SOE 34: If there is a leak, don't let it go unheard

[RABIDLAMB]

I am considering this a 16 track album....Book of Your Heart, Ordinary Love, and Lights of Home alternate each deserve a place. Just too good. So I essentially have an amazing double album.

You and us all.
Very productive few years.

 

[super fly guy]

Not sure how I feel about ordinary love being on the album,it's basically the same. Nice song though.

 

[Haywa1979]

Most U2 albums, even my favorite ones, have usually taken a while to connect with me. Not this one. I think they knocked it out of the park. Not even refu-jesus can tell me otherwise.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

You've been such a proponent of that song that I'm glad the album version hasn't let you down.

I'm so happy that they didn't fuck it up and it's as epic as I had hoped it would be.

 

[ndmaxfield]

They could have released Red Flag Day as the entire album and I'd be satisfied.

 

[CMIS]

Saw this in another thread...finally someone who is listening to the music.

Thanks for this. Beautifully written, loved the ending... 'this is how it should be'

 

[Yahweh]

Very good album - Red Flag Day, Summer Of Love and The Little Things That Give You Away are my 3 early favorites but every track is very good and I would not change the track order.

 

[Northside]

I'm so happy that they didn't fuck it up and it's as epic as I had hoped it would be.

Does it slightly bother you that the first chorus isn't complete? It seems "cut off." The ending of that chorus is the best part.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Does it slightly bother you that the first chorus isn't complete? It seems "cut off." The ending of that chorus is the best part.

Nah. You certainly notice it the first time through but it doesn't bother me at all

 

[super fly guy]

Book of your heart is also a great song,should just be on the standard album.

 

[purpleblackeye]

They could have released Red Flag Day as the entire album and I'd be satisfied.

Yes!! How about that part when Bono belts out “Nooooo”? Gives me chills. They captured the spirit of War album with this song.

There is so much going on atmospherically with Little Things. It’s a freaking classic in the making. And I can hear strings in Summer of Love. You couldn’t make them out in the first rip.

Love is Bigger...benefits greatly with the CD rip. It really shines now.

 

[JoRu]

Not sure how I feel about ordinary love being on the album,it's basically the same. Nice song though.

I mean, it's not really on the album, it's a bonus when you buy the Deluxe Edition. 13 (There Is A Light) is the album closer.

 

[super fly guy]

I mean, it's not really on the album, it's a bonus when you buy the Deluxe Edition. 13 (There Is A Light) is the album closer.

Yeah suppose,never thought of it like that.

 

[RoKKeR]

Well...I clicked on the link, downloaded WeTransfer, transferred the zip file from WeTransfer to my Google Drive account, and then downloaded iZip Pro on the App Store (cost me $5 but whatever). Then I linked my Google Drive account with the iZip Pro app, and then once you click on the file, the app unzips the file. Note: if you want to transfer the audio back to Google Drive, it warns you that it’ll compress the file. I decided to just leave it downloaded on iZip Pro and listen to it from there.

A long process, but at least I can now hear it on my phone.

I was able to get it through that link, thanks! Have a long flight today... so excited.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Did they get Peter Frampton to guest on Love Is Bigger?

 

[Roland of Gilead]

Little Things and Love is Bigger are epic enough to carry an album, but SOE is rich in songs. The one-two opening! The acoustic middle three! And another gem in the bonus BOYH!

 

[super fly guy]

I can't decide on my favourite song,that's a good sign!

 

[Gilead12]

BOYH I might sub in for Blackout eventually. Could have been a cool late album reflective piece.

My one complaint has settled into shape: I think the attempts to be politically relevant (GOOYOW verse 2, all of AS, most of Blackout) don't work nearly as well as the personal address to a pervasive darkness (Love is All, Lights of Home, Little Things, Landlady, LIAWHL, 13). I also still don't like this version of TBT, though I suspect a pretty decent version was possible.

I'm getting this off my chest only because I love this album.

 

[ndmaxfield]

Yes!! How about that part when Bono belts out “Nooooo”? Gives me chills. They captured the spirit of War album with this song.

There is so much going on atmospherically with Little Things. It’s a freaking classic in the making. And I can hear strings in Summer of Love. You couldn’t make them out in the first rip.

Love is Bigger...benefits greatly with the CD rip. It really shines now.

Yes, anybody who says Edge is missing from the album should abandon that thought with this CD rip (he's the mortar holding everything together sonically in a lot of these songs). Red Flag Day, alongside Iris, convince me that U2 were wrong to fully abandon themselves in the 90's.

