New U2 Album 'Songs of Experience' Out Dec. 1st // Tour Starting in May 2018

[Black Sabbath]

A handful of additional shows announced today. I signed up for the presales for the additional DC and MSG dates.

[The Holographic Universe]

22 hours ago, Black Sabbath said:

A handful of additional shows announced today. I signed up for the presales for the additional DC and MSG dates.

Are you using your additional 2 tickets left from the Citibank Presale? And have you  noticed MSG has a floor seating option and when selected it says barstool seating.

[Black Sabbath]

13 minutes ago, The Holographic Universe said:

Are you using your additional 2 tickets left from the Citibank Presale? And have you  noticed MSG has a floor seating option and when selected it says barstool seating.

I got my DC ticket through the Citi presale and my MSG ticket through the U2 General Fan onsale. 

Signed up for the pre-sales again for the other two shows, and I assumed the 4 ticket limit would reset. Either way, I'm just trying to get one GA per show, so I should be fine even if that's not the case.

[The Holographic Universe]

12 minutes ago, Black Sabbath said:

I got my DC ticket through the Citi presale and my MSG ticket through the U2 General Fan onsale. 

Signed up for the pre-sales again for the other two shows, and I assumed the 4 ticket limit would reset. Either way, I'm just trying to get one GA per show, so I should be fine even if that's not the case.

Did you score MSG GA thru the general sale?

[Black Sabbath]

58 minutes ago, The Holographic Universe said:

Did you score MSG GA thru the general sale?

Yes, after about 30 minutes of trying. 

[Black Sabbath]

Album apparently leaked a couple days ago but I can't find a download to save my life.

Worst case scenario, I'm assuming Ticketmaster/Live Nation will send me a download link on release day since I bought tickets.

[Black Sabbath]

Typed out these thoughts as I listened to the album throughout the day:

 

 

Love Is All We Have Left - I'll probably never listen to this ever again.

Lights of Home - I can see this as a bit of a grower. Didn't exactly stand out as anything amazing off the bat, but it's not terrible.

Summer of Love - Sounds like a B-Side, but a solid B-Side. Again, nothing special, but it's relaxed U2; Akin to Summer Rain, but not as peppy.

Red Flag Day - Probably my favorite of the "new" songs I've heard so far, mainly due to the higher-energy in the chorus.

 

--------------------

I don't really know how to describe the musical direction of this album so far. It's nothing like I was hoping or expecting after hearing The Blackout, but I guess that was to be expected after hearing YTBTAM.

--------------------

 

The Showman (Little More Better) - Chorus is pretty bad, and ultimately ruins the songs. It's more annoying than it is catchy.

 

--------------------

This album sounds like it was written in a couple months. So far, I hate to say it, but it's a disappointing follow up to Innocence, when most people were expecting even more from this than we did from that.

--------------------

 

The Little Things That Give You Away - Great song. Lyrics are solid as well. Easily the best so far, and likely behind The Blackout in terms of the best from the album.

Landlady - Uh, it's OK, I guess. Admittedly sounds like a weird love song for a... landlady. Hard to be engaged in such a song, honestly.

Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way - A good example of a song trying too hard to use unnecessary effects and sounds. The song is decent (albeit having odd parts where the vocals sound way too forced), but the production on it is overdone, in my opinion.

13 (There Is A Light) - The successor to Song For Someone, I suppose, due to the recycling of the chorus lyrics. Sad thing is, it's probably one of the best on the album.

Book of Your Heart (Bonus Track) - Other than a marketing tactic, I don't even know why this is a bonus track seeing as how it's the only additional original bonus track. That said, as is most of the album, it's nothing special.

 

--------------------

 

Wow. As much as I hate to say it, I'm pretty disappointed in this album. Songs of Innocence is easily superior. My feelings are, just as Metallica should have done with Load and Re-Load, U2 should have taken the best songs from both of these and made one fantastic album, and then released the rest as a B-Sides compilation. I know some of these weren't even likely written at the time, and some spawned from others, but regardless of where you rank U2 this album, is pretty sub-par. I'd likely rank it below No Line On The Horizon, and although I do like that album, it's probably the weakest since ATYCLB.

6/10

[ZoSoRose]

Yikes

Im not expecting much based on the singles. Really loved SoI which most people seemed to greatly dislike so Ill be bummed if this is a miss for me

[The Holographic Universe]

On 11/28/2017 at 3:55 PM, Black Sabbath said:

Typed out these thoughts as I listened to the album throughout the day:

 

 

Love Is All We Have Left - I'll probably never listen to this ever again.

Lights of Home - I can see this as a bit of a grower. Didn't exactly stand out as anything amazing off the bat, but it's not terrible.

Summer of Love - Sounds like a B-Side, but a solid B-Side. Again, nothing special, but it's relaxed U2; Akin to Summer Rain, but not as peppy.

Red Flag Day - Probably my favorite of the "new" songs I've heard so far, mainly due to the higher-energy in the chorus.

 

--------------------

I don't really know how to describe the musical direction of this album so far. It's nothing like I was hoping or expecting after hearing The Blackout, but I guess that was to be expected after hearing YTBTAM.

