Finally we have an album: SONGS OF INNOCENCE!! DISCUSSION THREAD ONLY

[powerhour24]

I think there are probably lots of elements to the deal we're not privy too...more promotion, possible tie in with the tour, a push on U2's back catalogue, more product tie-ins, Beats, etc. My understudying is that it's a multilayered, multi-year deal. This is just the first step.

I think it's probably a good arrangement for both parties. The best deals are.

I just don't see what the most valuable company in the world will gain from a few promo connections with a band of 50 year olds. In 2004 Apple was still on the rise and U2 was still able to make an impact on Top 40 radio. Now things have changed. Both are valuable to their industries, but both now have their big audiences all locked up, and aren't likely to bring in a lot of new blood with their current offerings (though the stunt of putting the record in everyone's libraries will undoubtedly get a few spins from young'n's that wouldn't have checked it otherwise I suppose).

 

[powerhour24]

And let's not forget, another member of the U2 family has a new record out today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXpcB5qh-Wo

I'm so pumped for his tour this fall. Probably a little less than getting to see the Wrecking Ball tour he did with Emmylou earlier this year, but still .

 

[prbiker15]

That's enough U2 for today. What a day, what a fantastic album. U2 are fucking back!

 

[Nick66]

I just don't see what the most valuable company in the world will gain from a few promo connections with a band of 50 year olds. In 2004 Apple was still on the rise and U2 was still able to make an impact on Top 40 radio. Now things have changed. Both are valuable to their industries, but both now have their big audiences all locked up, and aren't likely to bring in a lot of new blood with their current offerings (though the stunt of putting the record in everyone's libraries will undoubtedly get a few spins from young'n's that wouldn't have checked it otherwise I suppose).

I think the "Letter from Bono" yields quite a few clues:

09 September 2014
'Remember Us?'
A letter from Bono, on the arrival 'of our new baby' - Songs of Innocence.

'Hello, bonjour, ciao, hola, hallo, zdravo, dobar dan, Dia duit, hæ, hej,hei, cześć, olá, ćao, namaste, sawatdee, jambo, pozdravi, Γεια σου, привіт, שלום, مرحبا, こんにちは, , سلام, 你好, Привет….

Remember us? Pleased to announce myself, Edge, Adam and Larry have finally given birth to our new baby… Songs of Innocence. It’s been a while. We wanted to get it right for you/us. We just finished it last week and thanks to Apple and iTunes it’s with you today. That’s already amazing to me as it normally takes a few months to turn this stuff around.

Part of the DNA of this band has always been the desire to get our music to as many people as possible. In the next 24 hours, over a half a billion people are going to have Songs of Innocence… should they choose to check it out. That is so exciting. People who haven’t heard our music, or weren’t remotely interested, might play us for the first time because we’re in their library. Country fans, hip hop afficionados from east LA, electro poppers from Seoul, Bhangra fans from New Delhi, Highlifers in Accra… might JUST be tempted to check us out, even for a moment. What a mind blowing, head scratching, 21st century situation. Over 500 million people… that’s a billion ears. And for the people out there who have no interest in checking us out, look at it this way… the blood, sweat and tears of some Irish guys are in your junk mail.

You’ll have noticed the album is free to U2.com’ers from the band. It’s also free to everyone on iTunes thanks to Apple. To celebrate the ten year anniversary of our iPod commercial, they bought it as a gift to give to all their music customers. Free, but paid for. Because if no-one's paying anything for it, we’re not sure “free” music is really that free. It usually comes at a cost to the art form and the artist… which has big implications, not for us in U2, but for future musicians and their music... all the songs that have yet to be written by the talents of the future… who need to make a living to write them.

