Trying to come to terms with my 2 U2's

[FitzChivalry]

Hello all. I am new to this website, but I love-love-love U2 and so I thought I drop in my 2 cents on the new album.

I do like the new album a lot. There are some very good songs and some great lyrics on it. But my biggest complaint is that to me U2 has always been about super passion, anthems, panoramic sounds, widescreen if you will.

But there is such a fine line between grandeur and passion and then overblown and cheesy. These latter songs started creeping into the U2 canon to me with songs like "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)", up through "Kite" and "When I Look At The World".

Songs like these are just too much for me. They go beyond that fine line, while songs like "A Sort Of Homecoming", "Like A Song" and "Where The Streets Have No Name" stay safely on the right side.

For me the new album is chalk full of songs that straddle this line. "Original Of The Species" just blows right past that line and is definitely one my least favorite U2 songs of all time. "Miracle Drug" crosses it by a bit. "City of Burning Lights" sits right on that line, but is just so damn good I have to be hypocritical and forgive any of its cheesiness (Plus it's the most "Where The Streets Have No Name" kind of song since, well, "Where The Streets Have No Name" and I think it would be an ABSOLUTELY PERFECT closing song for the concerts.) And "Crumbs From Your Table" is right there with "City Of Burning Lights" for me.

I think its the synthesizers, xylophone and upper piano keys. Every time I hear them in a U2 song, and especially U2 songs of recent years, it makes me cringe at first. They make U2 sound so . . . old, like I keep expecting "Original Of The Species" to burst into "The Circle Of Life".

I just don't like all the synthesizers and cheesy xylophone stuff they've been using. "Babyface" was really super cheesy, but it was kind of supposed to be and that was the joke. But to me, to have a completely earnest and truthfull song, and then this over the top, sentimental production . . . it just kind of ruins it for me.

My friend put it best. If U2 aren't as good as they used to be, it's because their music has become more "obvious". This seems the destiny for most musicians who reach a certain age and want to comment on the world. It just becomes too sentimental and too overt.

But like I said, I'm a hypocrit. Because I do LOVE "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" and I think Bono is singing about me and my Dad.

I don't know. Does anyone else out there feel like I do?

 

[brownda7]

I think OOTS is one of the top 5 U2 songs of all time, and Iv been listening to them since 1983.

 

[artdirector]

Nope. Sorry the album rocks... by the way, a new song has popped up.
Its called Mercy.

 

[grbounds]

i understand what youre saying but i dont feel the same way. kite may be my favorite U2 song of all time. ultraviolet is definitely top 10.... melody doesnt necessarily mean cheesy.

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

To be honest, '90s U2 was far more restrained than the '80s, which I feel had some overblown moments in amongst the great ones.

 

[rkman]

But there is such a fine line between grandeur and passion and then overblown and cheesy. These latter songs started creeping into the U2 canon to me with songs like "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)", up through "Kite" and "When I Look At The World".

Different strokes for different folks. I love Kite and Ultraviolet, don't see them as "cheesy" at all.

In fact, I've never thought of U2's music as cheesy. Now something like Bon Jovi, that's cheesy.

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

ultraviolent is definitely top 10....

I agree, A Clockwork Orange is a terriffic film and book.

I'll tolchok anyone who doesn't agree...


Oh, wait, did you mean ultraviolet?

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

Agreed. Bon Jovi are a fucking disgrace!

 

[grbounds]

I agree, A Clockwork Orange is a terriffic film and book.

I'll tolchok anyone who doesn't agree...


Oh, wait, did you mean ultraviolet?

hahahah yeah thanks, thats pretty funny...

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

That said, I also do not believe that Ultraviolet is cheesy. The lyrics are much more desperate and creepy than the cheerful music leads one to believe

 

[RademR]

Kite is one of the greatest songs I've ever heard. Any genre. Any type of music. Period. In my opinion, at least.

 

[womanfish]

oh my god! Ultraviolet is my fave off of Achtung, and Kite is my favorite off of ATYCLB. SYCMIOYO, is my least fave of the new one. Talk about different tastes. To me SYCMIOYO is kinda on the cheesy side, the others are beautiful, soaring, dark, heartfelt.

Talk about a song to make you think about your dad and growing up, Kite is right there as well.

 

[FitzChivalry]

Bon Jovi is cheesy. Ok, really good point. I used the wrong word. U2 are, never have been, nor ever will be "cheesy".

But like I said I can't really pinpoint it, but instead of making me feel like taking off and soaring, as with "A Sort Of Homecoming", "Electric Co.", "Zooropa", sometimes the "syrup" sound, if you will, makes me wince. Like, did they really have to resort to those synthesizer, xylophone sounds to get catharsis into the song? It's kind of like a sitcom laugh track. If it's funny, I'll laugh regardless. If the song is beautiful and going to make me jump or cry, I'll do it regardless. You don't need to flag me in the right direction by placing swelling, surging synthesizer as signposts to "big emotion up ahead".