--------------------

 

The Showman (Little More Better) - Chorus is pretty bad, and ultimately ruins the songs. It's more annoying than it is catchy.

 

--------------------

This album sounds like it was written in a couple months. So far, I hate to say it, but it's a disappointing follow up to Innocence, when most people were expecting even more from this than we did from that.

--------------------

 

The Little Things That Give You Away - Great song. Lyrics are solid as well. Easily the best so far, and likely behind The Blackout in terms of the best from the album.

Landlady - Uh, it's OK, I guess. Admittedly sounds like a weird love song for a... landlady. Hard to be engaged in such a song, honestly.

Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way - A good example of a song trying too hard to use unnecessary effects and sounds. The song is decent (albeit having odd parts where the vocals sound way too forced), but the production on it is overdone, in my opinion.

13 (There Is A Light) - The successor to Song For Someone, I suppose, due to the recycling of the chorus lyrics. Sad thing is, it's probably one of the best on the album.

Book of Your Heart (Bonus Track) - Other than a marketing tactic, I don't even know why this is a bonus track seeing as how it's the only additional original bonus track. That said, as is most of the album, it's nothing special.

 

--------------------

 

Wow. As much as I hate to say it, I'm pretty disappointed in this album. Songs of Innocence is easily superior. My feelings are, just as Metallica should have done with Load and Re-Load, U2 should have taken the best songs from both of these and made one fantastic album, and then released the rest as a B-Sides compilation. I know some of these weren't even likely written at the time, and some spawned from others, but regardless of where you rank U2 this album, is pretty sub-par. I'd likely rank it below No Line On The Horizon, and although I do like that album, it's probably the weakest since ATYCLB.

6/10

That’s disappointing to hear man. I had high hopes for this album. I love your idea about Load/Reload, I too have always felt that way about those albums and it’s disapponting to hear you say that about this album. So it’s U2’s Reload. Well, at least, the fans are getting two tours. The I&E tour was fantastic and a revisit to that stage is awesome to me.

[eye2eye]

Album sucks big time, but U2 when downhill really fast after ATYCLM, then it wose worse and worse. I was huge fan but as far as I am concerned they are finished. 

[The Holographic Universe]

11 hours ago, eye2eye said:

Album sucks big time, but U2 when downhill really fast after ATYCLM, then it wose worse and worse. I was huge fan but as far as I am concerned they are finished. 

The band is still an amazing live act.

[Black Sabbath]

I listened to the album in full again yesterday. Not much better on the second listen.

Red Flag Day,  The Little Things That Give You Away, and The Blackout are still standouts, but that's about it.

I'm curious to hear others' thoughts on the albums whenever some of you get to listen to it.

Not in any particular order, but I think one whole amazing album from I&E could have consisted of these tracks:

 

Every Breaking Wave

Song For Someone

Cedarwood Road

Sleep Like A Baby Tonight

The Troubles

Crystal Ballroom

Ordinary Love

Invisible

American Soul

Red Flag Day

The Little Things That Give You Away

The Blackout

13 (There Is A Light)

 

 

Don't get me wrong, I like most of the songs from Innocence, but as I said, a combination of the best songs from both could have made one amazing album.

[soon]

"Alexa: Tell U2 to write better, more authentic music with rock producers"  

Dont mind me, couldn't resist since I just learned that people with a certain product can tell Amazons Alexa to download new album, kinda like the iPhone fiasco but less presumptuous.  

One track I heard on radio - with Kendrick Lamar - reminds me of Actchung Baby.  But sterilized.

[Black Sabbath]

I liked Innocence a lot, but a lot of people thought Experience was going to be U2 but sounding a but more evolved (like Sleep Like A Baby Tonight from SOI), and I think U2 tried to do that on this album, but while using the least amount of creativity and effort possible.

[Gackt]

I've listened to the album three times now, and I can safely call it the worst U2 album.  It's like all the energy from Innocence was sucked away, and all we're left with is a Coldplay/Arctic Monkeys impression on top of song structures that U2 have already done in the past, and much better. Tracks like You're the Best Thing proves that the band can't just try rewriting Beautiful Day several times and hoping it sticks.

If a follow-up (Songs of Ascent) is being planned, Bono needs to give Brian Eno a call.

[Black Sabbath]

Summer of Love is mildly growing on me, but that being said, I still don't think it's a great song.

Unless I'm listening to the album front to back, I still don't have a desire to voluntarily listen to most of the album. 

Next to October, I'd likely agree it's in line for being the worst U2 album.

Curious to hear your thoughts @Bono

 

On another note, I couldn't nab any GA tickets for the second DC show when they went on sale today. Not a huge deal. More worried about getting tickets to the additional MSG show when they go on sale tomorrow.

[ZoSoRose]

Finally listened. Man, its weak. 

Damn, I loved SoI. Wtf, U2

There are some good moments, though. Lights of Home is a pretty darn great tune, The Little Things is really good (surprising because it didn't do much for me live), and Book of Love is alright

Edited December 4, 2017 by ZoSoRose

[Nicklord]

2 hours ago, Gackt said:

I've listened to the album three times now, and I can safely call it the worst U2 album.  It's like all the energy from Innocence was sucked away, and all we're left with is a Coldplay/Arctic Monkeys impression on top of song structures that U2 have already done in the past, and much better. Tracks like You're the Best Thing proves that the band can't just try rewriting Beautiful Day several times and hoping it sticks.

