U2 Songs of Innocence

MisterAnarchy

EunanMac wrote: »

It was a fantastic idea to sell it to apple and for apple to give it away on itunes, but I'm so disappointed.

I've listened to it a good few times now, no real standoutish/exceptional songs, unlike most U2 albums. It's not really bad, but nothing to write home about. As a long term u2 fan, I'm trying hard to like this album, but there is just no real spark in it for me. It's just passable, and just barely. There's a couple of cords / verses that feel like they might have a spark in them, but they never light. This album is way too overproduced and un-accoustic. There is no joy in this album.

This is how U2 can and should sound like :

There is NOTHING on this album that touches this very simple jam

I'd go along with that ,few if any of the songs has the raw emotion of even songs on recent albums like Kite,Walk On,Stuck in a Moment, When I look at World , or
Yahweh,Sometimes You Cant Make it on your Own ,Miracle Drug or even Unknown Caller.

The better songs on the album are ones that sound like something off Pop or Zooropa .

I think alot of the songs will be rejigged for the tour next year and will sound significantly better live.

david75

'albums dont get finished. They get released' - Edge

this band are so guilty of over egging the sauce...faaaarr too many producers and collaborators. Drop all that, go in, demo ten songs, get them down and out in a week. That's something U2 should do but never will.

david75

Bono interview with the irish times

http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/bono-s-dublin-a-long-way-from-where-i-live-1.1927184

EunanMac

david75 wrote: »

'albums dont get finished. They get released' - Edge

this band are so guilty of over egging the sauce...faaaarr too many producers and collaborators. Drop all that, go in, demo ten songs, get them down and out in a week. That's something U2 should do but never will.

I'd love to see an acoustic only album with all new songs.
They are well capable if they drop the legions of hangers on.
That's what u2 should be doing at this stage, and leave the gimmickry behind and make it about the music.

MagicMarker

Downloaded it, listened to the first few songs, deleted it. Crazy how people lap up such mediocre shíte.

MadYaker

MagicMarker wrote: »

Downloaded it, listened to the first few songs, deleted it. Crazy how people lap up such mediocre shíte.

Yes because its possible to form a perfect opinion on a piece of work that took months/years to make by listening to the first few songs, go you :rolleyes:

MagicMarker

MadYaker wrote: »

Yes because its possible to form a perfect opinion on a piece of work that took months/years to make by listening to the first few songs, go you :rolleyes:

Well it's hardly impossible, is it?

FYI, my opinion was formed on the first song, and only confirmed by the second and third.

Sanguine Fan

Shiraz 4.99 wrote: »

I only got a chance to listen tonight but I'm very impressed, didn't think they had this in them after 40 years & 2 average previous albums.
I'd put it up there with Pop as a piece of work, not really a poor track on it.
I love Volcano & The Troubles.

Agree totally. It's a grower. For the me, the last three tracks are the gold. Great production too.

PropJoe10

MagicMarker wrote: »

Well it's hardly impossible, is it?

FYI, my opinion was formed on the first song, and only confirmed by the second and third.

If thats how you judge all albums, you've missed out on some truly great music over the years.

MagicMarker

PropJoe10 wrote: »

If thats how you judge all albums, you've missed out on some truly great music over the years.

It's not, I usually give albums three+ listens actually. But there has to be something there the first time round that shows me it's worth sticking with.

johnpatrick81

:pac: @ the 1 song album reviewer above!

Its still getting better with each listen. I think each song has earwigged me at this stage (i find the song repeating much later randomly in my head:D )

As for those who crave acoustic U2, hold yer horses, the commercial release on October 13th will have up to 7 additional acoustic versions;

http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6251220/guy-oseary-interview-u2-apple-deal-songs-of-innocence

"There’s four brand-new songs, and Gary Kelly [Interscope’s head of retail sales] can tell you there’s a bunch of acoustic versions of songs from the album, too. So it’s probably gonna be anywhere between nine or 11 songs that were not on the standard."

