SOE 35 - it’s finally here, let the debate on how good/bad it is begin!

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The John Tree said:
I owe this band an apology.

I was a naysayer. I'd heard the singles and, while I like Best Thing and GOOYOW and Blackout, I wasn't blown away. I figured that this album was going to be a safe pop record of uninspiring U2-by-numbers songs. I thought the gas was out of the tank.

I was so wrong.

They've finally done it. They've managed to meld that spiritual uplift and joy they've been producing with 90s-era experimentation and atmospherics. This album sounds *fresh*. It sounds *inspired*. It's emotional. It's incredible.

The funny thing is, even the songs I was lukewarm on sound better in the context of the album. The Best Thing, GOOYOW, and American Soul were a bit "light" for my tastes but they're so necessary in their spots because this album is heavy. It's sonically dense, but it's also emotionally weighty. This is an album from a man who's realized that he's in the 4th quarter of his life and he's taking stock. It sounds like dying - and I mean that in the best way possible. It's joyous, it's sad, it's so many things in between. An incredible album and, in my opinion, a late-period classic.

"Love Is All We Have Left" sets the tone perfectly. The string samples, the sped up vocal sample before the chorus, the vocal effects, it all sounds new. It's a quiet hymn, and Bono clearly singing to his younger self in the first half, and to his current self in the second verse. The vocal melody is haunting. Achtung Baby was dark because it mined themes of sex, love, and infidelity. This album, appropriately, is dark in a different way - mortality and time are the themes here and this song is the perfect introduction to that.

"Lights of Home" is actually one of my favorites. I was surprised that it got lukewarm reviews in the early listening session writeups. This one, again, is just a heavy tune. It almost sounds like something Noel Gallagher would write, but with that U2 otherness that makes it special. The chorus is gorgeous and bittersweet.

After that one-two punch, "YTBTAM", "GOOYOW", and American Soul are a welcome break. I'll also note that the mix on the album versions are slightly different and, in my opinion, better - the songs have more lift.

"Summer of Love" is a beautiful tune and the best thing about it is that I can see the song. I can see the dry, bombed out landscape and I can almost feel the heat and taste the dust when I hear it. The band really committed to the atmospherics for this album, and it's all the better for it. Edge does some beautiful work on this song - it's incredibly tasteful and, most importantly, doesn't overstay its welcome.

Speaking of not overstaying its welcome, I could listen to "Red Flag Day" for 8 hours straight. This song sounds simultaneously new and old. The song, again, sounds joyous but somehow sad at the same time. And goddamn, that chorus is incredible. The entire band brings it, Adam obviously being the star on this one. This chorus is the best on the album and, in my opinion, one of the best Bono's ever written. He sounds incredible on this entire album, but especially on this tune. The "no, no, no" section sounds like it came straight out of the 80s. And that is a great thing.

What else to say about The Showman? It's fun as shit and I love it. I could see The Killers taking on this one, and Bono delivers a superb vocal - "there's a level of shadow that you just can't fake" is delivered with so much playfulness and personality that it took me by surprise. I love this song. It drew Beach Boys comparisons, but for me that chorus is Beatles Twist and Shout-worthy. Also, "I lie for a living, I love to let on, but you make it true when you sing along" is a perfect example of a lyric that I cringed at when I read it on paper, but fits perfectly in the context of the song.

I listened to this album at 2:30 in the morning while driving through Baltimore. "The Little Things That Give You Away" came on and I experienced something that only a few U2 songs had done for me before: I actually teared up while listening to it. This new version, in my opinion, is the best version. It's incredible. The atmospherics, the steady build, everything is perfect for me.

I'm surprised to hear that Landlady got lukewarm early reviews as well. To me, it's one of the highlights of the album. It's also the first song I went back to listen to for a second time once the album was done. Maybe I'm a sap - some of the reviews found this song to be overly saccharine. Not to me - I think this is one of the most beautiful songs Bono's ever written and - again this word - the atmospherics are pitch perfect. This song hit me like a ton of bricks. Bono's falsetto leading into the epic ending is sublime.

I'm pleased to see that the callbacks to the SoI for the most part make sense. (I'm still not seeing the correlation between the Volcano lyric and American Soul, but whatever). Iris dealt with Bono's mother's death - and he resurrects her advice to "free yourself" in a song about dealing with his own mortality in Lights of Home. Similarly, Every Breaking Wave gets a few callbacks - one in Red Flag Day and another in Landlady - which seem to be songs about Ali. I know that this was billed as an album filled with letters to Bono's loved ones but really, to me, most of the album stands as a long love letter to Ali. And I think that's beautiful, because it ties the albums together for me as well.

