New U2 Album "Songs of Innocence" (Part Three)

I listened to this yesterday and surprised that this album has legs. It's good enough that it keeps getting better with time. I'm not completely in love with the way it sounds, but its not terrible at least. Their best since Achtung Baby or Zooropa, maybe. (ATYCLB being merely "pleasant" but not necessarily great). Every song on this album is strong. I will probably buy the follow-up. See, it pays to release free music.

 

Yay! I was just noticing the same thing. I've been in a bit of a funk music wise, not much has excited me lately. I think it's more an issue with other things weighing me down rather than the music being bad. I was struggling to find something to excite me and I started playing SOI and it clicked in massive way. "Every Breaking Wave" was the one that did it then everything else fell into place. It actually sparked a U2 listening phase at work where I worked my way through UF all the way to SOI and enjoyed everything immensely. Not a huge fan of the earlier albums as I prefer the layered and larger production. October through War are fine albums but not as sonically interesting as the rest of their catalog IMO.

I love Songs of Innocence, it has joined the group of albums that exist in my mind as really being special, either they're phenomenal albums or they remind me of a special time in my life but in the case of this album, it had been a long time coming, the anticipation was high, and even though I was waiting a long time for it the album seemed to just come out of nowhere given the way it was released. So many were rooting against them that it pretty much had to be a near classic and I'd venture that it is for me. I'll never understand why it enraged so many people with the way it was given away then add to that the weird controversy about the cover (again, something I don't really understand as I was able to pick up on the meaning as soon as I saw it and I'm not that deep) so it had a lot working against it. In the end, I love listening to the album. It sounds energetic and sounds like the band was really pouring themselves into it. They are a 4 piece band with the standard instruments so I just don't expect them to reinvent themselves that much but this album does sound a little original and the songs do stick with you. Great record and I'm glad to see that you're getting something out of it.

 

"After having spent five years between the release of their last two albums, U2 aren’t going to make their fans wait so long for their next one. In a new interview, Bono says that Songs of Experience, the follow-up to last year’s Songs of Innocence, will be out in 2016.

“We’re going to get this album out next year,” he told the Irish Times, “unusually for us, a lot of the songs are done already.”

The singer pulled out his phone to give the journalist a sneak preview of what they were working on, complete with commentary. One song was described as “going after a broken cassette recorder type of sound,” while the Edge and drummer Larry Mullen, Jr. were praised for their work on others.

That said, Bono admits that he’s “the least reliable member of the band on this” (although, we note, he’s probably more reliable than any of the members of Metallica).

One thing that hasn’t been discussed is how U2 will deliver Songs of Experience. The band was pilloried for giving away Songs of Innocence for free to everybody with an iTunes account. Bono later apologized, calling it a combination of a “drop of megalomania, touch of generosity, dash of self-promotion and deep fear that these songs that we poured our life into over the last few years mightn’t be heard.”

But he later took back the apology somewhat, saying “Of the great crimes against mankind…? This is an honest mistake, and we’re just not going to lose sleep about it.”



Read More: U2 to Release ‘Songs of Experience’ Next Year | http://ultimateclassicrock.com/u2-songs-of-experience-2016/?trackback=tsmclip

 

I was just getting back on board as a fan of the band before Bono's accident and other delays and misfortunes and I fell from the U2 wagon again. Not that I have ever been off their trail. Listening to SOI today after not hearing it for six months or more and its been a really good experience. To me, at times its honorable mention maybe as one of ny favorite 80's albums and I mean that as a compliment. I probably like the first half of the record best but also enjoy the few bonus tracks. I regret getting off SOI so quickly and for too long, but it feels good to rejoin. A good record, imo.

 

Interesting insight there.
To me there are some peaks here but I like your take and observation.

 

$6.99, 2x white Vinyl if you live near Fry's and they have it in stock.

Songs of Innocence by U2 [2LP Vinyl] »

 

Bump! So, with the understanding that what we like is so very subjective, I'd like to ask some to reconsider this gem. U2 is one of my very favorite bands, they've been a mainstay ever since I could remember being able to buy my own records and on that note, how many bands stay together like this? Says something to the character of the band and one of Bono's commandments about keeping the money a non subject. In my mind, U2 has not released a bad album, some are better than others for sure but I categorized them either as a momentum starter or beneficiary or just one of the epics where they dug their heels in and poured their heart and soul into resetting the bar.....for me this album is the latter. NLOTH was very good for me but I think it drafted a little off its predecessors and I think they sensed this and let life show them how to make music again.
I know the Apple thing was a distraction....one that I'm still puzzled as to why but that's neither here nor there. The record.....yes....the record that took them 5 years and there were all sorts of stories of problems with producers, rewrites....of Bono blasting new songs for the entire beach to hear but when I first listened, it struck me as being in the category with Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby and for me....Pop....as those albums signaled the band stepping outside of the safe zone of just picking up where the last one left off. ATYCLB might be another although the songs weren't quite as strong for me. Songs of Innocence just drips of the knowledge and emotion one gains when they go out and look at the world while concentrating on their own space within it. Every song seems like something new to me as far as the band is concerned, at the end of the day it's still the same guys with the same instruments but this record just beams with each note jumping out of the speakers and any doubters should have put those doubts aside after seeing the accompanying show which, was their most emotional and effervescent tour to date which, as many know is really saying something......mainly because of the new songs.

