SOE 32: let there be no leak puns..

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I agree with the post about giving a positive review based on hearing new U2 for the first time. Obviously it will take multiple listens for a true read on the album. But based off first listen I thought it was honestly the band's best attempt at an album in years. It's maybe just 2 tracks too long! But I think even now I have to say it's a solid collection of songs. It won't satisfy everyone. It's very much a pop record. Those of you looking for the U2 of old won't be getting it in full. There's shades of former glory here though. You can tell the band really put time and energy into this and for that reason, as a collection of songs, I think it will stand the test of time.
 
iota said:
If they would have released SOE in a shorter timeframe as a companion to SOI, the echoes would have made more sense. But 3 years later? Give us new material. A slow version of SFS when All My Life is still unreleased? :doh:
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Yeah. Like, I get the callback stuff, and I think ultimately it'll work. But it just doesn't make much sense.
 
mikal said:
Love Is Bigger Than Anything... Noticed you gave it a 6. Is it maybe a grower or just not a very good song?
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It may be a grower. For me it didn't sound like U2. It sounded like U2 covering One Republic. Other songs on this record have a hint of that obviously because of Ryan Tedder, but this song actually sounds like it was a One Republic song that they gave to U2.
 
zoopop said:
I think you have to remember too, it was even stated on the press release for SOE, is that SOE & SOI are bookend albums. In ways this seems like a double album to some extent.

Overall it sounds like an interesting listen for a band 40 years in.
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Yeah, personally I think it's a GOOD idea. They are supposed to be linked - I'm not a Blake scholar or even necessarily a fan of his, but just looking at the titles of the poems in SOI and SOE it appears there is some referencing of SOI in SOE.
 
I regret rating the songs out of 10 already. As I said I've heard the record in full just once. Excited to hear it again.
 
Howya said:
It may be a grower. For me it didn't sound like U2. It sounded like U2 covering One Republic. Other songs on this record have a hint of that obviously because of Ryan Tedder, but this song actually sounds like it was a One Republic song that they gave to U2.
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Personally, that's really disheartening. Not a fan of One Republic at all, and not a fan of the idea of a non-U2 member so heavily influencing the writing - i emphasize the writing as opposed to the feel.
 
dabiggestu2fan said:
I don't like to compare u2 of old to u2 of new as it just ruins the experience for me. They may be the same band but at two very very different times in their career. I absolutely love u2 90's but to be honest if they still made the same music as in the 90's I might have been very bored by now. I like the popcorn anology, I enjoy popcorn very much but obviously not as much as steak but as long as I still enjoy it that's all fine by me. The quality may not be the same as before but if it's still enjoyable that's all that matters.
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I think the "steak" vs. "popcorn" analogy doesn't ring true for me.

Maybe steak vs. chicken, or fish would be more apt.
Both are satisfying meals, you like both, but usually prefer one a bit more than other.

I think many people didn't take SOI seriously enough. It got panned and destroyed in the press because of the Apple thing. But that album contains some great lyrical work, new musical avenues, a few of my favorite songs of theirs in almost 2 decades and overall pleasingly consistent.

I don't see how people can say that Iris or RBW or SLABT or EBW or The Troubles isn't substantial (aka steak)?!?!? Those songs are every bit as substantial as anything in U2's catalog.
I don't think anyone could make an arguement that NLOTH (song), Fez, MOS, Magnificent, etc... are little popcorn tunes.

I dunno. Maybe because SOE is having more of a pop sound, people want to write it off as light and throwaway. But I don't see it that way. We always want to band to do something new or different, and what they really want.
This time they want to make a more pop record with catchy melodies and hooks, where lots of the songs could be singles. I say more power to em.

I've liked 4 of the 5 songs we've heard. Not too shabby. And none of those songs were the top 3 that were named by the two fans that have heard the album. So that's promising. If I really liked 8 or 9 out of 13. I'll take it. Still better than my ratio for ATYCLB, Bomb and No Line...
 
The interpretation of this being a pop album might be what Flanagan was getting at by saying it won’t be liked or understood by a lot of people but will grow in stature over time. SOI was great for me as there were a lot of non-traditional elements and wouldn’t dismiss it as safe so if the consensus so far is that SOE is better, that’s great to hear.
 
womanfish said:
I think the "steak" vs. "popcorn" analogy doesn't ring true for me.

Maybe steak vs. chicken, or fish would be more apt.
Both are satisfying meals, you like both, but usually prefer one a bit more than other.

I think many people didn't take SOI seriously enough. It got panned and destroyed in the press because of the Apple thing. But that album contains some great lyrical work, new musical avenues, a few of my favorite songs of theirs in almost 2 decades and overall pleasingly consistent.

I don't see how people can say that Iris or RBW or SLABT or EBW or The Troubles isn't substantial (aka steak)?!?!? Those songs are every bit as substantial as anything in U2's catalog.
I don't think anyone could make an arguement that NLOTH (song), Fez, MOS, Magnificent, etc... are little popcorn tunes.

I dunno. Maybe because SOE is having more of a pop sound, people want to write it off as light and throwaway. But I don't see it that way. We always want to band to do something new or different, and what they really want.
This time they want to make a more pop record with catchy melodies and hooks, where lots of the songs could be singles. I say more power to em.

