SOE - Part 8 - iHeart Beach CLips

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dan_smee

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New thread time.

Current thinking is that a single, and possibly an album, in mid-late September. The latest date proposed for the album is 17 November.

The big news from the last thread is the emergence of some Beach clips for what we are assuming is the first single. A poppier tune that is provisionally being called 'The Best Thing' or 'You're the Best Thing About Me'.

Cleaned and merged beach clip (from the two floating around) can be found here:

https://clyp.it/dhiz2d22
 
Valencia are at it again:

Tiempo de rumores y grabaciones de videoclips.. Próximas semanas muy importantes para #U2 #SOE #Songsofexperience

Time of rumors and recordings of music videos... Next few weeks very important for #U2 #SOE #Songsofexperience


Is that an old or new photo on their twitter page?
 
That's from Q magazine - the issue that had Bono on it, recently.

Valencia are probably just guessing. We know they've got a single coming in a few weeks, so yeah, they'll be filming a video.
 
in the clip that I heard, I can't make out any guitar (acoustic or otherwise)....is that what everyone else is hearing? I don't mind the melody but it has to have a prominent guitar line otherwise I might struggle with it.
 
in the clip that I heard, I can't make out any guitar (acoustic or otherwise)....is that what everyone else is hearing? I don't mind the melody but it has to have a prominent guitar line otherwise I might struggle with it.

There's definitely a (albeit subtle) guitar riff in the u2byu2 clip. It's following the chord progression, quite muted, no effects or anything... i.e. very different from typical chimey delay Edge.

You can hear it quite clearly during the 'instrumental' part (where there's a funny effect remixing Bono's vocals).
 
there's also this variation on the beach clip, which some argue is some kind of fan made remix

https://www.facebook.com/U2ByU2/videos/1769268380017703/

personally, I think it's legit, and indicative of an attempt at a "Get Lucky" style single

Agreed, I think it sounds exactly like U2 trying to go all in/no compromises after 2016 pop. Maybe wishful thinking on my part, though...

Personally I think it's more dignified and rational than bastardized 'classic U2 things'+pop sheen like SFS and EBW (and I don't hate either song, I just think they should have picked their direction... EBW, either ape Adele all the way ('single version') or scratch the Tedder chorus and make a big atmospheric meandering melancholy U2 song. SFS, scratch that horrible chorus from that excellent verse. Etc.).
 
Yeah, I think i agree with that sentiment. If the finished song is as pop as this beach clip lets on, then some might argue (I'm sure critics will) that U2 are 'giving in' and following trends rather than defining them. And they'd be right, i guess. It might be more 'admirable' to do something more unique.

But there's something cool about them going all in, saying "fuck it, we want to do a dance song, so we're doing a dance song".

Given how hesitant they can be to commit to a sound (Eno & Lanois Morocco, or 2013 Danger Mouse), and how often the mishmash of several styles can sound like a half-way house rather than a bold direction (to me at least), there's something refreshing about how this beach clip doesn't seem to give a fuck about being what it is. It's happy to be a dance tune, and it seems to be exactly that.
 
Yeah, I think i agree with that sentiment. If the finished song is as pop as this beach clip lets on, then some might argue (I'm sure critics will) that U2 are 'giving in' and following trends rather than defining them. And they'd be right, i guess. It might be more 'admirable' to do something more unique.

But there's something cool about them going all in, saying "fuck it, we want to do a dance song, so we're doing a dance song".

Given how hesitant they can be to commit to a sound (Eno & Lanois Morocco, or 2013 Danger Mouse), and how often the mishmash of several styles can sound like a half-way house rather than a bold direction (to me at least), there's something refreshing about how this beach clip doesn't seem to give a fuck about being what it is. It's happy to be a dance tune, and it seems to be exactly that.


