Author Topic: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour  (Read 2607 times)

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Offline KevShmev

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U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« on: November 01, 2017, 08:52:41 PM »
The new album is finally coming out a month from today, and dates were announced today for the 2018 tour:

https://www.u2.com/tour?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=paid&utm_campaign=U2C_20171101_announce

Two singles released so far from the new album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbGSiJ9iat8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU_S15MXV3E

I think there are links out there for The Blackout as well, but not sure any of them are the forthcoming studio version.

Offline Nel

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2017, 09:08:21 PM »
Oh thank god, the album cover's taken it down a notch on the awkwardness. Just a notch, though.
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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #2 on: November 01, 2017, 10:29:03 PM »
Great! Thanks for posting - I was expecting info on the new album anytime soon. I liked some of the songs on the last one (especially "Sleep like a baby tonight"), so I'm excited about having new stuff to listen to. :)

Offline KevShmev

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2017, 09:37:28 PM »
I liked Songs of Innocence, with songs like The Troubles, Iris, Song for Someone and the bonus track Crystal Ballroom all being major keepers.

As for the new songs, You're the Best Thing About Me is kinda generic, but catchy enough, I guess. 

Get Out of Your Own Way is painfully bland.

Offline DTA

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2017, 05:02:24 PM »
You’re The Best Thing About Me is super bland, plus the key change into the chorus is really awkward. Get Out Of Your Own Way is literally Beautiful Day rewritten but worse obviously. I really liked Songs Of Innocence and thought every song was more or less strong, but SoE sounds like it’s going to be another attempt at producing songs intended to be hits rather than a new, fresh sounding musical statement.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2017, 06:21:32 PM »
That is also my fear, and it makes me nervous about getting tickets for the tour, since U2 almost always plays most of whatever new album they are touring on.  I might wait and see how the rest of the album is before getting tickets (unless I luck out and land great ones right away, which I will attempt).

Offline Anguyen92

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2017, 01:36:04 PM »
So album is out.  How do you guys find it?  I'm liking it so far.  I actually like Get Out of Your Own Way.

Edit: Just finished American Soul.  Good song.  One of my favorite bands, nowadays, is Switchfoot and those guys are heavily influenced by U2 and when I heard American Soul, I was thinking, "This could make a nice Switchfoot song."  Funny how that works out.

Offline SoundscapeMN

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2017, 05:23:16 PM »
better than their last couple of records. 3-stars.

a little long. might be higher if it wasn't for the length.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #8 on: December 02, 2017, 08:28:14 PM »
So album is out.  How do you guys find it?   

After a few listens, I am honestly not sure what I think. Seems like a nice listen, but I am not getting the sense that anything on this will be one of those "must have" kick ass U2 songs, and The Edge seems pretty subdued in his playing overall, some of which of which might be because of the mix (which seems good sonically overall, but the guitar is a bit low in the mix at times, when it seems like a few times he plays a riff or lead that should kick your ass a bit more).

Summer of Love and Red Flag Day seem like nice little songs so far.

Many more listens to come...

Offline KevShmev

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #9 on: December 03, 2017, 06:17:56 PM »
The first song, Love Is All We Have Left, is really cool, featuring a vibe rarely heard in a U2 song, but it ends way too fast. That should have been a 6-minute slow burner, not over in less than 3 minutes.  :facepalm:

American Soul is Get On Your Boots level of awful. :tdwn :tdwn

I think this album will end up having 4-5 songs that will stick with me beyond these early listens.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #10 on: December 10, 2017, 09:31:57 AM »
Anyone else listening to this and liking it?

After the muddy sonic disasters they released in the 00s (I like both How To Dismantle... and No Line..., but neither sounds very good), it is nice to get a U2 album that sounds really good again.

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #11 on: December 11, 2017, 08:17:45 AM »
I ordered it; I should be getting it this week.  I'll let you know when I've heard it property (i.e. not on tinny speakers or live versions on SNL). 

Offline jvelvet3

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #12 on: December 11, 2017, 06:40:46 PM »
I'm enjoying it. I thought SOI was a great album almost immediately, but I feel like this one will grow on me over time. And as we all know, sometimes those albums end up having the most replay value. Favorites right now are Love is All We Have Left, Lights of Home (both versions), Little Things, Landlady, Blackout, Love is Bigger Than Anything, and Book of Your Heart.

I agree that Love is All We Have Left should have/could have been twice as long. And I keep replaying the last minute of Landlady, I love that part. 

Offline KevShmev

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #13 on: December 11, 2017, 08:03:01 PM »
I liked most of Song of Innocence at first, although I was never too fond of The Miracle, but its highs do not reach the highs of most other U2 records. Very consistent record, regardless.

