I highly recommend you learn more of the backstory and motivation to these songs, slow down and re-listen. That's what I did, and this album has been one of the most profound U2 experiences I've had in a LONG time.
I highly recommend he get out of his own ass as well. He clearly doesn't now caca about the history and evolution of this album - or the fact the delay was mostly caused by Bono taking a crash on his bicycle and spending nearly a year in rehab. He seems to think that U2 just could not be arsed to put the album out more quickly than they did. Everybody and their dog wants to get famous on RUclips these days...and this dude is definitely one of the dogs.
ZOOROPA is a brilliant album. I don't think the songs in Zooropa are Achtung Baby leftovers, but rather the natural evolution of their newly found sound at the time. Artistically and Creatively speaking, I would even go as far as saying it's better than Achtung Baby. (I'm not debating. Just sharing my very personal opinion)
Disagree on Landlady. Didnt expect to like a song with such a daft title but it pulls you in. Love the last 60 seconds, it is worth putting up with the first 3 minutes just for that final flourish.
Hey man, first time seeing your channel, so I must say good job on the presentation of your review. Even if I don't agree with a lot of what you said, your opinion is well spoken. But since I'm fun at parties, I'll focus on what I disagree and this comes from someone that have different tastes overall. For example, I think Zooropa is better than Achtung Baby because it succeeds in being edgier and weirder while also having real emotional content in all tracks. Basically, you'll never find another Zooropa, while Achtung Baby is "only" an unbelievable collection of 12 standard and pretty excellent rock songs (with the surprise element of a fresh industrial sound... it is a masterpiece, sure). And it's not just because Zooropa is unique that I love it, but the vibes and grooves are amazing, each song is precious. Why am I saying that? Well, I made this comparison between Achtung Baby and Zooropa because it's pertinent to why I disagree with some of your review. Zooropa and The Unforgettable Fire and some other U2 records, as well as SOE, don't have the urge to create gigantic climaxes in every song, letting each of them to progress to where they should head instead of somewhere more grandiose. So, while we have exhilarating pay off moments in some tracks, like in Little Things That Give You Away, we also have subtlety and quitness in songs like Landlady, 13 and Love Is All We Have Left. Different moods for different purposes. The opening track, for instance, shouldn't have gone anywhere else bigger and more vibrant (like Streets did), even if it were easy to do that. The song says exactly what it should say the way it is. The atmosphere is unbelievably ethereal and fragile while Bono's rendition is masterful (it shows maturity and experience). You feel the sense of being in awe with life after the scare of mortality. It's one of my favourites. Landlady has a lot of interesting stuff going on too. Being driven by melody and guitar intead of drums and bass, it shows great craft in drawing melodic shapes and counterpoint that set and extend the harmony. This is great songwriting. And Bono's rendition is very touching and powerful too. The same can be said of 13, that sounds almost revelatory by the way it searches for a powerful resolution through the crescendo of the chorus of Song For Someone, but instead quiets down to a place more real and even more heartfelt ("someone like me"). These are all highlights to me. I agree with you that a lot of the songs are very "retro". Some of them don't add anything new and vital to U2's catalogue, like Lights of Home, You're The Best Thing (by the way, I like the drums in the chorus) and Get Out of Your Own Way, but they are all reasonable tunes. Nothing to diminish the album. On the other side, Summer of Love, Red Flag Day and The Showman show a craft in creating perfect pop tunes that I never really expect from U2 (and the diversity of eras represented here is incredible indeed). Here the band accomplishes what they tried with Songs of Innocence, but didn't really achieve. These are amazing tunes, in my opinions. In conclusion, Songs of Experience shows amazing variety while also being cohesive. Not everything is perfect and mesmerizing, but it is more often excelent than just good. And it shows experience. I think you were too much into your pessimism that Songs of Experience would be leftovers from Songs of Innocence while this was never the case. Companion albums yes, but the second one was better realized, better produced and even had better hooks and inspiration.
Lots of great thoughts here! Well done! We may not agree on everything, but I absolutely respect and welcome your opinion! In the end, U2 remains one of the best bands making music today, and one of the greatest of all time. I'll always look forward to hearing whatever they do next. Thanks for watching!
Painfully uninformed. Songs Of Experience was never a collection a left over tracks from songs of innocence. When they spent 3 years making that record they recorded and finished close to 40 songs, a group of which had a common theme, and another group that shared a different topic. The band decided to take one concept and make that the first record and the other concept would come to fruition later. But with the band tinkering on SOE the last two years the album has become a different story. With so many life changing events for Bono, new songs were conceived and written. New concepts, new topics (two songs about trump on record that wouldn’t have been there immediately after SOI). Very few of the tracks as they were written in 2014 have survived. Landlady is almost unchanged, Love is bigger than anything in its way got new verses, summer Of Love got an entirely new topic, it’s about refugees washing up on shores trying to find a better life. And you’re the best thing about me. Everything else was written and completed post 2015. So please don’t present this as the doggy bag from Songs Of Innocence. These are not tunes that didn’t make another album, they’re songs held over for a concept.
Jose Luis Del Muro no.. that wasn’t the case at all. The three songs that made this album that were written in 2014 weren’t used because they didn’t make songs of innocence, the band didn’t put them on that record because they didn’t fit thematically. There always planned to make two record and seperate the songs from each other early on
Even If they were new all of them are not good enough, it is like if you ask for a drink let's say a mojito you expect that all ingredients mix perfect, but your mojito is full of ice and mint, no sparkling water or run can be tasted, so the result is a insipid drink full of unnecessary ice, which makes you throw away your drink in this case I the same is filled with songs, so.maybe a 6 song album should work better at least you may have 4 good songs. I
What?! Zooropa was a great album. Not very objective review and according to others, you are misinformed about how the new songs have - actually - come about.
Thanks! Part of my goal with this channel is to offer my generational perspective, so I appreciate that it is resonating with you. Hopefully I'm on the right track!
Wait, what? "New Year's Day," and "Pride in the Name of Love" weren't enough to peak your interest? And I'm to take your artistic opinion seriously? Next.
Well, I was 14 at the time, so I didn't know very much about music. Obviously, I've circled back to their pre-Joshua Tree albums and come to appreciate them better than a dumb teenager ever could.
+David Salkin agree 100%. let's add some obscure songs to the list like: "Bad", "The Unforgettable Fire", "Sunday Bloody Sunday", and "A Sort of Homecoming"... Eno and Lanois were to The Joshua Tree what Quincy Jones was to Thriller so I get how alot of ppl hail The Joshua Tree as the start of U2; however, there is a TON of material pre-JT that peaks interest.
Yargo, that's not what I said. What I said was that in 1987, when The Joshua Tree came out and I was a teenager, I hadn't been a fan yet. That's the album that I discovered U2 on, and then I went back to enjoy the older ones. I've been listening to U2 for 30 years now, and certainly have NOT ignored the older albums.
u2nortion, I totally agree with you. Unfortunately, at the age of 14 back in 1987, I hadn't heard it yet. It took The Joshua Tree to get my attention. After that, I went back and bought all the previous albums (on cassette!) and loved them too. I wish I could say I had been a U2 fan since the very beginning, but I've "only" been listening to them for 30 years.
How'd I miss your reply? I think it's mainly due to it just being Bono's vocals with some atmospheric background sounds. It slowly builds and slowly fades. It's one of my favorites off the album and thought it was a great and rather brave start since they've tended to start off with the single but opted for a quiet one. I wish they took this direction more.
