U2 Songs of Innocence

lukin · 10-09-2014 11:11pm

Been listening to it for most of it this evening and I have to say I am disappointed.There are only two or three good songs on it in my opinion.
It's certainly not in the same class as All That You Can't Leave Behind or How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.
I think U2's creative juices have dried up.It happens to every band eventually,we shouldn't be surprised.
I can see them becoming like the Rolling Stones;releasing a new album every five or so years that doesn't sell well and touring on their back catalogue.

MisterAnarchy · 11-09-2014 12:53am

Tombo2001 wrote: »

(I) they are over produced, and in particular they take ages to get to the point, the start goes on for ages, the song kicks in proper after 30 or 40 seconds. Cedarwood Road is a good example on the new album. Decent riff for the first 20 seconds, but then the riff disappears. In Gods Country gets straight to the point in contrast.

They are certainly overproduced ,5 producers for an album is ridiculous.

The ironic thing is that the best songs in my opinion are the ones originally recorded with danger mouse before they brought in the additional producers.

The first half of the album is very easy listening ,its almost pop music whilst the latter half is much superior .

On first listen I liked the album but the more I listen to it ,something seems off ,there are no real anthemic ,powerful songs like on previous albums.
Too many of the songs sound like retreads of material from their 2000s albums, just not as good.
There is no guitar here that pushes the envelope. ATYCLB and HTDAAB had unique and outstanding guitar moments - Beautiful Day, Walk On, Kite, even When I Look at the World had strong guitar (no matter what you thought of the song as a whole); Vertigo, Miracle Drug, Sometimes,COBL and Yahweh.
Soaring atmospheric anthems like "Walk On" and "Where the Streets Have No Name" are nowhere to be found.

I can't think of any moments on this new album as good as those. The guitar riffs are few, far-between, and forgettable. The songs are synth and vocal-driven, and Edge seems to just be tagging along for the ride.
For all of U2's best songs, Edge drives the car, or at least steers it.

I like California,Sleep Like a Baby Tonight ,Raised by Wolves and The Troubles .
Sleep Like a Baby and The Troubles have a Zooropa feel .

Dont think much of Volcano or The Miracle ,they are like Get on Your Boots ,too generic.
I actually prefer the original version of Every Breaking Wave that was played on the 360 tour.

Its a decent album ,but not a patch on ATYCLB their last excellent album.
I wasnt expecting much to be honest ,5 years is far too long between albums and their best work came when they didnt care about mass appeal ,they are trying to play it too safe now .

Songs of Experience, the sister album will hopefully be released next year and accompany the tour which could be interesting .

johnpatrick81 · 11-09-2014 10:01am

I dunno, I think it might be overall their best since Pop. I'm a huge fan, and generally I have adored every album they have released. Over time their true worth has shown. To be honest if you wanna look at ATYCLB now I'd only rate 6 or 7 of the songs. HTDAAB is even lower at 4 or 5. NLOTH (i realise their album titles need to go back to one worders:D even google recognizes the acronyms!) also has around 5.

Currently I cannot see a bad song on this album. Sure there are no real outstanding amazing all time classics, but it's remarkably consistently good. Even songs I thought I didn't like (Iris) have real moments of genius and wonder. I'm sure some of these will fade like other tracks on past albums have, but at the moment it's far more consistent than any of the previous 3.

poundhound · 11-09-2014 10:23am

Interesting how opinions differ.

I disliked "All that you cant leave behind" and regarded "No line on the horizon" as average.

"How to dismantle an atomic bomb" is one of my favourite U2 albums.

The previous posts dont reflect my opinion, but thats what makes the world go round.

Where "Songs of Innocence" stands amongst their body of work will only become apparent in due course.

Mint Sauce · 11-09-2014 10:27am

Its alright.

AlanG · 11-09-2014 10:29am

Pretty poor album in my opinion. They are trying too hard to show they are in touch with regular people. Vocals are more like something a rich politician would write than a rocker.