I've liked 4 of the 5 songs we've heard. Not too shabby. And none of those songs were the top 3 that were named by the two fans that have heard the album. So that's promising. If I really liked 8 or 9 out of 13. I'll take it. Still better than my ratio for ATYCLB, Bomb and No Line...
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Well said, I guess the steak vs popcorn is a little extreame, for me my point was that I really enjoy both foods, actually being argentine I LOVE steak, it's in my genes to love steak lol. But yes a better anology is steak vs chicken etc. the minute we start comparing new u2 to bubble gum for example, that's when it's time to consider moving on from u2 ha.
 
purpleblackeye said:
The interpretation of this being a pop album might be what Flanagan was getting at by saying it won’t be liked or understood by a lot of people but will grow in stature over time. SOI was great for me as there were a lot of non-traditional elements and wouldn’t dismiss it as safe so if the consensus so far is that SOE is better, that’s great to hear.
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I agree....SOI was my favorite since Pop, so if this one's better, that already puts it in exclusive territory.
 
Jarvio said:
I personally hate the idea of rehashing old songs, and using samples. So American Soul, 13, and Lights Of Home will all be blemished for me no matter how much I may like the overall products. (Though I hate American Soul, but yeah).

Do You Feel Loved, for example, I like a lot, but I can't find myself comfortable with it because its main riff is from a song by someone else.

Subtle samples, like LNOE, don't bother me, in fact, I can't even tell what is sampled on LNOE. But large, prominent samples do bother me.

I've said this before, and members like Lazarus condescended me, but fuck 'em, my opinion, and I'm allowed to have my pet hates.
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Seriously, it’s beyond boring now.
 
Howya said:
I regret rating the songs out of 10 already. As I said I've heard the record in full just once. Excited to hear it again.
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LOL.
I know what you mean. Rating is hard even after multiple listens. But thanks for taking the time.

I think dabiggestfan is right that Alan Cross had said TBT was the most pop song on the record... But what do you think? Red Flag Day, Love is Bigger, Summer of Love???

And did you notice Lady Gaga vocals on Summer of Love?
 
Ok, so, I know that Howya is not setting these ratings in concrete, but it is interesting to see from his initial rating, how the album as a whole will fare for me (and you)

Here's my ranking on first listen :

Love is all we have left - 9 I was thinking this one would be a highlight.

Lights of Home - 7.5 solid rating

Best thing - 7 matches my rating of this song

Get Out of Your Own Way - 8.5 slightly higher than my rating of this, but close

American Soul - 7.5 I rate this one a 5

Summer of Love - 9 very happy to see this high rating

Red flag day - 9 another great one

The Showman - 7.5 I've been skeptical of this one since seeing other
descriptions. could be a loser for me. we shall see

Little things - 9 Very happy to see this get a high rating. calms
my fears of it not holding up.

Landlandy - 4 Well, there's usually a shitty song on most albums

Blackout - 8.5 pretty much my rating on this one as well

Love is bigger than anything in it's way - 6

13 (there is a light) - 6

sucks to see two sixes to finish off the album. Was very worried about 13, and this kinda confirms that.

But when all is said and done, if there really are six songs rated 8 or better and only three songs under a 7, that puts it really close in the SOI vacinity for me. It will all just depend on if anything "clicks" with me in the same way that The Troubles, and EBW and SLABT clicked with me off SOI...
 
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I'll be excited, because I love this band and always get excited for new material, but when I read the "Sounds like U2 doing OneRepublic" allusions I gagged. This is what I was afraid of, and it sounds like it's being borne out here.

I heard "Apologize" or whatever that played out OneRepublic song is at the grocer today and felt that it was the kind of song people will mock this generation for liking in 25 years. Just awful. Why they felt they needed to go so far over a pop cliff with this record, and why they felt Tedder was the best foil for that direction, is beyond me.
 
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Headache in a Suitcase said:
Guys I just listened to Born To Run. Only once though. Feel free to ask me any questions.
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I heard there's a song that's over 9 minutes long INCLUDING a 2 minute sax solo? Is that true?!?! WTF is Bruce thinking?? Also, "She's the One"??? What kind of title is that? This guy has gone soft as hell- he'll never write deep and meaningful music again.
 
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HansaTonImbiss said:
I'll be excited, because I love this band and always get excited for new material, but when I read the "Sounds like U2 doing OneDirection" allusions I gagged. This is what I was afraid of, and it sounds like it's being borne out here.

I heard "Apologize" or whatever that played out OneDirection song is at the grocer today and felt that it was the kind of song people will mock this generation for liking in 25 years. Just awful. Why they felt they needed to go so far over a pop cliff with this record, and why they felt Tedder was the best foil for that direction, is beyond me.
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Not One Direction - OneRepublic. LOL.
 
HansaTonImbiss said:
I heard there's a song over 9 minutes long INCLUDING a 2 minute sax solo? Is that true?!?! WTF is Bruce thinking?? Also, "She's the One"??? What kind of title is that? This guy has gone soft as hell- he'll never write deep and meaningful music again.
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Can confirm on 9 minute song. Bruce at his most Bruce. He keeps going on about some magic rodent. What's up with that?

Also She's The One clearly calls back to Bo Diddley. I mean how lazy can you get?

Only heard it once though.
 
Howya said:
It may be a grower. For me it didn't sound like U2. It sounded like U2 covering One Republic. Other songs on this record have a hint of that obviously because of Ryan Tedder, but this song actually sounds like it was a One Republic song that they gave to U2.
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This is rather scary between the song title and your description. Although in fairness, the same could be said for a track like Stuck In A Moment. Can you compare Love Is Bigger to any other U2 song? Curious.
 
While I would never have any ambition to listen to One Republic, there's much more offensive music out there. It's not like this album isn't going to sound like U2.
 
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