Songs of Experience IS album 14. Next album (presumably "Songs of Assent") will be album 15. Songs of Experience might be U2's best post-2000 album. Sure, it doesn't have the hits like Beautiful Day, Vertigo, or Blinding Lights but this album is Much more consistent than Atomic Bomb. As a companion piece to Innocence, Experience does what Innocence did but does it better. Lights of Home is a more interesting track than Iris, Get Out of Your Own Way one-ups California, American Soul easily bests Volcano, Blackout beats out Raised by Wolves--a solid track in its own right, and 13 is a better take on Song for Someone. Summer of Love, Red Flag Day, and The Showman are more than "a little more better" than Miracle, Cedarwood, or Where You Can Reach Me. Love is Bigger and Sleep Like a Baby are both solid songs and Love is All We Have is on par with The Troubles. I still say Every Breaking Wave is a better song, single, etc than You're the Best Thing About Me but 'Best Thing' is still a great pop/rock song--and EBW is, admittedly, one of the best songs U2 has written in over a decade. Other than that, Experience, on the whole, is a better album than Innocence and it's head and shoulders above No Line, which I find is U2's weakest record to date. The only reason I'm having trouble deciding between Experience and ATYCLB is that the latter gave U2 the sound they still employ on Experience, for the most part. Though I would argue Experience is a more interesting album--and it doesn't have throw away songs on the level of When I Look at the World or Peace on Earth, ATYCLB is still a more important album for many reasons. I'd still barely give Pop the edge (no pun) over Experience solely for the fact that U2 wasn't afraid to take as many chances back then. Which brings me to Zooropa. TxT tosses that album aside as, at best, a half-effort and, at worst, a waste. Joshua Tree may be U2's most iconic album, Achtung is their strongest/best, but Zooropa has always been my favorite. It hits ethereal notes even the towering Achtung doesn't quite reach imho (ie: The First Time, Lemon, Dirty Day). In short, Experience, while not as important as ATYCLB, might just be U2's best/most consistent effort this side of the new millennium. I'm secretly hoping for Songs of Assent, which could very well be U2's swan song, to be something of an empyreal coda à la Johnny Cash's The Man Comes Around. I wonder how much material U2 still has lying around from their sessions with Rick Ruben back in 2006. Could be a match made in heaven... could just be a pipe dream. Either way, go listen to Songs of Experience--it's a grower for sure from a band that, after 40 years of selling hundreds of millions of records, $billions in ticket sales, and winning a mountain range of awards and accolades, still feel like they've got something to prove.
A very well stated opinion and review! Bravo! I won't debate any of it. Music is highly subjective and touches everyone in different ways. I completely respect your opinion. which is VERY WELL articulated! All I'll say is that Songs of Experience is the 13th studio album. Rattle And Hum was not technically a studio album. I was not clear, though, that I was referring to studio albums , though, so I can see the confusion. Thanks for watching, and thanks for the great counter-review!
Touché on Rattle and Hum. I always think of that as a studio album since it's distinct from, say, Under a Blood Red Sky, but I take your point. And I'll defend Zooropa till I'm blue in the face--even though I'm aware it probably has something to do with the fact that I first discovered U2 as a pre-teen around 1993. That notwithstanding, U2's performance of Lemon/With or Without You on Zoo TV Live From Sydney is near the top of my list of favorite U2 live renditions--and it is admittedly a fairly long list. Back to Experience though... It certainly is a grower. First time I listened to it it didn't grab me. But every listen after that has gotten better and better--especially songs like Summer of Love, which has a sweet n catchy groove, or Red Flag Day, which kinda has an early 80's U2 feel. Almost like Party Girl (from Under a Blood Red Sky) meets The Police. Blackout is great too. The Little Things and Landlady are the only two songs on the album that don't really do it for me. But, as I sort of mentioned above, they're not as bad as Peace on Earth, Crumbs From Your Table, or Unknown Caller. Glad you enjoyed the review! I feel like I'm still figuring this album out and putting it in words kinda helps with that. Cheers!
Honestly, I think Atomic Bomb is their best album in this century, in fact, I think it's one of the best albums they've ever made. I thought it was very consistent, and I like every single song.
If you don't understand that "Landlady" is one of the best Love songs that Bono/U2 have ever done then not sure you should be really reviewing the album. To say its filler rather than the best song on the album is a disservice. From writing "Sweetest thing" for forgetting Ali's bday, this is a culmination of U2's entire existence and celebrating Ali for her being the foundation for him to always come home to.
Didn't want to like this album. Love it. Definitely better than a 6. It is not an album of radio hit singles but is better as a whole. It gels where "Innocence" never did. Yes, Zooropa was a great U2 album.
Have to disagree on the review. This is actually a pretty good album in many ways. Landlady is certainly one of the best on the album. Such a intense "mellow and groovy" song with a nice backstory to bono's wife. And true, as said the songs are not left overs from SoI. However i disagree with the review, they make songs that fits their age and experience. They will never make music like in achtung baby or before. The world, music industry, times and the band changed. Conditions are different. U2 is now like fine old wine. More subtle instead of yelling, jumping and reckless which innocense and experience (the albums and the meaning,)clearly represent. I never expect anything and they never disappoint. Also music is subjective.
Thorough and well-researched review. I've been a U2 fan for 17 years and I almost entirely agree with you, albeit I must say "Landlady" deserved more attention and I definitely don't regard it as a mere "album filler". That said, thanks for the time you took reviewing the album!
It’s a great review, in depth, fair sounding and substantiated from his perspective. But I just don’t agree with you. I think Landlady is phenomenal, and so is 13. In fact I think listening to 13 is the most moved I’ve felt since listening to Mothers of the Disappeared. It’s an excellent song, well written and the recording is pristine, if you listen to this in a great sound system, you’ll find Bono’s vocals to be clearer than almost anything that U2 have recorded before. Overall I think it’s a great album, and I think you’re slightly under crediting Zooropa’s brilliance too. Just my opinion, but I do appreciate you not fallaciously hating on the band and sticking expressing your opinions about their music.
Songs of Innocence is a sublime. It’s a old school album needs to be listed to in it’s entirety. It’s a grower of an album similarity NLOTH extremely deep.
'If Lenny Kravits was from the UK...' Presumably you are implying that U2 are from the UK? U2 are from the Republic of Ireland which has not been part of the UK since 1922.
I was aware they were from Dublin, but I didn't know Dublin was in a part of Ireland that was not part of the UK. I'm getting a bit of a geography lesson as a result of that reference, which is perfectly fine!
The album is a brilliant masterpiece and as good as any past records. You only have to see the BBC special to understand how epic and moving this album and band is. I’m so lucky to have lived with u2 music as part of my time on earth.
I agree 100% with Andy below. After a few listens the depth in almost all songs is truly fantastic. The remix of Summer of Love is exceptional and The Little Things will go down as one of my all time favourite U2 songs. Red Flag Day, Lights of Home simply fantastic. For me - the best release since How To Dismantle. Some gems on Innocence but Experience is their most complete album in some time. Enjoy!
I have to largely agree. U2 are by far my favorite band ever but this album lacks the magic that comes with almost every other album. SoI was one of their best efforts, in my opinion, and Invisible and Ordinary love are amazing, so they've still got it, just for whatever reason this one has fallen short of their high standards. I hope they take a few years off and come back refreshed. Something for 30yr Achtung Baby anniversary maybe?
Past couple U2 albums haven't been crazy about. This one I love. I haven't loved a U2 album since All That You Can't Leave Behind. This is a great album. There are zero fillers on this album.
Good insights on your review; thanks! For me, this record follows a familiar trend with U2 records: a slight disappointment for the first few months after release (because the bar was set so high by previous works), then upon release of a subsequent record, revisiting the previous record only to discover that it's better than I recall. "Experience" may prove to be a grower, but in my opinion, "You're the Best Thing About Me" is their strongest single since Beautiful Day, eclipsing both Magnificent and Every Breaking Wave. There's enough interesting material on Experience to keep me listening, but I do wish Edge didn't leave so many potentially good guitar riffs on the studio floor.
