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Headache in a Suitcase said:
The Consequence of Sound review manages to say how U2 need to change a "formula that's grown stale", saying the album too often "finds the band retreading well-worn material," apparently tries to rewrite Vertigo and War, while at the same time applauding them for "recapturing the sprawling scale and momentum of their best work" on Little Things.

Oh, they also say The Blackout is the worst U2 song of the century, and that Bono finds it hard to knock Trump directly because they're friendly.


... the fuck?
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I knew that one was not going to be complimentary. The hatred is so strong though, I am shocked they give kudos to at least one song on it, so that's a small victory.
 
"“I know the rage in you is strong,” he sings during “Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way,” calling on the young and furious to march alongside him in the love parade."

Except its not about us.
 
I've noticed that theme in a lot of the negative reviews - they don't know the backstory of the lyrics. And of course they wouldn't, unless they are fans and keep up to date with U2 news.

A shame, because I think that's what really makes the album.
 
corianderstem said:
I've noticed that theme in a lot of the negative reviews - they don't know the backstory of the lyrics. And of course they wouldn't, unless they are fans and keep up to date with U2 news.

A shame, because I think that's what really makes the album.
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To say Adam and Larry are poor on the album is just wrong,they obviously gave a quick listen and didn't pay attention.
 
corianderstem said:
I've noticed that theme in a lot of the negative reviews - they don't know the backstory of the lyrics. And of course they wouldn't, unless they are fans and keep up to date with U2 news.

A shame, because I think that's what really makes the album.
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Yes!

They're just looking for ways to connect the songs to fucking Trump.
 
TinKnight said:
"“I know the rage in you is strong,” he sings during “Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way,” calling on the young and furious to march alongside him in the love parade."

Except its not about us.
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It's funny because whoever wrote that has no idea what the song is about
 
Super Yo said:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/life...4d4f70-d5f7-11e7-95bf-df7c19270879_story.html
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What a jerk this reviewer is.

He had an interesting comment with:
"In these new songs, Bono is clearly trying to chisel away at the cynicism that has hardened our American hearts, but he needs to give us a teeny-tiny glint of anger if he expects us to believe that he’s taking the collapse of civilization as seriously as the rest of us. That’s what made “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Year’s Day” and “Pride (In the Name of Love),” and all of those other early U2 mega-anthems burst so beautifully — the breadth of Bono’s voice communicated hope, but his latent anger signaled his sincerity. Now, he’s chosen to outsource the anger."

I'm not convinced a point was made but I found it made me think, at least.

Other than that, there's too much garbage to even get into throughout the rest of the "review". It was more like mudslinging (especially the part about Adam and Larry)...

Seriously?

Anyway, I like the lyrics "“It’s children who teach,” and “Free yourself to be yourself,” and “When you think you’re done, you’ve just begun.”"

I'm sure, if he had actually tried to really listen, he could have found worse lyrics to point out.

Overall, this mudslinger actually pissed me off. Critics really do sometimes. It's well-tread, but it is annoying sometimes to read a critique of something the critic can't even do (which I guess most if not all of us are guilty of, too).

It's like that shit manager that holds your feet to the fire when working but would have no prayer of doing what he's asking you to do every day.
 
redhill said:
What a jerk this reviewer is.

He had an interesting comment with:
"In these new songs, Bono is clearly trying to chisel away at the cynicism that has hardened our American hearts, but he needs to give us a teeny-tiny glint of anger if he expects us to believe that he’s taking the collapse of civilization as seriously as the rest of us. That’s what made “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Year’s Day” and “Pride (In the Name of Love),” and all of those other early U2 mega-anthems burst so beautifully — the breadth of Bono’s voice communicated hope, but his latent anger signaled his sincerity. Now, he’s chosen to outsource the anger."

I'm not convinced a point was made but I found it made me think, at least.

Other than that, there's too much garbage to even get into throughout the rest of the "review". It was more like mudslinging (especially the part about Adam and Larry)...

Seriously?

Anyway, I like the lyrics "“It’s children who teach,” and “Free yourself to be yourself,” and “When you think you’re done, you’ve just begun.”"

