SOE
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U2 - Songs Of Experience (2017)
 Tracks: 14
  1. I don't think all of it's bad, but there are some truly terrible lyrics on this album (mostly contained within tracks 3 - 6). Showman is also crap.
  2. They’ve been irrelevant since the guy liner, the staging and the awful get on your boots from the Grammys in 2009.

    This performance was the death of U2.

    I do think this new album, whilst not groundbreaking is a salvation as much as can be achieved after the debacle of no line on the horizon (yes 360 was a huge risk/reward/success) and SOIs iTunes faux pas.

    I personally love the new album, it’s got reverence and speaks of experience and that living in the moment is important, morality is something which looms over all of us at one stage in our lives, but that life and love of life should indeed be celebrated. Joy is a true act of defiance.
  3. Originally posted by Cerro:The worst album of their entire career: uninspired, tired and boring
    Remove Bono's voice and it could be an album made by a generic pop band


    As I listen to this album more part of me thinks there are a few tracks that could be on a solo Bono record!

    Maybe when we here them live they’ll take on a new life.
  4. They are not irrelevant because of a 2009 Grammy Performance that 99% of the music buying population never even saw.

    They are irrelevant because they are old. They could have released WTSHNN for the first time on any album between 2009 and today and it would have barely registered in popular music or have been relevant.

    Times change and new generations might respect the prior generations music, but they want something to call their own. The fact that U2 even still registers the number of album reviews they get (good or awful) is a testament to what they have achieved.

    Even at the very pinnacle of popularity they were barely relevant in popular culture. JT thru Zooropa and that was it - and even then they shared the spotlight and were overshadowed by everything from Michael Jackson to Madonna to Grunge.

    And I say all this as a huge fan that generally adores their entire body of work. SOE is not peak U2 but I think it’s a very worthy addition to their catalog.
  5. Originally posted by Pauln:[..]


    As I listen to this album more part of me thinks there are a few tracks that could be on a solo Bono record!

    Maybe when we here them live they’ll take on a new life.
    Honestly, I will avoid the tour completely, as I've done with Joshua Tree Tour 2017"
  6. Originally posted by robotsandmonkeys:[..]
    Totally agreed. Not understanding how people can heap praise on an album so dreadfully uninspired, timid, and mediocre.

    Bono is especially cringe-worthy on this album - his lyrics are amateurish, awkward, and tone-def. His subjects are far from novel...here we have:
    - 2 songs about Ali (adding to how many others already written?)
    - 4 songs about love/love in the title (again...we get it...we love love too...but damn! We GET it!)
    - 2 songs about Bono writing about how absurd/transparent Bono is (nothing new here either)
    - 1 song about America (we could have a quintuple album of U2 Songs of America at this point)

    If he wrote a song for his mother we'd all win Bono bingo or something.

    So...
    Music? Mediocre at best.
    Lyrics? Sounds like a 13 year old wrote them, or Bono decided to read a fortune cookie
    Topics? Stale as hell. Almost every subject has an analog in their catalog that is MUCH better.
    Effort? If THIS is the product of YEARS of work? They are in a lot of trouble.
    Masterpiece? I understand a lot of you think so, personally I think this is easily the worst album they have ever released
    Give this man a prize
  7. It may not be a masterpiece, but it is wide of the mark to describe it as easily the worst album they've released. That prize belongs to NLOTH.
  8. Originally posted by robotsandmonkeys:[..]
    Totally agreed. Not understanding how people can heap praise on an album so dreadfully uninspired, timid, and mediocre.

    Bono is especially cringe-worthy on this album - his lyrics are amateurish, awkward, and tone-def. His subjects are far from novel...here we have:
    - 2 songs about Ali (adding to how many others already written?)
    - 4 songs about love/love in the title (again...we get it...we love love too...but damn! We GET it!)
    - 2 songs about Bono writing about how absurd/transparent Bono is (nothing new here either)
    - 1 song about America (we could have a quintuple album of U2 Songs of America at this point)

    If he wrote a song for his mother we'd all win Bono bingo or something.

    So...
    Music? Mediocre at best.
    Lyrics? Sounds like a 13 year old wrote them, or Bono decided to read a fortune cookie
    Topics? Stale as hell. Almost every subject has an analog in their catalog that is MUCH better.
    Effort? If THIS is the product of YEARS of work? They are in a lot of trouble.
    Masterpiece? I understand a lot of you think so, personally I think this is easily the worst album they have ever released
    I think that Larry's face on "Get out your own way - Live from 26th beneath the Highline, NYC video", summarise pretty well this judgment. It seems he was thinking "What the hell are we doing???"
  9. More like his expression betrays his embarrassment at contributing fuck all to the songwriting lately.
  10. are the atu2 forum members flooding this thread or?
  11. Best u2 album since Achtung Baby simple as that.