Songs of Experience vs Songs of Innocence

[danm]

So...the inevitable thread is here to compare the two albums. It makes sense to compare them as they are companion albums and one follows the other!

It’s very early days with SOE, so ranking it in U2’s catalogue is impossible at the moment. However i think most people should be able to compare it against SOI.

For me, SOE is streets ahead of SOI. That’s not because SOI is bad - far from it, it’s a good album.

In my opinion, SOE has more depth, more variety, is better melodically, better lyrically and has more standout songs.

The best or better songs off SOI for me are EBW, California, The Troubles, CR and SLABT.

So far, the best songs off SOE are Summer of Love, The Little Things, LIBTAIIW. And they blow any of the best songs on SOI out of the water. SOE has so many very good to excellent songs, and it’s weakest section (TBT, GOOYOW & American Soul) is still quite good.

What do others think?

 

[corianderstem]

I really, really like SOI, but the switch in producers halfway through makes it feel like two separate albums.

So as a whole, right now I'd put SOE above it.

I really, really, really like the small ties between the two albums. Except American Soul, because a) no one was clamoring for a Volcano callback, and b) it totally doesn't fit in thematically with the rest of the callbacks.

 

[Scorpionac]

To me, they're about equal.

 

[dan_smee]

I listened to SOI yesterday and it sounded flat.

The big difference aside from the production is the vocal melodies - sounds like so much more effort went into phrasing and sticking to a melodic idea

 

[Tim Wallach]

I listened to SOI yesterday and it sounded flat.

The big difference aside from the production is the vocal melodies - sounds like so much more effort went into phrasing and sticking to a melodic idea

No doubt melody came much easier to them on SOE. It just seems like a more relaxed and confident showing.

For me, it's SOE by a fair bit, and I liked SOI too. I just find SOI makes most sense with a full album listen and knowing the band's autobiography. As one-offs, SOE is much stronger.

 

[JoRu]

The melodies and the production are the big things for me. There's a choice few great melodies on SOI; the chorus of EBW and the entirety of The Troubles come to mind. SOE is chock-full of great melodic moments:

1. The entire Love Is All...
2. The chorus and cathartic coda of Lights Of Home.
3. Edge's bridge on The Best Thing.
4. The chorus of Summer of Love.
5. The chorus of Red Flag Day.
6. The entirety of The Showman.
7. Second half of The Little Things.
8. Chorus of Landlady.
9. Chorus of Love Is Bigger...
10. Verses of 13.

Then there's the production. I've always thought SOI sounds damp and closed-in, to the point where it's almost claustrophobic. There's no moments on it like the coda on Lights of Home or the middle-8 and last chorus of Summer of Love with the strings coming in where you can feel the whole song just open up and, for a lack of better word, "relax". This album isn't quite the "wall of sound" of something like The Unforgettable Fire or NLOTH, but it definitely feels like the instruments are allowed more room to breathe and songs are allowed to be just as beautiful and soaring as they can be.

 

[Catman]

Despite my deep appreciation for SoI--solid songs throughout (and while, yes, there aren't any undeniable classics, it sounds like an album made up of "deep cuts"--those unfortunate tunes that are ultimately neglected on much more successful records due to being overshadowed by the "hits," e.g., Indian Summer Sky, So Cruel, Do You Feel Loved, etc.), while also possibly being the most cohesive album U2 has made (yeah, I said it), as well as a return to form for Bono as a lyricist--this new album, as of right now (obviously time will dictate how well the songs/ record holds up for me), bests it. There's just an effortless aspect to much of the material, songs rich in heart and melody, that, while maybe not as cohesive as its predecessor (but still a very tight, coherent album in its own right), nevertheless surpasses that album on the merit of its songs.

 

[BVS]

I thought SOI was the most consistent and best since Zooropa. But I always felt it was missing the big standouts.

SOE has songs that I felt were truncated(mostly Love is All and Get Out), but it has the standouts; Love is Bigger, Summer of Love and Landlady.

So it edges out SOI for me.

 

[Maroon Bells]

SOI was a good record, but I don't remember "craving" to hear songs the way I am right now with SOE.