We'll see how this new old holds up. I like most of the songs from it, although American Soul is still trash, and I am not sure what happened with The Blackout.  It starts off good, but completely falls apart.

Offline jvelvet3

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #14 on: December 17, 2017, 08:29:54 PM »
Just wanted to say that I'm really liking the run of Summer of Love > Red Flag Day > Showman.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #15 on: December 18, 2017, 05:03:48 PM »
Just wanted to say that I'm really liking the run of Summer of Love > Red Flag Day > Showman.

Yep, that is a really nice run of songs. And that sentiment seems to be pretty popular. :coolio

Offline DTA

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #16 on: January 12, 2018, 01:15:24 PM »
I finally bought this album! I expected to dislike it, but I find it pretty enjoyable. I thought SoI was a top 5 album of theirs and this is definitely a step down, but it's poppy enough to catch my ear, even though I don't hear any true standout songs. I have begun to like Get Out Of Your Own Way, and I think The Showman is my favorite overall so far.

I guess my main issue with the album is that it literally sounds like a pastiche of all current music trends. Autotune used as a vocal effect, dance rhythms in a hard rock style (a style Fall Out Boy has aped for 4 albums now), random guy rapping, millennial whoops, etc. It's very inauthentic, but again, the songs are catchy and very listenable, just not deep. Also, I know U2 influenced Coldplay heavily, but this album sounds like Coldplay influenced U2.

I think this will fall near the bottom of my U2 albums ranking. It still manages to be better than NLOTH, so there's that.

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #17 on: January 12, 2018, 01:30:50 PM »
I really liked this album.   One thing about U2 is that from day one, they have always "tried too hard", and usually that has paid off for them.   I think it will ultimately pay off for them here, too.   The only U2 album I've ever loved from day one is "The Joshua Tree" and that's largely because I saw it live within like a day or two of hearing the album, so it was all fresh.   Everything else had to grow on me (like Achtung Baby, Atomic Bomb, etc.).   U2 is more a song band for me anyway, not an album band.   I like songs from every album, but the only real ALBUM I like, start to finish, are TJT, AB and HTDAAB).

Offline Cyclopssss

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #18 on: January 13, 2018, 03:23:32 AM »
I really like it too. It has that 'slow-burn' quality to it.
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Offline KevShmev

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #19 on: January 13, 2018, 08:10:08 AM »
After giving this quite a few listens the first few month or so, it's probably not a good sign that I haven't really listened since and have no urge to.  I will give it a few whirls again here soon and see if my opinion changes at all.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #20 on: April 23, 2018, 07:22:36 PM »
With the start of the tour 9 days away, should be interesting to see what they play.  I have read the rehearsal updates and they have been a rehearsing a song they have never played that diehards have been dying to see played for years.  If they don't play that, online fans will lose their minds. :lol :lol

And they are rehearsing ZERO songs from The Joshua Tree.  I could see them avoiding all of it after playing all of last year, but it's hard to imagine an entire tour without Streets.

Offline DTA

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #21 on: April 24, 2018, 06:09:50 AM »
I’ve seen those rehearsal updates and I’m super skeptical when it comes to debuting songs like the one you’re referring to. They rehearsed the hell out of Drowning Man only to have it never make the stage. It also looks like another great song they rehearsed early on has been dropped. I don’t think Streets will ever leave their setlist, but if it does, is anyone really going to be upset with no Joshua Tree material? Just how many times can people see the same songs live and still enjoy them...

SoE has grown on me so I’m glad they’re dedicating a large portion to those songs. I wish they were playing the I played SoI tracks on this tour but maybe further down the line.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #22 on: April 24, 2018, 07:58:16 PM »
Instead of beating around the bush, the two songs are Acrobat and Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses. It would be cool to see the latter played again, and Acrobat is their Space Dye Vest: a great song that has this aura built up because of it never being played live. 

U2 has enough hits to where most fans won't care that much if nothing from The Joshua Tree is played, although I am sure some will ignore the fact that they have been sleep walking their way through With or Without You for decades and bitch if that isn't played.  I am sure songs like Sunday Bloody Sunday, Pride, Elevation, Beautiful Day, I Will Follow, One, Vertigo and City of Blinding Lights will (mostly) all get played.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #23 on: May 04, 2018, 11:18:49 PM »
Good show tonight.  Not great, but good.

Offline DTA

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #24 on: May 05, 2018, 05:10:25 AM »
Looks like they already dropped Horses. I hope Acrobat isn't next.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #25 on: May 05, 2018, 06:34:03 AM »
Set list: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/u2/2018/scottrade-center-st-louis-mo-3ec550b.html (not sure why people are listing Love Is All Have We Left, since it is entirely pre-recorded; I don't consider songs not performed at all part of a set list).

