Surprise EP Release - Days of Ash - All Discussion Here

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Seems like Lars was inspired by a few seconds of Bono's Irish yelping

 

[Maroon Bells]

Rolling Stone called it “formless and uninhabited,” “artsy blather" and “soggy, songless self-indulgence.” Oh wait, that was Kurt Loder’s review of Unforgettable Fire. I guess that’s better than comparing it to, God forbid, Coldplay.

 

[lazarus]

So Kurt Loder didn’t like it, who cares? It doesn’t invalidate all of music criticism.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Pitchfork has become a parody of themselves.

 

[The John Tree]

You don’t like it. You’ve been posting like a bad rash.

We get it.

Well you're correct in that I don't like it, but I'm not blindly hating on it. I gave my reasons. I didn't just say "this **** sucks," (though I'm pretty sure that's what I did when Your Song Saved My Life came out), instead I broke down why I didn't like it, while also stating that I liked The Tears of Things and that while this doesn't do it for me musically, I support the band moving in a more political and less overwrought direction. If anything, I'm excited they're working again. I've only stated that in just about every post. I think I gave a pretty fair assessment. Unlike you, I wasn't disrespectful to anyone else's posts - if anything, I love that everyone else loves it. I truly wish I did. Take Dan, for instance: he and I don't hear the album the same way, but I've quite enjoyed reading his perspective on the songs. ****, most of the sub can't stand Get On Your Boots and no one hesitates to say so, but I actually like the ****ing song. I don't throw a temper tantrum every time someone disses my beloved sexy boots.

I'm glad you "get it," but do you "get" what a discussion forum is? Last I checked, the title of the thread was Surprise EP Release - Days of Ash - All Discussion Here. Not Positive Reviews and Gushing Praise Here. I'm discussing the EP just like everybody else is in the dedicated thread for it. If you have a problem with what I have to say, then until the moderators tell me I can't have a respectful dissenting opinion, it's your ****ing problem.

Seems like Lars was inspired by a few seconds of Bono's Irish yelping

Not surprised - Lars and Kirk have always been big U2 fans. Their use of Anton Corbijn for the Load/ReLoad photography was directly inspired by U2. Once U2 opened the Sphere, I knew it was only a matter of time until Metallica did it as well. Unfortunately, I just spent a rack of money on Springsteen tickets, so I'll have to wait for 2027 dates to catch a Metallica Sphere show.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

You don’t like it. You’ve been posting like a bad rash.

We get it.

I don't think anyone in here has been blindly trolling by posting their criticism. I definitely don't think John Tree has been.

We're allowed to have differing opinions here.

 

[Rich79]

“Yours Eternally,” a webinar-waiting-room anthem

I was just thinking something similar earlier this morning after hearing this song again. It's growing on me, but they needed to rein in the big everybody's joyously singing echoey chorus stuff.

My exact thought is it's the kind of song that plays on the PA system in your company's all-staff meeting where the CEO cringe-dances on stage before they announce a rebranding that's the equivalent of adding a new punctuation mark to the logo.

Not quite the shopping at Kohl's soundtrack that a band like Train is, but it feels like it kinda wants to be.

 

[roy]

I don't think anyone in here has been blindly trolling by posting their criticism. I definitely don't think John Tree has been.

We're allowed to have differing opinions here.

I didn’t say blindly trolling

 

[super fly guy]

One thing American Obituary has done for me anyway is to pick up my guitar again, totally fell out of playing it. And it's a fun song to play along to.

 

[TinKnight]

I've sat with it for a few more days: it's still 00s era U2. I'm not a 00s U2 hater at all (I think I probably rank SoI and SoE higher than most), but it ultimately is just a bit of U2 chicken and rice. It satisfies a hunger, but I'm not really full, nor am I thinking about it much after consuming it.

Sans Eternally Yours (which I actively dislike, and not for Ed Sheeran, but rather for the Lumineers sound), I wouldn't be upset if they were put in rotation on a U2 playlist. But nothing here is much higher than the low points of SoI and SoE. I would rather listen to American Obituary over American Soul; but I don't know if I'd rather listen to Tears of Things over California.

It does give me hope for a new album if these are the songs they're willing to put out on an EP. These are B-sides that sound like B-sides of good U2 albums.

 

[super fly guy]

Tears of things gets more epic with every listen, a career high point for me. Better than most of SOE for sure.

 

[mikal]

I’m surprised that more people haven’t been comparing this EP with the output from the band We Are The Dream Eaters.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I didn’t say blindly trolling

No, only that he was posting like a bad rash.

Which - again, he's entitled to his opinion, and frankly I don't think we're in the business of discouraging people from posting often. Quote the contrary, actually.

