You've heard GET ON YOUR BOOTS? - Post all thoughts, reviews, discussion HERE Part 2

[maycocksean]

And a great post too. I always enjoy your posts and your writing style, and this was no exception, even if you and I are coming at this from totally different tastes - you describe your own tastes as middle-of-the-road, while I'm the kind of person who listens to things from ambient post-rock to drone doom and avantgarde black metal.

Thanks, Axver. That's high praise coming from you. Truth be told, I wish I was more adventurous in my musical tastes. I think I miss out on a lot becaue of my need for hooks and catchy melodies and such.

 

[Axver]

I am seriously loving The Corpse Of Rebirth by A Forest Of Stars at the moment. One of the best releases of 2008 - the future of black metal, pushing the genre in completely new directions. The shoegazy riff in Male sounds incredible.

 

[intedomine]

Boots is actually quite danceable when you think of it......any remixes should be good........will go off at night....

 

[AshTS]

Also goes to show the total inadequacy of beach clips - something I learnt along with a lot of us back in 2004, but that many people continued to buy into over 2008. Those clips did absolutely nothing to get my interest, and indeed even the brief radio promo clips that leaked over the last couple of days were completely underwhelming, but hearing the whole song in good quality fits the pieces we had together nicely, and adds enough other pieces to restore some optimism in what the band could be doing.

Maybe I am in the minority here, but Clip 2 I think, Breathe, really got me psyched on the album. I understand that GOYB was a farcry from when it was Sexy Boots/Get Your Boots On/Beach Clip 3, but Breathe really sounds like a winner.

Several U2 tracks make you (Rather me) appreciate music overall a lot more. Original of the Species for instance for me was the most recent song that really just sells me on music in general. Maybe that doesn't make sense. Doesn't matter, does to me. Breathe, in it's skeletal, bastardized form, seems like it will hit me the same way.

Point I'm making is, if this visceral, evil-reincarnation-of-the-Beatles track is what spawned from Beach Clip 3, then maybe we are in store for the best album in the 30 odd year history of the boys.

 

[Nate Dogg]

Boots gets better on each listen. I will no doubt will be repeatedly playing this all day and month...

 

[Reead]

One thing to note: like Axver said, this is worlds better than the beach clip for obvious reasons. There is a good deal of nuance in the song and my personal favorite part of the song are the lyrics, which are something I admit were not strong on Bomb.

This song probably won't be a big mainstream hit: though I could be wrong.

I'm at the stage where I like it, but I could wake up in 3 days and be bored with it. Only time will tell. On the positive side, I'm not feeling anything that makes me think that'll happen.

Anyway, this tells us that NLOTH may indeed be cut from a different mold than the last two. An evolving U2, as we've seen in the past, is typically the best U2. I'm very excited for the album now.

 

[Axver]

Thanks, Axver. That's high praise coming from you. Truth be told, I wish I was more adventurous in my musical tastes. I think I miss out on a lot becaue of my need for hooks and catchy melodies and such.

I used to have what I'd consider pretty mundane music taste, but the Internet has opened up such a vast world of music to explore - it's been a progressive thing. Nothing at all wrong with a good hook or catchy melody though; Crowded House are one of my favourite bands and their music is almost entirely just hooks and catchy melodies. Neil Finn is a genius. Even in some of my more obscure and extreme bands, I find really catchy hooks in unusual places.

 

[intedomine]

Maybe I am in the minority here, but Clip 2 I think, Breathe, really got me psyched on the album. I understand that GOYB was a farcry from when it was Sexy Boots/Get Your Boots On/Beach Clip 3, but Breathe really sounds like a winner.

.

Boots did nothing for me as a beach clip, but it's great to finally hear the song proper.


I agree on Breathe, which just sounds like it could be the greatest song of all time.......I hope it is....

 

[akann]

Most non u2 fans are hating it...bad sign.

 

[Rob33]

itunes says I've listened to it 43 times.....now I'm listening to some AB...it sorta feels a bit weird...but in a way it's fucking awesome...like a totally new side of U2, and then you can always go back to the other U2 that we all know and love...in a way, this single alone has provided me with a very interesting perspective now on their music...Now I'm reeeeally fuckin excited for NLOTH....