I'm glad you liked the album. However, I think if I hear one more reviewer say the words "self-importance" about U2 I might puke. All artists who are writing something from the heart and want to shout it to the world are guilty of a little self-importance. I dare say it is something you could apply as much to music reviewers as the artists. Reviewers often try so hard to sound above it all..."better"...you can practically see them falling in love with themselves...it's quite ironic. If you watched the show "Roadies" with the episode on the music reviewer...well there you go. Other reviews I've seen are clearly written by people in their 20's and you can tell they came into this thinking of U2 as a dinosaur. There is little chance their young brains will be able to listen to something written by 50 year olds expressing their life view with any level of real comprehension. So yeah, maybe the time between albums is a bit long for a coupling but don't forget there were also 2 tours in that time frame. It's not intended to be "The Wall" or "Tommy"...single theme. But I think the links between the albums work well honestly. In the end, I think U2 fans react to albums with their head and their heart and their ears. I love the production of the album...it sounds great...lush. I like how the songs feel...and I think on an album that seems to be mostly on mortality (or immortality), "feeling" is the most important thing because as we get older we do think about our place here on earth far more than we did in our teens and 20's. On that basis I think this is more than solid...this is a really good album.
Yes, I did watch Roadies, and I remember that episode. I think Rainn Wilson's character was rumored to be based on Bob Lefstez, a critic I'm only slightly familiar with, having read the Lefsetz Letter on a few occasions. Anyway, I don't disagree with your comments. All art is self-indulgent, after all. And it is an odd thing when critics or writers achieve a level of influence that approaches that of the media they've made a career of observing. But even with my rather insignificant little RUclips channel, I can't deny that some part of what I'm doing isn't also self-indulgent. That being said, I do make an effort to be a fair minded as possible.I also appreciate that you've noticed the disparity of generational perspectives in mainstream music criticism. That's a big part of why I started my channel. There's a bunch of talented and insightful millennials talking about music on RUclips, but their perspectives are inherently tied to their age. While it is interesting to hear reviews of the new U2 album by people who grew up on My Chemical Romance, I think the dialog is lacking in depth. So with Track X Track, I will say that unofficially the X stands for Gen X. Because I think we need more Gen X in the conversation, especially as it relates to artists whose careers were built on Gen X listeners.So thanks for your insights. There's no right answers, and I welcome all opinions! Thanks for watching!
decent review, I disagree with Love is All We Have Left, I love it!! (has a "Hey You" bass line Pink Floyd) And yep, as an old U2 fan, Red Flag Day is my favorite. And Yes, better than Zooropa, which most definitely was just odds and ends.
If we just get it in to our heads that the Achtung Baby and zooropa wont happen again for a long time This album is really really good. The book of your heart is as close as we will get to perfect. If any recording artist had released any of these songs on the pop market today they would have a big hit
I think this album by a group that's been around 35 or so years or so is pretty awesome. With all due respect I think this review was fair but over thought. Why can't we say alright U2 gave us more music and another chance to see them. I think there are 3 or 4 songs on this album that will fill the rest of the set list perfectly. I doubt they are trying too hard to hook new fans, and money is in the touring. I might not hear a Bad or running to stand still. But I also didn't like vertigo when I first heard it and I think it kicks ass live. So I'm just glad my favorite band in my 42 years has given me some more music before just going away to live rich lives.
Review Kashmir - ‘No balance palace’ album! Really really underrated album/band in general. It features David Bowie on a track called ‘the cynic’ You won’t regret!
A nice honest review my friend, Although i would give the album a 4 or 5 to be honest. Ive been a fan since the War(82-83) years, And watched them become a great massive band. Live they will go down as one of the best ever, They are by far a better live band than a studio band. For me U2 havent made a great album since Achtung Baby, Studio wise they have been on a slow decline in my opinion. All that you cant leave behind and How to dismantle an atomic bomb had some great tunes on them, But the last three records have not been that good. Songs of experience is a big let down for me, I just cant get into it at all. But they are still my band and i will still buy and listen to what they release :)
I haven't been as sour on the past few albums as you, but they do seem to be on a slow decline. Of course, there's been a lot of people who disagree that have commented on this review saying the new album is one of their best, so... time will tell. But like you, I'll still buy and listen to anything they release! Thanks for watching!
American Soul is meh for me. The verses have potential but using the weakest part of Volcano as a chorus was bad move, plus the bridge wasn't much either.
Bono usually says Edge is notorious for being glued in the studio and polishing songs. He said he's not a reliable source in saying when a new album will come out because he says it's on the way but Edge says it's not ready yet.
Zooropa songs are leftovers from Achtung Baby? How exactly? They sound completely different. Zooropa actually sounds like a natural progression to Achtung Baby. Both albums are brilliant in their own right. U2 lost their punch 20 years ago, and this album is yet another testimony of that imo
Think you are a little off on your facts but I enjoyed your thorough review. I do disagree however with you calling 'Landlady' as album filler. I think it is a hauntingly beautiful song personally but we all have our views.
Thanks for your very thorough and enlightening review. As a long time U2 fan I have followed their career from Boy to SOE. I am however disappointed in this new album. It just doesn't resonate with me and I’m 7 listens in. Yes, there’s some good lyrics with some good guitar riffs sporadically inserted but it fails to inspire me to want to listen to this album incessantly like prior U2 albums. Relatively speaking, I think it’s their worst album. It falls flat on many levels. Just my $.02.
Reviews like this just add fuel to the theory that reviews of Music are irrelevant, this guy has not been a fan of U2 for 30 years he’s been a fan of the Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby for 30 years. And as good as they were and those songs will live forever, how dull would it be if we just heard a band revisiting the inspiration that drove those brilliant Albums!! That’s what makes this band still relevant and creative and inspirational today, they read perfectly the mood of the times. When they don’t do that they fall short like No Line which was over indulgent despite some epic tracks! SOE is an antidote to these crazy times to a world desperately trying to define itself. Please if music reviews are to be taken seriously give the artist the respect their creative process deserves, look behind the melody and the bass line, explore the creative process before undermining what is a brilliant piece of work. Some of these tracks little things, landlady, Lights of home, are some of the best work they’ve done since AB. Do yourself a favour, unlike this guy, listen to the Album let it wash over you let these tracks evolve in your consciousness you’ll be generously rewarded!!!
Believe the album is respectable. But I don't listen to them to hear respectable music. I want some magic moments. Even 'No Line on the Horizon' had a few. Believe U2 need 5 year gaps if they are going to release something as good as 'Songs of Innocence'. A 3 year gap which included two big tours was not enough.
I agree. U2 is capable of much more than “respectable” music. I hate to think that means we have to wait 5 years between albums, but... whatever it takes!
@@TrackXTrack Would have been well pleased if SOE was as good as SOI after only 3 years. But it was not to be. 'Little things' sounded great on the Jimmy Kimmel show, but a bit flat on the album.
Hi I agree almost entirely with your review song for song. Thanks! Also your view of achtung baby(though I think Boy is one of their best also). I would add the following: I was a bit disappointed this album doesn’t rock more. Also, I think you like “the little things” better than me, it’s too long and gets boring.
"The Little Things..." is a bit too long, I agree. It takes longer to get where its going than it needs to. But I like it anyway. :) Thanks for watching!
Zooropa 2 is more than welcome. Their last good album. Passengers actually, but most here have never heard of that. Should have been the official follow up to z.
"To be fair, I've heard that a lot of the songs were written after SOI, but I'm going to stick with the polished up half baked routine I opened with...." SMH. God give me strength.
