Agree with this & pretty much everything else you've said in this thread.
The U2 that made those songs is gone, and isn't coming back. That band vanished, not suddenly, to be sure, but "slowly stripped away" by degrees, until we're left with what we have now. If it had happened suddenly, we'd have noticed...i.e. if they went from Pop straight to SOI.
So what we're left with now is mostly just excuses and rationalisations, even from the people who love this stuff..."The lyrics aren't that bad"..."After playing it ten or twenty times it's growing on me a little bit"..."It sounds the same intentionally, because it's a companion to SOI", "The x remix is better"..."It's great if you ignore the rap bit"... etc. etc. etc. I don't want to have to try to convince myself a U2 song is good.
The thing is, they're not even trying to be the kind of band that made the songs you mentioned. The ambition to be great is gone, replaced merely by the desire to be popular. They stopped trying sometime towards the end of the NLOTH sessions, I think. That's what I meant earlier when I said it seemed like they were regressing as a band. They're simply not the same band w/o Brian & Danny. They're also, frankly, older, so some of this just flat out isn't their fault. The muse doesn't hang around forever, and God has other rooms to walk into.
So yeah, it is hard accept that the band who recorded Bad made these songs, but there it is. As Mikal said, these might be among the last songs we ever get from U2, and we should appreciate the band now, because when they're gone, they're gone.
It's just in many ways that band has been gone for a while anyway....though you can still catch glimpses of them if you manage to catch them on the right night.
Alright.
So is Get Out Of Your Own Way the most inspired pieces of songwriting in the world? No.
But it's good. It's not as much Tedder bullshit as I feared when I started seeing the reviews come in, and if you don't like most of post 2000 U2 then yea, you're going to think this sucks. And I get that.
And those who are like "ehhhrmagad this is the greatest song ever I'm dying" are pretty dumb. coughcoughSilCoughcough
But it's pretty good. I think it's better than Best Thing. It's definitely a push in the All That You Can't Leave Behind direction.
Haven't given American Soul a whirl yet.
I do have hopes that this is going to be a very good album. Not ground breaking, experimental, or on par with Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby... but filled with good, listenable songs.
For some that's a disaster, and I get that. But honestly I'd rather have good songs that aren't necessarily the most ground breaking thing in the world than have a quasi-experimental bull crap like what No Line was.
Ok what about production aspect of thw tour, what can we except?
Screen will defo be new to match jt30 tour resolution, what else?
Radio will definitely be a tough nut to crack. I don't even know what radio stations they're hoping to be played on. Classic rock and "alt rock" stations won't touch this stuff because it's too pop. Sonically it's most in line with top 40 radio, but it's not fun or dance or Latin or rap enough to land there...and they're also an old rock band. The only song that could be generously classified as rock that I've heard on top 40 over the last few months is Coldplay/Chainsmokers, and I guess Imagine Dragons.
It's an interesting contrast between this and the quote DeVaul posted. The chase for radio play strikes me as kind of old fashioned. The band are at a point where any tour will sell on the strength of their overall career, any album is a hot chance at number one, and they'll accumulate heaps of streaming stats too. Radio might be a tough nut to crack but do they need to crack it?
I can't help but feel that a less radio-centric approach would still reap sizeable rewards. I just wonder if some aspects of modern promotion have passed them by and/or working as a heavily corporatised machine makes it hard to move away from the old established approaches. And, well, trying something "new" with SOI burned them hard.
Longest song on the album is Little Things at 4:55pm
Doing quick math the 13 songs clock in at just under an hour
The way I see it, they've always been a band with a guitar, bass and drumset in the mix. They've always used I–V–vi–IV progressions in their songs. I don't even know if their songwriting acts have actually changed all that much in the long run, aside from just getting weird for the sake of weirdness rather than trying to write actual songs in the end. Other than the stuff they say in interviews, there's no real way to know if anything would be that much different, other than people just wishing they created a particular style of music they'd want to hear from them. And even then, that answer's going to be completely different depending on who you ask.
Personally, I wouldn't want a whole album to sound like the exact same style anyway (unless its, obviously, something as drastic as country-sounding stuff vs. rap material... the pop-rock world usually has a wide variety of plateaus to explore though).
Come on Ax. You're better than that.
I'm neither a fan of the line or offended. In terms of the vocal delivery, I think that side of it is done well.
I was referring to your comment towards those that like the lyric....not sure what you're referring to? One of my refu-Jesus posts?
I'm undecided yet whether or not it's worse than the little old lady line. It's definitely one of Bono's two worst lyrics anyway. As I posted elsewhere, when I first heard it I actually exclaimed "WHAT. NO." and burst out laughing. I genuinely can't believe nobody in the band or their entire corporation persuaded Bono it's not clever, but so very cringey.