Just some things I'd like to point out....Bono's voice is not overwhelming on Boots...I mean it's solid and soothing, but he's not pushing it by any means. I hope he sounds different on the other songs...I want to hear some real power and openness in his voice.

Also, I was very concerned about Boots being a throwaway pop song with cheesy lyrics and cringeworthy moments in every section, and it looks like I don't have much to worry about anymore. What I find really cool about this song is it's poppy, but it's u2 poppy. It's radio friendly one way, but in another, it's like fuck-up-the-mainstream radio friendly....that chorus is catchy, but not too catchy, and it makes you want more. And the lyrics, "you don't know how beautiful you are" make it a GREAT chorus IMO... There's some subtelty going on here. I'm lovin it

 

[Aardvark747]

I am seriously loving The Corpse Of Rebirth by A Forest Of Stars at the moment. One of the best releases of 2008 - the future of black metal, pushing the genre in completely new directions. The shoegazy riff in Male sounds incredible.

That's the 2nd good review i've read about them. I should check em out.

 

[phommel]

Try u2.com phommel, it's streaming. U2place.com has a link that works, too.

hey U2girl. Thanks for the hint. Now I only need to find some headphones here on my work...I am really curious. grtz

 

[bathiu]

So its ok for people to go on and on and on about loving the song but not ok if they have something negative to say. I don't get it Everyone has the right to voice their opinion whether being positive or negative. So leave BSB and others alone.

tell me, "you're a clown" is a positive or negative opinion about the song?
and, as you said, I have a right to voice my negative opinion about other people's negative opinions

 

[TheEdge1987]

It was my least favourite of the beach clips but I would still say its good but not great atm. I think they were trying too hard to copy the vertigo style format but is not as good a lead single as that. Hopefully it will be a bit of a grower but i am pleased that they are branching out sonically again a bit.

 

[Tripoli]

Most non u2 fans are hating it...bad sign.

thats a real good sign actually

 

[Rob33]

Most non u2 fans are hating it...bad sign.

yeah, that's my experience so far too...my friends aren't that into it

so for all those who were dying for the ballsy side of U2 to return, the fuck-up-the-mainstream U2 to return, the daring Bono of the 90's to return...I think you're witnessing it yet again

 

[Rob33]

thats a real good sign actually

you think?

 

[hltr_skltr]

well, I think goyb is very reminiscent of 'vertigo'... kind of disappointed...

 

[newl]

Liking GOYB a lot!

A huge departure from the mundane HTDAAB. Definitely getting the vibe that U2 needed to make an album that pushed the envelope this time.

Sonically, GOYB has a lot of interesting stuff going on and it packs an iron fisted punch.

I think the weakest part of the song is the chorus but it fits the song well and isn't too boring. However, the main riff is dirty and slinky and most importantly....it rocks.

Seemingly, Edge has put his death by audio pedal to very good use!





-One happy customer

 

[Tripoli]

you think?

Well it solidifies my impression that this isnt conventional and easily accessable like the past 2 albums. This one isnt going to rub everyone the right way for awhile, like the fly. When the dust clears it will still shine because its such a drastic change.

 

[chrissybaby]

if this is the only obvious single, then i'm extremely optimistic about the album..

 

[arzcrack]

After a few listens, my interpretation is that this is Original of the Species part 2. Thankfully it's a departure of that 'beautiful song' direction HTDAAB took, despite it being a 'rock' recorf, with OOTS, yahweh, crumbs etc, all which were a bit clean cut and goody-goody.

Whilst OOTS was for a girl entering adolescence, this is about the woman coming out the other end. The lyrics are better in the song then they are on paper; I must admit i thought it would be too earnest (you don't know how beautiful...). It's about having confidence and having fun with it. She doesn't give a damn about the wars of the world, but will when it matters. The "beautiful" chorus bit a dreamy flashback to days when confidence was lacking.

A few other observations;

It's a cool song, I like it. The drum interlude is awesome. I just hope Larry plays it live as opposed to a beat box.

Is The Edge on fire? No. Guitars and bass are a bit one dimensional. The mini solo is kind of pointless... it goes nowhere because it's so short, and the guitar effect is almost an apology, something more robust and funky was needed. If anyone's on fire, it's Larry.