All good.

 

[clerks]

I don't think anyone in here has been blindly trolling by posting their criticism. I definitely don't think John Tree has been.

We're allowed to have differing opinions here.

I have! I hate every song and pretending to like it! That's how it's done son!!!!

And I didn't even notice The John Tree positing until today. And all they did was give the other side.

Also if you've just got a shitty opinion on everything are you a troll if you're sincere? Asking for a troll.

 

[2861U2]

As of right now, does anyone think Days of Ash as a whole is better than any of their albums? I don't, but curious of others.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I have! I hate every song and pretending to like it! That's how it's done son!!!!

And I didn't even notice The John Tree positing until today. And all they did was give the other side.

Also if you've just got a shitty opinion on everything are you a troll if you're sincere? Asking for a troll.

Much like pornography - I can't define a troll, but you'll know it when you see it.

 

[Maroon Bells]

Tears of things gets more epic with every listen, a career high point for me. Better than most of SOE for sure.

I think it's a song that will have a long life as a U2 classic, but really only among U2 fans. Will anyone else even hear it? It demands to be heard. Makes me wonder if there's a radio-friendlier mix of this song.

 

[The John Tree]

Makes me wonder if there's a radio-friendlier mix of this song.

I think the current mindset of the band is to try and disregard what's radio-friendly and what's not.

That said, if they *were* to shoot for a radio song here, it should be Song Of The Future. I may be troll-adjacent, but I can't deny when something gets stuck in my head.

 

[Maroon Bells]

I think the current mindset of the band is to try and disregard what's radio-friendly and what's not.

That said, if they *were* to shoot for a radio song here, it should be Song Of The Future. I may be troll-adjacent, but I can't deny when something gets stuck in my head.

Song of the Future is already getting a lot of radio play on the indie station I listen to in Denver. If there's a "hit" on this record, it's that one.

I don't think U2 cares about the Top 40 format, but I think they care a lot about their songs being heard, even if it is limited to the Indie and AAA formats. Tears of Things is a BEAST of a song that could get some attention if they can get a mix under 5:00.

 

[super fly guy]

I think it's a song that will have a long life as a U2 classic, but really only among U2 fans. Will anyone else even hear it? It demands to be heard. Makes me wonder if there's a radio-friendlier mix of this song.

Was thinking about that earlier, wouldn't want it butchered though.

 

[super fly guy]

I think the current mindset of the band is to try and disregard what's radio-friendly and what's not.

That said, if they *were* to shoot for a radio song here, it should be Song Of The Future. I may be troll-adjacent, but I can't deny when something gets stuck in my head.

SOTF is BBC radio 2's song of the week,so it seems to be being pushed.

 

[wolbersu2]

A week after the release of the EP I can say I like it very much and it's on high rotation here. Last years I've been quite sceptic about the bands releases, but with these songs they got me back!
First I wasn't sure about American Obituary, but the song keeps growing. Tears of Things, Song of the Future and One life at a time are classics. Even the poem fits great between the songs.
Yours Eternally is a great chant, and understand the Coldplay/Garrix feel of the song what could work out negative, but... for me this time it works, especially in combination with both videos and the message behind the song.
Hope Garrix/Tedder will be left out of the production with their next album, but with Eno working with them gives me confidence for delivering the right tunes.
With most of the press/critics being positive, it might get U2 starting their new chapter with a blast.

 

[PookaMacP]

I've sat with it for a few more days: it's still 00s era U2. I'm not a 00s U2 hater at all (I think I probably rank SoI and SoE higher than most), but it ultimately is just a bit of U2 chicken and rice. It satisfies a hunger, but I'm not really full, nor am I thinking about it much after consuming it.

Sans Eternally Yours (which I actively dislike, and not for Ed Sheeran, but rather for the Lumineers sound), I wouldn't be upset if they were put in rotation on a U2 playlist. But nothing here is much higher than the low points of SoI and SoE. I would rather listen to American Obituary over American Soul; but I don't know if I'd rather listen to Tears of Things over California.

It does give me hope for a new album if these are the songs they're willing to put out on an EP. These are B-sides that sound like B-sides of good U2 albums.

Ouch - Lumineers. Now that's harsh.

 

[PookaMacP]

I reeaally love the sound and feel of Stateless (and Ground Beneath). Have always thought that in an alternate universe where U2 are not a Mega Band or just not a Mega Ambitious Band or whatever, those songs + some elements of ATYCLB really do feel like what would have been the most natural/mature/'comfortable' evolution for them, flowing through as a kind of natural evolution of the the 80s and 90s journey.