3 years ago, I was in a relationship with someone I loved very much. Her name, coincidentally, was Ali. We broke up in September of 2014 and I was devastated. It was the hardest time of my life. We remained close through that autumn, but it was just too hard. Losing that relationship broke me - I haven't been the same since. Songs of Innocence was released the week after we broke up and songs like Every Breaking Wave and Song For Someone really helped me through that time. To this day, I love Song For Someone because it makes me think of (my) Ali and it takes me right back to that point in time. "If there is a light, don't let it go out" was like my motto to Ali - don't let this slip away.

That breakup sent me down a path of self examination and, for the first time, I've tried to deal with the clinical depression I've had for my entire life. To put it mildly, it's been a tough, *tough* 3 years. And it's been a tough 31 years. There have been times this week that I'd had a hard time getting out of bed. "Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way" sounds like getting up. It sounds silly, but hearing Bono sing "when you think you're done, you've just begun" is comforting to me. I know that's odd for an adult man to say, but it's true. It's the second time this album made me tear up. It's a "hold on" anthem that I needed.

Which of course leads me to "13 (There Is A Light)." "Song For Someone" started as my song for Ali. "13" bookends not only Songs of Innocence, but for me, it kind of caps off the last 3 years of my life. I guess in the last 3 years, I've just felt so sad and empty and alone and hopeless. And so to hear Bono sing "this is a song for someone...someone like me." I guess I'm someone like him too. When he asks a question "to the child in of you, before it leaves" I just broke down crying (that's a hat trick for this album). It's perfect. I don't mean to get to emotional on a fucking U2 message board, but this album brought it out in me.

Tl;dr: Beautiful album, boys. All I could have hoped for.
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Oh man, this was hard to read because this is almost exactly what happened, just a few weeks later for me. I remember writing on this forum in Sept 2014 that I am going through perhaps the worst phase of my life and I can expect it to get worse. Above everything she was my best friend and we parted ways about two weeks after SOI came out. When it came out I knew that the end was coming and so did she, and we were so good to each other then that it was painfully sweet. And like your situation, we were in touch till the end of 2014 but nada since then. And it is just the most baffling thing still how that can be.
Anyway, that is why SOI will always be special to me, and particularly Every Breaking Wave. Shipwrecked souls and all that jazz. And this album is kind of a healer, but so much deeper than that as well. It's great art is what it is.
Anyway, bruv. I hope you're feeling better, the pain stays and I am learning to be grateful for that. Just happy to have been there at one time.

EDIT: And excellent analysis btw. And also, love Landlady and the last line more because of that person.

To the rest, apologies for bringing personal shit up, but the striking similarity of circumstance with a fellow u2 tragic was just too hard to ignore.
 
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Gilead12 said:
I can't control the impulse to talk about how actually good this album is.

"Landlady" outro is still my favorite part, followed closely by "Little Things" outro. Just a powerhouse couple of songs. I would seriously have to reach back at least as far as Kite->IALW, and possibly further, to find 2 songs back to back I like as much.
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Those two are my favorites, as well. They're so good!
 
womanfish said:
From Zoomerang yesterday:



I’m justified for being disgusted with American Soul, Joey Ramone, etc, when they pull out songs like this (that was poorly put considering the aforementioned song is on this album). This is probably their best album since Pop.



Its about fucking time
Click to expand...



Wow.

It’s still very early and half of us (maybe less) still haven’t heard the album but 90% of comments about the album here and in Twitter(shit, could be some of the same people) are very positive. I mean people aren’t just saying it’s good or they have some hits but rather things like “holy shit did they deliver” or “I heard the album and it’s fucking amazing”.

These types of comments could be hyperbole and I’ll find out on Friday at 12:01 am but I have never experienced an album release on this forum that united, in a positive way, this many people. I mean people who liked SOI and didn’t like SOI, people who liked NLOTH and who didn’t, etc...

There are going to be some who don’t care for it and that’s fair as I don’t think any U2 album is loved or liked by EVERYONE but wow....just wow(it would be some shit if I didn’t like the album and I’m one of the biggest “millennial U2” supporters).

