ATYCLB 20th Anniversary Box Set

[The John Tree]

Crystal Ballroom deserves mention on the list of ‘good modern day Bono’ lyrics. That’s a heartbreaker.

 

[lazarus]

It's good, but still cluttered with too many syllables in the verses.

 

[gvox]

Is it remastered

 

[monkeyskin]

Is it remastered

Better go check with Nick, he was right on the money last time.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

 

[gvox]

It’s hard to think of too many complete songs that would qualify. Sure it is probably possible to find things that are really good, but something changed in his style and this appears to be the moment. Stateless is closer to Streets or WOWY or Bad than anything after it. And I say this as someone who has been well and truely on the side of apologising for the bands 2000s+ missteps, rather than criticising.

Has things he’s written since been great?
Sure, at times. But there’s a stylistic magic that has been so exceptionally rare in that time. The best examples have some cringe about them that breaks the 4th wall at some point.

Moment of Surrender is close. City of Blinding Lights is close. Reach Around, the Troubles, LIAWHL, Little Things and 13 are close.

I suppose I’m trying to say that there is an effortless quality I haven’t seen throughout a complete song since then. And it’s like he adds words to fill silences in a forced attempt to be prophetic rather than letting his poetry stand in its own greatness.

I'd add:

A Man And A Woman
Sometimes You Cant Make It
Invisible
Every Breaking Wave
Song For Someone
Crystal Ballroom
Lights Of Home
Love Is Bigger Than Anything*
Landlady

possibly Red Flag Day

*possibly cringey as far some of the lyrics MAYBE

As songs to me that have that effortless unforced "U2 greatness" feel to them...not many awkward or cringey stylistic choices, not jumbled up syllables (unless there are some I should be reminded of in the verses)

On the other hand I disagree about This Is Where You Can Reach me....this song has not aged well on me. I was loving it early out..but it's got almost no staying power with me now.

 

[dan_smee]

I'd add:

A Man And A Woman
Sometimes You Cant Make It
Invisible
Every Breaking Wave
Song For Someone
Crystal Ballroom
Lights Of Home
Love Is Bigger Than Anything*
Landlady

possibly Red Flag Day

*possibly cringey as far some of the lyrics MAYBE

As songs to me that have that effortless unforced "U2 greatness" feel to them...not many awkward or cringey stylistic choices, not jumbled up syllables (unless there are some I should be reminded of in the verses)

On the other hand I disagree about This Is Where You Can Reach me....this song has not aged well on me. I was loving it early out..but it's got almost no staying power with me now.

The thing with Reach Around isn’t so much about it’s greatness as a song - I just think that lyrically it is interesting, original, not cringey, complete and consistent.

 

[lazarus]

The syllables are crammed in so tight on Lights of Home, I find it preposterous that someone would think that’s an example of great writing.

Same goes for EBW as well, but that song has blinded people since even before it was released.

 

[Nate Dogg]

What’s everyone’s experiences with ordering these sets from U2.com? Will I receive it before, on, or after the release day? Just wondering...

 

[DeVaul]

The syllables are crammed in so tight on Lights of Home, I find it preposterous that someone would think that’s an example of great writing.

Same goes for EBW as well, but that song has blinded people since even before it was released.

Baby every dog on the street...

 

[super fly guy]

The syllables are crammed in so tight on Lights of Home, I find it preposterous that someone would think that’s an example of great writing.

Same goes for EBW as well, but that song has blinded people since even before it was released.

I don't think your casual listener notices things like that.

 

[gvox]

The thing with Reach Around isn’t so much about it’s greatness as a song - I just think that lyrically it is interesting, original, not cringey, complete and consistent.

Huh. I think that's what killed that tune for me..there's several parts that make me cringe (mostly lyrically and vocally), and it kind meanders, like maybe 2 or more different ideas put together. I do really really like the lead guitar on it tho.

The syllables are crammed in so tight on Lights of Home, I find it preposterous that someone would think that’s an example of great writing.

Same goes for EBW as well, but that song has blinded people since even before it was released.

Nah. The cadence in the delivery of the vocals on Lights of Home fits the music just fine, I don't find it crammed at all. I will agree that it's very much in his (less beloved?) "literal" style of writing, which of course kindof knocks the listener in the head. But as for syllabic count, much worse examples of this in their canon imo.

EBW feels just fine to me. Nice pacing throughout. Poor B can't win..we ribbed him about the songs where he drew out a few key words (feel, kneel, heal, real, whatever) and choruses that were basically just "heyyyyy"s...and when he writes some something substantive or different we complain that it's too busy or crammed lol

Maybe I need a better definition of what "crammed syllables" is.

 

[Hollow Island]

I don't think your casual listener notices things like that.

They surely do. Hits generally have uncluttered lyrics that allow the song to breathe. Bono's overwriting suffocates the songs; their hits all have space in the melodies.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Hip hop has become the dominant music genre specifically because people are so concerned with letting the music breath.

Wait a minute...

 

[Hollow Island]

Hip hop has become the dominant music genre specifically because people are so concerned with letting the music breath.

Wait a minute...

I was thinking of songs in U2's genre. Different genres have different needs.

 

[tommycharles]

Beautiful Day and Stay from Boston now available in all the usual places. At first listen, drums seem a bit more pronounced (in Beautiful Day) than on the audio rip from the dvd I’ve had for years, but it’s the same mix, just remastered.

EDIT: Also, Beautiful Day from Boston is now available on the U2 YouTube channel in alleged 1080p.

 

[the tourist]

I used to be concerned about Bono being syllable-happy. But The National is one of my favorites and Matt Berninger is also syllable-happy. The issue isn’t the syllables. It’s the words chosen.

 

[super fly guy]

Couldn't give a fuck how many syllables are in songs,lights of home album version is a great song. Sue me!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

The "modern u2 sucks because of too many syllables" take might be the worst take of all time.

 

[DaveC]

The "modern u2 sucks because of too many syllables" take might be the worst take of all time.

not in a world where "trump is going to win because i looked at some profiles on bumble" exists.

 

[lazarus]

The "modern u2 sucks because of too many syllables" take might be the worst take of all time.

This might be the worst reductive take of an opinion of all time.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

not in a world where "trump is going to win because i looked at some profiles on bumble" exists.

Touché

 

[Popmartijn]

.

 

[Dragonfave]

 

[ascender_RS]

I’ll say it again, it’s a really nicely designed package which makes great use of the graphical themes from the time, but disappointing content.

 

[tommycharles]

Two more Boston tracks are available on various streaming services today - Elevation and Kite. One week until we get the whole package.

 

[zoopop]

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/...rview-all-that-you-cant-leave-behind-1078907/

 

[tommycharles]

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/...rview-all-that-you-cant-leave-behind-1078907/

the album was packed with tracks like “Walk Away,”

I’ve always loved “Walk Away”.

 

[tommycharles]

The whole Boston gig will be streaming on Friday: https://www.u2.com/news/title/elevation-live/

Based on what we’ve seen so far it doesn’t look/sound any different than the DVD, but in case you don’t already have a rip of this anywhere, drivers, start your Chrome extensions...

 

[david]

My one regret is not seeing them live in the 90s.