Random Music Talk XXXVII: Powerhour cares more about Spotify than you do

[martha]

So greed and poor artistic choices negate past talent and greatness?

 

[LemonMelon]

Laz cares more about things than just about anyone.

Shouter being the exception, obviously.

 

[lazarus]

RE: Sticky Fingers & Let It Bleed, I'm not disputing that. Those along with Exile are beter than most albums by anybody.

But their window of relevance was way, way shorter than Shuttlecock's. Unless you want to argue that Dirty Work or Undercover were regarded as highly as ATYCLC.

 

[lazarus]

So greed and poor artistic choices negate past talent and greatness?

Wasn't this brought up because they were getting made fun of in The Other Place? I'm just saying, they're q bunch of old dudes who don't make good music anymore, and simply exist to ring the cash register, and occasionally drag out their bones to slog through a jukebox of pre-1980's songs or record new material that isn't even in the same galaxy as their great compositions.

How is that existence deserving of immunity from scorn and ridicule?

 

[LemonMelon]

http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f189/u2-band-in-crisis-211400-35.html#post7291055

Maybe Shouter has some caring competition here.

Creepy post.

 

[u2popmofo]

Substitute 1980's with 2000, and you could make that argument about U2 word for word.

I'm not saying I think that, I'm just saying that opinion on this kind of crap is so subjective and arbitrary, that it's hardly worth mentioning, let alone mentioning it on a regular basis.

 

[martha]

You clarified your point.

I hate selling songs to commercials nearly as much as you do, Laz, but I don't discount a band's entire back catalogue when they whore themselves. Now that you clarified your point, I think you don't either.

 

[LemonMelon]

I really, truly do not want us to discuss relevance here, but...

Substitute 1980's with 2000, and you could make that argument about U2 word for word.

Pretty sure ATYCLB sold more than all of the Stones' post-Tattoo You albums, combined.

 

[lazarus]

Substitute 1980's with 2000, and you could make that argument about U2 word for word.

LOL, not quite. For one thing. Shuttlecock's setlists have btw 1/4 and 1/3 post-90's songs, which is significantly more than the Stones have toured with in like 25 years, as we've previously discussed. And whatever you may think of ATYCLC or HTMAAS, they have more strong tracks than any Stones album after Some Girls, destroy anything post Tattoo You in sales. Consider that heir big comeback Steel Wheels only went 2x platinum here, and that's pre-SoundScan, pre-illegal downloading.

Yeah, taste is subjective, but we're on a Shuttlecock board and you should know enough to recognize that the level they're operating on, in relevance, in the studio, and on stage, is clearly higher than where the Stones were at 30 years into their career (which would be the Voodoo Lounge era, incidentally). There was sure as fuck no Moment of Service from those guys back in 1994.

 

[mobvok]

You all disappoint me in your lack of commenting on the kick ass new Mutemath:

INSERT VIDEO HERE

I think I only remember the name Mutemath for being on the Transformers soundtrack with Linkin Park so I've sort of shied away from listening to them all bigot-like, but that was pretty good.

also, stuff:
‪Have Love, Will Travel - The Sonics‬‏ - YouTube

 

[corianderstem]

I should probably make sure I can even get tickets before booking this stuff...

Shouldn't be a problem. There are still tickets at almost every level available on Ticketmaster, and many fans seem to have extras to sell.

 

[iron yuppie]

Need I list the times Jagg€r & Co. have let some corporation use one of their songs to sell some random product in exchange for cold, hard cash?

Whereas Shuttlecock worked WITH Apple to promote a revolutionary music-listening device and music downloading service. They also took no money. Big difference.

And if you can't see the creativity, however compromised, in No Net vs. the disposable dreck the Stones have been putting out since the late 70's, I don't know what to tell you.

Tattoo You, a collection of leftovers and outtakes for the most part, has some great tracks but is not anywhere near a masterpiece.

I really do not see how No Line is creative in any sense of the term. Tossing an Arabic cello in one song and some bird sounds in another does not make for a daring album, and it really seems as though you are the only one in this whole forum who sees No Line as anything more than standard-issue U2. I understand liking the individual songs, but claiming that it is an experimental album is something else entirely.

I would also argue that U2 seeing an enormous, untapped market in the iPod commercial is the epitome of capitalist opportunism - not to mention that they issued a completely disposable singles collection and an unnecessary super-box set of the Rose Bowl show, dodged numerous taxes by strategic business placement, and dragged an environmental monstrosity around the globe twice over. It is their right to do most of these things, but ultimately U2 are far more guilty of extreme capitalist behavior than The Rolling Stones.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

This argument will not end well

 

[powerhour24]

iYup, laz called No Line compromised, but it's origin however buried did show creative life in the band. Can we end this incessant Stones v. U2 thing, U2 doesn't release an 'album' purely for the sake of touring and flogging a brainless audience of over 50 year olds who stopped listening to new music in the 80s. Even if you have not been a fan of their 2000s work, they only come around when they've got something new they're proud of. Also, U218 was released purely to finish off their contract with Island so they could change labels.

