Thoughts, reviews, opinions about WINDOW IN THE SKIES Here

[The Slow Loris]

One of my few U2 friends (most of my friends aren't that big into U2 for some reason), he tells me he thinks 'Window' is a bit tame for U2. What I can't figure out he loves 'Sweetest Thing' and 'Stuck in a Moment'! Go figure.

 

[Canadiens1131]

perhaps your taste in music is terrible?

It's nothing to feel bad about. Alot of people here have terrible taste in music. Check out any Kid A thread.

I love it!

 

[Jack In The Box]

I can't believe it... it's actually good!, but good, not fantastic

it's a fine pop song, nice production for a song of this kind...

I like it, but not my favorite tune by them

 

[scaramanga2]

Also, the production is a too polished. With a stripped back, rawer sound, the song could've been improved greatly, cuz it's actually a pretty good song.

I agree, it could've been better with a little more simple arrangement.

The edge in my opinion is better than ever, I love the simple scale that he plays before the ooh oooh oohs they're not complex and yet it manages to make the song sound complete.. the only thing i didn't like it's at the end, the layered vocals i really don't dig it sounds forced

 

[The Slow Loris]

How well would you say 'Window in the Skies' stands up with 'Angel of Harlem'?

 

[scaramanga2]

mm i think Angel of Harlem has better lyrics, sounds more organic and inspired.. more simple yet more powerful

 

[The Slow Loris]

'Angel of Harlem' is definitely a classic. And I don't think it was as big as 'Beautiful Day', which just doesn't sound as great to my ears. I think 'Windows' is as great as 'Beautiful Day' (which has always sounded a little forced to me, especially the verses).

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

I love people are already stating "it's not a classic"...it's been in circulation for 72 hours...how the hell does anyone know? I mean is it David Fricke, and Lester Bangs in here giving us a review? I mean if those are the caliber of reviewer we've got here then I'll buy it. If it's just fans bitter about "another" Greatest Hits album...then I say

I'll tell you what when I first heard Beautiful Day I thought it sucked bigtime. I thought that it would be a tough sale to U2's audience and the general public...that was on my first 5 or so listens. It's now one of my top 10 favorites...so let's hold out on the predictions until "everyone's" had a chance to hear.

As for MrBrau1...I love his sarcasm.

 

[scaramanga2]

yeah Beautiful Day is bigger than Angel of Harlem in terms of popularity, and like Windows, is a flawlessly constructed song, a perfect pop-rock song, it seems as if the guys put a lot of thought into every minor detail, every part of the structure, and that's great, but like you said, the feelings that's trying to express may sound a little forced, which doesn't happen with songs like Angel of Harlem or One, because the song itself consists of feelings not thoughts

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

yeah Beautiful Day is bigger than Angel of Harlem in terms of popularity, and like Windows, is a flawlessly constructed song, a perfect pop-rock song, it seems as if the guys put a lot of thought into every minor detail, every part of the structure, and that's great, but like you said, the feelings that's trying to express may sound a little forced, which doesn't happen with songs like Angel of Harlem or One, because the song itself consists of feelings not thoughts

Anyone who knows anything about the genesis of those three songs will tell you that Angel of Harlem and One were basically laid down in single sessions (with overdubs later on) and that Beautiful Day saw many incarnations before it became Beautiful Day...so you're right on the money.

WITS sounds like a more constructed song...however it doesn't feel like they had to work very hard on it. I could be totally wrong, but I doubt it.

 

[majid23]

72 or so hours after the leak, I like it better than I liked Vertigo, Beautiful Day, and Discotheque 72 hours after each of those leaks...I'm always going to like this song, but not sure where it will be placed on my playlist in a year.

 

[LyricalDrug]

In order for any U2 song to become a classic, I think everyone here would agree that:

1) the band has to play it live
2) the live version has to somehow transcend the studio version

And for this song, I think there is a good, good chance of that happening

 

[The Slow Loris]

In order for any U2 song to become a classic, I think everyone here would agree that:

1) the band has to play it live
2) the live version has to somehow transcend the studio version

And for this song, I think there is a good, good chance of that happening

I agree that a live performance adds weight to any song, however I don't feel it's a necessity to become a classic. I felt 'Pride (In the Name of Love)', for example, was a classic without ever hearing the live performance of it (back before I got into U2). I still don't think U2 has ever eclipsed the studio version of 'Pride'.

 

[U2isthebest]

I agree that a live performance adds weight to any song, however I don't feel it's a necessity to become a classic. I felt 'Pride (In the Name of Love)', for example, was a classic without ever hearing the live performance of it (back before I got into U2). I still don't think U2 has ever eclipsed the studio version of 'Pride'.

As much as I love the studio version, I would have to say my favorite is the "Rattle and Hum" version from Red Rocks. It's so powerful. The whole story behind that day with the threats, and whatnot adds to it. I love the part where Bono says "For the Rev. Martin Luther King....SING" It was an amazing moment.

Currently Listening: "Best of You"/Foo Fighters

 

[The Slow Loris]

Anyone who knows anything about the genesis of those three songs will tell you that Angel of Harlem and One were basically laid down in single sessions (with overdubs later on) and that Beautiful Day saw many incarnations before it became Beautiful Day...so you're right on the money.

WITS sounds like a more constructed song...however it doesn't feel like they had to work very hard on it. I could be totally wrong, but I doubt it.