 

[BANZAI]

SONGS OF EXPERIENCE
1. Landlady 9/10
2. Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way 8,5/10
3. Summer of Love 8,5/10
4. The Blackout 8,5/10
5. Love Is All We Have Left 8/10
6. Red Flag Day 8/10
7. The Little Things that Give You Away 8/10
8. 13 7,5/10
9. The Showman 7,5/10
10. Lights of Home 7,5/10
11. Get Out of Your Own Way 7/10
12. American Soul 6/10
13. You're the Best Thing About Me 6/10

AVERAGE SCORE: 7.7


SONGS OF INNOCENCE
1. Every Breaking Wave 8/10
2. Sleep Like a Baby Tonight 8/10
3. This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now 8/10
4. The Troubles 7.5/10
5. Iris (Hold Me Close) 7.5/10
6. Raised By Wolves 7/10
7. Song for Someone 7/10
8. Cedarwood Road 7/10
9. California (There Is No End to Love) 7/10
10. Volcano 7/10
11. The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone) 6/10

AVERAGE SCORE: 7.3

 

[SpaceBoy]

Not a contest for me. SOI is a decent record, hangs together better than No Line (which I like), but I wouldn't rate it significantly higher overall. I think this is a better album than either.

One thing I think particularly sets it apart it is that the writing feels more effortless than the last couple releases, yet the songs seem to have a bigger, more inviting appeal than most of the output from the last decade when they were seemingly trying harder to produce hits.

 

[Daniel94]

SOI for sure

 

[purpleoscar]

SOE tied with SOI, because SOI has Every Breaking Wave, California, Iris, and Cedarwood Road, Reach, and The Troubles which for me put it on par with SOE.

To me there is no .vs. They are a good double album and I listened to lots of SOI in the last few years and haven't really stopped.

 

[LemonMelon]

LOL this is the classic "new album is amazing, SO much better than that tired old one" thread that happens every album cycle.

These are the only two U2 albums I don't like at all, so it bums me out to compare them.

 

[Aygo]

I was never a fan of SOI - still see it as one of U2's weakest albums as a whole despite having some good songs there - so the comparation standard is unfair to me.
I also think that the i+e Tour concept wasn't completely happily achieved, even in terms of stage design, I found it quite uninspiring, which also affects the way I "percept" SOI.

Still, despite a couple of flaws (the self-SOI sampling, which I think was unnecessary in some cases, the umpteenth attempt to recreate "Beautiful Day", the contradiction between praising America and advocating for refugees and for Aleppo war crimes, etc.), SOE is way deeper, way daring in certain moments for U2's XXI standards and overall the compositions are way stronger and better conceived than the ones in SOI.

And yes, I think that most "professional" reviews I've been reading are very unfair because the album is clearly U2's best effort in "ages", but I also think that is U2's sole fault for having created or having opened the doors for some sort of general "aura of antipathy" around them specially over the past decade in the media and in the public (and I'm not talking only about the Apple incident, which in my opinion only fueled that "aura" even more), not to mention the band's reputation with the tax avoidance and Bono's certain "companies/friendships".
But I believe that many of these unfairly bad reviews and this "wave" of being extremely uncool to like U2 is the only reason that can explain that.

So, after this paranthesys, I'll definitely choose SOE without blinking.

 

[Mr. Happy]

SOI is much, much better for me. The only song on SOE that comes close to the highs of EBW or This Is Where You Can Reach Me is Little Things (but even then, not quite), and there isn't one song on SOI that reaches the lows of Best Thing, American Soul, Landlady or Love Is Bigger. SOE isn't a bad album, but a solid third of it is very forgettable. It's just not consistent.

I'm going to be cherry picking songs from SOE when I'm in the mood for U2, whereas I still listen to SOI start to finish. SOI gets my pick.

 

[Psychobabble]

I like them both. I listened to SOI yesterday and still enjoyed most of it. Perhaps SOE edges out but perhaps only due to the newness. I also think I connect to more of the songs on SOE since I'm relating to the themes of mortality that are so present on the album.

 

[Scorpionac]

Meh. I remember everyone raving about SOI when it came out. I guess that makes sense, this is a fan forum after all. I thought SOI was a decent 6 or 7 out of 10, and I still do. Not amazing, but not bad either. However, at the time I did not give a shit about the album. It had been 5 years since NLOTH, which was released when I was still a teenager, so when SOI was finally released my reaction wasn't much more than a shrug. Only The Troubles really meant anything to me (that song was very important to me). I was disappointed the whole album wasn't produced solely by Danger Mouse - I wanted to hear that album. Crystal Ballroom was exactly the sort of thing I was hoping for, and it wasn't even on the album. I can count on one hand the number of times I've listened to The Miracle (of Dad Rock). And the cherry on top was the embarrassing iTunes release, which was indefensible.