 

[powerhour24]

I think I only remember the name Mutemath for being on the Transformers soundtrack with Linkin Park so I've sort of shied away from listening to them all bigot-like, but that was pretty good.

Mutemath did a jokey cover of the cartoon theme song that is not even in the movie, don't throw their lot in with those others, they're one of the most talented rock bands out there, seriously.

 

[Jive Turkey]

Shouldn't be a problem. There are still tickets at almost every level available on Ticketmaster, and many fans seem to have extras to sell.

OoooOoooo good to know

 

[LemonMelon]

So we just received a new copy of Spin. I nearly threw it in the garbage instantly.

WHAT NEVERMIND MEANS NOW
AN EXCUSE TO SELL MAGAZINES, GEARING UP FOR ANOTHER 20 YEARS OF FORCING UPON EVERYONE BITCHY PIXIES DERIVATIONS

THE ALBUM THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD FOREVER ZOMGGGGGG
NEXT ISSUE: WHY SAXOPHONES AND SYNTHESIZERS ARE ON EVERYTHING NOW

PREVIEW OF IN UTERO ANNIVERSARY
105 WAYS TO PISS ON A FAR MORE INTERESTING RECORD

Fucking fuck.

 

[powerhour24]

 

[lazarus]

Thanks for replying to iYup, powerhour. I can't do any more long replies on my phone right now.

But one thing, I never called No Net "experimental". But creativity is possible without it, and to call it "standard-issue Shuttlecock", completely ignoring the substantial musical and lyrical differences between it and the two previous albums, especially w/r/t the writing and recording process with Beano & Patois' heavier contributions, is pretty fucking obtuse.

 

[powerhour24]

Seriously, part of me will always be mad at what we got as No Line on the Horizon versus what it could have been, but it still has some of the band's better tunes and is their strongest work in my opinion since Zooropa.

 

[LemonMelon]

I listen to tracks 1-4, then skip to track 8 and it's like Steve Lillywhite never happened.

 

[powerhour24]

I'm still partial to this:

Soon
Breathe
Magnificent
Moment of Surrender
Unknown Caller
No Line on the Horizon
Fez-Being Born
Cedars of Lebanon
Winter (Brothers)
White as Snow
Every Breaking Wave

That right there is my third favorite U2 'album', and it could have been even better if we'd heard the full out EBW or the other tracks in their Fez form.

 

[powerhour24]

I listen to tracks 1-4, then skip to track 8 and it's like Steve Lillywhite never happened.

Lillywhite has the sole producer credit on Breathe, .

 

[LemonMelon]

Lillywhite has the sole producer credit on Breathe, .

Which he didn't write a note of, thankfully. The song itself had been long, long in place before he went HTDAAB on it with his mix (the only thing he contributed; he was asked to work on it only after it was written in full for a second time), so it remained an excellent track. I would be curious to know what the original set of lyrics sounded like, the more "surreal and personal" stuff, but they're perfectly functional as is.

 

[powerhour24]

True, U2 tore up the version from Fez and re-did it. That's one we haven't really heard a scrap from in Fez. Wasn't there a version of the lyric that was about Nelson Mandela or was that a different track? I love Breathe and while it isn't the cleanest mix it's hardly Bomb territory either.

 

[LemonMelon]

I do believe that was the Nelson Mandela track, yes. I'll admit to Breathe perhaps needing a little more bite, and a little less gracefully kneeling sunburst soul, but it's one of those inspirational U2 songs that really gets me excited. I dunno if it's Larry's drum intro, Bono's delivery or Edge's tasteful solo, but everything really clicks into place.

Ugh, why aren't they playing it live anymore?

 

[powerhour24]

Because they put it in the wrong spot and the stadium crowd whined. I always pictured it as an encore opener. Also, it should have been a fucking summer single in 2009. It's one of U2's better anthems.

 

[PhilsFan]

Breathe and Cedars of Lebanon are the only tracks that Edge did anything interesting on from NLOTH.

 

[powerhour24]

I would put Being Born & NLOTH in that category. And while the tone is Edge-tastic, I love the riff on Magnificent to death.

Also, while it wasn't the most creative thing to do, he did redo the melody from the hymn 'My Savior's Love' as the solo for UC, it added a nice extra layer to the meaning of the song, and isn't something you see in rock music, let alone from a huge band.

 

[Imperor]

Knee-jerk: Color me disappointed after a couple listens to the new Little Dragon. But I still love you, Yukimi.