cobl04
45:33
I think this is going to be the last of my ‘yipee I have a new album’ threads. I won’t be getting another album for a while, at least not until after the concert in March. I really don’t want to have discovered all of U2’s albums in little over a year. So this is the last one, I promise.
A Sort of Homecoming was really the opening track that I wanted to hear – I was expecting a track of this calibre, with Edge’s ringing guitar, polished rhythm and great vocals. I didn’t know how it was going to sound, but from all that I had heard about TUF, I was half-expecting a track just like this. Originally I though there was too much going on in the background but it just adds to the great sound. 9
Pride Already heard it. 9
Wire was definitely not a track I was expecting. This track actually knocked me back a bit at first – especially the ‘cold man’ vocals part. But I loved it after two or three listens. I give this song a 9, and I reckon Adam owns about 3 or 4 of those points. My new favourite bass line – especially when it kicks in at 0:17. Awesome. The vocals are great, and I love the final verse when it just comes to a climax. Top stuff. 9
The Unforgettable Fire Already heard it. 9
Promenade
Well I’d heard a lot about this song, and I got the album just after this was declared the best non-single or least objectionable non-single from TUF. And I have to say I am quite disappointed. There are three better non-singles – ASOH, Wire and ISS. This song is okay, but it’s too short for my liking. The vocals are great, especially in the ‘And I, like a firework, explode’ part but on the whole too short. It will be a grower, I think. 6
Fourth of July
Why this was included at the expense of much better b-sides I don’t know. What I do know is I have to turn my stereo up almost full to hear it, and it doesn’t go anywhere. I like Bass Trap a lot better than this. 4
BadAlready heard it. [/b]10[/b]
Indian Summer Sky
Like Wire, this was another track I wasn’t expecting to hear. I didn’t think there was going to be any sort of hard-edged songs, let alone two. But this track is a gem. The vocals are great, guitar and bass and drums sound awesome together all tied in. I think the only thing that lets it down a bit are the lyrics – they’re good, but to me they don’t quite mesh that well. Still, a great track. 8
Elvis Presley and America
I would love to hear a reason why Brian Eno believed this track was finished. It has some potential, but it is hard to listen to because without lyrics I can hardly even make out the words, some are missing, some are sung quietly, some are Bonoglese. The instrumental is a bit annoying as well. Far too long as well. 5
MLK
Nice enough, but I was disappointed with it in terms of a closer. I thought it was a great album, but ended kind of on an anti-climax. It’s still a nice track, the instrumental is soothing, and the vocals are good, it actually kind of sounds African in a way. 5
Overall
I think this album has some absolutely terrific tracks, six of them in fact, but it’s let down by some tracks that I think could be better. I reckon the album could be a whole lot better with The Three Sunrises and Love Comes Tumbling replacing Fourth of July. But don’t get me wrong – I used to say any album with Pride, Bad and TUF on it is very good. Add three tracks to that – ASOH, Wire and ISS. I think this album is going to be a grower as well. It flows nicely.
And by the way – this is not a first listen review. I’ve had it for over a month.
A Sort of Homecoming was really the opening track that I wanted to hear – I was expecting a track of this calibre, with Edge’s ringing guitar, polished rhythm and great vocals. I didn’t know how it was going to sound, but from all that I had heard about TUF, I was half-expecting a track just like this. Originally I though there was too much going on in the background but it just adds to the great sound. 9
Pride Already heard it. 9
Wire was definitely not a track I was expecting. This track actually knocked me back a bit at first – especially the ‘cold man’ vocals part. But I loved it after two or three listens. I give this song a 9, and I reckon Adam owns about 3 or 4 of those points. My new favourite bass line – especially when it kicks in at 0:17. Awesome. The vocals are great, and I love the final verse when it just comes to a climax. Top stuff. 9
The Unforgettable Fire Already heard it. 9
Promenade
Well I’d heard a lot about this song, and I got the album just after this was declared the best non-single or least objectionable non-single from TUF. And I have to say I am quite disappointed. There are three better non-singles – ASOH, Wire and ISS. This song is okay, but it’s too short for my liking. The vocals are great, especially in the ‘And I, like a firework, explode’ part but on the whole too short. It will be a grower, I think. 6
Fourth of July
Why this was included at the expense of much better b-sides I don’t know. What I do know is I have to turn my stereo up almost full to hear it, and it doesn’t go anywhere. I like Bass Trap a lot better than this. 4
BadAlready heard it. [/b]10[/b]
Indian Summer Sky
Like Wire, this was another track I wasn’t expecting to hear. I didn’t think there was going to be any sort of hard-edged songs, let alone two. But this track is a gem. The vocals are great, guitar and bass and drums sound awesome together all tied in. I think the only thing that lets it down a bit are the lyrics – they’re good, but to me they don’t quite mesh that well. Still, a great track. 8
Elvis Presley and America
I would love to hear a reason why Brian Eno believed this track was finished. It has some potential, but it is hard to listen to because without lyrics I can hardly even make out the words, some are missing, some are sung quietly, some are Bonoglese. The instrumental is a bit annoying as well. Far too long as well. 5
MLK
Nice enough, but I was disappointed with it in terms of a closer. I thought it was a great album, but ended kind of on an anti-climax. It’s still a nice track, the instrumental is soothing, and the vocals are good, it actually kind of sounds African in a way. 5
Overall
I think this album has some absolutely terrific tracks, six of them in fact, but it’s let down by some tracks that I think could be better. I reckon the album could be a whole lot better with The Three Sunrises and Love Comes Tumbling replacing Fourth of July. But don’t get me wrong – I used to say any album with Pride, Bad and TUF on it is very good. Add three tracks to that – ASOH, Wire and ISS. I think this album is going to be a grower as well. It flows nicely.
And by the way – this is not a first listen review. I’ve had it for over a month.
umm... I'll pass.