It especially annoys me because I think the song musically is engaging. I'm definitely not going to follow Cobbler and say American Soul is U2's worst song ever or anything. I've already said that if it weren't for refu-Jesus and Volcano's chorus, I'd rank it fairly close to The Blackout in quality. But these moments make me facepalm and there's no defending them. Hollow Island's got a point that you don't need to make excuses for other songs, and overlook some mis-step to say they're good. I'd never think of needing to qualify something in touting the virtues of, say, UF or WOWY or One Tree Hill or The Fly or whatever. Hell, I don't feel the need to qualify anything in Cedarwood or The Troubles in promoting their virtues - they're legit good songs. Cringeworthy mis-steps can sink an otherwise good song and that makes them all the more frustrating. Red Light is just shit. American Soul could've been saved.
I was referring to your comment towards those that like the lyric.
Personally, lyrics are one of the last things I look at because I'm more into the music and vocal delivery so things like this generally don't bother me. For example, Crazy Tonight, I don't really have a huge problem with the lyrics but the vocal delivery when he goes into falsetto on "Haven't Heard" really pisses me off. So I think it's all about perspective and what's important to people.
We just found the three people whose lyrical opinions should be forever ignored. I bet you even like the little old lady lyric in Stand Up Comedy.
My take on the songs already available (or known):
The Best Thing - best debut single since Vertigo. It's not an all time hit but has beautiful verses and a catchy melody. 7/10
Get Out of Your Own Way - very cool song. Wonderful rhythm and I love the vocal melody throughout the song. 7.5/10
American Soul - there are two songs in it: the chorus and the rest. The chorus is awful - I understand the idea because the Glastonbury riff is quite good but it doesn't match anything at all. The rest of the song is very good. I would give 8.5 without the chorus, with the chorus I rate it at 5/10.
The Little Things That Give You Away - The same room where Moment of Surrender lives. A nice melancholic melody with a simple yet beautiful message. I will probably listen more often to Blackout or Get Out but I rate it at 9/10.
The Blackout - Doesn't have the best lyrics neither has the most creative melody. It's U2 meets Arctic Monkeys and it's pretty solid and cool, I imagine it will kick ass on a live setting. 8.5/10
In geral the songs we already know are pointing more towards the spirit of All That You Can't Leave Behind and less Songs of Innocence. For me SOI has some of their greatest tunes ever - from Raised by Wolves until Crystal Ballroom I rate it overall at 9/10. The first half of the album is just a 6 for me. SOE will for sure be better than SOI's first half (at least, all known songs allow me to think this way) but won't probably be as innovative, atmospheric and groovy as SOI's second half. I was probably expecting more of the later, but I'm not disappointed at all with this new songs. I would just prefer more Danger Mouse vs Tedder.
I'm not seeing the connection between The Blackout and Arctic Monkeys at all haha. Is there an album or song in particular that you see a similarity with?
But as a side note, there are some Arctic Monkeys songs that are influenced by U2.
Ok, I feel like I can weigh in a bit now. Last night, i quickly scrolled through comments on several threads. Tons of negativity and the overall theme of "why of why can't U2 be making great music like they used to" stuff. I was really bummed. A lot of comments by members that you never see around here, but just swooped in to take a dump.
Fuck man. It sounds like a bunch of old people on rocking chairs wondering why kids are wearing their pants so low! In MY day we had suspenders!!!
Are we seriously wondering why a band isn't making the same music they were making 20, 30, hell, FORTY YEARS AGO?!?!?!?! Forty years man. That is not a small amount of time.
You do realize that we actually still have this band because they aren't making music like they did 30 years ago! If they had stayed on a certain path, they would have been GONE long ago. They continually changed things up, and yes, some of those changes I liked better than others. And of course you will too! But I didn't throw in the towel with Rattle and Hum or Pop or HTDAAB (i was close) or No Line.
Each album, although flawed, brings me something great, something i still can't find with another band in the same way.
And sticking through some pretty bleak and blah times, brought me to SOI, which I really love and appreciate.
So, yes, i struggle with some moments both musically and lyrically in each album, especially post-2000. But to be fair I think we have canonized and put past albums on such a pedestal, that any new stuff just gets an initial heap of scrutiny and cynicism that probably isn't really that fair.
The band is using new production techniques, new producers, new songwriting styles than they did decades ago. Yes, that's life. and sometimes we like it and sometimes we don't. But it also doesn't make it THE WORST SONG EVER CREATED!!! OOOOHHH MYYYYY GOOOOODDD, WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!?!?!?!
It would be like me sitting at work and saying - You guys go ahead and fiddle your MacBook Pro's, I'm doing JUST fine with my Brother II Word Processor thank you very much!!
I gladly welcome criticism of this band. In fact i love that we have opinions all over the place. But I think some perspective is being lost.
Are U2 making music like they did 20-30 years ago? no not really, although in some ways yes (ie. The Blackout, SLABT, EBW, RBW - even Get out sounds like it could have been on the18 year old ATYCLB)
Are they churning out consistently utter shit? Nope
Are they churning out consistintly utter classics? Nope
Are they still capable of giving us greatness, even if it might but up against some not so great stuff?
Definitely.
