I’m not trying to be a POP basher here because I know a lot of people like it but I think there are specific reasons why this album was a disappointment for many.
The album has a lot of strong songs with real potential that if done just a bit better could have been some of the best of their career. As it is, most of the tunes are good and it is a record I’ll play for time to time even though its not my favorite. Just wanted to mention that since this is intended to be a balanced and specific look at a pretty good album by a really, really great band, not a U2 bashing thread by a troll!
The album is real upbeat, rocking, and guitar driven. The way it lacks is that the songs are missing that extra something that makes them interesting and have lasting power – few have complex interludes or guitar solos or interesting key changes. Also, on some songs the guitar is drowned out by the drums and/or synthesizers. MOFO and LNOE are good examples of this. Finally, a couple key substitutions in the tracks would’ve made a huge difference.
The following new track list and changes details a better POP IMHO:
Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me – lead single instead of Discotheque!
Holey Joe (garage mix)
MOFO (better mix a little more like live version)
If God Will Send His Angels
Staring at The Sun
Last Night On earth – better mix - better guitar sound like done live with the “chuckawawa..” sound in the riff following the “living like it’s the last night on earth” part, extended solo, better interlude like on single version
Discotheque
Do Your Feel Loved – Better mix – the existing one mixes the 80s U2 with the 90s U2 a little like oil and water and hurts what could‘ve been one of U2s best songs. As is, still fairly good. But it sounds very pasted together and not like “4 guys playing together in a room” . IMO, it is this song that best represents the albums strengths ( strong rocking tunes) and weaknesses ( poor production; poor meshing together of the various musical influences, a little too “processed” and electronic)
Gone – better mix like on best of CD
Velvet Dress
Please – single mix – this version is much more anathematic like the live version. The existing one on the album is too poppy.
Wake Up Dead Man
just to further explain some of the earlier points, compare LNOE to a similar type rock/pop song from ATYCLB - Walk On. Both are great tunes, both combine a more classic 80s U2 sound with post AB incfluences. But Walk On has that “4 guys together in a room” sound more like a live performance in the studio and a much more prominent and complete guitar part with the solo. LNOE falls a bit flat in the studio and sounds all pasted together and too processed. And the main guitar riff is a bit feeble - especially compared to the live versions. But live, I’d take it over Walk On any day! A similar comparison could be made between “Gone” and “Kite”…
In other words, where the album suffers, it is NOT because the songs are not great as shown by how awesome some of the live performances became! it's about how they were done in the studio
The album has a lot of strong songs with real potential that if done just a bit better could have been some of the best of their career. As it is, most of the tunes are good and it is a record I’ll play for time to time even though its not my favorite. Just wanted to mention that since this is intended to be a balanced and specific look at a pretty good album by a really, really great band, not a U2 bashing thread by a troll!
The album is real upbeat, rocking, and guitar driven. The way it lacks is that the songs are missing that extra something that makes them interesting and have lasting power – few have complex interludes or guitar solos or interesting key changes. Also, on some songs the guitar is drowned out by the drums and/or synthesizers. MOFO and LNOE are good examples of this. Finally, a couple key substitutions in the tracks would’ve made a huge difference.
The following new track list and changes details a better POP IMHO:
Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me – lead single instead of Discotheque!
Holey Joe (garage mix)
MOFO (better mix a little more like live version)
If God Will Send His Angels
Staring at The Sun
Last Night On earth – better mix - better guitar sound like done live with the “chuckawawa..” sound in the riff following the “living like it’s the last night on earth” part, extended solo, better interlude like on single version
Discotheque
Do Your Feel Loved – Better mix – the existing one mixes the 80s U2 with the 90s U2 a little like oil and water and hurts what could‘ve been one of U2s best songs. As is, still fairly good. But it sounds very pasted together and not like “4 guys playing together in a room” . IMO, it is this song that best represents the albums strengths ( strong rocking tunes) and weaknesses ( poor production; poor meshing together of the various musical influences, a little too “processed” and electronic)
Gone – better mix like on best of CD
Velvet Dress
Please – single mix – this version is much more anathematic like the live version. The existing one on the album is too poppy.
Wake Up Dead Man
just to further explain some of the earlier points, compare LNOE to a similar type rock/pop song from ATYCLB - Walk On. Both are great tunes, both combine a more classic 80s U2 sound with post AB incfluences. But Walk On has that “4 guys together in a room” sound more like a live performance in the studio and a much more prominent and complete guitar part with the solo. LNOE falls a bit flat in the studio and sounds all pasted together and too processed. And the main guitar riff is a bit feeble - especially compared to the live versions. But live, I’d take it over Walk On any day! A similar comparison could be made between “Gone” and “Kite”…
In other words, where the album suffers, it is NOT because the songs are not great as shown by how awesome some of the live performances became! it's about how they were done in the studio
