Shuttlecock XIII - Super Deluxe Edition with T-Shirt

[namkcuR]

The release, particularly the Bono/Tim Cook touching fingers moment, smacked of a band that isn't really in touch with releasing music in the modern age. And a retrospective "when we were young" album just isn't that interesting. Not sure many people were dying for a middling album by four rich dudes revisiting their early days.

Those five songs you mention are indeed the best five, but I've not even listened to the best of them, Troubles, since it came out.

I'll not defend the release(though it didn't bother me nearly as much as it did others), but regardless it shouldn't have any impact one one's opinion of the actual music.

I disagree with you thought about how interesting or not the record is on a thematic/lyrical level. The record is about is about these guys who have been so rich and so famous for so long, trying to revisit who they were before all of that and how they got from being those people to the people they are now. I think that is interesting. I said when it first came out that the record, lyrically, was Bono's most emotionally honest record-wide effort since Pop. Different strokes I guess.

In this day and age I'd rather U2 release one great song than an album full of middling, inoffensive tunes.

But see, outside of a few tracks(SFS, Iris, I guess you could call California and Volcano middling and inoffensive), I don't think that's what the bulk of the tracks on the record are. Those last five tracks I mentioned are anything but middling and inoffensive, they're pretty dark. I also love The Miracle and have never understood the disdain. Crystal Ballroom wasn't on the album proper, but it's another great one.

Whatever, I'm not going to go on and on, we clearly disagree.

You should listen to the record again though. Records can grow on you.

 

[Lancemc]

ATYCLB easily remand my favorite post-Pop record, and a top-fiver for the band probably. Bomb and No Line are utter garbage and SoI has some highlights at least. Sleep Like a Baby Tonight is the best thing they recorded in nearly 20 years.

 

[Axver]

I would much prefer an album with some truly great highlights, which ATYCLB, HTDAAB and NLOTH all offer, than a decent album that doesn't have any outright stinkers (playing devil's advocate here, I don't agree with that).

In this day and age I'd rather U2 release one great song than an album full of middling, inoffensive tunes.

Well, the thing is that nothing post-Pop really has a big highlight for me in the first place. I'm kind of numbed to Beautiful Day now, COBL has worn off a little, I was never crazy on MOS in the first place, and if we go by my personal favourites they're still not quite on the level of the previous stuff. I think the only post-Pop song with a chance of entering my U2 top fifty is TGBHF. Oh, and - despite what Laz & Co. may say - maybe Electrical Storm too.

So, sure, if U2 put out an album with Streets, WOWY, Pride, five middling songs, and three absolute shithouse Stand Up Comedy clunkers, I'll take that over SOI. The thing is, they haven't and they won't. The last classic U2 songs, the sort of ones worthy of being in a top ten or twenty, were on Pop and I promise they will never record another one again.

I also love The Miracle and have never understood the disdain.

If you truly love The Miracle, you would have expressed your affection like this: "I woke up the moment the affection of love and fondness for The Miracle awakened me from slumber and I have lacked an ability to comprehend, process, or understand the disdainful expressions of dislike (of Joey Ramone)".

 

[LemonMelon]

I haven't had the slightest interest in returning to SOI in over a year because it doesn't have anything that's worth going out of the way for. NLOTH absolutely does. About half of it.

Most of the best post-Pop songs are on Million Dollar Hotel though. They really had something with that sound.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Htdaab >>>>> nloth

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Smelling the top of a baby's head >>>>>>> shitting pants and moving to trash

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

White as Snow is really lovely, though. Maybe the track from that album that has held up the best for me in my mind.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Oh and all of your U2 opinions are bad. Peace and love.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Just kidding mostly. I love what you guys say even if part of me hates it. We're all gonna die someday. Might as well love each other and be boring together in an online community.

 

[lazarus]

Gang's all here tonight, apparently.

Gives me hope for when the actual album comes out.

 

[LemonMelon]

Despite how critical I've been of the band's recent output...