Tombo2001 · 11-09-2014 10:33am

poundhound wrote: »

Interesting how opinions differ.

I disliked "All that you cant leave behind" and regarded "No line on the horizon" as average.

"How to dismantle an atomic bomb" is one of my favourite U2 albums.

The previous posts dont reflect my opinion, but thats what makes the world go round.

Where "Songs of Innocence" stands amongst their body of work will only become apparent in due course.

The other thing for me anyway is that the way we listen to albums has changed.

When I bought say Pop I'd have listened to it dozens of times even though I never really warmed to it.

On the other hand, the last album I listened to once or twice at most, and after that I'd play the one or two songs that I liked.

johnpatrick81 · 11-09-2014 10:35am

Most criticisms are subjective, but saying the lyrics are like those a "rich politician" would write is absolute rubbish. Most of it is written from the eyes of a middle class teenager in Dublin in the 70s.

eviltimeban · 11-09-2014 12:47pm

Have given it a few listens now, and I gives it the thumbs up!

I'm a hardcore Pop / Zooropa / Passengers fan, so anything that sounds like trad-U2 normally gets the thumbs down from me, though ATYCLB won out due to the quality of the songs.

I think the new album really kicks in by song 6, as someone else pointed out. The songs get more interesting and the production is amazing - I'm so glad there is barely any trademark Edge guitar - in fact, the guitars are the grungiest they've been since the 90s. I couldn't give a flying f**k about soaring anthems, I prefer the smaller, more intimate U2 songs, and there's touches of that here. There's isn't anything as outre as "Velvet Dress" or "Your Blue Room" of course, but I'm glad they went for a second half of more experimental (for them) material.

Favourite songs so far would be Volcano, California, This Is Where You Can Reach Me, and Cedarwood Road. Raised By Wolves is slightly ridiculous but I really like it - the chorus reminds me of something like 30 Seconds To Mars.

It'll be interesting to hear "Songs of Experience", if it does come out next year - perhaps they'll release both before the tour?

Seve OB · 11-09-2014 1:06pm

I've not had much opportunity to listen to the new album yet but hopefully will get it on over the weekend.

It is interesting to read the comments above regarding older stuff.

Lets face it, "The Joshua Tree" is and probably always be their best album, hell it's one of the greatest albums of all time. And it made U2 what they are today.

Then came "Rattle & Hum", the Joshua Trees poor relation, but still some cracking tunes

"Achtung Baby" ... Back in the day I remember thinking as a lot of other people did......what the hell is this?????? But my jeysus, it is a serious piece of work.

"Zooropa", mehhh maybe not a lot more than Achtung outtakes

"Pop" basically drivel

"ATYCLB" up there with Joshua and Achtung. IMO, and this says a lot for the album, "Beautiful Day" is probably one of the weaker songs on it.

"HTDAAB"... honestly I wasn't a fan when it came out. Maybe it was the stupid title name that turned me off it. It's like, "ah Bono is having a go at world peace here or something". I liked a couple of tunes on it allright, but then, like Achtung did before, it grew on me and when I listen to it now, it really is another cracking album. I'm still not a fan of "Vertigo" though!

"NLOTH".. well what can I say, it's magnificent!

Well at this stage I need to go back before "Joshua", Take a listen now to "Boy". "Out of Control" is possibly their best song ever, certainly top 5, and "I will follow" is not far behind.

"October" is ok. probably not unusual that we don't hear much of it nowadays.

"War" a statement of intent... U2 are here to stay, and here are some strong songs that will stand the test of time.

"The Unforgettable Fire" the warm up to "Joshua"

So really they have a catalogue of cracking albums, with probably the exception of "October" and "Pop". My expectations of the new album so are most likely I will pick out some stuff I like, other stuff I won't be a fan of straight away, but many many listens later will realise that it's tripe or yet another classic!

porsche959 · 11-09-2014 1:10pm

lukin wrote: »

It's certainly not in the same class as All That You Can't Leave Behind or How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.

