I have always felt Breathe is overrated. It's overstuffed with ideas, there's like five different songs in there (the drum intro, the two meh pre-choruses, the soaring chorus, the fast-paced verses).
I really dig the verses (even though Bono seems to lose his breath as the song goes on), but it's executed poorly overall. Edge's guitar playing is nothing special. One of Larry's better tracks of the past 20 years though.
And I'll maintain, as I have since the 360 tour, that this was a TERRIBLE choice as an opener; the beat is all wrong for something to kickstart a show--isn't it in 3/4?? This kind of dense but anthemic track is far better later in the set, like it is on the album. It's like opening with Acrobat.
I saw the only show on the early leg that didn't use Breathe as opener, 2nd Foxboro show opened with Magnificent. Miles better opening than the previous night. Much better energy to start the show.And I'll maintain, as I have since the 360 tour, that this was a TERRIBLE choice as an opener; the beat is all wrong for something to kickstart a show--isn't it in 3/4?? This kind of dense but anthemic track is far better later in the set, like it is on the album. It's like opening with Acrobat.
I made Axver listen to Window in the Skies twenty times in a row.
I deserve a bottle of pelinkovac for that alone.
Bottom 5 for me:
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God Part 2
Stingray was dumb, but it did work as a bit of an energiser. Where they fucked up was segueing it into Beautiful Day, which went down like a wet fart.
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We really got the worst of 360. The first third had NLOTH and some little gifts like TUF and Your Blue Room and Stay. We got North Star, proto Every Breaking Wave, In a Little While every night. Then the final third got tons of good shit.
And wasn’t there a collaboration between U2 and Underworld?
Stuck in a Moment with Mick Jagger on bvox?
And wasn’t there a collaboration between U2 and Underworld?
Yes, they apparently collaborated in the Pop era. I once read an interview with Karl Hyde where he was asked about it. From what I can recall he said it's in U2's vault, so up to them to release it.