The Troubles - Song Discussion

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I am starting to wonder if the 'original Danger Mouse album' will be the new 'original album for NLOTH' argument on the boards.

But yeah, it will be interesting to see who produced the two extra tracks and the songs that will make up Songs of Experience though. If some of them are sole Danger Mouse productions or otherwise, then it will add a bit of substance to that argument for both sides.

i can see it going that way... but at the same time, i can appreciate the work Tedder did on a few of the songs on the first part of the album. Every Breaking Wave can be a huge hit.

 

[mikal]

i can see it going that way... but at the same time, i can appreciate the work Tedder did on a few of the songs on the first part of the album. Every Breaking Wave can be a huge hit.

Yes. While I really liked the live version from 2010, I'm definitely on board with the chorus they added.

 

[Registered Dude]

my only regret is that they didn't trust Danger Mouse more... reason being is The Troubles, which I am absolutely in LOVE with, has instantly become one of my favorite U2 songs in a long, long time, and is exactly the type of song i was hoping for when I first heard about U2 and Danger Mouse teaming up together.

I can't say enough how much I'm digging this song.

I agree about this song.. phenomenal stuff

I can appreciate though, that some of the DM stuff may not have been as direct, or strong as this. especially in light of recent comments about stripping back the production over the last 4-5 months

I think overall, the DM tracks are the best on the record, but I have a feeling they may have always been the standout tracks from the initial sessions, and the others might have been more... overwrought? the last Broken Bells record is a good example of this.. a few, direct, delicious tunes.. but then several others where the songs get a bit lost

cant really know either way.. but maybe we shouldn't assume that all the material was this strong.

but yeah, The Troubles is THAT good

 

[trevgreg]

i can see it going that way... but at the same time, i can appreciate the work Tedder did on a few of the songs on the first part of the album. Every Breaking Wave can be a huge hit.

Same here. I had suspected that his musical sensibilities weren't that far removed from U2's to begin with, but he definitely didn't do the songs he worked on any injustice. If the tracks themselves didn't float some fans' boat, amen. But I certainly don't consider it an embarrassment either.

I agree about this song.. phenomenal stuff

I can appreciate though, that some of the DM stuff may not have been as direct, or strong as this. especially in light of recent comments about stripping back the production over the last 4-5 months

I think overall, the DM tracks are the best on the record, but I have a feeling they may have always been the standout tracks from the initial sessions, and the others might have been more... overwrought? the last Broken Bells record is a good example of this.. a few, direct, delicious tunes.. but then several others where the songs get a bit lost

cant really know either way.. but maybe we shouldn't assume that all the material was this strong.

but yeah, The Troubles is THAT good

Exactly. I'm definitely digging the production work DM brought to his songs, but like you sort of implied, who's to say that the other songs with co-production credits weren't a bit 'overwrought' or not as good to begin with? For all we know, maybe the extra production work benefited them in the end. Who knows though?

 

[womanfish]

Favorite song on the album. Lykke Li Big fan of hers. But just a really well done, cohesive song, with a great touch by Danger Mouse. Nothing forced here. So fluid.

 

[LadySpinHead]

Oh wow- gorgeous song. Best album closer since Love is Blindness. And not overcrowded by too wordy lyrics. Beautiful and haunting.

 

[romi]

posted the U2-related bits of my Lykke Li interview on my blog. romithewriter.tumblr.com. If you're the sharing kind, please RT. I hope it make some traction before Rolling Stone does an interview and claim's it's the first account. They can be better... but not first

 

[Zoomerang96]

Almost annoys me that the rest of the album wasn't in this vein. An absolutely tremendous song.

 

[Zoomerang96]

Almost annoys me that the rest of the album wasn't in this vein. An absolutely tremendous song.

Sorry, I was wrong. It does annoy me. Because it's these little blips of brilliance that keep me holding on for great things from U2, but instead I have to wade through stuff like The Miracle to get to it.

It's like an extremely beautiful woman that you're in love with, and every now and again you get the impression she loves you back. Unfortunately, most of the time she leaves you cold.

 

[JJAsi]

RomiTheWriter, WORLD EXCLUSIVE: How Bono found Lykke Li

 

[trevgreg]

posted the U2-related bits of my Lykke Li interview on my blog. romithewriter.tumblr.com. If you're the sharing kind, please RT. I hope it make some traction before Rolling Stone does an interview and claim's it's the first account. They can be better... but not first

Great job! Looks like this was one of the songs that they tried changing the keys on. Makes you wonder what the alternate version will sound like even more.

Feel free to post a link to the complete story once it's written as well.

 

[Zoomerang96]

posted the U2-related bits of my Lykke Li interview on my blog. romithewriter.tumblr.com. If you're the sharing kind, please RT. I hope it make some traction before Rolling Stone does an interview and claim's it's the first account. They can be better... but not first

Nice work.

