Shuttlecock XI: Yes Virginia, You Did Save Bono's Life

[liamcool]

sorry, i'm stupid and posted in the wrong thread. u2 are great, aren't they? i like that one song, false prophet

 

[gvox]

I've always liked Magnificent, but this new version is great - the quicker tempo makes a ton of difference.

Ding ding ding been saying this from day 1: play the damn song at the remix tempo, because it could be a stomper on ye ol dance floor (as much as U2 songs can be )

I'm humbled and gratified that they have heeded my....lol


Sent from __________

 

[corianderstem]

So yeah, um ... my friend who used my presale code randomly went online at 1 this morning and got another ticket to each of the first two Dublin shows.

So yeah, um ... I'm going to Dublin.

 

[bono_212]

Don't come in here with your excuses.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

The first 3 and a half minutes of Down All The Days are fucking phenomenal, after that... ehhh, not so much.

 

[BoMac]

So yeah, um ... I'm going to Dublin.

 

[lazarus]

The first 3 and a half minutes of Down All The Days are fucking phenomenal, after that... ehhh, not so much.

The whole thing is amazing.

 

[cobl04]

Haha I'm so not surprised Cori.

 

[corianderstem]

It's funny - I don't even feel like it's a "yeah yeah, whatever, you know you were going to go" situation. I didn't want to deal with the ticket sale in the middle of the night. I just figured there was no way.

But when tickets are offered to you with no hassle, fuck yeah, I'm going.

I thought "it wasn't meant to be" when I didn't get presale tickets" ... and now I'm all "IT WAS MEANT TO BE" when my friend managed to get tickets.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

So what's the story with the new U2 album?

 

[LemonMelon]

The consensus is that we'll likely have something in March, around the time the second US leg should begin. I mean, that makes the most sense.

But then, you know U2 rarely follows logic.

 

[martha]

Or gets their shit together on stuff like this.

 

[Axver]

But they visited a beach and took photos, so the album's totally coming by Christmas guys!

 

[david]

I want to be balls deep in some new U2.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I'd fucking love it if Songs of Experience is actually released sometime in the next year. Let's go. I thought SOI was really good and a lot more enjoyable as a whole than NLOTH.

 

[namkcuR]

So, we didn't talk much about it last week, but SOI passed its one-year anniversary.

How do we all feel about the album a year later?

I still love it. It's got a staying power for me that none of their albums have quite had since Pop. Musically, much of it still seems more genuine to me than much of Bomb and parts of NLOTH. Lyrically, I thought it was very cohesive in terms of subject matter, and I enjoyed that subject matter. I continue to think the notion of these guys who have been so famous and so rich and so successful for so long trying to dig down and find the people they were before all of that is really interesting and a great place for material to spring from.

So I'm still enjoying it quite a bit. I still think Invisible and Crystal Ballroom should've been on it though.


Sent from my iPad using U2 Interference

 

[Axver]

I haven't listened to SOI for months and months, but perhaps that's partly a function of hearing a majority of the songs from it during concert streams at least a couple of times each week.

I think Boy and UF are the only U2 albums I've dug out recently.

 

[LemonMelon]

You guys know I don't like it. Never have, not about to start now. I see it as the ultimate decent 6/10 record that risks nothing and I expect better from U2.

That said, I may listen to it again today because it's been getting more discussion lately and see if anything has changed.

 

[corianderstem]

I still find myself not listening to it for months. Which means I should listen to it this weekend, and I think I will still really like it.

 

[BarefootDancer]

I mostly love SOI for bringing back my love for this band, and even make it grow. Well, that's partly your fault!

I was one of those casual fans that went to concerts to hear the warhorses, so you guys opened up a whole new world of fandom for me when I signed up here in June. All the discussions made me listen to the other albums again, especially Pop and NLOTH as I kinda ignored those before. Love Pop, NLOTH is there for the moody days.

Will give SOI another few listenings the next days, as I am curious what I think of it now I know their back catalogue so much better.

Thought the 1 year anniversary would be a great moment to let go a bit and listen to some other music again, but it didn't work out that way this week. So basically, I've been listening to only (ahem) U2 for over a year now.. Scary.

Spoiler

Can't believe I'm actually contributing to the Shuttlecock thread while still not knowing why it has this name

 

[LemonMelon]

Spoiler

Can't believe I'm actually contribution to the Shuttlecock thread while still not knowing why it has this name

Back in 2008, B&C regulars (who seldom venture into EYKIW) decided they wanted to start their own thread to discuss the band and NLOTH, but there was the issue of camouflaging it somewhat from EYKIW regulars, so the Shuttlecock name/badminton mythology was used. The band member's names and the song titles were changed. For example: "Boner's vocal on A Sort of Cock Coming is transcendent."

I can't remember who came up with the name, probably Imperor if I had to guess. The name is just goofy/vaguely offensive-sounding, which made it easy to tie in with other running jokes that had previously existed, such as Lancemc's mother being a prostitute.

In 2009, the issue arose that the Shuttlecock threads had drifted away from the original purpose and they were banished to the Out of Control subforum. If you see that thread being used, it is no longer certified by the B&C Cock Force™. Now, Shuttlecock threads only return when a new album has been released in order to keep the threads on topic.

