American Soul.

[Iggy Fizz]

What about it is a disaster?

nothing. it's a great tune.

 

[Airseven]

I was intrigued when I first heard this but it gets worse with each listen. The lyrics are so numbingly blasé. Nevermind the backward politics. And that chorus - talk about phoning it in. I enjoy Volcano but this bastard child has no personality at all. I rank it a smidge above SUC.

 

[ImOuttaControl]

I was intrigued when I first heard this but it gets worse with each listen. The lyrics are so numbingly blasé. Nevermind the backward politics. And that chorus - talk about phoning it in. I enjoy Volcano but this bastard child has no personality at all. I rank it a smidge above SUC.

I was exactly opposite. I hated it on my first listen and it's grown on me more with each listen. Solid rocking song.

 

[BVS]

I was intrigued when I first heard this but it gets worse with each listen. The lyrics are so numbingly blasé. Nevermind the backward politics. And that chorus - talk about phoning it in. I enjoy Volcano but this bastard child has no personality at all. I rank it a smidge above SUC.

Backwards politics?!

 

[iota]

Backwards politics?!

LOL..."backwards politics"...I think we found the Russian bot.

 

[shewahlemon]

Came here lookin for...

What I still haven't found!

(Plot twist[emoji6])

 

[purpleblackeye]

Yeah, okay, backward politics. What a backward thing to say. You might be more at home with the MAGA crowd (Morons Are Governing America).

 

[Airseven]

And now listening to XXX, the lounge version of the AS verse is so much more enticing. How about some actual dynamics? Or a little restraint? Instead they choose to thump you over the head with a generic riff and literal lyrics whining about the poor refugees (yawn).

 

[Gilead12]

Putting this beside BTBS is a good index of how u2 have changed and, in my mind, shot wide of the mark here. Similar to how putting gooyow beside bd makes clear exactly where gooypw fails (numbingly literal lyrics, no atmosphere, strange structure without surprising bridge moment). The ‘sins’ here are similar — all the poetry of btbs is translated into just saying what bono has to say... telling rather than showing, basically. The production is depthless and anonymous, and the big bridge could work but crowns itself with one of the worst bono lyrics ever. Probably not worse than suc, but it escapes suc-levels in part by being so monumentally, inoffensively bland.

 

[LemonMelon]

Incredibly disappointed how downplayed refu-jesus is in the lyric video. That could have made a classic avatar.

 

[MikeyJB]

I listened to American Soul for the first time this morning, and unfortunately this is the first thing that came to mind when I heard the main riff....



(Apologies in advance.)

 

[mama cass]

I listened to American Soul for the first time this morning, and unfortunately this is the first thing that came to mind when I heard the main riff....



(Apologies in advance.)

have seen this a hundred times and it still makes me cry laughing

am just soooooo relieved i can't see any connection to the song though otherwise you might have killed it for me haha

 

[BVS]

And now listening to XXX, the lounge version of the AS verse is so much more enticing. How about some actual dynamics? Or a little restraint? Instead they choose to thump you over the head with a generic riff and literal lyrics whining about the poor refugees (yawn).

It starts to make sense...

 

[CosmoKramer]

Interesting observation i made is that if you go to the American Soul Lyric Video, the U2 Facebook post about American Soul (a couple post that they made) or U2 Instagram about American Soul and 90% of the comments are negative about the song. Most common is how can U2 copy their own work and then someone will say they copied Volcano and then another person will say no it was Glastonbury. i find that interesting because only hardcore U2 fans would know about Glastonbury and only U2 fans would know about Volcano(let’s be honest, casual music fans don’t know Volcano) so basically U2 fans almost universally dislike this song.

there seems to be a lot of distain about the “copying of a previous song”, which i 100% believe was not lazy but part of the theme of the companion album(doesn’t mean I’m a fan of the idea but it was done with intent)

 

[Airseven]

Interesting observation i made is that if you go to the American Soul Lyric Video, the U2 Facebook post about American Soul (a couple post that they made) or U2 Instagram about American Soul and 90% of the comments are negative about the song. Most common is how can U2 copy their own work and then someone will say they copied Volcano and then another person will say no it was Glastonbury. i find that interesting because only hardcore U2 fans would know about Glastonbury and only U2 fans would know about Volcano(let’s be honest, casual music fans don’t know Volcano) so basically U2 fans almost universally dislike this song.

there seems to be a lot of distain about the “copying of a previous song”, which i 100% believe was not lazy but part of the theme of the companion album(doesn’t mean I’m a fan of the idea but it was done with intent)

"Copying" wouldn't be the issue had they used a better part from a previous song to make a song better than AS.