I'm sure, if he had actually tried to really listen, he could have found worse lyrics to point out.

Overall, this mudslinger actually pissed me off. Critics really do sometimes. It's well-tread, but it is annoying sometimes to read a critique of something the critic can't even do (which I guess most if not all of us are guilty of, too).

It's like that shit manager that holds your feet to the fire when working but would have no prayer of doing what he's asking you to do every day.
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What a horrible review by the Washington post. There are some reviews which are negative or less than stellar and they provide good reasons as to why they think it’s not good, but this one is just a pile of garbage. Instead of throwing this album in the fire and see what happens, how about instead we throw this review in the fire and see what happens?
 
dabiggestu2fan said:
What a horrible review by the Washington post. There are some reviews which are negative or less than stellar and they provide good reasons as to why they think it’s not good, but this one is just a pile of garbage. Instead of throwing this album in the fire and see what happens, how about instead we throw this review in the fire and see what happens?
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:lol:
 
KUEFC09U2 said:
It is, and honestly makes me think they just give bad reviews for the simple fact it is U2 and Bono
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As I have mentioned earlier in the thread that is the whole issue. Bono is like marmite & the people who do not like will never give the music a chance. I think your from the UK as I am, so you know exactly how it is !. My issue with the bad reviews is they rarely write about the actual songs & focus on bashing the band. It does get to me when I have mates saying they have read a review saying it's crap, when nothing could be further from the truth.
 
Headache in a Suitcase said:
Thanks for ruining it
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No Headache - Thank YOU for ruining Exile for me. Here I was, blissful in my love of that album ever since I first heard it 20 odd years ago, and now I read this hard hitting journalism, and I’m questioning if I my definition of cool is the same as theirs. Worse, I’m wondering if I know what cool is at all.

Most importantly, I’ve learned that Exile isn’t nearly as good or cool as I thought it was.

Thanks for the education, smell ya later.
 
Flying FuManchu said:
Sonically, SOE isn't challenging or that "different" from this period which I think gives the negative reviewers the impetus to go a lot more negative. Edge is the engine and a major key to the critical acclaim that the band received pre-2000
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Edge is virtually asleep on this album and that for a Rock Band is not a good thing.
 
rjhbonovox said:
Edge is virtually asleep on this album and that for a Rock Band is not a good thing.
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Its a lose/lose situation either way...Too Much Edge would be deemed "trying to hard", not enough Edge would be deemed "non-existent".

I'm done caring about that stuff...I listen to their songs as a whole and see if they are good or not. I personally don't need another Bullet The Blue Sky or Vertigo...we already have those. This album is everything I was expecting and then some...and for that I'm grateful.
 
Headache in a Suitcase said:
K
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Obviously (not - I suck at this) was a sarcastic post on my part. No offense intended. Point being reviews of classics rarely identify them as classics at the time and that our enjoyment of a record shouldnt have anything to do with what the reviewers say. I inferred that you were making a point along those lines.
 
Bono in the album notes:

FACING A WALL WITH MY HANDS UP OVER MY HEAD… THE FORCE SCREAMING AT ME NOT TO MOVE. I WON’T DWELL IN IT OR ON IT. I DON’T WANT TO NAME IT. IN A REALITY TV WORLD OF MINOR MAJOR MELODRAMA I CAN SPARE EVERYONE THAT. WHETHER IT’S PHYSICAL OR MENTAL OR EMOTIONAL SO MANY OF US HIT A WALL AT SOME POINT IN OUR LIFE. I FEEL FANTASTIC NOW, STRONGER THAN EVER, BUT THESE SONGS HAVE THAT IMPETUS BEHIND THEM AND IT WOULD FEEL DISHONEST NOT TO ADMIT THE TURBULENCE I WAS FEELING AT THE TIME OF WRITING.
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Album got spit roasted by ARTV on YouTube. He calls it superficial, overproduced, boring, and compares it to a Switchfoot album. That one hurts. The love love lights lights stuff gets the proverbial eye roll.
 
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