Ok, I feel like I can weigh in a bit now. Last night, i quickly scrolled through comments on several threads. Tons of negativity and the overall theme of "why of why can't U2 be making great music like they used to" stuff. I was really bummed. A lot of comments by members that you never see around here, but just swooped in to take a dump.
Fuck man. It sounds like a bunch of old people on rocking chairs wondering why kids are wearing their pants so low! In MY day we had suspenders!!!
Are we seriously wondering why a band isn't making the same music they were making 20, 30, hell, FORTY YEARS AGO?!?!?!?! Forty years man. That is not a small amount of time.
You do realize that we actually still have this band because they aren't making music like they did 30 years ago! If they had stayed on a certain path, they would have been GONE long ago. They continually changed things up, and yes, some of those changes I liked better than others. And of course you will too! But I didn't throw in the towel with Rattle and Hum or Pop or HTDAAB (i was close) or No Line.
Each album, although flawed, brings me something great, something i still can't find with another band in the same way.
And sticking through some pretty bleak and blah times, brought me to SOI, which I really love and appreciate.
So, yes, i struggle with some moments both musically and lyrically in each album, especially post-2000. But to be fair I think we have canonized and put past albums on such a pedestal, that any new stuff just gets an initial heap of scrutiny and cynicism that probably isn't really that fair.
The band is using new production techniques, new producers, new songwriting styles than they did decades ago. Yes, that's life. and sometimes we like it and sometimes we don't. But it also doesn't make it THE WORST SONG EVER CREATED!!! OOOOHHH MYYYYY GOOOOODDD, WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!?!?!?!
It would be like me sitting at work and saying - You guys go ahead and fiddle your MacBook Pro's, I'm doing JUST fine with my Brother II Word Processor thank you very much!!
I gladly welcome criticism of this band. In fact i love that we have opinions all over the place. But I think some perspective is being lost.
Are U2 making music like they did 20-30 years ago? no not really, although in some ways yes (ie. The Blackout, SLABT, EBW, RBW - even Get out sounds like it could have been on the18 year old ATYCLB)
Are they churning out consistently utter shit? Nope
Are they churning out consistintly utter classics? Nope
Are they still capable of giving us greatness, even if it might but up against some not so great stuff?
Definitely.
Crazy! Unbelievable! A sham! A mockery! A shamadamnadingdong!try to imagine you're dying and writing letters to loved ones, and one of those loved ones your addressing a letter to is a country. can you do it? I can't. The idea is absurd!
Crazy! Unbelievable! A sham! A mockery! A shamadamnadingdong!
I know, right?!now that's a deathbed letter to America I can get behind
Ok what about production aspect of thw tour, what can we except?
Screen will defo be new to match jt30 tour resolution, what else?
They didn't do nearly enough with the screen on that tour, so certainly there's more to be mined from that setup.
I agree with him. I think they had amazing usage on the first set, the Dublin story... but could have utilized it better after the intermission.
Ok, I feel like I can weigh in a bit now. Last night, i quickly scrolled through comments on several threads. Tons of negativity and the overall theme of "why of why can't U2 be making great music like they used to" stuff. I was really bummed. A lot of comments by members that you never see around here, but just swooped in to take a dump.
Fuck man. It sounds like a bunch of old people on rocking chairs wondering why kids are wearing their pants so low! In MY day we had suspenders!!!
Are we seriously wondering why a band isn't making the same music they were making 20, 30, hell, FORTY YEARS AGO?!?!?!?! Forty years man. That is not a small amount of time.
You do realize that we actually still have this band because they aren't making music like they did 30 years ago! If they had stayed on a certain path, they would have been GONE long ago. They continually changed things up, and yes, some of those changes I liked better than others. And of course you will too! But I didn't throw in the towel with Rattle and Hum or Pop or HTDAAB (i was close) or No Line.
Each album, although flawed, brings me something great, something i still can't find with another band in the same way.
And sticking through some pretty bleak and blah times, brought me to SOI, which I really love and appreciate.
So, yes, i struggle with some moments both musically and lyrically in each album, especially post-2000. But to be fair I think we have canonized and put past albums on such a pedestal, that any new stuff just gets an initial heap of scrutiny and cynicism that probably isn't really that fair.
The band is using new production techniques, new producers, new songwriting styles than they did decades ago. Yes, that's life. and sometimes we like it and sometimes we don't. But it also doesn't make it THE WORST SONG EVER CREATED!!! OOOOHHH MYYYYY GOOOOODDD, WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!?!?!?!
It would be like me sitting at work and saying - You guys go ahead and fiddle your MacBook Pro's, I'm doing JUST fine with my Brother II Word Processor thank you very much!!
I gladly welcome criticism of this band. In fact i love that we have opinions all over the place. But I think some perspective is being lost.
Are U2 making music like they did 20-30 years ago? no not really, although in some ways yes (ie. The Blackout, SLABT, EBW, RBW - even Get out sounds like it could have been on the18 year old ATYCLB)
Are they churning out consistently utter shit? Nope
Are they churning out consistintly utter classics? Nope
Are they still capable of giving us greatness, even if it might but up against some not so great stuff?
Definitely.