Each to their own, but those two albums were the start of the rot IMO. NLOTH, though I really liked at it first, but have scarely listened to it since 2009, it doesn't have the staying power of the truly great U2 albums from the 1980s and 1990s.

lukin wrote: »

I think U2's creative juices have dried up.It happens to every band eventually,we shouldn't be surprised.
I can see them becoming like the Rolling Stones;releasing a new album every five or so years that doesn't sell well and touring on their back catalog

Agreed here.

porsche959 · 11-09-2014 1:24pm

stevieob wrote: »

"Pop" basically drivel

Pop is probably the most divisive of all U2 albums. Personally it's probably my favourite, definitely in top 3, but many U2 fans, like yourself, can't stand it.

JohnnyChimpo · 11-09-2014 1:35pm

Nunu wrote: »

Dave Fanning playing U2s new album right now on 2FM.
I nearly crashed the car when it came on!

Suicide is never the answer

eviltimeban · 11-09-2014 4:40pm

stevieob wrote: »

"Pop" basically drivel

Absolute nonsense.

thegreengoblin · 11-09-2014 5:00pm

eviltimeban wrote: »

Have given it a few listens now, and I gives it the thumbs up!

I'm a hardcore Pop / Zooropa / Passengers fan, so anything that sounds like trad-U2 normally gets the thumbs down from me, though ATYCLB won out due to the quality of the songs.

I think the new album really kicks in by song 6, as someone else pointed out. The songs get more interesting and the production is amazing - I'm so glad there is barely any trademark Edge guitar - in fact, the guitars are the grungiest they've been since the 90s. I couldn't give a flying f**k about soaring anthems, I prefer the smaller, more intimate U2 songs, and there's touches of that here. There's isn't anything as outre as "Velvet Dress" or "Your Blue Room" of course, but I'm glad they went for a second half of more experimental (for them) material.

Favourite songs so far would be Volcano, California, This Is Where You Can Reach Me, and Cedarwood Road. Raised By Wolves is slightly ridiculous but I really like it - the chorus reminds me of something like 30 Seconds To Mars.

It'll be interesting to hear "Songs of Experience", if it does come out next year - perhaps they'll release both before the tour?

Good post. I'm also in the Pop/Passengers/Zooropa/Achtung Baby camp, as it's where the band pushed themselves the most and were rewarded superbly in my opinion. Songs like the title track of Zooropa, Dirty Day, Miss Sarajevo and Your Blue Room are as good as anything they've ever done. Interesting to hear what songs of Songs of Innocence are appealing to you. I'd say California and This Is Where You Can Reach Me are my two favourites so far. But I need to give the album a few more listens before I can pass any real judgement on it.

But a few things really bug me about U2 in general. The first is that Bono's voice is letting the band down big time. I know he was technically never the best singer but he got the message across. Nowadays, he's reaching for notes that he can't hit anymore and the songs are suffering. On the live version of Miss Sarajevo from the Vertigo tour he sings the operatic section stunningly (similar to the one in Hands That Built America) and I thought he was going to go down this path a lot more. I really wish he had.

And the lyrics. Oh lord. There's no sublety there anymore, everything is so clunky and awkward. I'm talking Dolores O'Riordan awkward. Look at that line in Cedarwood Road. 'Northside just across the river to Southside, That’s a long way here'.....christ almighty, that's a horrible line. From Every Breaking Wave...'Every sailor knows that the sea
Is a friend made enemy'
I think the trend started with Peace On Earth from ATYCLB, which contains some of the worst lyrics from any U2 song. It's a shame because Bono used to write some amazing lyrics.

Lastly, they seem to be trying way too hard to prove themselves as relevant. All these producers and collaborators. I don't care if they're relevant. I just want them to make the music that comes from their heart, the music they want to make for themselves. I just don't believe they're really doing that anymore. Maybe we'll get that on the next one, I hope so.

