love DangerMouse's work on "The Troubles" especially, too

Eno+Lanois+Barlow+Mouse for Songs of Ascent, anyone? :drool:
 
It’s showing up on Google Play Music here in flyover country. Looking forward to giving it a spin for real in the morning.
 
U2 | Songs of Experience

This one is a grower.

Love is All We Have Left reminds me of something from their late 90s era. I like the use of autotune. A first for U2?

I think I will always love the Kimmel version of The Little Things that Give You Away more than any other version. But they did a good studio take. It just doesn't seem as emotional as the live endings. Slightly mannered.

Lights of Home wowed me. I adore the outro.

Red Flag Day is one of their catchiest songs. Amazing for a 40 year old band.

Summer of Love reminds me of the kind of filler I like from U2. Simpler, quieter songs. Like One Step Closer, In a Little While, A Man and a Woman and White as Snow.

The singles fit snugly into the framework of this album. They are the lesser songs, of course. I will say that The Blackout reminds me of their 90s disco craze period.

The final song, 13 (There is a Light), has choked me up a bit. Despite being written for his son, Bono kept it general enough to provide (occasionally sardonic) encouragement to anyone who cares to hear his plea. It, of all the call-backs to the previous album, feels the most sincere. Bono's had a rough few years with multiple health related issues, so I don't begrudge him the need to sing for his family.

The Showman sounds like a piece of 60's fluff. But again, the filler on this album isn't terrible. Just remembers its place is all. The song also reminds me of a b-side called Flower Child.

I think Songs of Experience has a great variety of musical depth. Lyrically it suffers from Bono's tendency to use platitudes. But he's always been preachy. He's simply and sadly not as poetic as he used to be. More blunt these days. But his voice is on point. It's subtle when it needs to be and soars at the right moments. I smirk when I remember reading how his Dad once claimed he was a baritone who wanted to be a tenor.

The album is mastered well for my taste. No big Edge solos, but a lot of tight and occasionally layered background work. Adam is as reliable as usual. Same with Larry. A few of the songs have little codas to them which allows them to breathe.

Great effort, guys.
 
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Very surprised to see Jacknife Lee was the exclusive producer on Love Is Bigger. Was expecting it to be a Tedder song. Equally surprised to see Tedder DID produce Red Flag Day.
 

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First listen. I love it. I'm in tears. It's just an absolutely wonderful experience. I don't think there's much else I can say at this point. I've ever been moved this much by a U2 record.

Have a good night.
 
Posted this at the end of the previous thread, just wanted to have this here as well, to see if this breakdown resonates with others. Good to hear that Womanfish kinda agrees with a bit of this.

Okay, so I have listened to these songs enough for some of them to clearly rise above others in my estimation.<br />
<br />
In descending order of preference as of now:<br />
<br />
A)Potential classics...this category may have some demotions over time, I will be delighted if as many as four are remembered as top drawer stuff in their catalogue. Currently there is such an emotional connect to these potential classics that I can't really say much that is coherent about them without going into a song by song breakdown much longer than this post is intended to be. <br />
<br />
13<br />
Summer of Love<br />
The Little Things That Give You Away<br />
Landlady<br />
<br />
<br />
B) Very good... genuinely enjoy listening to these and look forward to them. These form the meat of the album, provide it personality, play important parts in the shifts and definitions of tone, and equally importantly provide examples of the group's mastery of the song types. Blackout is the only exception here because while it is a well-crafted song and thematically relevant to the album's thrust towards coping with decay, it is sonically out of place in the running order. Also, one or two of Category A may slide down into this group, but this is a very strong core. <br />
<br />
Lights of Home<br />
Love is all we have left<br />
Red Flag Day<br />
Love is Bigger Than Anything in its Way <br />
Showman<br />
Blackout<br />
<br />
<br />
C) Just okay and may get worse... This is one where the order may change, but the population will likely stay the same. The good thing is, other than The Best Thing I don't feel the urge to skip the songs half the time I listen to the album. But despite that, the song is not at the bottom. Part of the urge to skip is because it's jarring in the running order and the production/mixing is a complete misstep. But I still maintain that Edge's bridge is a moment of beauty that, come to think of it, may have been elevated by the ordinary nature of the verses. American Soul, I don't dislike it yet (take from that what you will).<br />
<br />
Get Out of Your Own Way<br />
The Best Thing About Me<br />
American Soul
 
Why didnt they include Book Of Love on the main album?
It is brilliant, a 10/10 song.
In the end of the song Bono delivers one of his most beautiful vocals ever.
 
Initial thoughts on first listen (half drunk)... a cracker of an album. Very melodious. Bono sounds great. You can tell they have designed this to be as catchy as possible.
Getting a strong The Killers vibe from several songs, mainly Landlady and Love Is Bigger.
Intro of Book Of Your Heart reminds me of Velvet Dress.
The middle of the album is the strongest.
Bravo, lads. Colour me impressed ?
 
It seems silly to be typing this at this late stage (been listening to U2 since War), but in retrospect, I wish I wouldn't have listened to the songs they released before the album came out. My fault (not U2's. Bless 'em for giving us a taste). I just couldn't resist. Still, I wasn't all that enthusiastic about the new stuff.

Now that I have listened to SOE in its entirety I feel much more positive about the new material, much more energized. There is a lot of great music on this record and it works best in that context - as an album. I'm really enjoying it.

Man, what a trip. From first hearing "It's the Little Things..." this summer on the JT tour to today, it felt like this day would never arrive.
 
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Guys, need a little guidance. Preordered the deluxe edition from amazon music... got the tracks but can't seem to get the liner notes/production credits anywhere, not on the Amazon music app nor in the folders where I downloaded the songs. Anyone else got it from Amazon music?
 
I think Andy Barlow might be my favorite U2 producer since the Eno+Lanois dream team. I love DangerMouse's work on "The Troubles" especially, too

Eno+Lanois+Barlow+Mouse for Songs of Ascent, anyone? :drool:
I'm fairly certain Danger Mouse is only listed as a producer on this album because they used some of his work from Songs of Innocence. Don't think he was ever actually in studio this time around.
 
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