I don't know. I'm new here and it is becoming very obvious that it is not okay to post anything other than a gushing, rave review of all things U2.

I do love U2's music. And I do really love many of the new songs--just not all of them.

Is that allowed?

 

[grbounds]

Bon Jovi is cheesy. Ok, really good point. I used the wrong word. U2 are, never have been, nor ever will be "cheesy".

But like I said I can't really pinpoint it, but instead of making me feel like taking off and soaring, as with "A Sort Of Homecoming", "Electric Co.", "Zooropa", sometimes the "syrup" sound, if you will, makes me wince. Like, did they really have to resort to those synthesizer, xylophone sounds to get catharsis into the song? It's kind of like a sitcom laugh track. If it's funny, I'll laugh regardless. If the song is beautiful and going to make me jump or cry, I'll do it regardless. You don't need to flag me in the right direction by placing swelling, surging synthesizer as signposts to "big emotion up ahead".

I don't know. I'm new here and it is becoming very obvious that it is not okay to post anything other than a gushing, rave review of all things U2.

I do love U2's music. And I do really love many of the new songs--just not all of them.

Is that allowed?

lol you can post whatever you want, people just like to argue.... your opinion is just as valid as theirs.

 

[RademR]

I do love U2's music. And I do really love many of the new songs--just not all of them.

Is that allowed?

No, its not. You are required to love each and every track on the new album to enter this forum.

It's all about opinions, some people will think this is another u2 masterpiece (as I do), some will like most of the album (like you do), some might not even like it. I feel sorry for the ones that don't, and hope they keep giving it repeated listens and maybe it will grow on them. Lord knows I needed many to get into "Yahweh," which I succesfully did and now love it. If some continue to dislike HTDAAB, theres always the other 10 albums.

Welcome to the blue crack, fitz

oh ya, it doesnt get more cheesy than Bon Jovi.

 

[Lisa71]

I don't know. I'm new here and it is becoming very obvious that it is not okay to post anything other than a gushing, rave review of all things U2.

Actually, I kinda of think there are a lot of people that are critical of U2 here. It really surprises me but....

I'm not one of those fans that gushes over everything they do. I've been a fan since about 1985 and I have to say there's quite a bit of stuff I don't like by them. I think I'm in the minority about my opinion on Zooropa. For the most part, I don't like it and I'm not a big fan of Pop but with that being said, I understand how everyone can appricate different types of things. Even though we all love U2 here it doesn't mean we all love the same U2. It's okay for people to have different opinions about songs and what is good or what is bad, but in the end they are just that..... only opinions.

I love Kite. The lyrics are something that are very meaningful to me and personal in a way. So I love it but maybe the lyrics don't mean anything to you or someone else, but hey, that's fine. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with that. Someone might find great meaning in One Tree Hill or Velvet Dress or Please but they aren't my favorites.

Anyway, I think it's perfectly fine that you aren't as crazy about some of the new songs but I don't think other people are crazy because they do like them.

 

[RademR]

Actually, I kinda of think there are a lot of people that are critical of U2 here.

Hands that Built America fuckin sucked man!!!!!

 

[bcrt2000]

Hello all. I am new to this website, but I love-love-love U2 and so I thought I drop in my 2 cents on the new album.

I do like the new album a lot. There are some very good songs and some great lyrics on it. But my biggest complaint is that to me U2 has always been about super passion, anthems, panoramic sounds, widescreen if you will.

But there is such a fine line between grandeur and passion and then overblown and cheesy. These latter songs started creeping into the U2 canon to me with songs like "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)", up through "Kite" and "When I Look At The World".

Songs like these are just too much for me. They go beyond that fine line, while songs like "A Sort Of Homecoming", "Like A Song" and "Where The Streets Have No Name" stay safely on the right side.

For me the new album is chalk full of songs that straddle this line. "Original Of The Species" just blows right past that line and is definitely one my least favorite U2 songs of all time. "Miracle Drug" crosses it by a bit. "City of Burning Lights" sits right on that line, but is just so damn good I have to be hypocritical and forgive any of its cheesiness (Plus it's the most "Where The Streets Have No Name" kind of song since, well, "Where The Streets Have No Name" and I think it would be an ABSOLUTELY PERFECT closing song for the concerts.) And "Crumbs From Your Table" is right there with "City Of Burning Lights" for me.

I think its the synthesizers, xylophone and upper piano keys. Every time I hear them in a U2 song, and especially U2 songs of recent years, it makes me cringe at first. They make U2 sound so . . . old, like I keep expecting "Original Of The Species" to burst into "The Circle Of Life".