Agree with Adam's Bass is the best of this album and Love is bigger sound familiar too familiar like in the all that you can leave behind but it is good, so U2 could had released a 6 songs album and save us from more than 30 minutes of non interesting songs.
I would have to concur with Kyle as much as it pains me so with the exception of the stellar, moody Book of Your Heart deluxe track. 7 out of 10. Will have to revisit other songs on Songs of Experience. Btw not fond of Lee’s slick production.
Seems unfair to have to rely on bonus tracks to help redeem an album. If the song is that good, why didn't they include it in the actual album? Oh well. At least they still released it. Thanks for backing me up!
@@TrackXTrack the fact that Book of Your Heart isn't on the official albums frustrates me. They did that with Lucifer's Hands and Crystal Ballroom on SOI. I'm not to big on any of the singles from SOE except for maybe Blackout.
Rattle and Hum is not considered a live album either. There is 10 studio songs on the album and was recorded as an official studio released as well. The band himself considers this album as their 6th official studio album. The live tracks are just gravy.
Except for for all the shite he got wrote about the evolution and history of the songs, which in fact render his review null and void? Maybe he' should have stuck to talking about the music and not shown his ignorance about how the songs came about...
Pretty knowledgeable review. Don't agree with a lot of it however. This album is a lot better than innocence. I too had low expectations, but was blown away with it. Especially at this stage in the band's career. Landlady is a highlight, not filler. Thanks for the thorough review, enjoyed listening.
I don't agree with your review, I love this album , opinions are like assholes...everyone has one. When it comes to music, taste is a very personal thing, like all your senses, I fucking hate tofu , but I know lots of people who love it. Some of the lyrics , guitar work and rhythm section are absolutely amazing, this album resonates with me like Achtung Baby, The Joshua Tree and Boy did and I've been a fan since 1982. Each to his own but I suspect you are a tofu lover.
That's not what I said. I said that before The Joshua Tree came out in 1987, I'd never given U2 a shot. They were not the biggest band in the world before then. I've been listening to U2 for 30 years.
howellbuzz I love Rattle and Hum, but I was focusing on the studio albums. Technically, I don’t consider R&H a studio album. It’s a soundtrack with some new music and some live tracks.
Of course. I don’t believe I said otherwise. Although technically Achtung Baby is the studio album follow-up to Joshua Tree. R&H is a hybrid sort of album... live and studio.
@@TrackXTrack - Sure, I get your view on that. I personally see Actung Baby as the much more significant album as its the main one that has kept them around. Also if you took the best songs from the last two albums you could get a great compilation
Been a U2 fan since "Under a blood red sky" and have collected everything they have done since and much more. But this album is a let down and a great disappointment. For me, probably the worst thing they have done (even the Passengers album was better than this). When you are re-hashing songs and just giving them a new title and selling it to die had fans of 30 years or more, then maybe its time to hang up your boots.
Are you kidding? I'd take 'Zooropa' over anything they've done in the last 2 decades. Imo, ATYCLB was the beginning of the end, and their worst one until this new one.
I don't. I heard a rumor they will be making one or two more. They're almost at their 50th aniversary. Song of Ascent could still be made as a closing of the trillogy Innocense-experience-ascent. If ascent would be a album made for the fans with songs like mercy that would be cool. The last album Could be "Man" as counterpart to their first album "Boy". Maybe this would make a good farewell album. I personanly think they will make just one more. I would like them to just go out and have fun without worrying what we will like. It's their personal music journey so i just want them to just do what they like, have fun, dont take it to serieus and just enjoy making something without any expectations or being stuck to a certain style.
I was big fan of u2. Yeah i was. Pop was great , intelligent album. But everything u2 recorded after 2000 year is mediocre pop rock. Sorry but that's reality. U2 is now self parody. The edge in reviev from1997 was saying something about not copying themselves. But now they just copy paste themselves. They are lights years from Achtung baby , not to mention war. Its really sad. I was expecting great future with me buying u2 albums and then i ended not buying anything u2 recorded after year 2000.
I recommend to you that you actually get to know your music. I don't think you actually understand how good an album this is! You criticise the shit out of the whole album and make stupid comments on certain songs. SO SHUTUP AND STOP MAKING SHIT REVIEWS. THIS ALBUM DOES NOT HAVE A BAD SONG ON IT! SO GO LISTEN TO IT A BIT MORE👌
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I highly recommend you learn more of the backstory and motivation to these songs, slow down and re-listen. That's what I did, and this album has been one of the most profound U2 experiences I've had in a LONG time.
I highly recommend he get out of his own ass as well. He clearly doesn't now caca about the history and evolution of this album - or the fact the delay was mostly caused by Bono taking a crash on his bicycle and spending nearly a year in rehab. He seems to think that U2 just could not be arsed to put the album out more quickly than they did. Everybody and their dog wants to get famous on RUclips these days...and this dude is definitely one of the dogs.
I concur. It’s an incredible album.
ZOOROPA is a brilliant album. I don't think the songs in Zooropa are Achtung Baby leftovers, but rather the natural evolution of their newly found sound at the time. Artistically and Creatively speaking, I would even go as far as saying it's better than Achtung Baby. (I'm not debating. Just sharing my very personal opinion)
And btw, the names Bono uses in The Blackout are names used in William Blake’s songs of innocence and experience.. google is your friend...
When hip hop drove the big cars
Disagree on Landlady. Didnt expect to like a song with such a daft title but it pulls you in. Love the last 60 seconds, it is worth putting up with the first 3 minutes just for that final flourish.
Yeah the last portion of the song has such a great rhythm to it. Hypnotizing almost IMO.
The last minute of the song is the golden moment on the entire album
Hey man, first time seeing your channel, so I must say good job on the presentation of your review. Even if I don't agree with a lot of what you said, your opinion is well spoken. But since I'm fun at parties, I'll focus on what I disagree and this comes from someone that have different tastes overall. For example, I think Zooropa is better than Achtung Baby because it succeeds in being edgier and weirder while also having real emotional content in all tracks. Basically, you'll never find another Zooropa, while Achtung Baby is "only" an unbelievable collection of 12 standard and pretty excellent rock songs (with the surprise element of a fresh industrial sound... it is a masterpiece, sure). And it's not just because Zooropa is unique that I love it, but the vibes and grooves are amazing, each song is precious.
Why am I saying that? Well, I made this comparison between Achtung Baby and Zooropa because it's pertinent to why I disagree with some of your review. Zooropa and The Unforgettable Fire and some other U2 records, as well as SOE, don't have the urge to create gigantic climaxes in every song, letting each of them to progress to where they should head instead of somewhere more grandiose. So, while we have exhilarating pay off moments in some tracks, like in Little Things That Give You Away, we also have subtlety and quitness in songs like Landlady, 13 and Love Is All We Have Left. Different moods for different purposes.
The opening track, for instance, shouldn't have gone anywhere else bigger and more vibrant (like Streets did), even if it were easy to do that. The song says exactly what it should say the way it is. The atmosphere is unbelievably ethereal and fragile while Bono's rendition is masterful (it shows maturity and experience). You feel the sense of being in awe with life after the scare of mortality. It's one of my favourites.
Landlady has a lot of interesting stuff going on too. Being driven by melody and guitar intead of drums and bass, it shows great craft in drawing melodic shapes and counterpoint that set and extend the harmony. This is great songwriting. And Bono's rendition is very touching and powerful too. The same can be said of 13, that sounds almost revelatory by the way it searches for a powerful resolution through the crescendo of the chorus of Song For Someone, but instead quiets down to a place more real and even more heartfelt ("someone like me"). These are all highlights to me.
