SOE
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U2 - The Blackout
 Album:
Songs Of Experience (2017)
  1. Turns out the preview they posted on twitter was the worst part of the song
  2. Haha.

    I feel like even that part is suffering from the poor mix. Edge's harmonies sound cool but you barely hear them at all. I'm sure there's other stuff going on there too we can't hear.


  3. The band is paying much more attention to that than the NPR and Stereogum reviews...
  4. Originally posted by LikeASong:Definitely not a fan of the sound on this one. The audience is too prominent and badly mixed in, and the wall of sound is horrific during most of the song. I'm just praying that we get to hear a properly mastered studio version soon or else this will go down the drain fast. For God's sake you can't even tell Edge's main guitar most of the time.


    Sad, but true.


  5. The silence at beginning and end and audience were intentional, as was the mix, I'm guessing so nobody could get a clean download...
  6. For what it's worth, I'm torn about this...
    There are many things I like, such as:

    - Killer bass
    - Overall groovy
    - Singalong chorus
    - No oh-oh-oh's
    - Playfully sung bridge (Blackout... It's clear... Who you are will appear)
    - Epic crowdsurfing

    But for some reason, the whole thing isn't really blowing me away... Don't really know why, can't put my finger on it

    Also, I'm always afraid in general when they're aiming for a radio rock hit like this, Boots and The Miracle. Always material for the haters to hate, just because it will always be compared to Elevation and Vertigo. And, we shouldn't compare, really...
  7. There's nothing to blow you away with, it's just generic pop rock
  8. I like it. I have it stuck in my head. I just want a proper mix and download.

    I also think the video is cool. It makes the band look cool too.
  9. Originally posted by BelgianBono:For what it's worth, I'm torn about this...
    There are many things I like, such as:

    - Killer bass
    - Overall groovy
    - Singalong chorus
    - No oh-oh-oh's
    - Playfully sung bridge (Blackout... It's clear... Who you are will appear)
    - Epic crowdsurfing

    But for some reason, the whole thing isn't really blowing me away... Don't really know why, can't put my finger on it

    Also, I'm always afraid in general when they're aiming for a radio rock hit like this, Boots and The Miracle. Always material for the haters to hate, just because it will always be compared to Elevation and Vertigo. And, we shouldn't compare, really...
    They're NOT aiming for a hit with this song though, and I think that's important to remember. There's a very good reason that they're not making this song the first single, in fact I bet this song (this mix anyway) barely gets any radio play at all. The song next week will be the one to judge in terms of U2 looking for a radio single again.

    And ultimately, I think people need to accept that U2 probably won't blow us away with a new song ever again. Not that they can't write one good enough, but that I think they're fighting their history in a big way and it's just not possible. All of us younger fans can only imagine what it was like when The Fly came out, and it's basically become legend amidst this fan base. I bet in reality it wasn't that different from the discussion today. The same could be said for a ton of songs in their catalogue. I'm sure when WOWY came out a ton of fans were like "not as great as Sunday Bloody Sunday, this is just a love song for the radio".

    People need to temper their expectations more. Do you like it? Yes? Good, enjoy it. No? Fine, hopefully you like the next one. Not every new song needs to or will be mind blowing and redefining for the band, or reaffirmation of why we've chosen these guys as our favourite band.
  10. There's no real climax in the song. I'm missing a cool bridge with a sweet solo or something.
  11. Originally posted by kris_smith87:I like it. I have it stuck in my head. I just want a proper mix and download.

    I also think the video is cool. It makes the band look cool too.
    I was just about to say I have literally got the lyrics 'when the lights go out' completely stuck in my head. I've listened to u2 for quite some time now and I can't remember a song or at least a part of a song sticking in my head this strongly. I've not even been listening to the song for a good 4 hours or so now just so I can keep it fresh but it is so catchy.
  12. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:[..]
    They're NOT aiming for a hit with this song though, and I think that's important to remember. There's a very good reason that they're not making this song the first single, in fact I bet this song (this mix anyway) barely gets any radio play at all. The song next week will be the one to judge in terms of U2 looking for a radio single again.

    And ultimately, I think people need to accept that U2 probably won't blow us away with a new song ever again. Not that they can't write one good enough, but that I think they're fighting their history in a big way and it's just not possible. All of us younger fans can only imagine what it was like when The Fly came out, and it's basically become legend amidst this fan base. I bet in reality it wasn't that different from the discussion today. The same could be said for a ton of songs in their catalogue. I'm sure when WOWY came out a ton of fans were like "not as great as Sunday Bloody Sunday, this is just a love song for the radio".

    People need to temper their expectations more. Do you like it? Yes? Good, enjoy it. No? Fine, hopefully you like the next one. Not every new song needs to or will be mind blowing and redefining for the band, or reaffirmation of why we've chosen these guys as our favourite band.


    Whenever I think about stuff like this, I always remind myself, 'Hey, U2 made the record Achtung Baby. AND The Joshua Tree. I think it's fair if they never ever reach those kind of highs again -- it's amazing that they hit them once, and darn near impossible they hit them TWICE.'

    I think keeping in mind that these guys are in their later 50s now, have been at this since they were teens, and have already made so much absolutely smashing music and had so many reinventions and changes, that it's ok that they aren't always at the very cutting edge. I'm just glad they aren't trying to make all their songs sound just like With or Without You, One, or Pride. They do some different stuff, and even if it's not their Best Work ever, it doesn't have to be.

    U2 made The Joshua Tree, U2 made Achtung Baby. By any sane standard, their best work is waaay behind them and it'd be crazy to expect them to even approach that kind of standard now. Remembering that, I think, makes it a lot more easy to appreciate their newer stuff -- it really is pretty great, after all. I think for everybody among us here, there's AT LEAST one or two U2 songs from the last couple of albums that we could rank among our all-time favourites. That's all that really matters, isn't it? Enjoying the show...
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U2start is run by fans for fans. Help us reduce personal costs. Consider to make a donation to support us.
U2start is run by fans for fans. Help us reduce personal costs. Consider to make a donation to support us.