SOE also strikes me as a solid 6 or 7 out of 10. I've been enjoying it a lot more than I did SOI, maybe because the traditional album promo gave me a chance to get excited about the album. I also had no expectations of what it might sound like. The album's nice to hear and it's got a few really stellar tracks. I can't really ask for more from the band at this point in their career.

 

[PennyLanePHINS]

Upon first listen, as of now I prefer SOI but it is early. Will have to listen to SOE more. I still just wish SOI were less polished. The songs were great live. And Crystal Ballroom really should've been on the album. And a single.

 

[ChurchBay]

On first listen it struck me how superior the producion is on this. The likes of Andy Barlow and Jacknife Lee bring so much more depth and quality to the sound than Danger Mouse. Jacknife and Lillywhite are quite similar in that they are able to bring the aggression and rawness of U2 to the fore. I'm delighted they got Jacknife on board to finally hold the reins. Barlow has succeeded in delving into the deep atmosphere of their songs that was absent from much of their music the last decade and a bit.

In comparison I find Danger Mouse a thoroughly overrated producer (living off a couple of great albums he produced a decade ago - particularly Demon Days..which is as much Damon Albarn's succes than anything). He left a hollowness to most the songs he worked on with U2. He and the band simply didn't match and I never felt that he once understood U2's qualities so was very much the wrong person in unearthing them. Ok - he wasn't the only man involved and a lot of his work was built upon by other producers later on but the flimsy foundations of those sessions with DM perhaps highlights the problems that had arose from them.

 

[trevgreg]

It's way too early yet, but I find myself preferring SOI just based on the initial listens for both albums. Like I said though, it's just based on the release day.

 

[ozeeko]

The production on SOE clinches it for me. That said, I miss the darker detours a la RBW, SLABT & The Troubles.

 

[akann]

It's way too early yet, but I find myself preferring SOI just based on the initial listens for both albums. Like I said though, it's just based on the release day.

I feel the same way.

 

[Snowlock]

I'd have given SOI a 5. SOE I'd give a 2. However, when I put the albums together, I came out with something I liked.

The Miracle
Invisible (RED edit)
EBW
Song for Someone
Iris
Ordinary Love
California (I created my own edit chopping out that irritating 'Santa Barbara' scat)
Your'e the Best Thing About Me
The Blackout
Get Out of Your Own Way
American Soul
The Little Things That Give You Away

If there were enough good songs to use instead, I'd never put Best thing, GOOYOW or American Soul on ANYTHING much less this album, but as b-side filler they're strong enough. I guess.

What happened to 'Blue Crack'?

 

[Yahweh_OMG]

I haven t read previous reviews. I try To give my own view... first of all, I love SOI.... I liked NLOTH but not as much. SOE is haunting. If i had to rate it right now i would go with SOI

 

[rosephile]

I love SOI. Loving SOE so far. I have a feeling I'll always be fonder of SOI (I always like beginnings better than endings), but SOE's the one that feels way more emotionally raw. Wanna rock and feel good? SOI. Wanna soar and weep? SOE.

 

[Nick66]

To me, they're about equal.

-Earl Warren

 

[RoKKeR]

Songs of Innocence is a better collection of songs, but Songs of Experience is a better album.

The wild card is of course Little Things, which I think is one of the best songs they've ever done.

 

[Rich79]

SOI for sure. It's the only post 1997 album that can really give a few of the 80's albums a run for their money. I seem to be in the minority when I feel like the production doesn't seem disjointed (at least not enough to stand out). It feels like the first cohesive album of the post 2000 U2 world. I don't get the distaste for it. Only one low point for me (and it wasn't the Miracle).

SOE has been more challenging to get into. Yes, it has more variety and more layers to peel back; but that doesn't translate into good songs consistently for me. The low points are more frequent for me and the high points rarely reach the excitement I have for some of the SOI tracks.

After about 3.5 listens through it, SOE currently ranks lowest in their catalog; whereas SOI is somewhere in the lower-middle. Time will tell if this holds true

 

[trainmaniac]

From Raised by Wolves to Crystal Ballroom SOI is a better album from an instrumental point of view.
Lyrically SOE is far better.

SOE is more consistent from song 1 to 13 (or 14 if you count book of your heart).

All in all, I would rate them with the same score and since SOI is one of my favorite albums, I don't expect anything different from SOE.