I agree with you that a lot of the songs are very "retro". Some of them don't add anything new and vital to U2's catalogue, like Lights of Home, You're The Best Thing (by the way, I like the drums in the chorus) and Get Out of Your Own Way, but they are all reasonable tunes. Nothing to diminish the album. On the other side, Summer of Love, Red Flag Day and The Showman show a craft in creating perfect pop tunes that I never really expect from U2 (and the diversity of eras represented here is incredible indeed). Here the band accomplishes what they tried with Songs of Innocence, but didn't really achieve. These are amazing tunes, in my opinions.
In conclusion, Songs of Experience shows amazing variety while also being cohesive. Not everything is perfect and mesmerizing, but it is more often excelent than just good. And it shows experience.
I think you were too much into your pessimism that Songs of Experience would be leftovers from Songs of Innocence while this was never the case. Companion albums yes, but the second one was better realized, better produced and even had better hooks and inspiration.
Lots of great thoughts here! Well done! We may not agree on everything, but I absolutely respect and welcome your opinion! In the end, U2 remains one of the best bands making music today, and one of the greatest of all time. I'll always look forward to hearing whatever they do next. Thanks for watching!
Excellent review, Lucas! ;)
Painfully uninformed. Songs Of Experience was never a collection a left over tracks from songs of innocence. When they spent 3 years making that record they recorded and finished close to 40 songs, a group of which had a common theme, and another group that shared a different topic. The band decided to take one concept and make that the first record and the other concept would come to fruition later. But with the band tinkering on SOE the last two years the album has become a different story. With so many life changing events for Bono, new songs were conceived and written. New concepts, new topics (two songs about trump on record that wouldn’t have been there immediately after SOI). Very few of the tracks as they were written in 2014 have survived. Landlady is almost unchanged, Love is bigger than anything in its way got new verses, summer Of Love got an entirely new topic, it’s about refugees washing up on shores trying to find a better life. And you’re the best thing about me. Everything else was written and completed post 2015. So please don’t present this as the doggy bag from Songs Of Innocence. These are not tunes that didn’t make another album, they’re songs held over for a concept.
well kind of look that all the left over were use to fill the album, let's face it this is not closer to the worst U2 album
Jose Luis Del Muro no.. that wasn’t the case at all. The three songs that made this album that were written in 2014 weren’t used because they didn’t make songs of innocence, the band didn’t put them on that record because they didn’t fit thematically. There always planned to make two record and seperate the songs from each other early on
Even If they were new all of them are not good enough, it is like if you ask for a drink let's say a mojito you expect that all ingredients mix perfect, but your mojito is full of ice and mint, no sparkling water or run can be tasted, so the result is a insipid drink full of unnecessary ice, which makes you throw away your drink in this case I the same is filled with songs, so.maybe a 6 song album should work better at least you may have 4 good songs. I
What?! Zooropa was a great album. Not very objective review and according to others, you are misinformed about how the new songs have - actually - come about.
Tell that to Rolling Stone. The named SOE as one of the Top 3 albums of the year - just behind Kendrick Lamar's Damn and Lorde's Melodrama.
Excellent Review ! It is great to have someone of my generation providing high quality, insightful and concise discussions of music.
Thanks! Part of my goal with this channel is to offer my generational perspective, so I appreciate that it is resonating with you. Hopefully I'm on the right track!
In quality and impact, Songs of Innocence was their best so far.
Wait, what? "New Year's Day," and "Pride in the Name of Love" weren't enough to peak your interest? And I'm to take your artistic opinion seriously? Next.
Well, I was 14 at the time, so I didn't know very much about music. Obviously, I've circled back to their pre-Joshua Tree albums and come to appreciate them better than a dumb teenager ever could.
+David Salkin agree 100%. let's add some obscure songs to the list like: "Bad", "The Unforgettable Fire", "Sunday Bloody Sunday", and "A Sort of Homecoming"... Eno and Lanois were to The Joshua Tree what Quincy Jones was to Thriller so I get how alot of ppl hail The Joshua Tree as the start of U2; however, there is a TON of material pre-JT that peaks interest.
Ignoring the first albums of the band immediately discredits this so called review. Too bad.
Yargo, that's not what I said. What I said was that in 1987, when The Joshua Tree came out and I was a teenager, I hadn't been a fan yet. That's the album that I discovered U2 on, and then I went back to enjoy the older ones. I've been listening to U2 for 30 years now, and certainly have NOT ignored the older albums.
u2nortion, I totally agree with you. Unfortunately, at the age of 14 back in 1987, I hadn't heard it yet. It took The Joshua Tree to get my attention. After that, I went back and bought all the previous albums (on cassette!) and loved them too. I wish I could say I had been a U2 fan since the very beginning, but I've "only" been listening to them for 30 years.
Thanks man, I enjoyed the album a lot more after listening to this review!!
red flag day feels like it could be ripped right from the war album or period
Totally agree!
Bry S not a bad thing in this context
Especially the last part of the song with the overlapping and echoey vocals.
I think Love is All We Have Left is reminiscent of of MLK.
I can hear that a little bit, sure.
How'd I miss your reply? I think it's mainly due to it just being Bono's vocals with some atmospheric background sounds. It slowly builds and slowly fades. It's one of my favorites off the album and thought it was a great and rather brave start since they've tended to start off with the single but opted for a quiet one. I wish they took this direction more.
me too!
Great album, best song for me: Book Of Your Heart
What a bloody brilliant song!
the best comment about the song
I keep replaying that song. Love it. Wish that was the single.
Isn’t that song an off-album or bonus track? Anyway it’s a great track and should have been on the regular album track list
Songs of Experience IS album 14. Next album (presumably "Songs of Assent") will be album 15.
Songs of Experience might be U2's best post-2000 album. Sure, it doesn't have the hits like Beautiful Day, Vertigo, or Blinding Lights but this album is Much more consistent than Atomic Bomb.
As a companion piece to Innocence, Experience does what Innocence did but does it better. Lights of Home is a more interesting track than Iris, Get Out of Your Own Way one-ups California, American Soul easily bests Volcano, Blackout beats out Raised by Wolves--a solid track in its own right, and 13 is a better take on Song for Someone. Summer of Love, Red Flag Day, and The Showman are more than "a little more better" than Miracle, Cedarwood, or Where You Can Reach Me. Love is Bigger and Sleep Like a Baby are both solid songs and Love is All We Have is on par with The Troubles. I still say Every Breaking Wave is a better song, single, etc than You're the Best Thing About Me but 'Best Thing' is still a great pop/rock song--and EBW is, admittedly, one of the best songs U2 has written in over a decade. Other than that, Experience, on the whole, is a better album than Innocence and it's head and shoulders above No Line, which I find is U2's weakest record to date.
The only reason I'm having trouble deciding between Experience and ATYCLB is that the latter gave U2 the sound they still employ on Experience, for the most part. Though I would argue Experience is a more interesting album--and it doesn't have throw away songs on the level of When I Look at the World or Peace on Earth, ATYCLB is still a more important album for many reasons.
I'd still barely give Pop the edge (no pun) over Experience solely for the fact that U2 wasn't afraid to take as many chances back then. Which brings me to Zooropa. TxT tosses that album aside as, at best, a half-effort and, at worst, a waste. Joshua Tree may be U2's most iconic album, Achtung is their strongest/best, but Zooropa has always been my favorite. It hits ethereal notes even the towering Achtung doesn't quite reach imho (ie: The First Time, Lemon, Dirty Day).
In short, Experience, while not as important as ATYCLB, might just be U2's best/most consistent effort this side of the new millennium. I'm secretly hoping for Songs of Assent, which could very well be U2's swan song, to be something of an empyreal coda à la Johnny Cash's The Man Comes Around. I wonder how much material U2 still has lying around from their sessions with Rick Ruben back in 2006. Could be a match made in heaven... could just be a pipe dream. Either way, go listen to Songs of Experience--it's a grower for sure from a band that, after 40 years of selling hundreds of millions of records, $billions in ticket sales, and winning a mountain range of awards and accolades, still feel like they've got something to prove.