LowOdour

MagicMarker wrote: »

Downloaded it, listened to the first few songs, deleted it. Crazy how people lap up such mediocre shíte.

After the first few songs I was thinking wtf...thought it was really poor fair but gave a second listen, then a third etc and have to say it has grown on me. I've heard a lot of medai commentators use the word "grower"..hits the nail on the head. Will it be on looping on my playlist for the next month...no. Are there enough songs on it to make their Irish gigs worth seeing them again for, absolutely.

david75

the second half of the record is hugely superior than the first

this is new for U2 who usually open it up and topload all the great songs on side a

PropJoe10

MagicMarker wrote: »

It's not, I usually give albums three+ listens actually. But there has to be something there the first time round that shows me it's worth sticking with.

There is plenty there, past the first 3 songs. The second half of the album is much stronger than the first half.

Shiraz 4.99

PropJoe10 wrote: »

There is plenty there, past the first 3 songs. The second half of the album is much stronger than the first half.

They are the Danger Mouse only songs, no Epworth or Tedder on the 2nd half.

MisterAnarchy

Shiraz 4.99 wrote: »

They are the Danger Mouse only songs, no Epworth or Tedder on the 2nd half.

Epworth is listed as joint producer for Cedarwood Road and Volcano.
But you are correct the latter half of the album is mostly Danger Mouse and the earlier work that the band finished last year before they brought extra producers onboard .

"There’s four brand-new songs, and Gary Kelly [Interscope’s head of retail sales] can tell you there’s a bunch of acoustic versions of songs from the album, too.

There are only 2 new songs ,Lucifer's Hands and The Crystal Ballroom the other 2 songs are alternative versions of The Troubles and Sleep Like a Baby Tonight.

the second half of the record is hugely superior than the first
this is new for U2 who usually open it up and topload all the great songs on side a

In a way that's a worrying thing as it would indicate that the band think the first half of the album is stronger which its not .
First half is like rehashed songs from earlier noughties albums .
I actually wouldnt be surprised if half those songs have been knocking around for over 10 years .

jimmythedivil

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

I'd go along with that ,few if any of the songs has the raw emotion of even songs on recent albums like Kite,Walk On,Stuck in a Moment, When I look at World , or
Yahweh,Sometimes You Cant Make it on your Own ,Miracle Drug or even Unknown Caller.

The better songs on the album are ones that sound like something off Pop or Zooropa .

I think alot of the songs will be rejigged for the tour next year and will sound significantly better live.

When I Look at the World, Yahweh and Miracle Drug are three terrible songs. None of them would even make it on to this album.

Every day I'm reading more and more really harsh reviews of this album, people really don't like it!

Every Breaking Wave and Volcano are both great songs but really I think this is more of a complete 'album', more than anything they have done since Achtung Baby.

PropJoe10

jimmythedivil wrote: »

When I Look at the World, Yahweh and Miracle Drug are three terrible songs. None of them would even make it on to this album.

Every day I'm reading more and more really harsh reviews of this album, people really don't like it!

Every Breaking Wave and Volcano are both great songs but really I think this is more of a complete 'album', more than anything they have done since Achtung Baby.

Agreed, those songs are awful. HTDAAB was a really poor album i thought, some real crap filler on there along with a few good tracks. After Love & Peace Or Else, I thought the album was pure filler. This new one is light years ahead of that.

porsche959

PropJoe10 wrote: »

Agreed, those songs are awful. HTDAAB was a really poor album i thought, some real crap filler on there along with a few good tracks. After Love & Peace Or Else, I thought the album was pure filler. This new one is light years ahead of that.

I found the critical adulation heaped on that album inexplicable tbh. Even former U2-haters NME and Mojo magazine were praising it.

PropJoe10

porsche959 wrote: »

I found the critical adulation heaped on that album inexplicable tbh. Even former U2-haters NME and Mojo magazine were praising it.

