Songs of _________________; New album discussion #7

[Headache in a Suitcase]

yeah, I thought Pearl Jam was the new Grateful Dead, with regards to fans traveling. The Jamily, or something like that.

Regardless, as has been stated before: it doesn't matter. They're both excellent live acts. I think U2 reigns supreme because I like their music better, I find Bono to be the more entertaining performer, and I'm a sucker for a spectacle. But they're both excellent.

But it's silly to suggest that U2 and Pearl Jam are comparable in terms of setlist diversity. The very nature of U2's shows doesn't allow it. They have big set pieces. Swapping out something like Cedarwood Road on the Songs of Innocence tour wouldn't be feasible considering they created an entire digital neighborhood for Bono to walk through.

right?

they're different. i enjoy both - but they're different. i don't go to pearl jam to be blown away by the technical brilliance of the stage show, and i don't go to U2 shows to be wowed by the obscure b side they pulled out of their ass.

and both are okay.

 

[lightmyway91]

you won't give up, i give you that.

one show from last three tours
pearl jam - 70 unique songs
u2 - 51 unique songs

and two of those last 3 u2 tours had one tour where they played a full album and another where they completely eliminated the album - which in theory would drive the numbers up in comparison to their normal tours.

and pearl jam only had one album to promote during those three tours - so in theory, that would drive their numbers down.

enjoy your day.

Fair enough, interesting stats and quite surprising at the number of different pearl jam songs, that is pretty much 3 completely different setlists, thought there would be more repeats even for them. I’ll leave this last little bit for you though, u2 have performed over 160 of their own songs over the course of their career, could be more actually but I didn’t count the unreleased songs they’ve done. How many of their own songs have PJ performed in their career? They’ve got 11 studio albums so I’d assume they’d need b sides and non album tracks to get near that number.

 

[dan_smee]

I still never understood why they didn’t let Declan Gaffney have a crack. He works on all their recent albums, and produces real magic with them with the Fish Out of Water mixes.

 

[lightmyway91]

It’s probably quite a difficult but well paid gig working with u2. Im sure they’re good guys to work for but creatively there’s probably part of a producer that wants to put their own stamp on things but at the same time the band do like to do things a certain way and are willing to scrap things they don’t like and significantly change bits. They worked with Rick Rubin and ended up only getting one song out of they sessions because they didn’t like the way he worked, or maybe a more respectful way of putting it is they didn’t click. Didn’t the work that was done with dangermouse get reworked quite a bit before they released SOI? It seems like a producers influence on the band now is only limited because that’s all the band allow. Maybe some of the producers from the past would want more of a say on things and that just isn’t going to work nowadays. Btw I love all era’s of the band, the 80’s, 90’s, 00’s and 10’s are all part of my top 5 albums from them so not criticising how they might want to do things or have done things in the past.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Fair enough, interesting stats and quite surprising at the number of different pearl jam songs, that is pretty much 3 completely different setlists, thought there would be more repeats even for them. I’ll leave this last little bit for you though, u2 have performed over 160 of their own songs over the course of their career, could be more actually but I didn’t count the unreleased songs they’ve done. How many of their own songs have PJ performed in their career? They’ve got 11 studio albums so I’d assume they’d need b sides and non album tracks to get near that number.

i took a pretty diehard U2 fan who was not a big pearl jam fan to a show at MSG a few years back. i tried to give a U2 catalogue comparison for the deeper cuts.

when they tossed out Slow Lukin, Black Red Yellow and Sweet Lew in the first encore i gave up.

album tracks, b sides, non album tracks, soundtrack tracks, obscure one offs, the occasional eddie solo track, and, yes, a handful of covers - many of which they actually did also record in the studio.

if they put something out, odds are they are going to play it live at some point.

 

[dan_smee]

I think the setlist variation is a few things:

1. Their shoes are built around a narrative and visual experience and it doesn’t lend itself to wholesale variation because of the cost and planning involved in preparing supporting elements for 150 songs.
2. They are just not great musicians collectively.

They don’t have the chops to be able to reach into the catalogue on a whim and pull out A Day Without Me. They rehearse surprise songs for weeks before they are happy with them. It’s just a function of being a fan of U2. What you get in return is spellbindingly intricate and well-thought out tours and stage productions. They are designed to hit as many fans as possible, and if the paper-doll crowd hit 10 shows and see the same songs I don’t really care personally - I’d prefer the bottles have nice variation, but it’s quite a privileged problem to be raising.

 

[DeVaul]

it’s quite a privileged problem to be raising.

… Interference!

 

[lazarus]

1. Their shoes are built around a narrative

The narrative around Bono’s shoes is “make me look a couple inches taller”.

 

[DeVaul]

The narrative around Bono’s shoes is “make me look a couple inches taller”.

Hear me out: next tour? screens in his shoes

 

[Airseven]

I probably like "Get Out Of Your Own Way" more than a lot of people here. My biggest issue is that the "ah ah ah ah" after "Get Out Of Your Own Way" is a bit awkward and sounds like they're straining a bit. For a band so obsessed with tweaking the small details, I always thought it was weird that it made the cut.