 

[U2freakboy]

Interesting observation i made is that if you go to the American Soul Lyric Video, the U2 Facebook post about American Soul (a couple post that they made) or U2 Instagram about American Soul and 90% of the comments are negative about the song. Most common is how can U2 copy their own work and then someone will say they copied Volcano and then another person will say no it was Glastonbury. i find that interesting because only hardcore U2 fans would know about Glastonbury and only U2 fans would know about Volcano(let’s be honest, casual music fans don’t know Volcano) so basically U2 fans almost universally dislike this song.

there seems to be a lot of distain about the “copying of a previous song”, which i 100% believe was not lazy but part of the theme of the companion album(doesn’t mean I’m a fan of the idea but it was done with intent)

Yes, and on the opposite side of the spectrum, nearly all comments about The Blackout are very positive. Hopefully, the band will take note.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

What about it is a disaster?

Volcanoes are typically disastrous events which can include massive loss of life, devastation of property, infrastructure, grief, pain, and suffering on a grand scale.

The song itself represents all of these things to the average listener, so technically Zoomerang69 is correct in his post. The band, in their attempt to inflict this suffering on their fans as well as the masses, not once, but twice (actually thrice) do in fact owe us all an apology.

 

[womanfish]

This is my least fave song of the 4 we've heard. Not terrible IMO, but not outstanding.
That said, it is kind of a stupid idea to release any of the songs as singles that use material from SOI.
You're dealing with fairly stupid people that can't put two and two together that these are companion albums that share or call back to one another.
You shouldn't put yourself in a place where you have to explain your music to the listener.
Remember, these are the same people that almost took their own lives because SOI showed up on their phone. That's who we're doing with.

 

[ImOuttaControl]

Volcanoes are typically disastrous events which can include massive loss of life, devastation of property, infrastructure, grief, pain, and suffering on a grand scale.

The song itself represents all of these things to the average listener, so technically Zoomerang69 is correct in his post. The band, in their attempt to inflict this suffering on their fans as well as the masses, not once, but twice (actually thrice) do in fact owe us all an apology.

Haha! I guess I need no apology because I am a huge fan of Volcano and American Soul has really pulled me in. Not to mention Glastonbury, which I really hated back in 2011, but listened to it for the first time in years the other day and I really liked it.

My only real problem with American Soul is how direct the lyrics/message are. If I could change one thing about 2000's U2, I would like for Bono to be a bit more abstract in his writing. The beauty of 80's and 90's U2 was the abstract imagery that was often used...I find it much easier connect to songs where the singer doesn't feel the need to explain what he's singing about. That's best left up to the listener.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Interesting observation i made is that if you go to the American Soul Lyric Video, the U2 Facebook post about American Soul (a couple post that they made) or U2 Instagram about American Soul and 90% of the comments are negative about the song. Most common is how can U2 copy their own work and then someone will say they copied Volcano and then another person will say no it was Glastonbury. i find that interesting because only hardcore U2 fans would know about Glastonbury and only U2 fans would know about Volcano(let’s be honest, casual music fans don’t know Volcano) so basically U2 fans almost universally dislike this song.

there seems to be a lot of distain about the “copying of a previous song”, which i 100% believe was not lazy but part of the theme of the companion album(doesn’t mean I’m a fan of the idea but it was done with intent)

The issue is that they issued a song that has elements of a previously issue song without releasing the album first, and/or actually making statements about how the two albums are companion pieces meant to flow together.

Which, honestly, is a baffling and awful marketing decision. It allows people to just pick it apart as having copied a previous song without any context.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

Man, you guys are tough. AS is a damn good song. Whether they rehashed lyrics or song parts, it's their music, their songs they can use them as they see fit, and they owe us no explanation.

it's not like Volcano was a huge song on radio, or even given a video to stream. The fact that we, as super fans know the ins and outs of the two songs means we know the two songs. No one else outside of our world cares if they think its a good song.

It's like U2 is the only band\song writer to ever use parts of a previous song in a new song...and U2 fans don't "Universally" hate this song. A few loud voices in a Fan Forum don't make a majority.

 

[TheFox]

Man, you guys are tough. AS is a damn good song. Whether they rehashed lyrics or song parts, it's their music, their songs they can use them as they see fit, and they owe us no explanation.

it's not like Volcano was a huge song on radio, or even given a video to stream. The fact that we, as super fans know the ins and outs of the two songs means we know the two songs. No one else outside of our world cares if they think its a good song.

It's like U2 is the only band\song writer to ever use parts of a previous song in a new song...and U2 fans don't "Universally" hate this song. A few loud voices in a Fan Forum don't make a majority.

It's really not, it's one step away from "Boots" in bad quality. It's really awful.

 

[roy]

It's really not, it's one step away from "Boots" in bad quality. It's really awful.

It’s really not

 

[Numb1075]

I like Volcano, AS, and Boots !

I'm easy to please.

I think out of the 3, I like Volcano the best.

 

[drhark]

Its just a really, really naff song isn’t it.