Dcully · 11-09-2014 5:07pm

I quite like it,as far as lyrics go i havent paid much notice,im well past the stage of caring too much about lyrics,music can get too serious at times

I tend to like a song if it sounds good to me be it a nice melody,guitar rift or whatever.

thegreengoblin · 11-09-2014 5:07pm

stevieob wrote: »

"Zooropa", mehhh maybe not a lot more than Achtung outtakes

"Pop" basically drivel

"ATYCLB" up there with Joshua and Achtung.

Seriously?! Do you know the recording process behind Zooropa, how it was put together? Writing Pop off as drivel is laughable. And ATYCLB is simply not in the same league as The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby.

foxtrot101 · 11-09-2014 5:34pm

thegreengoblin wrote: »

Good post. I'm also in the Pop/Passengers/Zooropa/Achtung Baby camp, as it's where the band pushed themselves the most and were rewarded superbly in my opinion. Songs like the title track of Zooropa, Dirty Day, Miss Sarajevo and Your Blue Room are as good as anything they've ever done. Interesting to hear what songs of Songs of Innocence are appealing to you. I'd say California and This Is Where You Can Reach Me are my two favourites so far. But I need to give the album a few more listens before I can pass any real judgement on it.

But a few things really bug me about U2 in general. The first is that Bono's voice is letting the band down big time. I know he was technically never the best singer but he got the message across. Nowadays, he's reaching for notes that he can't hit anymore and the songs are suffering. On the live version of Miss Sarajevo from the Vertigo tour he sings the operatic section stunningly (similar to the one in Hands That Built America) and I thought he was going to go down this path a lot more. I really wish he had.

And the lyrics. Oh lord. There's no sublety there anymore, everything is so clunky and awkward. I'm talking Dolores O'Riordan awkward. Look at that line in Cedarwood Road. 'Northside just across the river to Southside, That’s a long way here'.....christ almighty, that's a horrible line. From Every Breaking Wave...'Every sailor knows that the sea
Is a friend made enemy'
I think the trend started with Peace On Earth from ATYCLB, which contains some of the worst lyrics from any U2 song. It's a shame because Bono used to write some amazing lyrics.

Lastly, they seem to be trying way too hard to prove themselves as relevant. All these producers and collaborators. I don't care if they're relevant. I just want them to make the music that comes from their heart, the music they want to make for themselves. I just don't believe they're really doing that anymore. Maybe we'll get that on the next one, I hope so.

I totally agree about the lyics, but I think the rot started as far back as POP with gems like...

Jesus, I'm waiting here boss
I know you're looking out for us
But maybe your hands aren't free
Your father, He made the world in seven
He's in charge of heaven
Will you put in a word in for me

thegreengoblin · 11-09-2014 5:45pm

foxtrot101 wrote: »

I totally agree about the lyics, but I think the rot started as far back as POP with gems like...

Ha, spot on. Such a shame too, as it's a great little tune.

lertsnim · 11-09-2014 7:43pm

Listened to it twice. That's more than enough for me. i think it's awful.

eviltimeban · 11-09-2014 8:16pm

thegreengoblin wrote: »

And the lyrics. Oh lord. There's no sublety there anymore, everything is so clunky and awkward. I'm talking Dolores O'Riordan awkward. Look at that line in Cedarwood Road. 'Northside just across the river to Southside, That’s a long way here'.....christ almighty, that's a horrible line. From Every Breaking Wave...'Every sailor knows that the sea
Is a friend made enemy'
I think the trend started with Peace On Earth from ATYCLB, which contains some of the worst lyrics from any U2 song. It's a shame because Bono used to write some amazing lyrics.

I think, lyrically, the nadir was NLOTH... the one about a "cockatoo" and helping an old lady across the road and sticking her tongue in my ear and 5am blah blah blah (Breathe). They just didn't scan.