I didn't get to go but the videos I watched gave me a chill that I don't usually get. The album should have been hailed as a classic if it weren't for all the freakin' static surrounding its release. If one without a bias just simply sits and listens, it has the makings of a classic to me and is in their top 3.....only because this band made 2 or 3 other classics that have actually aged well.....how many bands can do this? Guess haters gonna hate. I believe this album will be looked back at fondly and in my mind....is one of the most insightful and personal collections of songs I've heard in a very, very long time.

 

that whole ITune fiasco really overshadow the content and gave naysayers a chance to hang open season on the band.
that's too bad considering the album itself is their strongest collection of songs since...'POP'. it may not be a game changer like Joshua or Achtung but Come On...they're in their mid-50's, what do you expect at this stage ? all i know is...during the last tour, all the new songs performed felt right at home with other classics and that hasn't happened in a LONG time.
they should just release 'Songs of Experience' as is and say screw it, we're beyond all that 'status' BS but...unfortunately U2 still think they're SO important and has to overthink everything cuz of it.

 

Never listened to it. Too much noise with the release thing. I steered away. I have a brain = one that I can call my own, not just one on sharing with everybody else, I'm not saying that it's brilliant, but... It's mine.

 

Didn't see the thread but indeed revisited the deluxe edition via iTunes that at the time ended up costing me like only $7 or something for 20+recordings. Anyway, I thought it was a good U2 album with a bunch of good melodies and performances. Overall, in general, by and large, I like it more than the production on Atomic Bomb and the songwriting on NLOTH. I tend to like the first third of it best with Every Breaking Wave and Song For Someone but I also like Cedarwood Road. I prefer a few of the different versions of the songs as on the deluxe edition. There's a freshness and 'intimacy' about the sound and performance of a few of those tracks. I will be listening to it again!

 

I have the deluxe version & I think it's one of the best albums for me in the last 5 years.

 

tick, tick, tick - times moving on and 2016 is over half way gone.

 

Indeed. U2 is infamous for this crap when it comes to the "next album's coming out..."

 

The deluxe version is a necessity for this album, for these songs, in my opinion. Simply mirroring the sequence of the main album tracklist and either adding the outtakes as bonus tracks at the end or not, it's an essential album to me. I listen to it more than the single album release. It's great to hear Bono in good voice and the vocal mixed not always so forward. It's made me an 'active' and 'present' fan of their music now. I find there seems a little less lead vocal ad libbing and what I woild call also vocal posturing for lack of a better term. It's Emo-Bono for the better and the amount of and focus in the singing in the songs seem and sound just right, imo, to me. I've been listening to Disc 2. I think the sound of the main album is more ear fatiguing and likely better enjoyed heard not as a pre-bedtime album, lol.

 

Admittedly biased but I like HTDAAB's production, it's very clear and up front. Sounds like they're recording in the room with you with seemingly very little in the way of effects or an over use of them. I love Steve Lillywhite's production, I know he muddied up some albums a bit but I can't think of them sounding any other way (Big Country comes to mind). That said, "Songs of Innocence" for me just comes together nicely. The songwriting really shines through and at least I can tell they've raised their game. Maybe it came from Rick Rubin's much balleyhoo'd insistence that a good song can be performed with just a piano or maybe it was the 5 years it took but each song is special and astute, written by musicians who are observers and thinkers. I agree that the first third is strongest but I don't sense any real drop off. "This is Where You Can Reach Me Now" and "The Troubles" comprise one of my very favorite 2 songs to end it on any album.

 

I just realized that I have this album in my iTunes library. I had no idea it was free until now. Guess I should play it

 

As reported,it looks like this new album will not be out until next year so say Bono as of late. I'm really surprised they didn't have it ready for this October and the 40th anniversary release date. Seems like a very symbolic thing to pass up in today's marketing drivin niche. "40 years experience and the band that is U2"....I dunno.

 

Not good for anyone who is going to die between now and then.

 

In that case, it will be something that you can leave behind...

 

Songs Of Innocence just appeared on my wife's iPhone today

 

Yep, SOI has got some legs and I guess it's now wanting some experience

 

My opinion hasn't changed since its release: disappointing first half, and very good (to great) second half.

"My" SOI comprises 6 songs, from "Volcano" to "The Troubles": great (albeit short) album.

And even the first songs (Every Breaking Wave, California, Song For Someone) I've come to appreciate thanks to their acoustic versions.

 

I'm the opposite. I really like the whole album, but love the first half way more than the second half. Isn't music great!!

 

Music moves in mysterious ways

 

I like the first half well enough but, like you, I think the second half is much stronger. Sleep like a baby tonight could have been on one of their 90s albums.