The good:

-Acrobat - while reports online are that they butchered it, I couldn't tell. I was loving it too much. Thrilled I got to see that.  I was also really happy that Iris is getting played, as that was an instant favorite from Songs of Innocence and has held up as one of my favorite U2 songs of the 21st century.

-The first 2/3 of the show.  While the set list needs some work, the first set worked great for me and the first  second set up until Pride was great as well.

-The hits. I know some quibble about them always playing "too many hits," but the hits are what get the crowds into a frenzy, and last night was no exception.  After a few new songs to open the show, the crowd was waiting for someone familiar, and went ballistic when Beautiful Day began.  Following that up with I Will Follow was great; that one had the energy of the crowd very high.

-The stage set-up. You have to see it (I don't even know how to describe it), but it is very effective for making sure that no matter where you are sitting, a good part of the show will be close to you, as they moved all around from the main stage to playing on the catwalk to playing on the e-stage.  The giant LCD screen which hovers over the catwalk, occasionally moving up and down, is something to behold.

The not-so good:

-The political stuff. Yeah, yeah, with U2, you know it is part of the package, but they really beat us over the head with it this time. Not with Bono's chatter, but with the images on the LCD screen.  They really went nuts with it late in the show, and by the time that turd that is American Soul was finished, any concert energy I had was sucked out of me and the rest of the show was like crawling to the finish. Bummer to have the concert end on such a down note for me.

-Bono's voice.  Sure, he can still pick his spots and belt it out on occasion, but his live voice is a shell of itself.  I didn't realize before how much he now relies on a vocal backing track, but it was clear last night. Seems like just about challenging vocal section (and there are a lot in most U2 songs) features a powerful backing track live with him singing along to it. Plus, he was doing that "instead of singing the line like normal, I will wait till halfway through where the vocal line normally is and then have to talk the line really fast to get out of singing it" thing a ton.  I stopped trying to sing along because he was always half a line behind where I was. :lol :lol

-Despite losing last year's show on the JT anniversary tour due to the downtown protesting make it unsafe, there was a) no acknowledgement of it from the band last night, and b) nothing extra for us whatsoever.  In fact, we got two less songs than Tulsa did on Wednesday.  Very poor form, guys. :tdwn :tdwn

Overall, I enjoyed the show, but I was hoping to get my ass kicked, rather than just simply enjoying it.

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #26 on: May 05, 2018, 02:27:45 PM »
-Bono's voice.  Sure, he can still pick his spots and belt it out on occasion, but his live voice is a shell of itself.  I didn't realize before how much he now relies on a vocal backing track, but it was clear last night. Seems like just about challenging vocal section (and there are a lot in most U2 songs) features a powerful backing track live with him singing along to it. Plus, he was doing that "instead of singing the line like normal, I will wait till halfway through where the vocal line normally is and then have to talk the line really fast to get out of singing it" thing a ton.  I stopped trying to sing along because he was always half a line behind where I was. :lol :lol

Sorry to be that guy, but having seen them in an arena on the Joshua Tree tour, I know how powerful his voice can be.  That show - 30 years ago - still gives me goosebumps.  I knew I was seeing legends even then.

Sad to see he's Vince Neil-ing a good portion of his show now. 

Offline DTA

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #27 on: May 05, 2018, 02:40:37 PM »
Acrobat being played is just monumental. I'm glad they listened to the fan demand for it and actually followed through (unlike Drowning Man). A few more songs like that per concert alongside their hits could make for such an absolutely memorable night for casual and hardcore fans alike.

I honestly find it refreshing that they're playing so much of the Innocence and Experience albums. They're pretty special albums and I'm glad Innocence hasn't disappeared into obscurity like NLOTH. I'm wondering if The Showman and Red Flag Day will make an appearance...they seem like no-brainers. I was hoping they'd play one of the unplayed ones from SoI, especially Sleep Like A Baby Tonight. All Because Of You is a pretty mediocre song, but it's nice to see them acknowledge Atomic Bomb aside from Vertigo and COBL. I hoped Sometimes You Can't Make It... or Crumbs From Your Table would reappear at some point. Pop is still extremely underrepresented. Staring At The Sun acoustic is just about the most obvious thing they could do from that album, but I guess it's better than Mysterious Ways again or something.

U2's hits are pretty strong, so it's obvious that they'd play them but songs like Beautiful Day/Elevation/Vertigo sort of occupy the same space and would benefit from a rotation. Add in Sunday Bloody Sunday, Pride, and One and you have 6 songs that never leave a setlist...it's just too much repetition from tour to tour to be enjoyable every time. And I don't know why Until The End Of The World and Desire seem to appear so much.

I didn't know they skipped your area during TJT tour so that sucks that it wasn't represented at all, but if you've seen U2 at any time in the past decade, you've most likely seen 5-6 of those songs already. It would've been cool if they threw in Red Hill Mining Town, Exit, or Trip Through Your Wires for you guys as those are the big rarities.