Its without a doubt their weakest album in my view. At the time, they were coming off the back of the Elevation "U2 are back" tour and it seemed to be the in-thing to call them geniuses and praise their every move. Now, people are hating on the new record even though its far superior to the last two.

weadick

Anybody else listening to the 'U Talking U2 To Me?' podcasts?

I just discovered them and think they are great...even if half the time they never actually even talk about about U2! They have a two hour podcast just reviewing the new album.

Frank Bullitt

Been listening to this a good bit since its release, I'm loving it so far. Much better than NLOTH for sure.

6am7f9zxrsjvnb

The backlash from critics has been remarkable considering the album is far better than any bunch of fifty something blokes could be expected to make.

As someone else pointed out,this album actually improves as it moves along. Side 2 of most U2 albums house a couple of turkeys.Not this one. You have to go back to Achtung Baby to find a U2 album as lyrically and musically cohesive as Songs of Innocence.

PropJoe10

Skyla Spoiled Macrame wrote: »

The backlash from critics has been remarkable considering the album is far better than any bunch of fifty something blokes could be expected to make.

As someone else pointed out,this album actually improves as it moves along. Side 2 of most U2 albums house a couple of turkeys.Not this one. You have to go back to Achtung Baby to find a U2 album as lyrically and musically cohesive as Songs of Innocence.

Its sad really. I think alot of reviewers have gotten caught up in the controversy about the album being inserted into people's iTunes catalogue and not focused on the music. Its not a bad album at all. From what I've seen, fan reaction has been fairly positive.

Blisterman

weadick wrote: »

Anybody else listening to the 'U Talking U2 To Me?' podcasts?

I just discovered them and think they are great...even if half the time they never actually even talk about about U2! They have a two hour podcast just reviewing the new album.

I'm a U2 fan, but I'm more excited by the prospect of a new episode of this than I am by the album. Hilarious.

sneakyST

I havent played a U2 song in a while (and I'm a fan) until I downloaded this. I've had it on constantly. I think its right up there with the best they've done.

eviltimeban

PropJoe10 wrote: »

caught up in the controversy about the album being inserted into people's iTunes

I reckon if they follow up SOI with Songs of Experience swiftly enough (summer 15 at least), it might take the focus off the iTunes situation.

SOE should be a traditional, CD / LP / download release with no tricks or gimmicks.

I agree though; I wonder if they'd just released it as normal (though as a surprise release) would there be less negativity around it. It is their best album since ATYCLB, but its cool nowadays not to like U2.

johnpatrick81

I think we might see Songs of Experience even sooner, maybe before xmas, perhaps November.

I agree that alot of the reviews seem to ignore the music completely and focus on either the band or the manner of the release. Maybe they feel put out that this kind of renders them completely irrelevant. Their only hope of someone reading their review now is to pan it or say something controversial.

Whichever way, it continues to grow in my estimation.

PropJoe10

eviltimeban wrote: »

I reckon if they follow up SOI with Songs of Experience swiftly enough (summer 15 at least), it might take the focus off the iTunes situation.

SOE should be a traditional, CD / LP / download release with no tricks or gimmicks.

I agree though; I wonder if they'd just released it as normal (though as a surprise release) would there be less negativity around it. It is their best album since ATYCLB, but its cool nowadays not to like U2.

Yep, as I said previously, at the launch of HTDAAB, they were the "in thing" after the Elevation tour and could do no wrong. Now, its the opposite. This album dumps all over HTDAAB, which is quite frankly pure crap in comparison to it. SoI isnt a classic U2 album but its definitely alot better than the last two.

lukin

I can't understand how someone can rate this album above HTDAAB. That was an album that got U2 some of their best reviews ever. Even the notorious U2-hating organ that is NME gave it nine out of ten.
"Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own" is probably the best song U2 have ever done, "Love and Peace or Else", "City of Blinding Lights" and "All Because of You" are stadium anthems most bands would kill for.
There are some very goods songs on this album that will stand the test of time but there are not enough of them in my opinion.