Right, here we go (If anyone cares!)
Vertigo - Cool song, great guitars, good start to the album
Miracle Drug - Amazing on first couple of listens (and hopefully future ones!) Vocally and lyrically good
SYCMIOYO - Beautiful ballad. Sod the debate about this and ONE, they're both different, and both wonderful. And I will still be loving this one in 13 years time. The falsetto chorus is just
LAPOE - Great hook to the song. I can understand the Zeppelin references to this one now. Should sound cool live
COBL - Powerful song to rival STREETS (not now, maybe in a few years time) Love the long intro, which builds beautifully.
ABOY - Nice riff again from Edge, not sure id like to see this one as a single (though I think we will) in that respect, it would be too similar to VERTIGO. By that I mean that they've already released a 'rocker' to get the masses attention. Id go for SYCMIOYO next
AMAAW - My favourite so far. I cant really explain why. I think the lyrics really hit home for me personally at the moment, with things that are going on in my life (I know! Boo-fuckin-hoo!)
It's also so different from anything ive heard from the boys, for a very long time. I love it.
CFYT AND OST - Both of these have yet to grab me by the bollocks and take me anywhere yet, but it's only been one listen for each of them so far, and at the moment, there doesnt seem anything bad about either.
OOTS - Ive loved this song since hearing the live Apple version. It's wonderful. Beautiful music, beautiful lyrics. Only thing is...I think the "De dit dit" bit is gonna have to grow on me!
Yahweh - After all the reviews on this one, I wondered how I was gonna react to it, and I can tell u now, that I love it. Imo, it's the best closer since LOVE IS BLINDNESS. No disrespect to all the others since then, but this song just took me somewhere, even on the 1st listen. Just Bono singing "Yahweeehh" for the whole song probably would've done it for me! The ending was very like STAY imo too. Great stuff.
Fast Cars - Nice bonus to have (would've liked Mercy too)
but this is more than good enough. I love the way Bono sings this one throughout most of the song. Again, it's different to anything else.
All in all then, after listening only once, twice in a couple of cases, I can conclude that, for me this is a great album. I cant be assed to compare it to this an that, not just yet anyway. I enjoyed it a hell of a lot more on first listen than ATYCLB (which I do love of course).
In fact, I cant believe that there's only 2 songs (CFYT and OSC) that im gonna have to listen to a few more times to REALLY start to love.
Cant wait to hear some of these live, it will be amazing.
For me, the hype has been worth every minute. It's a great record, and a wonderful return to 80's epic sounding U2.
9/10 - It WILL be 10 pretty soon, when CFYT and OSC have grown on me.