Re: the first paragraph, yes that's exactly right. 'Pride' is another example of a song that came together very quickly (at a soundcheck in this case). But then there are other U2 songs that sound just as free and effortless that took months -- 'Where The Streets Have No Name', for example. Its embryo, though, was crystalized in a moment, if I remember. Then they added and added and added, layer upon layer. Other songs, like 'Beautiful Day', weren't born this way, just as you say.

Re: the second paragraph, I agree with you again. WITS sounds a bit like 'Streets' in that regard -- constructed, sure, but crystalized into full embryo in a moment. The rest is just a bunch of add ons.

 

[dietcokeofevil]

I agree that it is definitely a pop song that does not push any boundaries. Not that a pop song is necessarily a bad thing all the time.

I don't see it as "forced". It comes across as effortless with lots of flow. And it was nice to hear Bono hit the high notes with that kind of clarity again. What the hell, it's a catchy pop song that does not try to save the world or chop down another Joshua Tree. I can live with that.

My money is on the likelihood that Bono will be back to his pompous tyrades more than enough on the next album.

 

[The Slow Loris]

As much as I love the studio version, I would have to say my favorite is the "Rattle and Hum" version from Red Rocks. It's so powerful. The whole story behind that day with the threats, and whatnot adds to it. I love the part where Bono says "For the Rev. Martin Luther King....SING" It was an amazing moment.

Currently Listening: "Best of You"/Foo Fighters

I agree that the R&H version is great. I especially love the audience carrying the song toward the end. I also really like the Conspiracy of Hope version of 'Pride'. But like I say, to me it just adds to a song that is already a classic -- cements it in a way.

 

[U2isthebest]

I agree that the R&H version is great. I especially love the audience carrying the song toward the end. I also really like the Conspiracy of Hope version of 'Pride'. But like I say, to me it just adds to a song that is already a classic -- cements it in a way.

I agree, it was definitely a classic from the beginning.

 

[bcrt2000]

Most of Achtung Baby was made like Beautiful Day. They kept reworking it until it was right. Theres a ton of songs off of the Axtung Beibi Outtakes which they reworked slightly or even totally (I think there was one song on the outtakes which they ended up splitting into two seperate songs that were on Achtung)... off the top of my head they had very unfinished versions of Even Better Than the Real Thing, Until The End Of the World, Wake Up Dead Man, Whose Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, Ultraviolet, Acrobat, So Cruel, and The Fly.

 

[cobl04]

I bet this song will end up being hated by this forum within two years lol.

 

[The Slow Loris]

I bet this song will end up being hated by this forum within two years lol.

Probably true!

 

[U2girl]

a catchy pop song that does not try to save the world or chop down another Joshua Tree.

Oh well, too bad for the "I dislike U2 post 2000 with a vengeance" and "I hate it when U2 does pop music" crowds.

I think for a classic U2 song, these things need to happen:

- something different
- needs to stand the test of time
- needs to have "it"
- needs to have the ability to make the cross over outside the U2 audience and be acknowledged outside the fanbase

Example: NYD, Pride, I still haven't found..., WOWY, One.

I'd rate BD or Angel of Harlem with something like Desire; a great single but not necessarily a classic.

 

[U2girl]

Sorry but i cant see the coldplay in WITS at all.

The sound of C. Martin crying his heart out, maybe. Right next to N. Gallagher.

 

[t8thgr8]

most fun u2 song to sing in a long time. maybe ever. so much to do...

 

[impy13]

I bet this song will end up being hated by this forum within two years lol.

Hopefully two weeks.

And I guess I've got bad taste in music since Kid A is one of my favorite albums. WITS isn't near half of any track on Kid A (including Treefingers).

 

[The Slow Loris]

Hopefully two weeks.

And I guess I've got bad taste in music since Kid A is one of my favorite albums. WITS isn't near half of any track on Kid A (including Treefingers).

Would you say 'Corpse' is better than WITS?

 

[carrotflowers]

It's not progressive enough. Not enough boundaries are broken. Not enough genres are explored. It's so melodic, it's almost like they meant for it to sound appealing to the masses. If they had any balls left, they'd write music WITHOUT MELODY. Melody is the tool of the stupid and small minded, and greedy, can't forget greedy. The only people with smaller minds are those who enjoy songs with melody.

you my friend, are a fool. Please take that Dylan quote out of your sig if you're going to say something so ridiculous.

 

[laol]

I have to say that I'm impressed by the production on wits. I didn't care at all for 400 when it leaked, and I still don't do. Of course it's hard to judge a beach clip, but I was pretty sure that 400 would never show up on any album.

But it did and it sound way better than I could have imagined. Well done by the boys and Rick Rubin! Wits has a nice energy and it doesn't sound forced at all. (Like most of HTDAAB does, imo.) I think it's one of those song that would sound lame if played live, or perhaps a better way to put it, the studio version will remain the best version even if they start playing it live.

The point of all this is that I really want Rubin to produce the next album. If he managed to get something decent out of 400, just think about what he could make of a good song!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I bet this song will end up being hated by this forum within two years lol.

go over to bang in the clatter... it already is.

 

[Flying FuManchu]

I think U2's gonna have a hard time playing this song live but I could be wrong... sort of how The Sweetest Thing seemed to fall short live, but I dunno. Edge should learn how to play the string bits on guitar.


I like the song a lot... MrBrau1 is correct