I am so very excited to hear this album!!
 
CMIS said:
Oh man, this was hard to read because this is almost exactly what happened, just a few weeks later for me. I remember writing on this forum in Sept 2014 that I am going through perhaps the worst phase of my life and I can expect it to get worse. Above everything she was my best friend and we parted ways about two weeks after SOI came out. When it came out I knew that the end was coming and so did she, and we were so good to each other then that it was painfully sweet. And like your situation, we were in touch till the end of 2014 but nada since then. And it is just the most baffling thing still how that can be.
Anyway, that is why SOI will always be special to me, and particularly Every Breaking Wave. Shipwrecked souls and all that jazz. And this album is kind of a healer, but so much deeper than that as well. It's great art is what it is.
Anyway, bruv. I hope you're feeling better, the pain stays and I am learning to be grateful for that. Just happy to have been there at one time.

EDIT: And excellent analysis btw. And also, love Landlady and the last line more because of that person.

To the rest, apologies for bringing personal shit up, but the striking similarity of circumstance with a fellow u2 tragic was just too hard to ignore.
Click to expand...

Hey, I appreciate hearing bout your (and other members') personal connections to the songs we all love so much! Hope things are going better for you now. Every Breaking Wave is such a powerful song, made more powerful by the intensely personal experiences we can each come to associate with it. The songs on the new record will prove to be just as powerful, I'm certain.
 
CMIS said:
Oh man, this was hard to read because this is almost exactly what happened, just a few weeks later for me. I remember writing on this forum in Sept 2014 that I am going through perhaps the worst phase of my life and I can expect it to get worse. Above everything she was my best friend and we parted ways about two weeks after SOI came out. When it came out I knew that the end was coming and so did she, and we were so good to each other then that it was painfully sweet. And like your situation, we were in touch till the end of 2014 but nada since then. And it is just the most baffling thing still how that can be.
Anyway, that is why SOI will always be special to me, and particularly Every Breaking Wave. Shipwrecked souls and all that jazz. And this album is kind of a healer, but so much deeper than that as well. It's great art is what it is.
Anyway, bruv. I hope you're feeling better, the pain stays and I am learning to be grateful for that. Just happy to have been there at one time.

EDIT: And excellent analysis btw. And also, love Landlady and the last line more because of that person.

To the rest, apologies for bringing personal shit up, but the striking similarity of circumstance with a fellow u2 tragic was just too hard to ignore.
Click to expand...

Thanks man - hope you're better as well.
 
TheEdge25 said:
Hey, I appreciate hearing bout your (and other members') personal connections to the songs we all love so much! Hope things are going better for you now. Every Breaking Wave is such a powerful song, made more powerful by the intensely personal experiences we can each come to associate with it. The songs on the new record will prove to be just as powerful, I'm certain.
Click to expand...
Thanks. We all do have our little heartaches. This record though... landlady, love is bigger, 13, little things, love is all we have left and even the main thrust of the best thing are just special. Really, it's hard to pick favourites now. Gonna listen to it all again in a little while. Love that I am still getting to know it.
 
It’s so great that this album has sparked conversation about love and loss compared to the last album that sparked conversation about invading people‘s privacy.
 
Also, Headache, as a thank you for your great eye-opening review a few pages back, I will refrain from using song acronyms for a week starting now... 8:30 pm gmt on monday, Nov 27
 
jameskinsella said:
True. I suppose the fact it has such a video made fans treat it as a single.



Pretty much yeah. I'm not sure if it's the actual explanation for it but certainly to Irish ears that line doesn't jar. Whilst the line "You're the best thing about me...the best thing that ever happened a boy" would be "You're the best thing about me...the best thing that ever happened to a boy" using proper English, it would be fairly common in parts of Ireland to leave out the word 'to' in a sentence like that whilst speaking.

So my suggestion of 'Came here lookin' the American Soul' would basically be a substitute for 'Came here looking for the American Soul'.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Thanks for the explanation, I didn’t know that about Irish!
 
It really is great and gets better with every listen, some really sumptuous soundscapes and great lyrics, very moving stuff. Like some others have said, I find myself occasionally skipping tracks 3-5, but only because I’ve listened to them a lot over the last couple of weeks.

Can’t wait for the lp to arrive and turn it up loud and just sink back and soak it all up.
 