This whole thing reminds me of the Killers releasing Human as the lead off Day & Age. The most unashamed dance track in their catalogue, it was wildly different to the rest of the album, but it worked. Now, of course I don't know if the whole album sounds like this or not, I am assuming and recent comments of rawness lead me to believe the situation is similar. I actually don't give a shit if it seems like pandering - I just want it to be good. I feel positive about this album - more so that their actions appear to indicate a degree of confidence in the work that we haven't seen since the ATyCLB release.


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If the single is as dancey as the Facebook video, I'd be down to give it a shot. Reminds me of Pop, but without the excessive production that I thought drowned out some good melodies.
 
A full on dance track is what they aimed at with Crystal Ballroom. It was quite gutsy for U2. But it ended up a b-side... So let's hope they go all the way with this one. Even if it's different from the rest.
 
This whole thing reminds me of the Killers releasing Human as the lead off Day & Age. The most unashamed dance track in their catalogue, it was wildly different to the rest of the album, but it worked. Now, of course I don't know if the whole album sounds like this or not, I am assuming and recent comments of rawness lead me to believe the situation is similar. I actually don't give a shit if it seems like pandering - I just want it to be good. I feel positive about this album - more so that their actions appear to indicate a degree of confidence in the work that we haven't seen since the ATyCLB release.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

Yeah there are good indications that SoE will be pretty eclectic. But if the songs are good, that's all that matters. And if they're uncompromising (the dance songs are full-on dance songs, the rock songs are face-melting rock songs), then even better.

It would be so damn refreshing and revitalising if they released an album that sounds confident in its direction, cohesive and uncompromising, rather than second-guessed and convoluted (which imo the last couple of albums did, which was their major flaw).

I don't care about pandering either. Honestly, even though it's just a beach clip, whenever i go back and listen i really enjoy what i hear. And u2 are masters of upbeat, heart-on-their-sleeve joyful anthems. That's what truly defines them for me now. Sometimes i might be disappointed that they don't revisit 90's sounds or make some crazy new guitar effects, but ultimately those big anthems are what counts, and this new tune definitely has that vibe. Can't wait to get a finished version :up:

Out of curiosity, what actions give off the 'confidence' vibe? Is it the short of amount of time in making the album?
 
Good points.


I think our expectations keep us from enjoying what is, more often than not.


I have a feeling that there are going to be many people around these parts disappointed because they're expecting 45 mins of stuff like that clip Adam shared from the studio

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Yeah, at least one other forum seemed to implode because of how commercial/un-rock the clip was.

To be fair, it's quite a curveball. After the trend of Vertigo, GoYB, Miracle, then Jolyon Thomas (of Slaves fame) producing SoE, descriptions of 'aggressive' sounds, and that instagram clip... pretty much everything pointed to an even further commitment to a rock sound.

My only real fear is that what we heard was only a remix, maybe a bonus track included with the original version... hopefully that's not what happens.
 
Since that fateful release of the single Get On Your Boots, U2 machinery has not been the same.

literally pulling promoting NLOTH, playing a remix live and give much rotation your songs (something that if I applaud) scoring to force his album in the iPhone and not releasing singles, starting a tour and stop a year to prepare another disk.

That is, he has not had continuity until the Vertigo tour had been present, now everything seems so unstable sometimes miscalculated what they will do.
 
If the single is as dancey as the Facebook video, I'd be down to give it a shot. Reminds me of Pop, but without the excessive production that I thought drowned out some good melodies.

So, I don't know much about music structure, harmony, melody and so forth. And every time I read a post about this stuff, especially the concept of "over production" "over produced" I just go :doh:

And I'm not diminishing this post, I'd just like an example of a song that is "over produced" and how or why is that conclusion reached?

Then, the Quincy MD in me wants to know, "what songs would be described as "under produced" and "not enough production" ?"

I don't think I've ever read a post that says, "yeah, I like the track, but it was way way under produced"

So, kill some more time to September and help a guy out please.
 