A very well stated opinion and review! Bravo! I won't debate any of it. Music is highly subjective and touches everyone in different ways. I completely respect your opinion. which is VERY WELL articulated!
All I'll say is that Songs of Experience is the 13th studio album. Rattle And Hum was not technically a studio album. I was not clear, though, that I was referring to studio albums , though, so I can see the confusion.
Thanks for watching, and thanks for the great counter-review!
Touché on Rattle and Hum. I always think of that as a studio album since it's distinct from, say, Under a Blood Red Sky, but I take your point. And I'll defend Zooropa till I'm blue in the face--even though I'm aware it probably has something to do with the fact that I first discovered U2 as a pre-teen around 1993. That notwithstanding, U2's performance of Lemon/With or Without You on Zoo TV Live From Sydney is near the top of my list of favorite U2 live renditions--and it is admittedly a fairly long list.
Back to Experience though... It certainly is a grower. First time I listened to it it didn't grab me. But every listen after that has gotten better and better--especially songs like Summer of Love, which has a sweet n catchy groove, or Red Flag Day, which kinda has an early 80's U2 feel. Almost like Party Girl (from Under a Blood Red Sky) meets The Police. Blackout is great too. The Little Things and Landlady are the only two songs on the album that don't really do it for me. But, as I sort of mentioned above, they're not as bad as Peace on Earth, Crumbs From Your Table, or Unknown Caller.
Glad you enjoyed the review! I feel like I'm still figuring this album out and putting it in words kinda helps with that. Cheers!
"and it doesn't have throw away songs on the level of When I Look at the World " ? great song, side by side with kite
Honestly, I think Atomic Bomb is their best album in this century, in fact, I think it's one of the best albums they've ever made. I thought it was very consistent, and I like every single song.
If you don't understand that "Landlady" is one of the best Love songs that Bono/U2 have ever done then not sure you should be really reviewing the album. To say its filler rather than the best song on the album is a disservice. From writing "Sweetest thing" for forgetting Ali's bday, this is a culmination of U2's entire existence and celebrating Ali for her being the foundation for him to always come home to.
All I Want Is You is Bono's best song to Ali.
"I bought their tape just to impress a girl" man, who hasn't?! 😁
Truth.
Didn't want to like this album. Love it. Definitely better than a 6. It is not an album of radio hit singles but is better as a whole. It gels where "Innocence" never did. Yes, Zooropa was a great U2 album.
That's fair. I'm glad it worked better for you than it did for me. Thanks for watching!
Solid review thank you.
Thanks for watching!
Have to disagree on the review. This is actually a pretty good album in many ways. Landlady is certainly one of the best on the album. Such a intense "mellow and groovy" song with a nice backstory to bono's wife. And true, as said the songs are not left overs from SoI. However i disagree with the review, they make songs that fits their age and experience. They will never make music like in achtung baby or before. The world, music industry, times and the band changed. Conditions are different. U2 is now like fine old wine. More subtle instead of yelling, jumping and reckless which innocense and experience (the albums and the meaning,)clearly represent. I never expect anything and they never disappoint. Also music is subjective.
Music is indeed subjective, and I totally respect your opinion on the album. Thanks for watching!
The more I listen to this album the more I enjoy...I'm finding like most of their recent albums...the more I listen the more they grow on me.
Thorough and well-researched review. I've been a U2 fan for 17 years and I almost entirely agree with you, albeit I must say "Landlady" deserved more attention and I definitely don't regard it as a mere "album filler". That said, thanks for the time you took reviewing the album!
Landlady may grow on me in time. Thanks for your feedback. I appreciate it!
I loved 13(there is a light)! Fantastic song! I just love the smooth voice and the beautiful lyrics. I really enjoy listening to it
It’s a great review, in depth, fair sounding and substantiated from his perspective.
But I just don’t agree with you. I think Landlady is phenomenal, and so is 13. In fact I think listening to 13 is the most moved I’ve felt since listening to Mothers of the Disappeared. It’s an excellent song, well written and the recording is pristine, if you listen to this in a great sound system, you’ll find Bono’s vocals to be clearer than almost anything that U2 have recorded before.
Overall I think it’s a great album, and I think you’re slightly under crediting Zooropa’s brilliance too.
Just my opinion, but I do appreciate you not fallaciously hating on the band and sticking expressing your opinions about their music.
Totally respect your opinion. After all, we both agree U2 is a great band! Different albums just hit people in different ways. Thanks for watching!
Good review. But you didn't mention '...Atomic Bomb'. Which IMO is one of their masterpieces. One of their most under rated albums.
michael61465 agree
Is this how you make your living? Reviewing music or in the music industry?
It's just a RUclips channel, chill out.
Songs of Innocence is a sublime. It’s a old school album needs to be listed to in it’s entirety. It’s a grower of an album similarity NLOTH extremely deep.
'If Lenny Kravits was from the UK...' Presumably you are implying that U2 are from the UK? U2 are from the Republic of Ireland which has not been part of the UK since 1922.
Fair enough. Some of Ireland is still in the UK, and I wasn't aware where U2 specifically hail from.
The hail from Dublin Ireland.
I was aware they were from Dublin, but I didn't know Dublin was in a part of Ireland that was not part of the UK. I'm getting a bit of a geography lesson as a result of that reference, which is perfectly fine!
Didnt learn geography in high school ?
Hey Ireland is a small country...great review in any case.
The album is a brilliant masterpiece and as good as any past records. You only have to see the BBC special to understand how epic and moving this album and band is. I’m so lucky to have lived with u2 music as part of my time on earth.
I agree 100% with Andy below.
After a few listens the depth in almost all songs is truly fantastic. The remix of Summer of Love is exceptional and The Little Things will go down as one of my all time favourite U2 songs.
Red Flag Day, Lights of Home simply fantastic.
For me - the best release since How To Dismantle. Some gems on Innocence but Experience is their most complete album in some time.
Enjoy!
I'd love to hear anything resembling Zooropa Pt. II... I'd so love U2 to realease anything like it in the future
I have to largely agree. U2 are by far my favorite band ever but this album lacks the magic that comes with almost every other album. SoI was one of their best efforts, in my opinion, and Invisible and Ordinary love are amazing, so they've still got it, just for whatever reason this one has fallen short of their high standards. I hope they take a few years off and come back refreshed. Something for 30yr Achtung Baby anniversary maybe?
Past couple U2 albums haven't been crazy about. This one I love. I haven't loved a U2 album since All That You Can't Leave Behind. This is a great album. There are zero fillers on this album.
Good insights on your review; thanks! For me, this record follows a familiar trend with U2 records: a slight disappointment for the first few months after release (because the bar was set so high by previous works), then upon release of a subsequent record, revisiting the previous record only to discover that it's better than I recall. "Experience" may prove to be a grower, but in my opinion, "You're the Best Thing About Me" is their strongest single since Beautiful Day, eclipsing both Magnificent and Every Breaking Wave. There's enough interesting material on Experience to keep me listening, but I do wish Edge didn't leave so many potentially good guitar riffs on the studio floor.
Great observations! I wondered if Experience may grow on me as well. Thanks for watching!
I'm glad you liked the album. However, I think if I hear one more reviewer say the words "self-importance" about U2 I might puke. All artists who are writing something from the heart and want to shout it to the world are guilty of a little self-importance. I dare say it is something you could apply as much to music reviewers as the artists. Reviewers often try so hard to sound above it all..."better"...you can practically see them falling in love with themselves...it's quite ironic. If you watched the show "Roadies" with the episode on the music reviewer...well there you go.