I'll defend Pop with all my might, I think even the dodgiest lyrics work in context ("I got two new suits... Miami... pink and blue"). I'll take Wake Up Dead Man any day over anything off HTDAAB.

As for Bono's voice, lets face it, he's an excellent, powerful singer, but I agree that he spends most of the album at a higher register. My personal preference would be for his low singing (eg Your Blue Room, Velvet Dress etc) but there's moments on SOI where he captures that again, like the opening lines on Volcano (very Zoo Station!) and at other points.

What brings the album up though, IMO, is the quality of the songs - production and lyrics aside, there are some great catchy melodies and hooks, and I think it is their most memorable set of songs since ATYCLB.

The production is great, I think, as it doesn't sound like any other U2 album, and its a very "guitar" album - the edge isn't relying on his old tricks, he's doing some other things, more distortion, the odd traditional "rock" solo here and there, and some nice colouring with acoustic guitar here and there. I for one got really sick of his "signature" delay guitar sound, and am glad there isn't much on this album. For this, he should be applauded.

Pop is much maligned but only I feel because the album wasn't a huge success and people (mostly American fans) didn't "get" it. It was perfect for the times, showed a band not afraid to push the boundaries (though Zooropa was encapsulation of that theory, leaving aside Passengers as its not really a "U2" album) and there is a lot of weighty material throughout, which belied its throwaway title. Gone, Mofo, If God Will Send His Angels... Do You Feel Loved is one of their very best ever groove-songs. Please, of course, is one of the best ever U2 songs. Stunning, mind-blowing music from start to finish.

Anyway, we can't expect U2 to make Pop again, never mind AB or Zooropa, but fair play to them for adding new touches to their sound with SOI and coming up with some good songs to boot.

Songs Of Experience, the mooted follow up to come next year, could be interesting, if we get a taste of the "club" album they are reported to have made but didn't release. I'd like to see a return to sampling, programmed beats, and more moody songs like we have on Pop.

Now, time to put on "Always Forever Now" and bliss out...

TCDStudent1 · 11-09-2014 10:34pm

thegreengoblin wrote: »

Good post. I'm also in the Pop/Passengers/Zooropa/Achtung Baby camp, as it's where the band pushed themselves the most and were rewarded superbly in my opinion. Songs like the title track of Zooropa, Dirty Day, Miss Sarajevo and Your Blue Room are as good as anything they've ever done. Interesting to hear what songs of Songs of Innocence are appealing to you. I'd say California and This Is Where You Can Reach Me are my two favourites so far. But I need to give the album a few more listens before I can pass any real judgement on it.

But a few things really bug me about U2 in general. The first is that Bono's voice is letting the band down big time. I know he was technically never the best singer but he got the message across. Nowadays, he's reaching for notes that he can't hit anymore and the songs are suffering. On the live version of Miss Sarajevo from the Vertigo tour he sings the operatic section stunningly (similar to the one in Hands That Built America) and I thought he was going to go down this path a lot more. I really wish he had.

And the lyrics. Oh lord. There's no sublety there anymore, everything is so clunky and awkward. I'm talking Dolores O'Riordan awkward. Look at that line in Cedarwood Road. 'Northside just across the river to Southside, That’s a long way here'.....christ almighty, that's a horrible line. From Every Breaking Wave...'Every sailor knows that the sea
Is a friend made enemy'
I think the trend started with Peace On Earth from ATYCLB, which contains some of the worst lyrics from any U2 song. It's a shame because Bono used to write some amazing lyrics.

Lastly, they seem to be trying way too hard to prove themselves as relevant. All these producers and collaborators. I don't care if they're relevant. I just want them to make the music that comes from their heart, the music they want to make for themselves. I just don't believe they're really doing that anymore. Maybe we'll get that on the next one, I hope so.

Not a fan of that lyric either. But the rest of the lyrics in that song are fantastic.

chicorytip · 11-09-2014 10:57pm

Their three finest songs are "Discotheque" , "Please" and
"Lemon".

