U2's Songs of Innocence....Five Year Later

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by americanscientist, Sep 9, 2019.

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  1. davebush

    davebush New Test Leper

    Location:
    Fonthill, ON
    Just gave the album a fresh listen. For my money, “Sleep Like a Baby Tonight” is the clear standout track. My favorite by far.
     
  2. Odysseus

    Odysseus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Interesting take.
     
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  3. Gavaxeman

    Gavaxeman Take me back to dear old Blighty...

    Location:
    West Midlands U.K.
    I Love U2, but they have been a massive frustration since Atomic bomb ..seem to spend way too long over thinking things and trying to stay hip or relevant or whatever .. they’ve lost the plot when it comes to making records ...
     
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  4. HotelYorba101

    HotelYorba101 Senior Member

    Location:
    California
    That is probably the most Zooropa-esque song they have done sine Zooropa in my opinion, it is a cool tune.

    That and "Volcano" are my two favorites, with Volcano I like it more than the "sequel" song that borrow its riff in "American Soul" and the great Fly-vocal effect on Bono's voice during the verses really elevate it
     
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  5. JeffMo

    JeffMo Format Agnostic

    Location:
    New England
    Try this!

    Love Is All We Have Left
    Lights of Home (Beck Remix)
    You're The Best Thing About Me (acoustic)
    Summer of Love
    Red Flag Day
    The Little Things That Give You Away
    Landlady
    Love Is Bigger Than Anything In It's Way (HP Hoeger Rusty Egan Chill Mix)
    Every Breaking Wave (acoustic)
    Invisible
    Iris
    Cedarwood Road
    Song For Someone
    Raised By Wolves
    California
    Sleep Like A Baby
    The Troubles
    Ordinary Love
    Book of Your Heart
    Lights of Home (St Peters String Version)
    The Crystal Ballroom
    13 (There Is A Light)

    My teenage son does not endorse this playlist that omits Volcano, The Blackout, American Soul,
    Get Out of Your Own Way!
     
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  6. davebush

    davebush New Test Leper

    Location:
    Fonthill, ON
    Yes. I wish they’d return to the Zooropa vibe. I suspect they don’t have the guts anymore.
     
  7. JeffMo

    JeffMo Format Agnostic

    Location:
    New England
    Way more concerned about commerce more than art now, and they are not risk takers they were in 90s.
     
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  8. Odysseus

    Odysseus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    I would say that's been the case since Pop. They were making edits and changes with that album right up to the point of submitting it to the label back in 1997. U2 has never really recovered from Pop's popping with the public either commercially or artistically.
     
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  9. JeffMo

    JeffMo Format Agnostic

    Location:
    New England
    I would argue it runs even deeper than that - they didn't react well to bashing of Rattle and Hum either. This caused them to seriously overreact to Pop/Popmart criticisms.
     
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  10. morgan1098

    morgan1098 Forum Resident

    I'm totally going to program this when I get home. Nice!

    Someone earlier asked about the fan club CDs for this year. I have them and they sound great. I'm thrilled they returned to a CD gift rather than vinyl, which really limits the number of tracks they can offer.

    Anyway, as for the CD set this year--
    The pros:
    • It's great having a set of live material exclusively from the last two albums, rather than hearing the old concert war horses like Pride and New Year's Day all over again.
    • The track list on each disc doesn't exactly mirror that of the respective albums, but Disc 1 is SOI and related material (like Invisible and Crystal Ballroom) and Disc 2 is all SOE material.
    The cons:
    • Like the recent Simple Minds live release, most of the tracks fade in and fade out rather than being mixed together. This messes up the flow. Sure, the were all recorded at different locations and different concerts, but on past live fan club releases they have cross faded the audio so that it sounds like you're listening to a single performance.
    • More than other recent live releases, the "pre-recorded sounds" really stand out on this release. You hear vocals by Lykke Li, Kendrick Lamar, and Lady Gaga, but of course they're pre-recorded samples. You hear a string section on "Lights of Home" that is pre-recorded. True, this has been happening for years, back to Bono's "duet" with Lou Reed during Zoo TV. And I know many of the pre-recorded sounds are triggered live below the stage by keyboard player Terry Lawless. Even so, the music sounds a bit too glossy and artificial for this live release.
     
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  11. Nomadicarchivist

    Nomadicarchivist Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washington D.C.
    I had checked out on U2 as a live band after the disaster that was the first leg of the Pop Mart tour.. The Memphis gig was especially horrible with the band being under rehearsed, Bono's voice being shot despite it only being a few shows into the tour and a setlist that at times seemed like they were phoning it in..

    Having said all that, this fan made "show" comprised of various shows from 360 proves that they did redeem themselves ..

     
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  12. jeddy

    jeddy Forum Resident

    they care too much about what other people think
    They are not artists anymore......they are businessmen

    that said I quite like Volcano and Every Breaking Wave and Song For Someone
    but that opener...…….Joey Ramone thingy...……..bleck!! worst song they ever wrote!!
     