For 25 years I've also always thought that if there ever was to be another truly great U2 album (i.e. a third peak alongside JT/Achtung at least in quality if not anywhere near those two in commercial success) it was likely somewhere on that alternate path.

I don't necessarily mean a whole album that sounds exactly like those two specific songs, just that in an alternate universe where U2 are not totally guided by a drive for !!!HITS!!! and stadiums and mass commercial relevancy, I would bet that the sound and songs they would have naturally evolved towards in the 2000s, in their 40s, in their third decade as a band, a naturally evolved child of an Unforgettable Fire/Joshua Tree mother and an Achtung/Zooropa/Pop father? There's no way on earth that natural child would have been... ****ing Vertigo. I think it would have been a combo of these Stateless/Ground Beneath sounding songs and their far more lush and mature feel and sound, perhaps still combined with some of the songwriting chops of ATYCLB.

You can hear it trying to fight it's way back in later, e.g. clear in parts of No Line and some of the stuff around it, and always thought when Bono at that time was first shitting on about this Songs of Ascent idea and the kind of music they'd sidelined to that 'project', always assumed it was that kind of thing and more largely with U2, a bet was what always naturally came forward with them in the studio - because that would make complete sense! - and that is exactly what it was that they were actively trying to steer away from or 'reject' in fairly forceful terms (remember with No Line specifically, he'd talk about "head-up-their-arse stuff" they'd get into and then reject, in favour of going for... what we got).

Anyway, this will always be my U2 white whale or whatever. That there always was a Third Peak U2 Album right there, and it probably always was right there in the studio, and it probably sounded something vaguely like, on the outside 'experimental' ring, some No Line era things like Cedars/Fez/Soon etc, in the middle ring things vaguely like Stateless, Ground Beneath, and at the core some of the ATYCLB great/straight but natural sounding songwriting (compared to forced-feeling Bomb onwards) like Kite, Stuck and even Walk On, but via that far more expansive-lush-veryEnoversionofEuroU2 sound too.

For me, it's always not just been what they've felt they needed to do or chase after, but what they've felt they've needed to reject or steer away from. Over and over and over. They'll open the vaults one day and I just assume that's going to be beyond infuriating.

Totally agree with this. I remember loving the surprise of the MDH soundtrack when it came out early in 2000 and being a bit disappointed by contrast with ATYCLB.

To Stateless and Ground Beneath Her Feet, I'd also add Never Let Me Go, which is one of Bono's forgotten masterpieces, and Dancin' Shoes, which underlined the experimental spark was still strong at that moment. Falling at Your Feet is better than anything after the four singles on ATYCLB. It's a pity they didn't give it more prominence.

I get some similar vibes on Days of Ash - especially One Life, which has the late night feel that is all over MDH.

 

[clerks]

Much like pornography - I can't define a troll, but you'll know it when you see it.

Pornography: the scrambled stuff on cable in the 80s that is now fully unscrambled on your laptop.

Troll: 4 inches tall like my dick.

As of right now, does anyone think Days of Ash as a whole is better than any of their albums? I don't, but curious of others.

October?

But yeah it's a totally different thing to me. Great songs, but not a full album so I'm just sort of judging it on the one offs we get from the band and solo things...

 

[mikal]

As of right now, does anyone think Days of Ash as a whole is better than any of their albums? I don't, but curious of others.

Yeah, better than NLOTH and SOE for me.

 

[The John Tree]

October?

Funny, I was going to suggest perhaps October as well due to its weaker moments, but I just played the whole thing on a long drive and man, it’s high points are pretty damn high.

With a Shout (Jerusalem) is such an underrated gem. Gloria, of course. Rejoice, Fire, Tomorrow, October.

That’s a pretty strong 6.

 

[clerks]

Funny, I was going to suggest perhaps October as well due to its weaker moments, but I just played the whole thing on a long drive and man, it’s high points are pretty damn high.

With a Shout (Jerusalem) is such an underrated gem. Gloria, of course. Rejoice, Fire, Tomorrow, October.

That’s a pretty strong 6.

Don't look know but you're being POSITIVE!!!

 

[The John Tree]

Don't look know but you're being POSITIVE!!!

Don’t worry. I was choking a puppy while writing that!

 

[The John Tree]

Never Let Me Go, which is one of Bono's forgotten masterpieces

Absolutely. Bono’s “broken” older voice sounds fantastic in that sort of jazzy noir vibe. I know he redid If You Wear That Velvet Dress in a very overblown schmaltzy Jools Holland version, but I bet he could absolutely slay a more understated jazzy piano, bass, drum, and sax version of that if he gave it another try.