There are so few layers to peel away from this simplistic tune littered with every gross Bonoism he’s been spewing for decades now. I cant be the only non American here who is absolutely finished with Bono’s incessant praising of the US. Throwing “soul” into the title for good measure is the icing on the cake. That has to be a word, perhaps ahead of love, grace and America that I never want to hear come from Bono again.

The man has become as dimensional as a piece of A4

Haven't posted in like 15 years but stopped by to hear what people are thinking of the appalling new tune and you just nail it.... everything you said, yes. I thought Joey Ramone was shite, didn't think they could do worse but wow. Makes GOYB look like SBS! Bono and the Edge always said that when they put out a shite album they'll pack it in..... I'll still buy it and still hold out hope but so far they're all stinkers. The best thing I've heard is the Sci Fi mix of YTBTAM but that's not saying much.

Also the reason a lot of old fuckers feel the need to post unfavorable reviews is because we're addicted to that new U2 album feeling where the tunes start out obscure sounding and become godlike by the 10th listen (For me, for example: COBL, V, MOS, IALW, NLOTH, Kite, Magn, AMAAW, EBW, TIWYCRMN,, everything 80s and 90s including and especially October but not POP).. In this case, we "get the song on the second listen and come to the conclusion that they suck. No mystery, just lame, mailing it in, complete with Bonoisms and lame fuzz pentatonic riffs from Edge. So, I remain stuck at work with today's shit music, namely Imagine fucking Dragons, with hope decreasing with every new release.
Please, let 2 or 3 tunes be brilliant! You're all we have left!

 

[CosmoKramer]

Also the reason a lot of old fuckers feel the need to post unfavorable reviews is because we're addicted to that new U2 album feeling where the tunes start out obscure sounding and become godlike by the 10th listen (For me, for example: COBL, V, MOS, IALW, NLOTH, Kite, Magn, AMAAW, EBW, TIWYCRMN,, everything 80s and 90s including and especially October but not POP).

October God like? In a little While? A Man and a Woman?

I agree with several of those songs but you're all over the place.

 

[Iggy Fizz]

Volcanoes are typically disastrous events which can include massive loss of life, devastation of property, infrastructure, grief, pain, and suffering on a grand scale.

The song itself represents all of these things to the average listener, so technically Zoomerang69 is correct in his post. The band, in their attempt to inflict this suffering on their fans as well as the masses, not once, but twice (actually thrice) do in fact owe us all an apology.

I have listened to Volcano a lot and I am pleased to report - no loss of life, property doing just fine and infrastructure all up to snuff.

And no grief, pain or suffering either until I went back for my second listening of American Hell Hole. The song just sucks, big time.

Please Bono, just STFU about America already.

 

[BVS]

AS >>>>>>>>>>Elevation>>>GOYB>>Volcano


I can get past using ‘American Soul’, I think they upcycled the Volcano bridge, and I’m not bothered by the other lyrics. This will be a fun sing along for the non-Interference types.

 

[DeVaul]

Different strokes. I'd take Volcano over all those. Had the pleasingly retro core four sound and the lyrics worked in the context.

 

[drhark]

October God like? In a little While? A Man and a Woman?

I agree with several of those songs but you're all over the place.

October the album, yes: Gloria, I Fall Down, Rejoice, Scarlet, ITABTAW, Stranger. Some of the Edges best work, when he was the Edge and not Jack White/Jimmy Page.

In a Little While was good enough to be played on more than one tour, it was original, didn't sound like anything else, had the dry John Frusciante guitar vibe, great groove by Larry and Adam. Passionate, freestyle vocal by Bono, pushing his range. Joey Ramone loved it, and I love Joey Ramone. (The Miracle was embarrassing.).

A Man and a Woman: yes I'll take "the mysterious distance between a man and a woman" over "America is a place for grace" or whatever. Again,great Larry/Adam groove, acoustic edge with a cool guitar sound in the chorus. It's "U2 goes adult contemporary", but I like it.

My point was to say that even in the post 90s U2, where every album was at least 50% filler, there were a few gems to be found. 2 or 3 per album and I'm happy. I think everything I've heard so far is poor to appalling. I'm still holding out hope though, 8 more tracks to go. I'm going to sit out this tour though, for the first time since 1984.

Younger kids have their new favorite bands that are putting out new stuff all the time. Me, I'm 40+ and everything new I hear is pretty much derivative or flat out sucks. So this is all I have to look forward to! I'll admit that we're all spoiled that U2 have been this good for so long.
No big, I'm perfectly content listening to ClashPretendersRamonesPistolsMarleyBeatSpecialsBeatlesStonesQueenZeppelinCheapTrickDylanUB40CostelloDamnedHendrix and about 4 dozen other bands from the 60s-80s that blow doors on the Imagine Dragons or what ever shite is out today or the past 2 decades.