 

[Yahweh]

The album flows so nicely and leaves you wanting more which is a great thing.....I hope people will really appreciate this album, it may be the last even though I hope not personally.

 

[purpleoscar]

I'm experimenting.

Love is all we have left
Lights of home
You're the best thing about me
Get out of your own way
American Soul
Summer of Love
Red Flag Day
The Showman (Little More Better)
The Little Things That Give You Away
Landlady
You're the best thing about me (U2 Vs Kygo)
Book of your heart
The Blackout
Love is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way
Lights of Home (St. Peter's String Version)
13 (There Is A Light)

Not sure how this will hold up and I'm still figuring out which mix of Ordinary Love can be included. I still remember the movie end credits version was my favorite before.

 

[super fly guy]

BOYH I might sub in for Blackout eventually. Could have been a cool late album reflective piece.

My one complaint has settled into shape: I think the attempts to be politically relevant (GOOYOW verse 2, all of AS, most of Blackout) don't work nearly as well as the personal address to a pervasive darkness (Love is All, Lights of Home, Little Things, Landlady, LIAWHL, 13). I also still don't like this version of TBT, though I suspect a pretty decent version was possible.

I'm getting this off my chest only because I love this album.

The blackout is an absolutely brilliant song,and that's despite ned fred and their friends!

 

[TheEdge25]

Love Is Bigger leaves me with chills every single time.

Sounding incredible!

 

[RoKKeR]

I'm so happy that they didn't fuck it up and it's as epic as I had hoped it would be.

Can’t wait to hear this one. This whole album is gonna be worth it for that one song alone, I can feel it.

 

[Gilead12]

Does anyone else detect an obvious-sounding overdub vox punch-in for "All my thoughts are so reckless" on "Little Things" outro?

It's just possible it's an intentional vocal effect, but it sounds to my ears like a classic lazy edit. lol

Don't mind at all.

 

[popacrobat]

Summer of Love saunters like no other song in their catalog. Very subdued and groovy.

 

[Haywa1979]

BOYH I might sub in for Blackout eventually. Could have been a cool late album reflective piece.

My one complaint has settled into shape: I think the attempts to be politically relevant (GOOYOW verse 2, all of AS, most of Blackout) don't work nearly as well as the personal address to a pervasive darkness (Love is All, Lights of Home, Little Things, Landlady, LIAWHL, 13). I also still don't like this version of TBT, though I suspect a pretty decent version was possible.

I'm getting this off my chest only because I love this album.

I understand this critique, and could have done without the time-stamped "political relevance".

For The Blackout, I will say that it doesn't bother me, because for me it still sounds primarily about an existential crisis. What happens once "the lights go out"?

 

[danm]

Lights of Home string version - WOW!

 

[kkaider]

I just had first listen via the stream this morning. I can wait to download when it's out Friday. Overall I really like it. However, it seems once again I have opposite reactions to many of the songs than the vocal majority on this board. I guess that shouldn't surprise me at this point - I've never understood this place's love for Pop, most of Passengers bores the crap out of me, and I like a lot more of their 2000s output than most here.

From the songs that we've already heard I love the Best Thing, Get Out has really grown on me (despite the cheesy oohs in the chorus), I like American Soul ( I don't hate refu-Jesus), and The Blackout is solid but not my favorite.

Then there's The Little Things. It just leaves me cold (sorry Headache). I feel the same about Moment of Surrender - I don't get the love for these two songs that most express here. To me, The Troubles is so much (more) better. And now I have another favorite amongst album closers - 13 is achingly, hauntingly beautiful. I find the criticism of reusing the lyrics silly. This is a standout track.

The other standouts for me - Love is Bigger, Love is All We Have Left, and Lights of Home, are all fantastic. So far disappointed with Summer of Love and Red Flag Day. I don't dislike them, but was expecting more based on reviews. But I suspect they will grow on me and will obviously sound better from a quality rip. Showman and Landlady didn't leave much of an impression yet - didn't dislike them though so they will probably end up in middle of the pack for me.

 

[Maroon Bells]

This is the most "single"-rich album U2 has ever done IMO. I love the pop songs so much I'm a little worried they won't endure. Except for the opener and closer, there's no real challenging song here, a song that defies conventional structure, a song that matures as it ages. One was like that. The Fly. Please. Bad.

The songs on SOI are all extremely well-crafted pop songs. It's relentless. Song 2 to song 12 is a non stop barrage of sugarpop drops. And there's not a near-miss among them.

I'm loving it now, but I wonder what happens when the sugar high wears off.