Other reviews I've seen are clearly written by people in their 20's and you can tell they came into this thinking of U2 as a dinosaur. There is little chance their young brains will be able to listen to something written by 50 year olds expressing their life view with any level of real comprehension.
So yeah, maybe the time between albums is a bit long for a coupling but don't forget there were also 2 tours in that time frame. It's not intended to be "The Wall" or "Tommy"...single theme. But I think the links between the albums work well honestly. In the end, I think U2 fans react to albums with their head and their heart and their ears. I love the production of the album...it sounds great...lush. I like how the songs feel...and I think on an album that seems to be mostly on mortality (or immortality), "feeling" is the most important thing because as we get older we do think about our place here on earth far more than we did in our teens and 20's. On that basis I think this is more than solid...this is a really good album.
Yes, I did watch Roadies, and I remember that episode. I think Rainn Wilson's character was rumored to be based on Bob Lefstez, a critic I'm only slightly familiar with, having read the Lefsetz Letter on a few occasions. Anyway, I don't disagree with your comments. All art is self-indulgent, after all. And it is an odd thing when critics or writers achieve a level of influence that approaches that of the media they've made a career of observing. But even with my rather insignificant little RUclips channel, I can't deny that some part of what I'm doing isn't also self-indulgent. That being said, I do make an effort to be a fair minded as possible.I also appreciate that you've noticed the disparity of generational perspectives in mainstream music criticism. That's a big part of why I started my channel. There's a bunch of talented and insightful millennials talking about music on RUclips, but their perspectives are inherently tied to their age. While it is interesting to hear reviews of the new U2 album by people who grew up on My Chemical Romance, I think the dialog is lacking in depth. So with Track X Track, I will say that unofficially the X stands for Gen X. Because I think we need more Gen X in the conversation, especially as it relates to artists whose careers were built on Gen X listeners.So thanks for your insights. There's no right answers, and I welcome all opinions! Thanks for watching!
decent review, I disagree with Love is All We Have Left, I love it!! (has a "Hey You" bass line Pink Floyd) And yep, as an old U2 fan, Red Flag Day is my favorite. And Yes, better than Zooropa, which most definitely was just odds and ends.
Thanks for watching!
If we just get it in to our heads that the Achtung Baby and zooropa wont happen again for a long time
This album is really really good. The book of your heart is as close as we will get to perfect.
If any recording artist had released any of these songs on the pop market today they would have a big hit
great review! totally agree!
Thanks!
I'm sorry but I do really like Landlady!
I think this album by a group that's been around 35 or so years or so is pretty awesome. With all due respect I think this review was fair but over thought. Why can't we say alright U2 gave us more music and another chance to see them. I think there are 3 or 4 songs on this album that will fill the rest of the set list perfectly. I doubt they are trying too hard to hook new fans, and money is in the touring. I might not hear a Bad or running to stand still. But I also didn't like vertigo when I first heard it and I think it kicks ass live. So I'm just glad my favorite band in my 42 years has given me some more music before just going away to live rich lives.
I hear what you're saying, and I don't disagree. They're a great band, no doubt about it! Thanks for watching!
This reviewer obviously doesn't get U2. And Landlady is beautiful
Review Kashmir - ‘No balance palace’ album! Really really underrated album/band in general.
It features David Bowie on a track called ‘the cynic’
You won’t regret!
I'll check it out. Thanks for the tip!
Nice review...
A nice honest review my friend, Although i would give the album a 4 or 5 to be honest. Ive been a fan since the War(82-83) years, And watched them become a great massive band. Live they will go down as one of the best ever, They are by far a better live band than a studio band. For me U2 havent made a great album since Achtung Baby, Studio wise they have been on a slow decline in my opinion. All that you cant leave behind and How to dismantle an atomic bomb had some great tunes on them, But the last three records have not been that good. Songs of experience is a big let down for me, I just cant get into it at all. But they are still my band and i will still buy and listen to what they release :)
I haven't been as sour on the past few albums as you, but they do seem to be on a slow decline. Of course, there's been a lot of people who disagree that have commented on this review saying the new album is one of their best, so... time will tell. But like you, I'll still buy and listen to anything they release! Thanks for watching!
Do you know what will collapse under the weight? Your cupboard..
No joke! My shelves are bowing at the ends because the supports are closer to the center!
Figured I'd hate this album. I wanted to. I couldn't. I can't. This is clearly its own album. Not leftovers. It's better than SOI in my opinion.
I really love this album. U2 truly are great
The 3 year gap was partly because they did a huge JT anniversary tour.
A lot of talk. It can be summarised. U2's best album in quite some time. lol. 'American Soul' is an amazing track.
American Soul is meh for me. The verses have potential but using the weakest part of Volcano as a chorus was bad move, plus the bridge wasn't much either.
I love all the songs from Achtung Baby and even POP I enjoyed. Will have to see if this album is any good.
It's good, but not as good as it could/should have been.
Landlady is not just 'filler.' Damn fine song
The blackout is meant to have those names because it meant to be kinda quirky
Dude, they didn't polish up songs. Jesus Christ.
Bono usually says Edge is notorious for being glued in the studio and polishing songs. He said he's not a reliable source in saying when a new album will come out because he says it's on the way but Edge says it's not ready yet.
for being leftovers, zooropa is a great album and in fact is up there with my favorite of U2s albums !
Zooropa songs are leftovers from Achtung Baby? How exactly? They sound completely different. Zooropa actually sounds like a natural progression to Achtung Baby. Both albums are brilliant in their own right.
U2 lost their punch 20 years ago, and this album is yet another testimony of that imo
Think you are a little off on your facts but I enjoyed your thorough review. I do disagree however with you calling 'Landlady' as album filler. I think it is a hauntingly beautiful song personally but we all have our views.
Thanks for your very thorough and enlightening review. As a long time U2 fan I have followed their career from Boy to SOE. I am however disappointed in this new album. It just doesn't resonate with me and I’m 7 listens in. Yes, there’s some good lyrics with some good guitar riffs sporadically inserted but it fails to inspire me to want to listen to this album incessantly like prior U2 albums. Relatively speaking, I think it’s their worst album. It falls flat on many levels. Just my $.02.
Reviews like this just add fuel to the theory that reviews of Music are irrelevant, this guy has not been a fan of U2 for 30 years he’s been a fan of the Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby for 30 years. And as good as they were and those songs will live forever, how dull would it be if we just heard a band revisiting the inspiration that drove those brilliant Albums!! That’s what makes this band still relevant and creative and inspirational today, they read perfectly the mood of the times. When they don’t do that they fall short like No Line which was over indulgent despite some epic tracks! SOE is an antidote to these crazy times to a world desperately trying to define itself. Please if music reviews are to be taken seriously give the artist the respect their creative process deserves, look behind the melody and the bass line, explore the creative process before undermining what is a brilliant piece of work. Some of these tracks little things, landlady, Lights of home, are some of the best work they’ve done since AB. Do yourself a favour, unlike this guy, listen to the Album let it wash over you let these tracks evolve in your consciousness you’ll be generously rewarded!!!
Believe the album is respectable. But I don't listen to them to hear respectable music. I want some magic moments. Even 'No Line on the Horizon' had a few.
Believe U2 need 5 year gaps if they are going to release something as good as 'Songs of Innocence'. A 3 year gap which included two big tours was not enough.
I agree. U2 is capable of much more than “respectable” music. I hate to think that means we have to wait 5 years between albums, but... whatever it takes!
@@TrackXTrack Would have been well pleased if SOE was as good as SOI after only 3 years. But it was not to be.
'Little things' sounded great on the Jimmy Kimmel show, but a bit flat on the album.