 

[david]

I still enjoy the album and listen to it often when I'm not immersing myself in everything Robert Pollard has done and is doing.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[BarefootDancer]

Thanks for explaining, although it took me a while to get the acronyms of the interference rooms (still am puzzled most of the times when it comes to the songs ).

No offense, but I guess it did make sense for those who hang out here at that time. I mean, having discussions in your own rooms and all. I mostly read here and have no clue what's discussed where and why, but was very curious about this particular one.

 

[lazarus]

So, we didn't talk much about it last week, but SOI passed its one-year anniversary.

How do we all feel about the album a year later?

I still love it. It's got a staying power for me that none of their albums have quite had since Pop. Musically, much of it still seems more genuine to me than much of Bomb and parts of NLOTH. Lyrically, I thought it was very cohesive in terms of subject matter, and I enjoyed that subject matter. I continue to think the notion of these guys who have been so famous and so rich and so successful for so long trying to dig down and find the people they were before all of that is really interesting and a great place for material to spring from.

So I'm still enjoying it quite a bit. I still think Invisible and Crystal Ballroom should've been on it though.

I haven't heard it in a couple weeks, but I've been listening to it pretty consistently for the whole year. While I own the CD, I never listen to the official track listing anymore. The custom one I made last October has been serving me very well:

1. The Miracle
2. Invisible (long version)
3. Song For Someone
4. California
5. Every Breaking Wave (unreleased early version)
6. Iris
7. Volcano
8. Raised By Wolves
9. This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now
10. Crystal Ballroom
11. Sleep Like A Baby Tonight
12. Cedarwood Road
13. The Troubles

The only things that still that bug me are the "woo woo woo" singing on the chorus of Iris (the rumor that Chris Martin may be involved here only makes it worse), the "dee dee dee dee dee" sound on the chorus of EBW (which I've been able to avoid with the alternate version), and the lazy guitar solo and "yeah yeah yeah" in Song For Someone. But they haven't crapped an entire song like they did with Crazy Tonight or Stand Up Comedy so it's definitely an improvement in quality control.

Other than that I can't really complain. It's pretty damned consistent and has an energy they haven't had in a long time. It makes the "back to rock" hype of Atomic Bomb seem tepid by comparison when you hear songs like Volcano, Reach Around and RBW. And lyrically it's pretty clear Bono hit a pretty rich vein this time around, with even less of the inspirational crap that marred part of No Line and polluted the previous two albums.

If I'm judging the album without the two tracks I added it definitely takes a dip, but at this point with the band you have to pick and choose because of their second-guessing habits, and make your own document of each period of production.

Back in 2008, B&C regulars (who seldom venture into EYKIW) decided they wanted to start their own thread to discuss the band and NLOTH, but there was the issue of camouflaging it somewhat from EYKIW regulars, so the Shuttlecock name/badminton mythology was used. The band member's names and the song titles were changed. For example: "Boner's vocal on A Sort of Cock Coming is transcendent."

I can't remember who came up with the name, probably Imperor if I had to guess.

'twas I, mon frère.

Also, without getting nasty, it should be clarified that Shuttlecock was created separate from EYKIW discussions because we felt the majority of posters there were not really talking about the band/new album in a thoughtful way, and that there was a very low signal-to-noise ratio, with anything worth reading often lost amongst all the hyperbole.

People in here tend to be slightly more critical of the band's choices, but I find that it's easier to get a better sense of their tastes and ideas because of the smaller pool.

 

[LemonMelon]

Je suis désolé...

I agree that discussion is considerably more fair and balanced in here. BigMacphisto is kind of an asshat about it, but he's torn to shreds for criticizing SOI in EYKIW. Here we could maybe talk him off the ledge.

 

[cobl04]

I also haven't listened to it in months and months and months. I rated it last in EYKIW the other day. Maybe I'll give it a spin later today and see, but I've got John My Beloved in my head this morning so I'll be listening to Carrie & Lowell for a while.

 

[LemonMelon]

Elevation has been played at the E stage 4 out of the last 7 shows. Of all possible combinations, the odds of getting Elevation in some capacity are the highest by far.

UGH.

 

[cobl04]

As much as I'd like to see more rotation, it's a really fun song live so I don't get too pissed about it. Volcano appearing more than once is far more infuriating to me.

 

[corianderstem]

"woo woo woo" "dee dee dee dee dee"

You have a lovely singing voice.

 

[Axver]

Elevation has been played at the E stage 4 out of the last 7 shows. Of all possible combinations, the odds of getting Elevation in some capacity are the highest by far.

UGH.

Plus it's a super safe bet that on the first or second night in a city you're going to get Desire/Angel of Harlem. It'll be surprising if those two aren't done tomorrow. I fully expect the rotations to be Gloria, Desire, AOH, ISHFWILF. I hope they have the good sense to work in Bad though.

I wonder if The Troubles will show itself any night in Stockholm. If not, it's dead. Hell, even if it does I suspect it may not get any subsequent appearances.