Does it sound new? Yes, finally, a song that doesn't sound like old U2.

This will be a popular tune, and an exciting introduction to the album.

 

[Axver]

Maybe I am in the minority here, but Clip 2 I think, Breathe, really got me psyched on the album. I understand that GOYB was a farcry from when it was Sexy Boots/Get Your Boots On/Beach Clip 3, but Breathe really sounds like a winner.

Several U2 tracks make you (Rather me) appreciate music overall a lot more. Original of the Species for instance for me was the most recent song that really just sells me on music in general. Maybe that doesn't make sense. Doesn't matter, does to me. Breathe, in it's skeletal, bastardized form, seems like it will hit me the same way.

Point I'm making is, if this visceral, evil-reincarnation-of-the-Beatles track is what spawned from Beach Clip 3, then maybe we are in store for the best album in the 30 odd year history of the boys.

You and I are definitely coming at this from very different places! Personally, I can't stand OOTS; it was only natural that I automatically cut it from the tracklist when I made an alternate HTDAAB. For the beach clips, I think only the 2006 ones were of a sufficient quality to really make even vague conclusions about the music. I use good quality headphones and I'd say I have pretty good ears, yet the 2008 beach clips just did not put enough flesh on the skeleton for me to really draw much substantial from them. I did get some hints that were enough to maintain shreds of quiet optimism in a more developed album than HTDAAB with some interesting ideas, but only mere hints that I don't wish to put too much stock into. After all, there are many different ways you can flesh out a skeleton ...

 

[sad android]

it's ok, not terrible...but the mp3 mix is not very good. I think sonically, I'll reserve my feelings about the mix when I can listen 2 it properly- but for now it really doesn't measure up sonically- also..having a tough time w/ the words "sexy boots" ...doesn't work for me- and Bonham was in Zep right?come on

 

[tjkjat]

I really like this a lot. Who cares if non U2 fans don't like it. You probably couldn't convince them either way.

 

[arzcrack]

It would've been way cooler if it was called SEXY BOOTS.

What does get on your boots mean anyway...???

 

[tjkjat]

Ok...interesting thing. I was listening to GOYB and where it was placed on my Itunes led right into Vertigo....talk about an adrenaline rush and a helluva wakeup at 6:25 in the morning!!

 

[Utoo]

I'm digging this. Two listens in a row so far, now I have to go back to work.....but it's going to be in my head all morning until I leave.

It's.....weird....but in a rockin' way. I like it & I'm looking forward to digesting it some more.

 

[AshTS]

You and I are definitely coming at this from very different places! Personally, I can't stand OOTS; it was only natural that I automatically cut it from the tracklist when I made an alternate HTDAAB. For the beach clips, I think only the 2006 ones were of a sufficient quality to really make even vague conclusions about the music. I use good quality headphones and I'd say I have pretty good ears, yet the 2008 beach clips just did not put enough flesh on the skeleton for me to really draw much substantial from them. I did get some hints that were enough to maintain shreds of quiet optimism in a more developed album than HTDAAB with some interesting ideas, but only mere hints that I don't wish to put too much stock into. After all, there are many different ways you can flesh out a skeleton ...

The 2006 clips were definitely easier to draw out what the final product will be. I still stand on my claim regarding Breathe. If you listen to it amidst the other clips, the effect is lost. Clips 1 and 4 I can't make out hardly diddly and again, we all know how Clip 3 turned out. You just q up Clip 2 without listening to the other clips and I feel it's not as bad as you think.

As for OOTS, I felt it was one of the weaker tracks on HTDAAB when I first heard it.(I still don't like Yahweh to be honest) It took a few live versions of me to start to like the album cut. Please from Pop was almost the exact same thing, although the single mix of Please completely blows the album version out of the water. (Which might be true of all the "Single Mixes" from Pop)

Then again, being the retarded fanboy, I might just be pulling for the home team and hearing what I want to hear. If that makes any sense to you.

Note: I don't mean the mixes from the Best of 90-00 regarding the Pop songs. I actually didn't care for the remakes aside from Gone and that didn't really need an overhaul.

 

[mama cass]

Most non u2 fans are hating it...

oh yeah? how'd you know that then?