So, I don't know much about music structure, harmony, melody and so forth. And every time I read a post about this stuff, especially the concept of "over production" "over produced" I just go :doh:

And I'm not diminishing this post, I'd just like an example of a song that is "over produced" and how or why is that conclusion reached?

Then, the Quincy MD in me wants to know, "what songs would be described as "under produced" and "not enough production" ?"

I don't think I've ever read a post that says, "yeah, I like the track, but it was way way under produced"

So, kill some more time to September and help a guy out please.


here's a handy list. from wikipedia

An overproduced sound is some combination of the following:
  • Heavy use of audio processing effects such as reverb, delay, or dynamic range compression.
  • Heavy layering or multitracking; in the context of pop and rock music, this may refer to the addition of elements such as chorused vocals or backing strings.
  • Radio versions of songs pushed to be more "pop" through the use of loud drum beats or other instrumentation changes.
  • Heavy use of pitch correction, time correction, or quantization.
  • A recording overseen by a producer who "imposes" his own distinctive "sound" or techniques on a band or artist; Producers frequently accused of this kind of "overproduction" include Phil Spector[1][2] and Mutt Lange.[3]

I think U2 suffers most from the bolded bullet points, and I think that over the last 20-ish years they've begun make songwriting choices based on what the studio can do for their songs.

EBW is a perfect example. Honestly, what's the point of the SOI version?
This band will never sit together in a room, play that song, and sound like that. It's not the product of those four guys. It's an arrangement and mix designed to sound like pop music in 2014, presumably for airplay. it's not one that serves the band and the song.

And they end up stripping it completely back in the end anyway. In doing so, lo and behold it carries way more impact! It sounds like them
 
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Hmm... for me I wouldn't use the phrase over/under production as i would good and bad production.

Stuff can get worked/reworked a lot, but come out nice - for example, Achtung Baby. So it's not a simple case of something being worked on 'too much'.

For me, good production makes each core instrument sound strong and clear, and gives the impression of a band of real musicians working together to make a cohesive sound. I like it when the music sounds real, and crisp.
That's just my opinion of good production though. Others might have different standards. I also know very little about production/mixing/engineering, so I'm sure there's a ton of stuff i haven't thought of.

But I think the last few U2 albums have been guilty of bad production (again, just in my opinion). There's a lack of 'strength' to the instruments, particularly the drums, and to me the excessive tearing apart of recordings by various producers - who are brought in one after the other rather than working together from the beginning - is very obvious.

The Miracle is a good example of this. it sounds like there is a wall of different instruments and different takes being thrown at the listener. The guitar and drums at times (mainly the verses) seem so dialled back, and change up and down in volume throughout the whole song so much that it never feels like real people playing, just a bunch of different recordings on top of each other. It's phenomenal how different the song sounds when played live, because then it really is just 4 people and 4 instruments. The fact it's so different is telling of how over-bearing the studio recording is.

So yeah, other people can have different opinions on this. I think strong, clear, defined instruments that sound real, are good indications of good production. And personally, i love hearing strong, bassy drums. Something U2 have definitely not had for the past couple of albums.

I actually think Daft Punk's 'Get Lucky' is an example of production that i like:



The beach clip sounds like it has quite a simple arrangement, so i'm hoping that they manage to pull off better production than something like the miracle.
 
EBW is a perfect example. Honestly, what's the point of the SOI version?
This band will never sit together in a room, play that song, and sound like that. It's not the product of those four guys. It's an arrangement and mix designed to sound like pop music in 2014, presumably for airplay. it's not one that serves the band and the song.

And they end up stripping it completely back in the end anyway. In doing so, lo and behold it carries way more impact! It sounds like them

gotta say, a couple years later I much prefer the full band version. I was really into the promo versions with the string sections for awhile, and it was nice when Larry and Adam came in.

the ie version left me pretty underwhelmed, and I thought it really killed the energy. I saw them 18 times last summer, and to this day I still think The Troubles was received much, much better than EBW -- granted I only saw Troubles twice.
 
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