I agree the moaning in the pre-chorus is obnoxious. Also, the lack of dynamics, the ham-fisted second verse, and the fact they use the chorus only twice. It's a song that begs an immediate comparison to Beautiful Day followed by an immediate conclusion it isn't as good. From production to structure, it's a very frustrating song hearing the potential in it.

 

[Airseven]

If not a diversity of songs, U2 is more agile than PJ with their political lectures.

 

[Hewson]

The narrative around Bono’s shoes is “make me look a couple inches taller”.

Dammit you beat me to it.

 

[dan_smee]

Lol - fucking autocucumber.

Screens in the shoes could work.

 

[dan_smee]

I agree the moaning in the pre-chorus is obnoxious. Also, the lack of dynamics, the ham-fisted second verse, and the fact they use the chorus only twice. It's a song that begs an immediate comparison to Beautiful Day followed by an immediate conclusion it isn't as good. From production to structure, it's a very frustrating song hearing the potential in it.

Spot on

 

[david]

Speaking of set-lists.. I wonder what American fans who hadn’t seen U2 since the Joshua Tree tour in 1987 thought of hearing 8 new songs in a row on the opening night of the ZooTV tour in February of 1992.

 

[PopFly]

Am I in a weird minority because I actually don’t hate Song For Someone from SOI?

imo, 13 and American Soul are improved versions of SFS and Volcano. So now when I go back and listen to Songs Of Innocence, the "original" versions now seem very skippable.

 

[PopFly]

Speaking of set-lists.. I wonder what American fans who hadn’t seen U2 since the Joshua Tree tour in 1987 thought of hearing 8 new songs in a row on the opening night of the ZooTV tour in February of 1992.

Were probably so wowed by the presentation that they didn't notice until the fifth or sixth song.

 

[lightmyway91]

imo, 13 and American Soul are improved versions of SFS and Volcano. So now when I go back and listen to Songs Of Innocence, the "original" versions now seem very skippable.

I’d go the opposite way, American soul is probably one of my least favourite u2 songs, volcano is quite good. I like 13 but song for someone is a great song imo. SOI ranks as the 3rd best u2 album for me. Don’t think there’s a bad song on it.

 

[Salome]

Song for Someone has beautiful verses and an ok chorus, but to almost repeat the guitar solo from Crazy Tonight is just weird

 

[Registered Dude]

I hope SFS will be drastically different from the two studio versions we’ve got so far. As it is, the original and acoustic versions are already pretty similar. Not sure what the approach will be. Edge solo? Super lush and string accompanied? Instrumental? A melancholy extrapolation of 13? How many ways can this song be stretched? I struggle to see it

 

[mikal]

I hope SFS will be drastically different from the two studio versions we’ve got so far. As it is, the original and acoustic versions are already pretty similar. Not sure what the approach will be. Edge solo? Super lush and string accompanied? Instrumental? A melancholy extrapolation of 13? How many ways can this song be stretched? I struggle to see it

MetalCore version with Jon Mess screaming the verses.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i think song for someone is a good song.

i think 13 is better.

american soul has the bones of a good song and the lyrics of a fart.

 

[DeVaul]

Song for Someone has beautiful verses and an ok chorus, but to almost repeat the guitar solo from Crazy Tonight is just weird

They’re lazy.

 

[womanfish]

I find 13 far better than SFS. It's much more effecting both lyrically, sonically and emotionally.

Volcano is a very good song IMO. It has the energy of a early 80's U2 song, and yeah, I could do without the You are Rock n Roll part, but that PALES in comparison to the lyrical mess of American Soul.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i'm still a little blown away that they lifted lyrics straight from SOI and never even mentioned it.

as if we're all just supposed to know that it's a double concept album, just with a three year gap in between.

 

[The John Tree]

I love 13, but I think the reason it works so well (for me, anyway) is *because* of the callback to SFS. When he closes with “someone like me…” for some reason, it gets me.

I don’t know if the public at large understood it, but as far as “Easter eggs” go, that’s one that really worked for me.

As opposed to American Soul calling back to Volcano, which was just awful.

 

[DeVaul]

The “free yourself” choir chorus in Lights of Home actually gave me goosebumps the first time I heard it because I am lame.

 

[mikal]

As opposed to American Soul calling back to Volcano, which was just awful.

I definitely yelled "RefuJesus Christ" the first time I heard it.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I love 13, but I think the reason it works so well (for me, anyway) is *because* of the callback to SFS. When he closes with “someone like me…” for some reason, it gets me.

I don’t know if the public at large understood it, but as far as “Easter eggs” go, that’s one that really worked for me.

As opposed to American Soul calling back to Volcano, which was just awful.

oh i'm not saying they didn't work - they absolutely did on 13 and Lights Of Home (but, alas, not on american soul as you said).

it's just really odd that there was zero mention of the songs being connected to the previous album. it's almost as if they didn't want people talking about songs of innocence...

 

[womanfish]

I love 13, but I think the reason it works so well (for me, anyway) is *because* of the callback to SFS. When he closes with “someone like me…” for some reason, it gets me.

I don’t know if the public at large understood it, but as far as “Easter eggs” go, that’s one that really worked for me.

As opposed to American Soul calling back to Volcano, which was just awful.

For me it's the

I know the world is done
But you don't have to be
I've got a question for the child in you before it leaves

I truly think any parents out there who haven't given 13 the chance it deserves are sorely missing out.