I completely understand all the moaning and groaning here about a band still trying to score a "chart topper" (as if that means anything anymore) and not "giving themselves over to experimentation like they used to."
BUT
On each listen of TBT, I keep finding that the "why am I walking away?" lines are both the most melodic and attention-grabbing. I haven't encountered brief moments of U2 music since Pop and Zooropa that I wished could drag on longer than those two short couplets. But they are intentionally fleeting. No less, they END the song and echo throughout the room once the music stops.
It's as if these veteran musicians know what they're doing, and how to leave an impression.
Sure, you can put a bunch of nice colors on the screen behind the band when they play TBT live, but it doesn't deserve the same backdrop as Beautiful Day.
TBT is not a song that's meant to feel sexy. It's gut-wrenching to talk about self-sabotage (even if it's a nightmare), and even if most young people these days can relate to that sentiment, most of today's "pop" music doesn't address that.
I've played TBT to a number of late 20-somethings in NYC over the past weeks –many of whom would never gravitate toward a U2 record on their own –and almost everyone was grabbed by those closing lyrics. TBT isn't Boots or Miracle. The lyrics make sense. Not only are haughty parentheses not needed, the rapid toggling between sincere emotions and statements is what gives the lyrics strength.
Young men and women who hear "you're the best thing about me" and "[so] why am I walking away?" relate to the contradiction between the lines, and it it startles and saddens.
I think it's well within our rights as fans to be concerned that this band continues to "sell out" –or at the very least should realize that they have enough fans to propel them through whatever experimental phase they might feel inclined to explore, and should take some bigger risks –but these musicians aren't dopes, and for all of Bono's sometimes goofy pontificating, I think he and the band still now how to throw a curveball.
Regarding production: I do think there's something to the point that the band should ditch the x4 producer model and just settle on someone to mix each track and leave it there. BUT, if person A connects with the Kygo mix, and person B connects with the single mix and person C loves the Sci-Fi mix, so be it. U2 will never catch Taylor Swift in terms of YouTube views, so better to give everyone what they want.
this is one of your biggest stretches yet. Congrats [emoji106]