I just don't like all the synthesizers and cheesy xylophone stuff they've been using. "Babyface" was really super cheesy, but it was kind of supposed to be and that was the joke. But to me, to have a completely earnest and truthfull song, and then this over the top, sentimental production . . . it just kind of ruins it for me.

My friend put it best. If U2 aren't as good as they used to be, it's because their music has become more "obvious". This seems the destiny for most musicians who reach a certain age and want to comment on the world. It just becomes too sentimental and too overt.

But like I said, I'm a hypocrit. Because I do LOVE "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" and I think Bono is singing about me and my Dad.

I don't know. Does anyone else out there feel like I do?

let me guess, you don't like zooropa or pop either? maybe these songs are too "experimental" for you?

 

[RademR]

My friend put it best. If U2 aren't as good as they used to be, it's because their music has become more "obvious". This seems the destiny for most musicians who reach a certain age and want to comment on the world. It just becomes too sentimental and too overt.

I dont know, fitz. HTDAAB is far from obvious to me. "vertigo" is as punk rock, or more punk rock than u2 have ever been. "love and peace" sounds like nothing they have ever done before. People try and relate it to older material, but its just brand new to me, it's like a NIN tune. "All Because of you" is u2 with a 60's sound, people also try and relate this song to ATYCLB, but I havent the slightest idea why. It sounds like "the who" with heavy guitars, u2 havent really used this style before IMO. "A Man and a Woman" is basically an r&b song, and a great one at that. I think Edge's signature guitar sound is back which makes people think their rehashing all the old stuff, but theres a lot of new experiments with this record. The sounds are just phenomenal.

 

[Yahweh]

I respectfully disagree.

Anybody that says songs like Kite and Orginal Of The Species are "cheesy" never really understood the essence of U2....

In the 80s Bono was a yeller with passion, now he is a singer with passion.

The 80s were great especially the ladder half but I wouldnt say they were any better then the second half of U2s career by any stretch.

 

[Numb1075]

Yahweh, I agree w/ your comment "In the 80s Bono was a yeller with passion, now he is a singer with passion".

I realized there was a difference, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Thanks.

 

[one4u2]

Agreed. Bon Jovi are a fucking disgrace!

Says who??? I love Bon Jovi!

 

[dandy]

welcome to the blue crack, fitz!

you'll find U2 fans of every variety here, and one of our favourite pasttimes is bickering and nitpicking every tiny detail of the music. critical perspectives are always welcome, but don't be surprised if you're met with a passionate rebuttal.

i can sort of see your point--some of the new songs seem to be a little overproduced in places, but the boys haven't crossed the line into cheesiness. i think they'd hang their hats up and call it a day before they'd allow that to happen.

the new songs may appear to be obvious and readily accessible at first glance, but like all of their stuff, there are many, many layers of meaning buried within the lyrics. i think the difference on the bomb is that they've perfected their craft--the songs are immediately easy on the ears, but still pack a punch that hits you where you live. i haven't been this entranced by a new U2 release since JT.

if you're still concerned, go download 'mercy'--it will put your fears to rest.

on a side note: at ultraviolent

 

[womanfish]

Bon Jovi is cheesy. Ok, really good point. I used the wrong word. U2 are, never have been, nor ever will be "cheesy".

But like I said I can't really pinpoint it, but instead of making me feel like taking off and soaring, as with "A Sort Of Homecoming", "Electric Co.", "Zooropa", sometimes the "syrup" sound, if you will, makes me wince. Like, did they really have to resort to those synthesizer, xylophone sounds to get catharsis into the song? It's kind of like a sitcom laugh track. If it's funny, I'll laugh regardless. If the song is beautiful and going to make me jump or cry, I'll do it regardless. You don't need to flag me in the right direction by placing swelling, surging synthesizer as signposts to "big emotion up ahead".

I don't know. I'm new here and it is becoming very obvious that it is not okay to post anything other than a gushing, rave review of all things U2.

I do love U2's music. And I do really love many of the new songs--just not all of them.

Is that allowed?

It is allowed. For example, I think Grace is a horrible song, Some Days are Better Than Others pretty much blows. So everyone has their own taste, that's cool. Glad you're a fan, and glad you're here. Lots of newbies in the last week have just been trolls jumping in to make antagonizing posts. You seem genuine. so welcome. and let the opinions flow freely. Just be ready to hear about it sometimes. lol.

 

[Palace_Hero]

Burning=Blinding mate.

 

[FullonEdge2]

I have a friend who "says" his favorite band is U2, but his second fave is Bon Jovi. Sometimes I just don't get it.