Songs of Experience - Part V

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Oregoropa

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The waiting continues. I just woke up from a dream where they announced the album would go on sale in 6 hours and the Internet just exploded with buzz.


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So I've been on the positive side of this all along but I'm even starting to think that an album this year is looking less and less likely. If they were to follow the same format of releasing in September with little build up, maybe there's no reason to panic. But if we don't know more than we do today come late July, then I think it's time to worry big time.
 
So I've been on the positive side of this all along but I'm even starting to think that an album this year is looking less and less likely. If they were to follow the same format of releasing in September with little build up, maybe there's no reason to panic. But if we don't know more than we do today come late July, then I think it's time to worry big time.

Seems like that's a common theme/thread around here, "If we don't hear by...."

The secret route is plausible, and seems to be the trend. Or announce the album will be out in a few days to get a buzz going.

But U2 likes big. It has to be an event.

Honestly I'm not even that excited for SOE. My hopes are it's a bit more rough around the edges, something different than the 2000's sound. NLOTH had a different sound, but they kind of pooped on it with the middle songs (though I still like GOYB).

I'll be really happy if Bono's voice isn't so damn prominent in the mix.
 
The tour announcement or lack of is what I'm kind of shocked at. The last interview Edge gave, he made the comment that something would be announced soon (regardless of an album).

I think that was late April, so still time. I like mikal's timeline of no news by July, and it's looking like nothing for 2016
 
I think we'll see SOE at some point this year, but it may be at the expense of the IE tour continuing this fall. Maybe, we'll see.
 
The tour announcement or lack of is what I'm kind of shocked at. The last interview Edge gave, he made the comment that something would be announced soon (regardless of an album).

I think that was late April, so still time. I like mikal's timeline of no news by July, and it's looking like nothing for 2016

Maybe Edge's comment was about the DVD?

That interview with Tedder does not make me excited :sad:, specially this part... I don't like ATYCLB that much anymore

He said that U2’s classic 2000 album provided a benchmark of sorts. “It’s the most exciting stuff I’ve heard since All That You Can’t Leave Behind. And that album cover was on the wall; [it was] saying ‘Match or beat this record.'”
 
Maybe Edge's comment was about the DVD?

That interview with Tedder does not make me excited :sad:, specially this part... I don't like ATYCLB that much anymore

The following quote makes me :huh:

It’s a very, very accessible sounding record. But it’s not pop. It’s just great. It’s like: I would buy this album. And I know that a lot of our younger fans would buy, or stream, the album

I thought that SOE will sound a bit more sophisticated... maybe edgier. I am not sure if I like a very very accessible sounding record.
 
One thing I'll give ATYCLB credit for is that it has a very consistent atmosphere throughout, which I feel SOI also sort of accomplishes.

Wish the songs in the 2nd half of the album were a bit stronger, but I can see why ATYCLB was thought of so highly both publicly and at this forum back in 2000/2001.
 
One thing I'll give ATYCLB credit for is that it has a very consistent atmosphere throughout, which I feel SOI also sort of accomplishes.

Wish the songs in the 2nd half of the album were a bit stronger, but I can see why ATYCLB was thought of so highly both publicly and at this forum back in 2000/2001.


Total agreement. Bomb and Nloth are just slapped together


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Yes. ATYCLB was their last album. The back songs weren't that strong, but New York live helped. And I was never bothered by Wild Honey. Apparently the band didn't like that one either. Or maybe Larry didn't.

POE was really the only song that did nothing. Just wasn't an interesting song.


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Honestly the thing I take away from that little piece is how he keeps referring to it as "the album" ... "this album" ... of course I'm reading too much into it, but it's a little more promising than hearing something like "these are the best ideas they've had in ____ years" or something to that effect.

I still expect it this year, with a quick announce/release schedule and a tour announcement. *shrug*

Edit: That quote from Tedder is a bit in-line with what Adam Scott Aukerman said after hearing some new songs last summer... maybe? I'm trying to remember what they said about the songs.
 
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Honestly the thing I take away from that little piece is how he keeps referring to it as "the album" ... "this album" ... of course I'm reading too much into it, but it's a little more promising than hearing something like "these are the best ideas they've had in ____ years" or something to that effect.

I still expect it this year, with a quick announce/release schedule and a tour announcement. *shrug*

Edit: That quote from Tedder is a bit in-line with what Adam Scott Aukerman said after hearing some new songs last summer... maybe? I'm trying to remember what they said about the songs.