TCDStudent1 · 11-09-2014 10:59pm

chicorytip wrote: »

Their three finest songs are "Discotheque" , "Please" and
"Lemon".

Discotheque is a very controversial selection in there!

Achtung Maybe · 12-09-2014 9:12am

Full disclosure before I make this post, I am a U2 Fanatic (27 concerts, inc )

Elevation world tour in Miami -first 2 opening nights,
Vertigo tour 2 nights in MSG
Zoo TV, 1 night in Boston, 1 night at Wembley
360 tours (2 nights Wembley)
with the balance being Dublin shows since Unforgettable Fire era

NLOTH was by U2 standards mediocre (bar the sublime I'll Go Crazy...)
ATYCLB was an underrated album, Walk On, Kite and Stuck In A Moment brilliant tunes
HTDAAB was good (not great) Miracle Drug and Sometimes You Cant Make It On Your Own absolute genius
SOI again has flashes of brilliance, some other songs will be slow-burners (not necessarily a bad thing btw)

IMHO Achtung Baby was their best album
Zooropa great album with the song itself Zooropa a classic
Pop on reflection had some great songs ( with some decidedly poor ones (Miami for example)

BTW I should also add I have an inoperable brain tumour & the band have been good to me since falling ill (sent me letters, rarities etc)

lee_baby_simms · 12-09-2014 9:18am

The songs are very average. A lot of the songs go nowhere, ponderous.

I really think they should pack it in - at least stop making records. Just tour. They haven't made a really good album in decades.

eviltimeban · 12-09-2014 9:22am

lee_baby_simms wrote: »

I really think they should pack it in - at least stop making records. Just tour. They haven't made a really good album in decades.

I don't agree with you, but I've often thought the opposite - they should stop touring and just make records. They've been trying to write for stadiums for the last decade, unlike with Zooropa / Pop etc when they were just making music. I think that if they stopped touring they could make much more interesting music.

Anyway, I've decided my favourite song on SOI is "Sleep Like A Baby Tonight". Its like a cross between The Playboy Mansion and If You Wear That Velvet Dress! With a bit of God Will Send His Angels. Very Pop sounding.

eviltimeban · 12-09-2014 9:25am

Achtung Maybe wrote: »

ATYCLB was an underrated album, Walk On, Kite and Stuck In A Moment brilliant tunes

Just wanted to pick up on this point, I don't think it was under-rated at all, I think it was "rated", as in, it got great reviews, was a huge success, won back loads of fans, and is still critically admired.

I liked it straight away but then went off it a bit, but in recent years my appreciation has renewed as there's a lot more going on on that album than is initially evident, production-wise. While some of the songs are filler, there's a great warmth to that album and it does contain great stuff like New York, Grace, and Ground Beneath Her Feet.

lee_baby_simms · 12-09-2014 9:33am

eviltimeban wrote: »

I don't agree with you, but I've often thought the opposite - they should stop touring and just make records. They've been trying to write for stadiums for the last decade, unlike with Zooropa / Pop etc when they were just making music. I think that if they stopped touring they could make much more interesting music.

Anyway, I've decided my favourite song on SOI is "Sleep Like A Baby Tonight". Its like a cross between The Playboy Mansion and If You Wear That Velvet Dress! With a bit of God Will Send His Angels. Very Pop sounding.

I actually flicked through some of their old albums last night, some great songs. They had something back then, like they had something to prove. They took risks and wrote some memorable tunes. Tunes like Zoo Station, Stay, Mofo.

It just feels like u2 are a franchise now rather than something really creative. Good luck to them all the same.

NIMAN · 12-09-2014 10:03am

For me U2 haven't produced a great album in a long time.
Haven't heard this new one yet, but I agree about them being a franchise now.

The old U2 were fantastic, now the fact that they gave away their new album to Apple for a PILE of cash sort of says to me that they are done.

U2 Songs of Innocence

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