  13. twicks

    twicks Forum Resident

    Location:
    Detroit
    To the contrary I'd say they never recovered from "Beautiful Day" being such a big hit. They can't stop craving that same success.
     
    ARK likes this.
  14. Odysseus

    Odysseus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Good point, but at least they bounced back from the Rattle and Hum criticisms with Achtung Baby and later Zooropa.
     
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  15. Jimmy Mac

    Jimmy Mac Zooropa... better by design

    No Line is THE song on No Line

    Straightforward no BS rocker than you (I) wanna turn up to 11 every time it comes on.
     
  16. davebush

    davebush New Test Leper

    Location:
    Fonthill, ON
    Every five years, we start hearing about some daring new direction they’re working on. It never happens.
     
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  17. Jimmy Mac

    Jimmy Mac Zooropa... better by design

    Ummm...their very next album they were achieving their most artistic/commercial success with the public and have probably been chasing that ever since.
     
    twicks likes this.
  18. mjb

    mjb Senior Member

    Location:
    Michigan, USA
    I believe it's separately tracked on the Japanese CD version of the Deluxe Edition... in addition, you get the 12" mix of "The Crystal Ballroom" as a bonus track.
     
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  19. mjb

    mjb Senior Member

    Location:
    Michigan, USA
    The main version is more consistent with the rest of the album, but Version 2 takes things even further in your preferred direction.

     
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  20. Odysseus

    Odysseus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Oh please... All That You Can't Leave Behind was a super overhyped 'back to basics' approach that has maybe four good songs on it.

    "Beautiful Day" is probably the most pedestrian U2 song ever and was more than likely only a 'hit' because it was a song by U2 than by itself being an actual good song.
     
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  21. PDK

    PDK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Central Florida
    I'm surprised at the lack of love generally in this thread.

    I see the recent output as a focus on the craft of songwriting and concise melody. I just think their ambitions musically have changed (actually evolved). There's no sellout. More like not looking back (which says artist to me) but they are still looking to satisfy themselves as musicians/songwriters.

    I mean...they know at this point albums don't sell but they still do them. Certainly after the last 3 albums they are not so megalomaniacal that they believe themselves so special that their sole reason for entering the studio is to merely con the music consumers into finally buying their albums when no one buys albums anymore generally. We know it,,,do we think they moved into Neverland Ranch and are disconnected from reality?

    Many opinions here see them desperately trying to be contemporary. ...ummmm They are not succeeding at that. They are not contemporary. Based on their past success I would guess they are not been dumb. Certainly smarter than most. I don't believe they are investing money into faith that they (as GODS) will change the ever lessened attention spans in our modern culture into album consumers again.

    The Unforgettable Fire is my favorite U2 album but the beauty for me is the naivete in that they had little idea of how to skillfully craft songs while expressing undeniable passion. But then PRIDE on that album shows a desire to do exactly that. They did it well but very rudimentarily. Their music theory palette was limited.

    Someone mentioned MAGNIFICENT as a flat out U2 song of old. It definitely harkens back but there are some very unique qualities to it. It's a disco beat inarguably. The major to minor shift of the last B chord of the main progression too is very un U2. I can remember when U2 avoided the 3rd of chords that differentiates a major and minor chord.

    I'm not defending U2, but to say they are phoning it in without musical ambitions is something I cannot agree with.

    It would be nice to hear the abandon of some of the early work but there is a reason you don't hear remakes of BTBS. Why most of those early songs cannot stand up to the standards. It only works in the context of their bombastic delivery. Not a crafty piece of music by any standard. Totally passion and drama driven...ands that is what SOLD it to us. Doesn't work as a piano piece, orchestra or muzak.

    My generation was sold on U2 evolving, surprising, and being sincere in their ambitions. I still think they are...but they're like 60. Goals change. Doesn't mean they sold out. Sold out to who or what?

    Conservatively their next 3 generations of kids are secure. They haven't a worry in the world. I think they want to do great things and if they lost the desire they would stop. They could just do the Stones thing and cash in.

    Anyway...have a good night.
     
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  22. gregorya

    gregorya I approve of this message

    U2 needs to stop reading the music press and get themselves into a studio after making a solid promise to each other to make an album in 12 months.

    If that doesn't work out, repeat.

    ;)
     
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  23. YMC4

    YMC4 EVthing or Nothing

    Location:
    The Valley, CA.
    forget the bad press that surrounded this release from day 1. they (band) clearly made a mistake by going with the Apple gimmick which overshadowed the content.

    to me, it's their best album since Achtung, period. if you passed on this due to all the nonsense then...do yourself a favor & have a listen.

    Experience set isn't as good but still solid enough to form a wonderful double companion with Innocence set.
     
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  24. twicks

    twicks Forum Resident

    Location:
    Detroit
    By this logic "Discotheque" should have been their biggest single ever.

    "Beautiful Day" isn't my favorite but it was very commercial and captured a sentiment people could get behind. I think they've been chasing that buzz and second-guessing their artistic impulses ever since.
     
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  25. Odysseus

    Odysseus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Not sure how you came to that conclusion.
     
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