We’re collaborating with Apple on some cool stuff over the next couple of years, innovations that will transform the way music is listened to and viewed. We’ll keep you posted. If you like Songs of Innocence, stay with us for Songs of Experience. It should be ready soon enough… although I know I’ve said that before…

I hope after listening to our new long player a few times, you’ll understand why it took so long. We really went there… it’s a very, very personal album. Apologies if that gets excruciating… actually, I take that back. No apologies if it gets excruciating. What’s the point in being in U2 if you can’t go there?
There is no end to LOVE.'
BONO

 

[flowerchildH]

I just can't get over the fact that, a week ago, I wouldn't have believed any of you that said we would be getting a new FULL album today. And 8 months ago, I would have done a lot to know what would be released. This all seems, if not worth the agony and frustration, then as close to being worth it as possible.

Attempted to watch the live feed while doing architectural measurements in the middle of Chicago today, which was a complete failure. Only to come home to listen to the entire album on a roof overlooking Michigan Avenue on a summer evening. This whole thing works better than I could ever have imagined. All of my cussing at Bono's indecisiveness was totally worth it. As were the weird looks from strangers as I was dancing on the bus home tonight only for me to explain to them why. And the weird looks from the Apple store employees when I went in to hug them as thanks for the new album since I couldn't hug Tim Cook.... It's been a long and odd day...


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[trevgreg]

I can't wait until people wake up tomorrow and say some form of "wait a minute, I didn't dream this after all, did I?"

 

[Nick66]

I'm so pumped for his tour this fall. Probably a little less than getting to see the Wrecking Ball tour he did with Emmylou earlier this year, but still .

Yep. Been a huge fan since the first time I heard Acadie.

 

[DomCobb]

Hey guys, first time poster, long time U2 listener. Signed up a few months ago but never posted. Well now I feel obliged to.

U2's my favorite band, but, while I love everything they've done, I don't think they've had a great album since Zooropa. Have they changed this? Maybe.

Anyway, just want to get my impressions in here: I've listened 2.5 times now and am really digging it. This is definitely U2 4.0. I expected it (they reboot every decade after all), but Ordinary Love and Invisible did not prepare me for this. This is truly a new page, maybe not as big a left turn as Achtung Baby but certainly more than ATYCLB.

So how do I feel about it? I like it. It's very un-U2, which in a way is kind of disappointing (part of me still hopes they get rid of all the electronic stuff and go back to the raw, but atmospheric, edge of War), but that doesn't mean I don't like the music. At least this version of U2 is interesting. If you ask me, while 00s U2 had some good material, at the end of the day I wouldn't mind much if I never listened to that stuff again (strange as HTDAAB got me into the band). It was all just kind of dull and boring to me. At best it felt like U2 imitating a band imitating U2. At worst it was Get On Your Boots. Enough said I think. I liked NLOTH but it was a real low in my opinion. Nothing to write home about. Sad proof that the band was losing steam.

So it's a relief to get this album, which feels as fresh as anything they've ever made. While it might not sound much like my favorite U2 era of the 80s, it's got the same spirit, and that makes me happy.

There are of course some things I'm not crazy about. There's no real stand out track here. They're all good and fit well together, but nothing that screams amazing (favorite is Volcano). I kind of miss when Bono used to have those tracks where he could build up to a really epic croon, like Bad and such. I don't see anything on here like that. I'm also really missing The Edge's signature wailing guitar. He's got good work here but nothing that really sounds like him. Of course no of the band sound like themselves, but I think the classic Edge sound could have fit in.

Now for an embarrassing admission. There are also some bits of songs that I don't think work. I'm not crazy about the chorus for Raised by Wolves, and wasn't really crazy about the sound of Bono's vocals at all on that one. I'm listening on my iPod and I went to settings to see if I could add some reverb. Then I realized my sound is set on mono audio (sometimes I only listen through one earphone). So I've been listening in mono the whole time. I just changed it. And it sounds so much better. Damn it. I got more listening to do.

 

[flowerchildH]

Ok, also, if they weren't going to release this album in the Spring, than what the crap did they think was better than this?


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[david]

I plugged some decent speakers into my laptop for the 6th listen and it made it so much better.

 

[Diemen]

Aaand it's time for the next thread.

 

[MrPryck2U]

Finally got the album. Just finished the first listen.


Thank you, U2! I never lost faith.