 

[romi]

Great job! Looks like this was one of the songs that they tried changing the keys on. Makes you wonder what the alternate version will sound like even more.

Feel free to post a link to the complete story once it's written as well.

will do. thanks for the comments. Second to interviewing U2 (which I've tried to, futilely, for more than a decade) or their producers and collaborators, this was like being handed the golden goose on Thanksgiving.

 

[jeevey]

I'm thinking this will be the collective orgasm one in a live setting.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I sense that their major concern, beyond that hit single for the kids and all, was the ability to transfer the songs into a live setting.

There's no doubt that danger mouse has a heavy production value, and with U2's need to heavily rehearse to get their live songs right, working the songs out in a live setting must have been difficult for them.

Just a guess

Sent from my Nexus 5 using U2 Interference mobile app

 

[prbiker15]

will do. thanks for the comments. Second to interviewing U2 (which I've tried to, futilely, for more than a decade) or their producers and collaborators, this was like being handed the golden goose on Thanksgiving.

I'll make sure to read it later.

 

[womanfish]

i like this album a lot. certainly more than No Line.

my only regret is that they didn't trust Danger Mouse more... reason being is The Troubles, which I am absolutely in LOVE with, has instantly become one of my favorite U2 songs in a long, long time, and is exactly the type of song i was hoping for when I first heard about U2 and Danger Mouse teaming up together.

I can't say enough how much I'm digging this song.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. But what you are saying is FACT. Such a great song. Maybe my favorite song of the last 4 or 5 albums. Just perfectly done.

 

[Moser]

Nevermind, totally mixed this song with something else.

 

[Vlaco]

This song is an absolute gem.

 

[Tommy WM]

It definitely has that Danger Mouse/Broken Bells sound to it with a beautiful string section and soulful singing. Somehow on my itunes playlist though, it segue straight into 'Beach Sequence' from Passengers...which needless to say totally blew me away.

 

[Gilead12]

i like this album a lot. certainly more than No Line.

my only regret is that they didn't trust Danger Mouse more... reason being is The Troubles, which I am absolutely in LOVE with, has instantly become one of my favorite U2 songs in a long, long time, and is exactly the type of song i was hoping for when I first heard about U2 and Danger Mouse teaming up together.

I can't say enough how much I'm digging this song.

 

[The Slow Loris]

Despite the title, this is a relationship song, not a political one. It's kind of surprising U2 of all people would use that title for a different topic, but it's not like they haven't written a number of songs on the topic, including Raised By Wolves on this very album.

Thanks you! This is what I was trying to say earlier. Some of U2's best songs blend the personal with the political and, of course, sometimes God. It's this ambiguity and duality in U2's (great) music that allows it to become accessible on so many levels.

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

I'm predicting the alternate version is better and is the one we heard as a beach clip. There seems to be a lot of guitar missing here.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[lisag71]

This song has gotten under my skin after a few listens. Besides you can't the "Somebody stepped inside my sole" part out of your head!

 

[corianderstem]

I am a little disappointed that that damned distortion creeps in towards the end of the song. Like, the album sounded so good and uncompressed* up to this point, you were ALMOST THERE. Argh.



*not that I can technically tell compression and all that - I just figure if it sounds all distorted on the low end, it's compressed. Bomb was riddled with it. NLOTH was better, but still a few occasions of it.

 

[super fly guy]

This is a VERY dark song. I shudder to think, is Bono describing himself? The lines, "Somebody stepped inside inside your soul; little by little they robbed and stole, until someone else was in control," are eerie and representative of a darker side of spirituality. The tone of the song is also very dark. It's a great song, but evokes extreme loss and emptiness.

After reading this it got me thinking about the bonus track lucifer's hands. Wonder if they are connected somehow,forgive me. Im dreaming out loud.

Sent from my GT-P3110 using U2 Interference mobile app

 

[allaras]

Troubles is their best album closer since WUDM and possibly Love is Blindness. This is possibly my favorite song on the album

 

[Izzy.nyc]

Haha, this is the song that we thought was "Song for someone", I could have sworn I've heard the title in the beach clip! But we weren't wrong about the female voice here after all. Surprised it's Lykke Li. LOVE the song, but the fade out is too abrupt.

Faster tempo than the beach clip? If So, maybe someone different on female vox?


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[lazarus]

Troubles is their best album closer since WUDM and possibly Love is Blindness. This is possibly my favorite song on the album

Both of those tracks were given a nice, fitting fade out. Same with Grace. Cedars Of Lebanon was fittingly shocking in how abruptly it ended.

If I could ask the band one question about the making of this album, it would be for them to explain the point behind the quick fade here.

 

[mikal]

I wonder if the alternate version that's being released is a more radio friendly version. This song could and should be released as a single.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference