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  1. MX is their most "pop" sounding album, so it's easy to see how people might not be able to get into it if that's not their thing.

    Ghost Stories is one of the few albums that actually tells a narrative from start to finish. SOI is extremely cohesive as an album, but it doesn't tell a narrative quite like Ghost Stories does, which is totally fine because that's not really the intention of SOI.
  2. Originally posted by LikeASong:[..]
    ....and possibly Winter or Soon replacing (or anything else from the supposed "50 or 60 songs" they had, haha) Stand Up Comedy...


    Haha...I had completely forgotten about "Stand Up Comedy" - buried it deep somewhere, I suppose.
  3. And I stil like Stand Up Comedy... could have been good live
  4. I still do like NLOTH, the cd has some great songs and also songs which can not be recognised as U2 songs. A cd which you have listen more often.

    The only problem was that NLOTH has one of the worst songs U2 ever made. You know that stupid song about boots.
    And biggest U2 mistake was the choise of this song as the first single.
  5. Originally posted by ferrari:I still do like NLOTH, the cd has some great songs and also songs which can not be recognised as U2 songs. A cd which you have listen more often.

    The only problem was that NLOTH has one of the worst songs U2 ever made. You know that stupid song about boots.
    And biggest U2 mistake was the choise of this song as the first single.

    Perfect summary of it all.
  6. Friday evening I have listened SOI and NLOTH back to back. Just to compare these 2 records, to discover what have changed in the past 5 years and also to understand why are disappointed in this record.

    I did not listen for a long time to NLOTH.
    The first 3 songs of NLOTH are absolutely great U2 songs. A strong opening threesome.
    But then....... the album is a bit collapsing, Unkown caller, Crazy and Boots are not hitting me. (although live they worked well). Stand up is ok. Fez, White as snow are interesting songs, it depends in what mood you are. Breathe belongs to the best tracks of NLOTH. Cedars is not a worthy closer of the record.

    MOS is a better closer. Why not Winter on NLOTH?
    Afterall my opinion is the record is somewhat inconsistent and undefinable.

    SOI sounds more as one complete finished record with clear subjects, better vocals also. But has (for the moment) not an ultimate U2 song like MOS, One, Sometimes you..., WOW, Kite, Wake up deadman etc
  7. Originally posted by ferrari:Friday evening I have listened SOI and NLOTH back to back. Just to compare these 2 records, to discover what have changed in the past 5 years and also to understand why are disappointed in this record.

    I did not listen for a long time to NLOTH.
    The first 3 songs of NLOTH are absolutely great U2 songs. A strong opening threesome.
    But then....... the album is a bit collapsing, Unkown caller, Crazy and Boots are not hitting me. (although live they worked well). Stand up is ok. Fez, White as snow are interesting songs, it depends in what mood you are. Breathe belongs to the best tracks of NLOTH. Cedars is not a worthy closer of the record.

    MOS is a better closer. Why not Winter on NLOTH?
    Afterall my opinion is the record is somewhat inconsistent and undefinable.

    SOI sounds more as one complete finished record with clear subjects, better vocals also. But has (for the moment) not an ultimate U2 song like MOS, One, Sometimes you..., WOW, Kite, Wake up deadman etc

    Nice summary! Yes, the first 3 songs and Breathe are big U2 songs; Stand up is OK. The rest is, like, good at best - depends on the song.

    No big U2 songs on SOI? Perhaps. But the three closing songs are new, fresh, and very much high up for me - especially TIWYCRMN (such a great song, funky, modern 70's feel etc.). EBW might be a big enough U2 song. And possibly Iris too. And SFS is a pretty decent ballad - I listen to it a lot, and I like it.
  8. Originally posted by JuJuman:[..]

    Nice summary! Yes, the first 3 songs and Breathe are big U2 songs; Stand up is OK. The rest is, like, good at best - depends on the song.

    No big U2 songs on SOI? Perhaps. But the three closing songs are new, fresh, and very much high up for me - especially TIWYCRMN (such a great song, funky, modern 70's feel etc.). EBW might be a big enough U2 song. And possibly Iris too. And SFS is a pretty decent ballad - I listen to it a lot, and I like it.

    I love the second part of SOI the most, starting at Iris.
  9. I never listen to NLOTH and maintain it's their worst album. It's the sound of stagnation between U2 and Eno & Lanois and the sound of a band that doesn't know how to follow up on the huge commercial success that was Bomb.

    I think the Rubin album in which Window in the Skies came from would've been much better. Not to mention All My Life.
  10. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:I never listen to NLOTH and maintain it's their worst album. It's the sound of stagnation between U2 and Eno & Lanois and the sound of a band that doesn't know how to follow up on the huge commercial success that was Bomb.

    I think the Rubin album in which Window in the Skies came from would've been much better. Not to mention All My Life.

    I totally get your point. Still, I think there's 4 (and a half) big songs on the album - there is definitely some creative tiredness and stagnation - the U2 + Eno/Lanois no longer works - but those songs are big. I definitely listen to them. And I still find them artistically (though admittedly not commercially) top notch.

    This said, yes, Bomb has big *and successful* songs, and SOI is overall a lot of fun compared to - actually - both Bomb and No line.
  11. Originally posted by JuJuman:[..]

    I totally get your point. Still, I think there's 4 (and a half) big songs on the album - there is definitely some creative tiredness and stagnation - the U2 + Eno/Lanois no longer works - but those songs are big. I definitely listen to them. And I still find them artistically (though admittedly not commercially) top notch.

    This said, yes, Bomb has big *and successful* songs, and SOI is overall a lot of fun compared to - actually - both Bomb and No line.

    Right on.

    People often cite ATYCLB as U2's more recent masterpiece. SOI aside, I actually think Bomb is a better album than ATYCLB. The hits are bigger and there are more of them, and the songs have more depth and aren't as bland. City of Blinding Lights is one of U2's biggest anthems to me.
  12. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:I never listen to NLOTH and maintain it's their worst album. It's the sound of stagnation between U2 and Eno & Lanois and the sound of a band that doesn't know how to follow up on the huge commercial success that was Bomb.

    I think the Rubin album in which Window in the Skies came from would've been much better. Not to mention All My Life.

    I guess I'm a bit of a fan boy because I genuinely like all of their songs and albums (mind some much, more than others). I definitely don't hate No Line and I still listen to many of the songs from it but I know SOI is a much better album.

    I do agree about the U2/Eno/Lanois comments though.

    I quite liked Saints and Window so I think a Rick Rubin album would have been good too and probably a better follow up to Bomb. Guess we'll never know.