If a follow-up (Songs of Ascent) is being planned, Bono needs to give Brian Eno a call.

Where do you hear them? If they sounded like Arctic Monkeys it could be actually decent  

I just listened to the album. I'm not the biggest fan of U2 but I usually enjoy to listen to their albums occasionally and wow. This album is really bad. Last album was okay, not the best ever but this one yikes. I didn't read anything about the album nor I know what was the general impression of singles (I think I only listened the one used for Kendrick's XXX. song) and I wasn't prepared for this

Edited December 4, 2017 by Nicklord

[Gackt]

20 hours ago, Black Sabbath said:

Next to October, I'd likely agree it's in line for being the worst U2 album.

I've always liked October, fits their post-punk trilogy of debut albums nicely  maybe it's because it's sandwiched between two of their best albums

My long-running worst U2 album had been No Line on the Horizon for being mostly boring with no lasting appeal (which shows, with no songs from it being performed after the 360° tour except for a Magnificent snippet)

 

Maybe it's a good time to put together an end-of-2017 list of personal best-to-worst U2 albums:

1. Achtung Baby
2. The Joshua Tree
3. The Unforgettable Fire
4. War
5. Zooropa
6. Boy
7. Songs of Innocence
8. Pop
9. October
10. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
11. All That You Can't Leave Behind
12. Rattle and Hum
13. No Line on the Horizon
14. Songs of Experience

Edited December 5, 2017 by Gackt

[-Jaro-]

This album is boring... even in U2 standards...

[betterman]

Its pretty good actually!

I think its way better than mostly boring albums like All that you cant leave behind and How to dismantle an atom bomb, but of course not near classics like Achtung, Zooropa, Joshua.

Summer of love, Red Flag day, Lights of home and Blackout are the best ones. Also a nice little opener in Love is all we have left

[ZoSoRose]

On 12/5/2017 at 9:32 AM, Gackt said:

I've always liked October, fits their post-punk trilogy of debut albums nicely  maybe it's because it's sandwiched between two of their best albums

My long-running worst U2 album had been No Line on the Horizon for being mostly boring with no lasting appeal (which shows, with no songs from it being performed after the 360° tour except for a Magnificent snippet)

 

Maybe it's a good time to put together an end-of-2017 list of personal best-to-worst U2 albums:

1. Achtung Baby
2. The Joshua Tree
3. The Unforgettable Fire
4. War
5. Zooropa
6. Boy
7. Songs of Innocence
8. Pop
9. October
10. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
11. All That You Can't Leave Behind
12. Rattle and Hum
13. No Line on the Horizon
14. Songs of Experience

NLOTH is pretty meh. I think Moment of Surrender is one of their best but everything else is pretty forgettable on it

[Black Sabbath]

NLOTH and Atomic Bomb are more consistent than ATYCLB, but the first half of that album is fantastic; Second half is awful.

As for SOE, I'm on board with roughly 75% of the album. Still not really sold on Lights of Home, but it's not terrible. The Showman and Landlady are absolutely dreadful. Love Is All We Have Left is forgettable. Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way could be better if certain lines didn't feel incredibly forced and out of place, but the chorus is good, albeit over produced. 13 is OK, regardless of being unoriginal.

I enjoy everything else. 

[Bono]

On 12/4/2017 at 10:42 AM, Black Sabbath said:

Summer of Love is mildly growing on me, but that being said, I still don't think it's a great song.

Unless I'm listening to the album front to back, I still don't have a desire to voluntarily listen to most of the album. 

Next to October, I'd likely agree it's in line for being the worst U2 album.

Curious to hear your thoughts @Bono

 

On another note, I couldn't nab any GA tickets for the second DC show when they went on sale today. Not a huge deal. More worried about getting tickets to the additional MSG show when they go on sale tomorrow.

I genuinely feel this is their worst album they've ever made. The only song I actually really like is 13(There is a Light) and that song borrows heavily from Song for Someone off SOI. This album is pretty cringe worthy in my opinion. The sound of 60 year old men desperately trying to ride along side Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar in the pop charts. It's really bad. They've absolutely lost their way with this album. It's over produced and just bland and uninteresting. I don't have much else to say really. I don't enjoy it at all and kinda regret pre ordering the deluxe vinyl box set. 

[The Holographic Universe]

45 minutes ago, Bono said:

I genuinely feel this is their worst album they've ever made. The only song I actually really like is 13(There is a Light) and that song borrows heavily from Song for Someone off SOI. This album is pretty cringe worthy in my opinion. The sound of 60 year old men desperately trying to ride along side Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar in the pop charts. It's really bad. They've absolutely lost their way with this album. It's over produced and just bland and uninteresting. I don't have much else to say really. I don't enjoy it at all and kinda regret pre ordering the deluxe vinyl box set. 

Wow. I enjoy Red Flag Day and The Showman very much and The little Things is a classic U2 song for me.