I stopped after NLOTH in 2009!
If by "filler", you meant "classic masterpiece", then I agree regarding Landlady!
Love the album but the Showman sounds like someone covered a Beatles song to put on a Toyota commercial 😂
I really liked this album. Good review
Gnome I liked No Line on Horizon.That was a great album.
Tracy Simmons I liked that album also!
Gnome Too bad it didn't go over well.
6 out of 10 it's an 8 for me. btw did u hear lady gaga on this album coz I didn't
In Summer love she sings the chorus. If you listening very carefully you can hear her voice saying "lovee"
She's pretty buried in the mix. You'd never know she's there unless you were told to listen for her.
Hi I agree almost entirely with your review song for song. Thanks! Also your view of achtung baby(though I think Boy is one of their best also). I would add the following: I was a bit disappointed this album doesn’t rock more. Also, I think you like “the little things” better than me, it’s too long and gets boring.
"The Little Things..." is a bit too long, I agree. It takes longer to get where its going than it needs to. But I like it anyway. :) Thanks for watching!
Zooropa 2 is more than welcome. Their last good album. Passengers actually, but most here have never heard of that. Should have been the official follow up to z.
Great Album definitely a 9 out of 10 for me.
Landlady is actually pretty good. Listened to the album once....initial thought, not quite as solid as Innocence.
This album is amazing!!! 8.5/10. And better than Zooropa? Don't think so, to me Zooropa is my favorite album ever, 10/10!
Zooropa is a great album !!! Everything els about song of experienc i agre.
I saw a review of it on it's anniversary as U2 being totally unlike U2 by staying small, which is a great thing.
"To be fair, I've heard that a lot of the songs were written after SOI, but I'm going to stick with the polished up half baked routine I opened with...." SMH. God give me strength.
Agree with Adam's Bass is the best of this album and Love is bigger sound familiar too familiar like in the all that you can leave behind but it is good, so U2 could had released a 6 songs album and save us from more than 30 minutes of non interesting songs.
I like that idea. I wish they'd do EPs once in a while.
I would have to concur with Kyle as much as it pains me so with the exception of the stellar, moody Book of Your Heart deluxe track. 7 out of 10. Will have to revisit other songs on Songs of Experience. Btw not fond of Lee’s slick production.
Seems unfair to have to rely on bonus tracks to help redeem an album. If the song is that good, why didn't they include it in the actual album? Oh well. At least they still released it. Thanks for backing me up!
@@TrackXTrack the fact that Book of Your Heart isn't on the official albums frustrates me. They did that with Lucifer's Hands and Crystal Ballroom on SOI. I'm not to big on any of the singles from SOE except for maybe Blackout.
Just cause your collection is huge doesn't mean u know what's good and what's not lol
On album 15 actually. Experience is the 14th.
I was referring to studio albums, which Rattle and Hum technically is not.
Rattle and Hum is not considered a live album either. There is 10 studio songs on the album and was recorded as an official studio released as well. The band himself considers this album as their 6th official studio album. The live tracks are just gravy.
The band is tiered. The band sounds tiered.
You know what they say about opinions
The best fair and balanced review i've heard so far.
Thanks!
Except for for all the shite he got wrote about the evolution and history of the songs, which in fact render his review null and void? Maybe he' should have stuck to talking about the music and not shown his ignorance about how the songs came about...
jack reed ur an idiot go LISTEN to the album again
brutal review
I wish SOE was Zooropa 2.
Pretty knowledgeable review. Don't agree with a lot of it however. This album is a lot better than innocence. I too had low expectations, but was blown away with it. Especially at this stage in the band's career. Landlady is a highlight, not filler. Thanks for the thorough review, enjoyed listening.
This dude loves the sound of his own voice ...
I don't agree with your review, I love this album , opinions are like assholes...everyone has one. When it comes to music, taste is a very personal thing, like all your senses, I fucking hate tofu , but I know lots of people who love it.
Some of the lyrics , guitar work and rhythm section are absolutely amazing, this album resonates with me like Achtung Baby, The Joshua Tree and Boy did and I've been a fan since 1982.
Each to his own but I suspect you are a tofu lover.
You've never give them that much of a shot?' They were the biggest band in the world!!!!! Big music fan you are....
That's not what I said. I said that before The Joshua Tree came out in 1987, I'd never given U2 a shot. They were not the biggest band in the world before then. I've been listening to U2 for 30 years.
u2 went Pink Floyd rather than Cher
They absolutely went Pink Floyd!
Nossir. You completely omitted Rattle & Hum between Joshua and Achtung. Credibility zero.
howellbuzz I love Rattle and Hum, but I was focusing on the studio albums. Technically, I don’t consider R&H a studio album. It’s a soundtrack with some new music and some live tracks.
A good review, but you look angry all the time, jeje.
Thanks for the feedback. I'll work on that! :)
U2 has lost it. want The Joshua Tree II. : )
Good review of a terrible album.
If they make a volume 3, PLEASE let it be called "Songs of Retirement"...
That actually is truly hilarious. U2 may still not have found what they're looking for, but a lot of us increasingly wish they'd quit searching.
Rattle and Hum came after the Joshua Tree
Of course. I don’t believe I said otherwise. Although technically Achtung Baby is the studio album follow-up to Joshua Tree. R&H is a hybrid sort of album... live and studio.
@@TrackXTrack - Sure, I get your view on that. I personally see Actung Baby as the much more significant album as its the main one that has kept them around. Also if you took the best songs from the last two albums you could get a great compilation
I agree with you 100%!
Been a U2 fan since "Under a blood red sky" and have collected everything they have done since and much more. But this album is a let down and a great disappointment. For me, probably the worst thing they have done (even the Passengers album was better than this). When you are re-hashing songs and just giving them a new title and selling it to die had fans of 30 years or more, then maybe its time to hang up your boots.
Geez this guy gives good music a bad look
Are you kidding? I'd take 'Zooropa' over anything they've done in the last 2 decades. Imo, ATYCLB was the beginning of the end, and their worst one until this new one.
Who else things that this is U2's farewell album??? lots of songs sound like a good bye from them....
I don't. I heard a rumor they will be making one or two more. They're almost at their 50th aniversary. Song of Ascent could still be made as a closing of the trillogy Innocense-experience-ascent. If ascent would be a album made for the fans with songs like mercy that would be cool. The last album Could be "Man" as counterpart to their first album "Boy". Maybe this would make a good farewell album. I personanly think they will make just one more. I would like them to just go out and have fun without worrying what we will like. It's their personal music journey so i just want them to just do what they like, have fun, dont take it to serieus and just enjoy making something without any expectations or being stuck to a certain style.
I think its their best album since their first 2 albums. Wtf does this guy know, pssshh
I was big fan of u2. Yeah i was. Pop was great , intelligent album. But everything u2 recorded after 2000 year is mediocre pop rock. Sorry but that's reality. U2 is now self parody. The edge in reviev from1997 was saying something about not copying themselves. But now they just copy paste themselves. They are lights years from Achtung baby , not to mention war. Its really sad. I was expecting great future with me buying u2 albums and then i ended not buying anything u2 recorded after year 2000.
I think All That You Can’t Leave Behind was their last truly great album.
Everybody's got an opinion...
I recommend to you that you actually get to know your music. I don't think you actually understand how good an album this is! You criticise the shit out of the whole album and make stupid comments on certain songs. SO SHUTUP AND STOP MAKING SHIT REVIEWS. THIS ALBUM DOES NOT HAVE A BAD SONG ON IT! SO GO LISTEN TO IT A BIT MORE👌
The new album is trash and has to be one of their worst if not the worst
bticoin thing. fuck ads. go home man.
It's a poor record full of forgettable songs.