1. I read this comment from another discussion and I agree:

    "SOI is far superior IMO it's more focused and the songs connect and rock better than SOE which is very unbalanced due to them using 9 producer's desperately trying to get a hit single."

    I think SOE only has 3 good songs which are Lights Of Home, Little Things That Give You Away and Red Flag Day. On the other hand SOI is more consistent, it has 11 good songs, but across the board it doesn't reach the heights of the best songs on SOE which are the ones I listed above.
  2. Ok, if you are going to be controversial, IMHO SOE is a masterpiece (with the 4 extra tracks, Book of Your Heart in particular)) and SOI is one of their worst albums. It took many complete listens for me to get into it...it was hard work but I began to understand it.

    On the other hand I would argue that SOI only had 2 good tracks (Iris, Cedarwood Road). SOE is full of messages about love and as evidenced in the recent shows, U2 have always been about love.

    I do agree about Little Things and Lights (but not RFD), however there are so many other great tracks on there albeit a couple of lame ones.

    Some songs have developed really well live. Summer of Love is better in almost all it's non-album forms (live, multiple re-mixes). GOOYOW is much better this year live than when I saw it last November.

    I did a more coherent rationale elsewhere but these are my current thoughts.
  3. What I love about SOE isn’t how “hard it rocks” or any sort of new sound they were going for, as it does admittedly sound like standard U2 for the most. What makes this album stand out is how personal the lyrics and stories are and how much of themselves the band (especially Bono) put into the songs. It’s actually become my third favourite U2 album (behind AB and JT). I can understand why this album has been divisive, as it doesn’t offer too too much that we haven’t heard before in terms of sound, production, etc., and with a few songs it does sound like they’re going for a hit, but the quality of the songwriting is just so good - much better than SOI in my opinion (with the exception of Iris and EBW), as well as everything they’ve done for a long time.

    Controversial opinion: every SOI-SOE connection (Iris-Lights of Home, SFS-13, Volcano-American Soul, might be others I’m missing) is FAR better on SOE
  4. Both albums have the tunes, but the problem with SOI is that it sounds very flat and overproduced. I really like this album and it absolutely worked live, but SOE sounds more dynamic. With regards to coherence I agree SOI feels more like a story while SOE mostly has different parts (Love is All - Lights of Home, GOYOW-AS, SoL-RfD, Love is Bigger-13) that work great together. At the end of the day SoE feels more as a complete U2 album with very high highs to whereas on earlier records this two decades there are always a couple of stinkers/average songs. I think SOE is their best outing since Zooropa, and will probably rank as my 4th favourite U2 record at this moment.
  5. Indeed SOI is by far a better record than SOE. SOI is a U2 album and SOE a Bono talk, overproduced album. With songs which already have been used and unfinished songs.
    The rest of the band is having vacation.

    SOE has 4 very good to good songs, Little things, BOYH, Lights of Home and RFD rest is average. SOI 12 good to very good songs and 1 average, Volcano.

    Listening to recordings of the I&E tour and E&I tour confirms my opinion of SOE
  6. opinions
  7. Some days are better then others ;-)
  8. SOE has grown on me and I think it's not only the better album but also one that ranks among their best albums. That I put down to a couple of things, the biggest being Bono's song-writing which is once again personal and well thought out. Prior to these two albums his lyrics seemed to reflect a level of distraction and disinterest.

    The other main gripe I have with SOI is that it wasn't released with the best track list it could have had; there were 3 better tracks in the bonus material on the deluxe version. As their choice live proved, the acoustic version of EBW is far better than the mix they put on the album. They also should have dropped California and This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now in preference for Crystal Ballroom and Lucifer's Hands. In contrast, all of the songs on SOE are good, although I prefer the Beck remix of Love is Bigger.

    Overall though, I think these are two very good companion albums and I really "get" the bridges between the two thematically, sonically and lyrically. One of my favourite playlists takes the best of both, plus bonus material and Invisible. It makes a brilliant double album.
  9. Originally posted by Edi:Ok, if you are going to be controversial, IMHO SOE is a masterpiece (with the 4 extra tracks, Book of Your Heart in particular)) and SOI is one of their worst albums. It took many complete listens for me to get into it...it was hard work but I began to understand it.

    On the other hand I would argue that SOI only had 2 good tracks (Iris, Cedarwood Road). SOE is full of messages about love and as evidenced in the recent shows, U2 have always been about love.

    I do agree about Little Things and Lights (but not RFD), however there are so many other great tracks on there albeit a couple of lame ones.

    Some songs have developed really well live. Summer of Love is better in almost all it's non-album forms (live, multiple re-mixes). GOOYOW is much better this year live than when I saw it last November.

    I did a more coherent rationale elsewhere but these are my current thoughts.
    Ok, if you are going to include extra tracks then SOI beats SOE hands down, lucifers hands, invisible and crystal ballroom are a lot better than anything on SOE that's for sure
  10. Originally posted by RememberEveryMoment:Both albums have the tunes, but the problem with SOI is that it sounds very flat and overproduced. I really like this album and it absolutely worked live, but SOE sounds more dynamic. With regards to coherence I agree SOI feels more like a story while SOE mostly has different parts (Love is All - Lights of Home, GOYOW-AS, SoL-RfD, Love is Bigger-13) that work great together. At the end of the day SoE feels more as a complete U2 album with very high highs to whereas on earlier records this two decades there are always a couple of stinkers/average songs. I think SOE is their best outing since Zooropa, and will probably rank as my 4th favourite U2 record at this moment.
    if anything SOE is the album that sounds flat and overproduced, compare the blackout studio version to live

    love is bigger than anything in it's way, is an abomination, most blandest coldplay, imagine dragons pop rock crap I've ever heard, it has to be the worst U2 song since crazy tonight
  11. Originally posted by TheEdge10:What I love about SOE isn’t how “hard it rocks” or any sort of new sound they were going for, as it does admittedly sound like standard U2 for the most. What makes this album stand out is how personal the lyrics and stories are and how much of themselves the band (especially Bono) put into the songs. It’s actually become my third favourite U2 album (behind AB and JT). I can understand why this album has been divisive, as it doesn’t offer too too much that we haven’t heard before in terms of sound, production, etc., and with a few songs it does sound like they’re going for a hit, but the quality of the songwriting is just so good - much better than SOI in my opinion (with the exception of Iris and EBW), as well as everything they’ve done for a long time.

    Controversial opinion: every SOI-SOE connection (Iris-Lights of Home, SFS-13, Volcano-American Soul, might be others I’m missing) is FAR better on SOE
    it sounds like they were trying to make another all that you can't leave behind, I can't take SOE seriously because it sounds like the band were trying too hard
  12. HAHA. This takes me back to last year! We’ve got some saying over produced and others saying “sounds just like old U2”. I also still find it hilarious that people can’t get behind multiple producers. I think it is very daring and RELEVANT to gonthis route. Different sounds, same theme.

    I’m really not sure which album I prefer most. I need to rank them honestly. I feel like I’m partial to SOI but I truly love SOE as well. It possibly didn’t have the staying power that Innocence did for me though. (Might also have to do with the fact that I didn’t get to see them on this tour.)