"I've never seen them this focused" means to me that he's saying they are even bigger pains in the ass with their tinkering on this record but I do agree with you that the take away is that he seems to have talked about it as a near complete album and not "lost in the music".

I think it's just about done and they are waiting to line it up with their tour and promotion schedule.

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Am I a musically uncultured slut for liking OneRepublic's first album?


......Yes, I realize this sounds likes a Mack_Again post. (don't take it personally Mack ;) )


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How can he say "he's never seen the band this focused" when none of the band members appear to even be in the same part of the world with one another? :|
 
How can he say "he's never seen the band this focused" when none of the band members appear to even be in the same part of the world with one another? :|

Because he's there in the studio with them ...

Focused U2 is good.

As for ATYCLB ; I appreciate the reinvention and what BD did for their career. That said I always think it's the one album that fell short of their plan. Instead of going all the way with the pop record idea they abandoned the idea after Wild honey and the album never really recovers from the change in mood with Peace on Earth. Also the songwriting really drops in quality after In a little while.
 
Can't let all this ATYCLB talk go by without mentioning WILATW. I love that song. It has an amazing atmosphere / vibe that I wish U2 would make happen more often. The last few songs on SOI sort of accomplish this too. Makes me hopeful for SOE.

For mine, it's all about Bono not over reaching with his vocals. I like vocal subtlety, both with the delivery and the mix.
 
I saw another thread that had a rumor a couple weeks back that the band were going to announce the tour DVD and new tour dates together. Then, no announcements at all happened (though the DVD was leaked), at around the same time we get an Instagram post of them in the studio, and when the DVD is announced, there's no tour announcement with it.

Obviously could be coincidence, but if not, it suggests they backed out of tour plans to continue work on SoE.

Last timeframe we got was that SoE is planned for the end of/late 2016, so my guess is (if things go well in the studio), we'll get the album around September-November, and they'll tour in early 2017.

Seems to me they keep pushing the tour back, and also keep working on SoE. That's great news for me, because it likely means wanting an album out before they tour again. Way I see it, the moment they announce new tour dates with no album, SoE is fucked.
 
Two things I'm not really sure about now:

1: So is Ryan Tedder producing Songs of Experience? Or has he just heard it as someone close to the band?

2: When he talks about how "accessible" an album is, is he referring to SoE, or ATYCLB? It's not so clear to me.

Anyway, to me the biggest news is that SoE now consists primarily of new songs, and very little leftover material from SoI. Many previous interviews with the band indicated that SoE was made up of SoI session leftovers, which I think gave the impression they had a headstart/not too much work left.

Apparently they had an album "ready to go" at the end of last year, now they're still working on it with largely new material; sounds like they decided what they had in 2015 wasn't good enough, but nonetheless didn't scrap album plans, instead pushing the tour back to accommodate a (relatively) quick follow up.

I guess any Danger Mouse influence is gone (which based on how SoI sessions ended, is not surprising).

As for Tedder's comments: well it certainly sounds like any 'rough' or 'aggressive' elements are being replaced with more radio friendly ones. So, typical vibe to post-Pop U2 albums, which is not that surprising, albeit disappointing (I was so curious to hear a more rough, less self-conscious album. Sounds like the 'Get out of your own way' song/mentality was likely, well, gotten in the way of).

Ah well. I still like u2's catchy pop songs and riffs. Not ideal, but I do like the miracle and Sfs, and frankly would rather they try and write tunes that connect than disappear into Passengers part 2 (no offense towards that album, just not my preferred destination).
 
Also. For ATYCLB, I recommend the original tracklist. Not sure why the band changed it last minute.

1. Beautiful Day
2. Elevation
3. Walk On
4. Stuck In A Moment
5. Peace On Earth
6. Kite
7. New York
8. In A Little While
9. Wild Honey
10. When I Look At The World
11. Grace

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Also. For ATYCLB, I recommend the original tracklist. Not sure why the band changed it last minute.

1. Beautiful Day
2. Elevation
3. Walk On
4. Stuck In A Moment
5. Peace On Earth
6. Kite
7. New York
8. In A Little While
9. Wild Honey
10. When I Look At The World
11. Grace

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Didn't know this was intended originally, but it seems better on paper


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Didn't know this was intended originally, but it seems better on paper


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Yeah that's how they had it listed on their website all the way up to release day.

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