Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here (AKA New Album Speculation)

[Jive Turkey]

Do we have to bicker and debate about every effing label that anyone gives anything? That's not pop! That's not rock! That's not irony! That's not safe! That's not by-the-numbers! That's not my ass! Honestly.

I don't think Beautiful Day is all that amazing, but whatever. I know I'm in the minority on that one.

you're stupid!!!!!

Spoiler

!!!!!!!!!

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Well you're the one losing your cool over the matter.

Labels are stupid, but if you're gonna use them use them right. SIAMYCGOO is an example of pop rock from U2. So is Sweetest Thing. Beautiful Day, not so much.

 

[corianderstem]

That wasn't me 'losing my cool.'

You'll know when I lose my cool. I'll say 'fucking' instead of 'effing.'

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Beautiful Day isn't one of my favourite U2 songs, I doubt I've deliberately pulled it up for a listen in, seriously, perhaps half a decade. But it nails the brief. What U2 needed, what Bono in particular wanted, what a good pop-rock song needs at its core etc. Ticks off absolutely every box.

 

[coolian2]

That's not my ass!

uh oh

 

[corianderstem]

Yeah, I don't know where that came from. I rolled my eyes so hard while posting that I may sprained something in my brain.

 

[nirniva]

Aaaand we're off topic again. What a tremendous surprise!

At this point, I don't even think there is a topic.

 

[doctorwho]

Yeah, I don't know where that came from. I rolled my eyes so hard while posting that I may sprained something in my brain.

Who are you kidding? Your brain was sprained ages ago.

 

[corianderstem]

Oh yeah? Well .... well ... uh .... YOUR ironic pop-rock by-the-numbers brain was sprained ages ago!

Take THAT, doctorwho!

 

[mama cass]

Let's look into the future shall we?

BVS: You still haven't answered my question. How is it "safe"? What exactly makes a song "safe?"

JamietheEdgefan: It's just my opinion. Can we move on?

BVS: First answer the question. How is CT a "safe" song?

JamietheEdgefan: Look, I just think CT and Boots sound familiar to past U2 songs. Okay? For one thing, the riffs of Boots and Vertigo are strikingly similar.

BVS: Clearly you know nothing about music. Have you ever studied music theory? They are not the same riffs.

JamietheEdgefan: I didn't say they were exactly the same!! Just that they "sound" similar. What's your problem?

BVS: Can you please explain to me how they "sound" similar?

JamietheEdgefan: Nothing I say is going to convince you. What's the point of this?

BVS: Can't two people talk? No need to get all defensive.

JamietheEdgefan: I'm done with you. I came here to discuss U2 and all you want to do is fight.

BVS: You're the one who made this personal. Grow up.

MOD: Guys, take it outside.

BVS:

JamietheEdgefan:

THE END

 

[ozeeko]

You can't predict a hit, but if you can't tell a great song from a mediocre one, then you aren't listening closely enough.

The chorus to BD is so different than anything they, or anyone else for that matter, have done. The background vocals are unique to BD and BD alone. The first time I heard it, I knew it would be huge as I'm sure many others did

I second this.

The first time I heard BD in my car, months before the album was released, I knew instantly it was their comeback hit. Maybe it doesn't have a traditional chorus melody, but the bass riff is so memorable, and the verses build oh so nicely, and that chorus, when it comes, is just such a joyful release.

Compare that to "no...no line on the horizon. no...no line" - pretty anticlimactic, if you ask me.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

That wasn't me 'losing my cool.'

You'll know when I lose my cool. I'll say 'fucking' instead of 'effing.'

Whatever, you can love to hate what I have to say all you'd like, if that's what you're doing because you're not losing your cool.

 

[corianderstem]

I'm glad I have your permission to express my frustration or annoyance now and again.

 

[doctorwho]

Oh yeah? Well .... well ... uh .... YOUR ironic pop-rock by-the-numbers brain was sprained ages ago!

Take THAT, doctorwho!

While I've never used the term "rock by the numbers", don't make me get BVS's ass on you.

As for being "off topic", given there is no album news, this thread is redundant. But I find discussion about past work that may hint at future work interesting. But then again, maybe I'm just a .

I'm glad I have your permission to express my frustration or annoyance now and again.

I don't give my permission. I'm a beeyatch that way.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Just sayin... had someone else said it I'm sure you wouldn't have reacted the same way.

 

[coolian2]

SIAMYCGOO is an example of pop rock from U2. So is Sweetest Thing. Beautiful Day, not so much.

you're going to have to explain this to me.

 

[corianderstem]

Just sayin... had someone else said it I'm sure you wouldn't have reacted the same way.

