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U2 - Songs of Experience


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1 hour ago, timsimmons said:

Don't skip the last one. Some of Atomic bomb is Ok. Definitely skip No line on the Horizon. 

I personally thought Atomic Bomb was pretty awesome.  It's not perfect but it was a pretty solid listen.  I usually go to that album a lot and there's good nostalgia with that album for me.

 

Songs of Innocence I thought was okay, it's not that bad of an album, an improvement over No Line for sure.  Actually thought it was way better than Pop too.

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7 hours ago, armadillo01 said:

That's basically what everyone says. I'll get around to it once this one's out because I want to evaluate the duology back-to-back. 

As a long time U2 fan, I think opinions often spill into hyperbole in either the positive or the negative. The things you need to know about the last three:

How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb:

Not great as an "album" but really good as a collection of songs. Nothing is an automatic skip on a play through, but the singles are easily the strongest songs (maybe not All Because of You). Worth listening to, and quite enjoyable after all this time. Miracle Drug, Crumbs From Your Table, and One Step Closer are gold.

No Line on The Horizon:

The middle 3 are throwaways, and shouldn't be there. If they'd released an 8 song mini-album without them, it'd be much better. Some lost gems in the other songs like Moment of Surrender, Cedars of Lebanon, and the title track.

Songs of Innocence:

Really solid album that suffers because of the release method. Production is too glossy and sterile at times, but the songs are really good. Any review that looks past the release method says glowing things. Non single picks are Raised By Wolves, Sleep Like a Baby Tonight, and The Crystal Ballroom (although it is only a bonus track).

 

Songs of Experience sounds like a far more adventurous album than those three - some more atmospheric and experimental sounds,  more 'natural' sounding production and song structures, and really well thought-out subject matter. I'm really looking forward to this album.

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New song is super good.  Looking very forward to this record.

I wonder if, since it seems we're gonna get a more conventional release strategy compared to SoI, there are going to be any unusual limited variants. Going by Discogs listings, the band and/or those they surround themselves with don't seem to historically be hip to this idea (at least for their official releases). Maybe they have their collective ears to the ground?

Changing gears: I have to defend No Line On The Horizon. I think that "Get On Your Boots" being the first single colored people's perception of the record as a whole. The album as a whole is actually a relatively unusual and challenging listen from this band, for the most part, which I have high appreciation for personally. I do agree with dan_smee that this song-as well as "Stand Up Comedy" are B-sides at best, but I disagree that "I'll Go Crazy..." is disposable. It's a solid pop single that retains the more atmospheric and experimental qualities from the more out there tracks. This should have been the first single for people to base their impressions on.

I always love when bands put their sound in a blender, so I respect things like "Unknown Caller", "FEZ-Being Born" and "White As Snow". And in addition to the songs dan_smee mentioned, "Magnificent" and "Breathe" are also noteworthy rock tracks.

Top to bottom, I personally highly rate this record. I can do without "Get On Your Boots" and "Stand Up Comedy", but I don't necessarily feel they kill the flow of the album as a whole work. Its far from their worst album-that dubious honor goes to October.

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Yeah, the track is pretty good - I prefer the alternate mix that is floating around. The riff from the solo is used in the pre-chorus and it adds a lot. The steam goes out of the song there, but the riff helps keep it rolling, without ruining the build up.

 

http://playiga.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/U2-Youre-The-Best-Thing-About-Me-Sci-Fi-Soul-Mix.mp3

 

I am not sure of the rules here re MP3 posts - this is from Interscope's own info service directly, so I don't think I am breaking any rules.

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  • 1 month later...

They're still trying to find details, but here's a listing for $38:

http://www.bullmoose.com/p/26182850/u2-songs-of-experience

 

Seems that may be too cheap to be the deluxe, but also too pricey to be a standard 2xLP? Not sure. Hopefully that's deluxe.

Edited by lethalenforcer
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Here’s the tracklist floating around

 

Side 1:

1) Love Is All We Have Left
2) Lights Of Home
3) You're The Best Thing About Me
4) Get Out Of Your Own Way
5) American Soul

Side 2:

1) Summer Of Love
2) Red Flag Day
3) The Showman (Little More Better)
4) The Little Things That Give You Away

Side 3:

1) Landlady
2) The Blackout
3) Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way
4) 13 (There Is A Light)

Side 4 (bonus tracks):

1) Ordinary Love (Extraordinary Mix)
2) Book Of Your Heart
3) Lights Of Home (St Peter's String Version)

 

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9 minutes ago, lethalenforcer said:

I'd hold your horses on the Deluxe price being $50 - FNAC seems to have it listed for ~$90?

https://musique.fnac.com/a11134712/U2-Songs-Of-Experience-Coffret-Edition-Deluxe-limitee-Inclus-1-coupon-MP3-Vinyl-album?omnsearchpos=1

Hopefully that's wrong.  I mean, when you look at the picture it's pretty much the vinyl and CD.  The only extras seem to be the poster and that newspaper.  The rest just looks like the inner sleeves for the vinyl.  That outer box and blue vinyl look pretty sweet though.

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Just now, YouTwo said:

Hopefully that's wrong.  I mean, when you look at the picture it's pretty much the vinyl and CD.  The only extras seem to be the poster and that newspaper.  The rest just looks like the inner sleeves for the vinyl.  That outer box and blue vinyl look pretty sweet though.

Hopefully, but it won't surprise me if the "standard" 2xLP is $35+ (watch: it includes a lyric book! And photos!) and the deluxe is $75+ (bigger booklet, COLORED vinyl, 7" single, unique packaging!). Nothing surprises me with the price points on vinyl these days. If the RT listing is true and that limited single is really that damn expensive, dear lord.

 

Fingers are crossed...

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