I’m really enjoying reading everyone’s thoughts on the album. I’m holding off until Friday and the weekend to listen, but I’m really excited to see what kind of... experience I have with these songs.

I’m particularly fond of how a lot of you are posting how the album makes you feel, and that a good portion of the reactions are steeped in being caught off guard by the album. These three years have felt hellishly long, but the pay off seems to be worth the wait (and all of the bickering, and memes) and then some.
 
I've also started dropping acronyms. Shorter versions of the title like Love Is All, is much better and actually faster to type. Headache's crusade is starting to take hold. :wink:
 
CosmoKramer said:
Wow.

It’s still very early and half of us (maybe less) still haven’t heard the album but 90% of comments about the album here and in Twitter(shit, could be some of the same people) are very positive. I mean people aren’t just saying it’s good or they have some hits but rather things like “holy shit did they deliver” or “I heard the album and it’s fucking amazing”.

These types of comments could be hyperbole and I’ll find out on Friday at 12:01 am but I have never experienced an album release on this forum that united, in a positive way, this many people. I mean people who liked SOI and didn’t like SOI, people who liked NLOTH and who didn’t, etc...

There are going to be some who don’t care for it and that’s fair as I don’t think any U2 album is loved or liked by EVERYONE but wow....just wow(it would be some shit if I didn’t like the album and I’m one of the biggest “millennial U2” supporters).

I am so very excited to hear this album!!
Click to expand...



Can you please start a Cosmo’s first listen thread and keep us updated on the way? I’d love to hear your unfiltered, straight-up thoughts after waiting through all this
 
pacemaker said:
I’m really enjoying reading everyone’s thoughts on the album. I’m holding off until Friday and the weekend to listen, but I’m really excited to see what kind of... experience I have with these songs.

I’m particularly fond of how a lot of you are posting how the album makes you feel, and that a good portion of the reactions are steeped in being caught off guard by the album. These three years have felt hellishly long, but the pay off seems to be worth the wait (and all of the bickering, and memes) and then some.
Click to expand...

I truly feel foolish posting about a month ago that i was worried that the album wasn't going to have that emotion and depth and yearning that is so important to U2 songs. Boy was I wrong.
 
Also wanted to post two things:

"Book Of Your Heart" is clearly a b-side, but goddamn it's an interesting one. It doesn't hold the same weight as the other songs, but I find it to be an intriguing listen. When Bono starts singing "the book" in his full throated belting voice near the end, it really takes off.

The Ordinary Love Extraordinary mix really is a huge improvement. It's like they've just made *everything* better. I hate to say this, but we always shit on these guys for overthinking these songs - this may be an example of how giving them a little more time can be beneficial to the songs.
 
CMIS said:
Also, Headache, as a thank you for your great eye-opening review a few pages back, I will refrain from using song acronyms for a week starting now... 8:30 pm gmt on monday, Nov 27
Click to expand...
It's a start.

Give it a try. You'll like it.

Plus... Acronyms in general are okay, especially if they are in the common vernacular.

Acronyms for 8 word song titles are the worst thing in the world. GTFO w/ that ish.
 
The John Tree said:
Also wanted to post two things:

"Book Of Your Heart" is clearly a b-side, but goddamn it's an interesting one. It doesn't hold the same weight as the other songs, but I find it to be an intriguing listen. When Bono starts singing "the book" in his full throated belting voice near the end, it really takes off.

The Ordinary Love Extraordinary mix really is a huge improvement. It's like they've just made *everything* better. I hate to say this, but we always shit on these guys for overthinking these songs - this may be an example of how giving them a little more time can be beneficial to the songs.
Click to expand...



I have to agree about Ordinary Love. As boring as I found the original to be, this version is excellent! Glad they included it, and it does show that if they take more time and keep things simple their songs are much better
 
dan_smee said:
Can you please start a Cosmo’s first listen thread and keep us updated on the way? I’d love to hear your unfiltered, straight-up thoughts after waiting through all this
Click to expand...

Awesome idea. Would love a first listen through live post, and then maybe another more thought out one after a few listens from Cosmo. He's held strong and has a lot of similar taste of other material that I do.
 
TinKnight said:
I hope this never wears off.

As of right now, I'm slotting this in my top 3 U2 albums.
Click to expand...

Holy wow. But... if I'm thinking about how U2 albums have effected me emotionally... I see exactly where you are coming from. I'm still deciding rank wise. I'll give it a couple weeks.
 
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