I know it's easy to criticize their show from far away, but I still thing just being there caught up in the energy would be great. The political shit gets old, but like you said, there's no way to avoid that at a U2 show. And Acrobat is worth the entire ticket price for me...my favorite U2 song by far. Seems like a good tour overall, but the lost potential is obvious.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #28 on: May 05, 2018, 03:13:30 PM »
Our area wasn't skipped on the last tour; our show was canceled the day of the concert due to downtown protests and heavy security, making a concert of that size not possible that day (that was gonna be in the dome with 50K as opposed to last night's with just under 20K0.

I don't mind them playing a lot of the new album, but it's too bad that they are skipping gems like Red Flag Day and Summer of Love, while playing turds like American Soul and The Blackout.

We only got two songs from ...Innocence last night, Iris and Cedarwood Road.  I don't quite get the love for the latter, but I love the former.  The crowd seemed kinda bored with both.  Pretty much every song from the last two albums didn't get much of a reaction last night.

Until the End of the World is one of my 5 favorite U2 songs ever, but I don't think they have ever made it as good live. Despite being a rocker, it just doesn't kick as much ass live. 

Desire is to R&H what Staring at the Sun is to Pop; likely played so they can at least say they played something from that album.   Considering how much they love backing tracks, play All I Want Is You with the whole ending pre-recorded.  That would rule.

And they really ought to stop playing One (which, of course, they won't).  That song doesn't work without Bono's vocal payoff at the end, and he cannot come close to doing that anymore. 

Sorry to be that guy, but having seen them in an arena on the Joshua Tree tour, I know how powerful his voice can be.  That show - 30 years ago - still gives me goosebumps.  I knew I was seeing legends even then.

Sad to see he's Vince Neil-ing a good portion of his show now.

Rattle and Hum (the film) is what took me from liking the band to being a big fan.  That performance of Bad just wowed me and Bono's vocal was a big reason.  Man, could he belt it out back in the day.

Offline H2

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #29 on: June 03, 2019, 09:50:13 PM »
Been listening for a few days to SOE. Disclaimer: I am a relatively new fan (4-5 years EXP). I think the album is pretty cool. I love the vocal melodies and atmosphere throughout, as well as the lyrical and musical callbacks to SOI. Favorite on the album has to go to "The Little Things..."---which oddly hasn't been discussed ITT?--though "Lights of Home" thru "American Soul" is a pretty neat streak. Looking at the U2 forums and subreddit, I see that my taste is in the minority, but I like what I like.

Offline KevShmev

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #30 on: June 03, 2019, 10:06:42 PM »
I have to amend my opinion above on The Blackout. I don't think the studio version did it justice, nor did the way they opened shows with it (with the band hidden).  The video they released of it, with it being the studio version with crowd noise dubbed in, is the perfect version of it, and it is quite good there.

Overall, I still like Songs of Experience.  Almost every song is good (except for American Soul, which is still trash), and there are a few standouts like Red Flag Day, Summer of Love and 13 (There is a Light), the last of which would have worked a lot better as the 2nd set closer, rather than the last encore.  The bonus track, Book of Your Heart, is pretty excellent as well.  And I like the laid back production of the album as well.  It was nice to have a new U2 album again that could actually breathe.

Offline H2

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #31 on: June 06, 2019, 08:23:23 AM »
A question for the U2 diehards: I've been working my way through U2's discography for the past few years and want to know where to go next (or whether I should linger on these albums some more). Here's want I've got, ordered by preference:

S-tier: Joshua Tree
A-tier: Achtung Baby/War/All That You Can't Leave Behind
B-tier: Boy (only a handful of listens, though)
C-tier: Songs of Innocence/Songs of Experience (I like these albums but want to stratify the ranking)

Offline KevShmev

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #32 on: June 06, 2019, 08:28:07 AM »
Definitely get The Unforgettable Fire and Rattle & Hum. Some of their best songs ever are on those two records. 

R&H has a weird flow due to having some live songs on it, but the studio tracks are all (at worst) really good.

Side 1 of The Unforgettable Fire is  :hefdaddy :hefdaddy.

Offline H2

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #33 on: June 06, 2019, 08:41:28 AM »
Will do. I've listened to very good songs from R&H but haven't listened to the album proper. I'll check those out--thanks Kev!

Offline DTA

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Re: U2 - Songs of Experience + 2018 tour
« Reply #34 on: June 06, 2019, 09:29:10 AM »
POP gets a lot of shit but I think it’s probably their strongest album overall. It’s most closely in the vein of Achtung Baby but a little more dance/club music influenced.

I think SoI/SoE are both incredibly strong albums after a lackluster run in the 00’s.