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U2 - American Soul
 Album:
Songs Of Experience (2017)
  1. Originally posted by Bloodraven:[..]
    No, but I could with 90's U2...

    [..]
    But that's the kind of decisions U2 has make since ever, not these days. They always have been and have wanted to be and bragged to want to be a radio friendly band. And they have been bashed for it since the 80's.
    This isn't new.
    Okay, but even if that's always been their mission, their singles up until a point have always still been pretty damn quality, and usually of the best songs on their respective albums. New Years Day, Pride, With or Without You, One, The Fly. Sure these all might be radio friendly, but they're well written and they're saying something more than what meets the ear.
  2. Originally posted by cesar_garza01:[..]
    For every "baby" in Achtung Baby,there were verses like
    [..]

    So I don't think the lyrics in AB are as ordinary as in the latter songs.


    You and I need to grab a beer.
  3. If the point is that Bono's lyrics are now shite in comparison to his previous work and that he should be capable of better and aim for the less mundane or prosaic, then I accept that opinion.

    All I'm saying is that I can understand what he is aiming for, in a thematic sense. Also, that it's nothing new for him to take a head on or obvious approach to his lyric composition; Sunday Bloody Sunday being an admittedly obvious example that comes to mind. Though accused in his homeland of fence sitting, it can at least be described as clearly an anti-war song and there was never a braver Bono moment than the performance post Enniskillen.
  4. Edge also writes the lyrics right?
  5. Allegedly. More of a sounding board for Bono, I reckon. Also the credits ensure a bigger royalty slice for the two main writers.
  6. Originally posted by TheRefugee:If the point is that Bono's lyrics are now shite in comparison to his previous work and that he should be capable of better and aim for the less mundane or prosaic, then I accept that opinion.

    All I'm saying is that I can understand what he is aiming for, in a thematic sense. Also, that it's nothing new for him to take a head on or obvious approach to his lyric composition; Sunday Bloody Sunday being an admittedly obvious example that comes to mind. Though accused in his homeland of fence sitting, it can at least be described as clearly an anti-war song and there was never a braver Bono moment than the performance post Enniskillen.
    I'll agree with everything you said, and to your first point, and as I've said, it doesn't help that Bono keeps beating us over the head with "I'm better now than I've ever been", or "I hate my lyric writing in everything up until Vertigo" (okay, not a true quote, but it's definitely been implied before).

    Maybe Bono should just stop saying these things and say "we like to make music, and we know we won't touch our older stuff." They certainly wouldn't be the first artist to admit that. I remember after John Mayer came out with Battle Studies (the album after Continuum, arguably his best album) he was on Letterman or something saying "No, I'll never make an album like Continuum again, and I accept that."

    U2 shouldn't be afraid to say it, and it would check our expectations a lot more. Both on the music, and on the lyric writing. He's certainly not the only one in the band who seems to be phoning it in a bit these days. It feels like Adam is the only one who's consistently been upping his game over a long period of time. When's the last time Edge defined an entire song with a guitar tone? (ex. Mysterious Ways, Elevation, etc.)
  7. Originally posted by cesar_garza01:[..]
    For every "baby" in Achtung Baby,there were verses like
    [..]

    So I don't think the lyrics in AB are as ordinary as in the latter songs.


    Different discussion... the point being that you can find weak and ridiculous lines in well respected eras of the band, not just today.

    Almost whatever people complain about U2's latest album at the time, is something people complained about it a few albums ago already.

    ---

    Also, I do have a problem with the "you are rock and roll" line, specially since it's being used already in 3 different songs. That's why I said earlier that AS is the track I like the least from the ones we've heard so far... removing/changing that line alone would make it for me second only to Little Things. It is a great tune, with an awkward chorus.
  8. Originally posted by Bloodraven:[..]



    Also, I do have a problem with the "you are rock and roll" line, specially since it's being used already in 3 different songs.


    Sorry to be that guy, but it has been used in 2 songs, he didn't sang You Are Rock And Roll in Glastonbury


  9. Also, I do have a problem with the "you are rock and roll" line, specially since it's being used already in 2 different songs.
  10. Where have those lyrics been other than Glastonbury? I think it's awesome that we're hearing a fully fleshed out version of something they created so long ago. It's reminding me of following the 360 Tour with all of you, actually. I hated Glastonbury, but I don't mind this song at all. It'll slay, live.

    Complaining that this is the same as Glastonbury would be like complaining that they "re-used" Every Breaking Wave on SOI.
  11. Originally posted by MattG:Where have those lyrics been other than Glastonbury? I think it's awesome that we're hearing a fully fleshed out version of something they created so long ago. It's reminding me of following the 360 Tour with all of you, actually. I hated Glastonbury, but I don't mind this song at all. It'll slay, live.

    Complaining that this is the same as Glastonbury would be like complaining that they "re-used" Every Breaking Wave on SOI.
    The bridge in Volcano
  12. Originally posted by Bloodraven:[..]


    Also, I do have a problem with the "you are rock and roll" line, specially since it's being used already in 2 different songs.
    I also have a problem with it because it's just really fucking awful

    It's just the greatest ammunition Bono/U2-haters could ask for.
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