 

[Kieran McConville]

Every U2 era since the turn of the century has one arguably Great U2 Song, but the signal to noise ratio hasn't been too shit hot this last decade or so.

Beautiful Day
Mercy
Moment of Surrender
The Troubles

That's sixteen years.

 

[cobl04]

I am still unsure why everyone is getting pumped for SoE. Sure, I'm on one of the most downcast here, but all signs point to there being a huge delay for SoE. The "innocence" part of the tour finished nine months ago. By the time this corporate wankfest concert takes place there will have been more time elapsed between the "innocence" leg and this mystical "experience" leg than the time between the end of the JT tour and the start of Lovetown. What is the concrete evidence that Songs of Experience is coming really soon, followed by the 'experience' part of this tour? I can see both being shelved.

 

[Kieran McConville]

I'd believe anything when I see it, but the prevalence of 9 threads and counting about a 'new album' is, well, a touching exercise in faith, I think.

 

[Kieran McConville]

OMG Adam's on the Underground! He smiled! His bodyguard shows a revolver, when I get too close...

 

[BoMac]

I am still unsure why everyone is getting pumped for SoE. Sure, I'm on one of the most downcast here, but all signs point to there being a huge delay for SoE. The "innocence" part of the tour finished nine months ago. By the time this corporate wankfest concert takes place there will have been more time elapsed between the "innocence" leg and this mystical "experience" leg than the time between the end of the JT tour and the start of Lovetown. What is the concrete evidence that Songs of Experience is coming really soon, followed by the 'experience' part of this tour? I can see both being shelved.

It'll be here sooner than you think.

 

[cobl04]

I will be ecstatic to be proven wrong. But my position is it won't see the light of day in 2016, maybe ever.

 

[iron yuppie]

What is the concrete evidence that Songs of Experience is coming really soon, followed by the 'experience' part of this tour? I can see both being shelved.

None. There's just the usual people claiming mysterious inside info that has never once panned out and some speculation that some of their roadies have some dates blocked out on their calendars, as though everyone even remotely in U2's circle lives solely for U2 and cannot possibly have obligations outside of them.

 

[mikal]

I will be ecstatic to be proven wrong. But my position is it won't see the light of day in 2016, maybe ever.

Sure, it's U2 and they could easily get cold feet last minute but where we currently stand, all signs point to things happening in a few weeks.


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[u2popmofo]

I will be ecstatic to be proven wrong. But my position is it won't see the light of day in 2016, maybe ever.

When we do get it, they'll claim they have so much material that we'll be getting a second album a few months later.

 

[Hewson]

Peace and love.

Or else!

 

[Mack_Again]

Oh come on Cobbler.

 

[BVS]

there will have been more time elapsed between the "innocence" leg and this mystical "experience" leg than the time between the end of the JT tour and the start of Lovetown.

Not true, and a very odd choice of comparison...


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[mikal]

Funny how people rip on the "other place" yet I see more irrational opinions in this thread than over there.

#awwwshitmikalwentthere


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[iron yuppie]

Hot take there, Mikal.

 

[mikal]

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[lazarus]

For those steering clear of The Other Place, a reputable poster claims we're going to see some SC action this week.


Hoping this doesn't mean another index finger high-one between Boner and Tim Cock.

 

[martha]

I forgot that SC mant Shuttlecock, and thought it meant Songs of Cocksperience.

 

[PhilsFan]

I never even considered the possibility they'd actually release something this year, so this would be quite a pleasant surprise.

 

[namkcuR]

I fully understand why people would be cynical about U2 following through, but for me, once they actually named the tour Innocence+Experience, I guess I just thought they couldn't possibly be so not-with-it that they'd publicly announce SOE was coming sooner rather than later, name the tour after both albums, and then not release the album/continue the tour within a reasonable time frame. I thought, to do that would be such a blunder that no one would ever believe anything they said ever again.

So I've always felt that SOE would come. That it's late-career U2, so it might take a bit, but that surely we'll have it by the end of the year at least.

We'll see.