I don't know why you think I love to hate you. My gripe included a string of points of bickering from the last few pages. The "ironic" bit was from doctorwho's comments. The "by the numbers/safe" was from BVS's comments. The "pop/rock" bit was yours.

 

[edge-evans]

There will be no foreplay. No wistful gazes across the room. No touching. Then BOOM! It's out there for all to see and hear: The new album. It will be so cool that it will eff us all up really bad and we'll say its U2's 4th masterpiece (or 5th ?). And the US tour will be our post-coital tenderness.

Maybe a new PR technique to prevent perpetual Bono-Backlash...... Otherwise, I'll get nice and buzzed up in Nashville and enjoy the fellas cause I guess I won't be hearing from them for quite a while.

 

[PhilsFan]

Just sayin... had someone else said it I'm sure you wouldn't have reacted the same way.

Christ, you get defensive so easily.

 

[lazarus]

BVS, your redundant contrarianism is beyond stale. Don't you have somethjng better to do than start yet another argument about semantics? Crazy Tonight is so lame (and let's not forget it was shoehorned onto the album very late in the game) that the band themselves didn't even want to play the album version on tour.

And the worst part of the song isn't the bridge suggested by cock.i.am, it's the middle 8, which I will say AGAIN is the lamest, most unoriginal crap the band has ever recorded, and if you played just that part for some random person they'd probably guess 15-20 Top 40 bands of the 70s and 80s like Bad Company or Foreigner before giving up and being shocked by the news that it's U2.

 

[BoMac]

Personally, it's about time someone called out Cori on her hateful, spiteful ways. She hates everyone and isn't afraid to show it.

My day is made. Hopefully this will become a friendlier place from now on.

 

[lazarus]

Also, Cori isn't the only one who is underwhelmed by Beautiful Day. As someone who loved the songs on M$H I was excited to hear what they would do next, and the familiar sounds of BD were not what I was hoping for. And it's hardly the best single they've put out in the 00's; Walk On also has echoes of classic U2 but ja a much stronger track, despite the eye-rolling cliche couplet in the bridge.

 

[corianderstem]

(That was in response to BoMac, but now that Laz snuck in there before I posted, it does apply to his comment as well.)

 

[BVS]

BVS, your redundant contrarianism is beyond stale. Don't you have somethjng better to do than start yet another argument about semantics?

I can't count how many times I read, "can't I share my opinion, isn't this what this place is for?" But when I want to share mine it's "redundant contrarianism"? (which is a good word, by the way)

I honestly like it and feel it's very misunderstood in here. I don't think my "argument" was about semantics at all. I just see a lot of really weak arguments in here, so sometimes I challenge them. I don't care if you like or don't like the song, I would just rather hear, "because I don't like it" rather than some cliched "by numbers/safe" argument that doesn't make sense.

 

[U2FanPeter]

wasn't magnificent somewhat blacklisted on radio(uk?) because of u2 high profile support of performer royalties over the airwaves that aren't currently payed and would cost stations millions?

 

[LuckyNumber7]

you're going to have to explain this to me.

Beautiful Day isn't pop rock. Pop rock is a sub-genre of pop music where pop music incorporates aspects of rock music.

Beautiful Day is a rock song. So yeah, it has a string synth. That doesn't make it pop rock. Maroon 5 is pop rock. OneRepublic is pop rock. That's music that is pop music that takes on a full rock band aspect. Beautiful Day doesn't exactly fit that.

And pop rock doesn't mean popular music that is rock. It means pop music (the genre).

 

[corianderstem]

wasn't magnificent somewhat blacklisted on radio(uk?) because of u2 high profile support of performer royalties over the airwaves that aren't currently payed and would cost stations millions?

There's been talk about that (maybe too much talk... HAR HAR HAR) a few times, but no one's been able to point to anything resembling confirmation of that.

 

[popacrobat]

Crazy Tonight kicks all sorts of ass in its live form.

I enjoy it well enough on the album, and I think a blend of the two would have been good for the "real" version of it. Keeping the melody and chimes in tact to start out before building into the "Know I'll go crazy" chant at the end or something like that.

I wouldn't say wasted potential per se, but it is something that missed the mark for the band at least - and they realized it before the tour even began.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Christ, you get defensive so easily.

Well my life is full of backstabbing and distrust, so I've become a very paranoid, defensive person. What can I say? Sing a sad song for me? Feel bad? It is who I am. I'm a nice person, people always aren't so nice back. Oh well.

 

[BVS]

When pop rock is combined with the coca-cola riff it can be lethal...

This IS the Beautiful Day formula.