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Frenchie44 said:
Positive reviews everywhere:

ALBUM REVIEW: U2 - Songs of Experience - The word iconic when assigned to a rock band carries a certain weight and when the band is soon to clock 40 years in their existence that weight can become
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All joy and laud however for Red Flag Day. As a long time fan of the band, I will ever be a sucker for anything that recalls the days of War. This song accentuates what Bono can do best vocally and has this punchy sound that recalls War along with its thematic allusions to refugees and politics of the current day. The sonics are a definite departure from current pop sensibilities yet totally accessible. If the rest of the album was guided by this approach I would be perfectly happy.

While I appreciate the variety of styles on this album, I can't help but wonder what this would have sounded like...War 2017. It would have fit the retooling storyline and the cover would certainly fit as well...
 
I will say my two main criticisms of post ATYCLB U2 are the same.

"He writes in prose and not in poetry anymore" as (paraphrased) by a great Interference poster. The lyrics, for the most part, are just... bad.

The whole theme of "love.. everything is love and is solvable by love" has been pervasive for a while now and it's uninspired and really tired.

I think Sonically this album is good and there's some fun experimentation in there and that's what ultimately saves it in spite of Bono's attempts.
 
Achtung Ya'll said:
I will say my two main criticisms of post ATYCLB U2 are the same.

"He writes in prose and not in poetry anymore" as (paraphrased) by a great Interference poster. The lyrics, for the most part, are just... bad.

The whole theme of "love.. everything is love and is solvable by love" has been pervasive for a while now and it's uninspired and really tired.

I think Sonically this album is good and there's some fun experimentation in there and that's what ultimately saves it in spite of Bono's attempts.
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Not hearing that in all honesty. I think Bono makes this album. Less posturing and attention seeking on this one and written with a conviction and profoundness.

It sounds like a man and his band who finally realise they are on the wind down with not too long to go in their career and have been able to prioritise the meaning of their music because of it.
 
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ChurchBay said:
Not hearing that in all honesty.
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Which part of what?

edit: The lyrics just really lack any mystery anymore. Or good metaphors, enigmas, allagory, whatever. They're typically just kinda straightforward and, as such, feel stilted and not sexy at all. He drags words and phrases across measures that makes things feel really clunky.
 
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Achtung Ya'll said:
I will say my two main criticisms of post ATYCLB U2 are the same.

"He writes in prose and not in poetry anymore" as (paraphrased) by a great Interference poster. The lyrics, for the most part, are just... bad.

The whole theme of "love.. everything is love and is solvable by love" has been pervasive for a while now and it's uninspired and really tired.

I think Sonically this album is good and there's some fun experimentation in there and that's what ultimately saves it in spite of Bono's attempts.
Click to expand...

The whole prose/poetry thing has been shown not to be entirely accurate, so everything else really proceeds from a false assumption there.
 
ChurchBay said:
Not hearing that in all honesty. I think Bono makes this album. Less posturing and attention seeking on this one and written with a conviction and profoundness.

It sounds like a man and his band who finally realise they are on the wind down with not too long to go in their career and have been able to prioritise the meaning of their music because of it.
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Exactly - it's just a maturity thing. Not sure why people don't get that. I personally love it when Bono strips away all the artifice and just says what he means. I don't care if it's a metaphor or if it's completely direct. Using metaphors doesn't make lyrics better unless you're still in high school and need that sort of thing. The lyrics on this album stand up to anything he has done in the past, despite a few clunkers here and there (and ALL prior U2 albums had some clunky lyrics).
 
Haywa1979 said:
Exactly - it's just a maturity thing. Not sure why people don't get that. I personally love it when Bono strips away all the artifice and just says what he means. I don't care if it's a metaphor or if it's completely direct. Using metaphors doesn't make lyrics better unless you're still in high school and need that sort of thing. The lyrics on this album stand up to anything he has done in the past, despite a few clunkers here and there (and ALL prior U2 albums had some clunky lyrics).
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Dead right.

I mean the same people will quickly clamp down on 'Happened a boy' but will give 'My mammy' a free pass.
 
Haywa1979 said:
The whole prose/poetry thing has been shown not to be entirely accurate, so everything else really proceeds from a false assumption there.
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Lol are you trying to get into some logical rules argument?

No sorry listen to the lyrics... they are weird and janky in parts and just downright lazy and bad in others.

Sorry you have bad opinions and just need everything U2 to be stellar all the time or something?
 
Haywa1979 said:
Exactly - it's just a maturity thing. Not sure why people don't get that. I personally love it when Bono strips away all the artifice and just says what he means. I don't care if it's a metaphor or if it's completely direct. Using metaphors doesn't make lyrics better unless you're still in high school and need that sort of thing. The lyrics on this album stand up to anything he has done in the past, despite a few clunkers here and there (and ALL prior U2 albums had some clunky lyrics).
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Hhahahahahah wha;lskdhjf;lak swhat?

It's not a maturity thing. It's a "I've had a long career and exhausted artistic capabilities" thing.

Would you go tell the world that poetry is dumb why not just say everything directly?

Poetry is lauded specifically because of the craft it takes to tell a story and music is a direct descendant of that.
 
Achtung Ya'll said:
Also I mispelled Y'all way back when I registered it.

A sin I'll never forgive myself for.

But... I mean you know "Achtung Y'all" was a big Bono saying on the ZooTV tour right?
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Oh, I do. While it's not as egregious as the Hammy line, I consider it up there with the Bononism that gets broken down and judged around these parts.
 
This. This is the music I wanted from U2 since Pop. Not experimental like the 90s but it sounds like they actually give a crap about making good music instead of the mediocre output of the last four albums.

Solid. Good stuff boys. Ive regained my faith in U2.

The Blackout :drool:
 
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