SOS
Active topics
U2 - Songs Of Surrender (2023)
 Tracks: 40
  1. Originally posted by trainmaniac:could be just a wrong perception but for SOS I'm seeing much more positive comments in the social media from people that usually don't talk about U2 or even trash U2. Interesting.


    This is actually true, I have also noticed this.

    Very strange, however goes to show what i know about music - absolutely nothing lol - happy for the band to grab those number 1 chart positions around the world and a top 5 in the US.

    The album has seemingly on the whole been taken really well by reviewers both critics and the more casual fan.
  2. Originally posted by trainmaniac:could be just a wrong perception but for SOS I'm seeing much more positive comments in the social media from people that usually don't talk about U2 or even trash U2. Interesting.


    in the Brazilian media (music critics) i'm seeing the oposite, most of people complaining about the band spoiling the classics songs and how the band has lately become irrelevant and for this reason I'm very surprised with the numbers that SOS is reaching anyway
  3. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:Skimmed it over the weekend.

    Some songs are cool, most are “fine”, some are totally questionable lol.

    They really should’ve picked the 10-12 most interesting ones and released that. It’s not to say that more isn’t merrier, but when I’ve heard 6 songs where it’s just the melody played on a piano with some acoustic guitar accompaniment, I’m completely bored by the 7th one.

    I will also say, that I honestly kind of feel like this record takes away from U2’s songwriting mystique in a way? As in, when you remove the Edge’s inventive guitar, or inventive production from many of these songs, the “U2 formula” that I never really pondered before is on full display. It’s kind of odd.


    They kind of did. For physical copies anyway.

    What will stay in print is the 16-track version. In five years time when stores want to reorder, that will be the only version available to them (on CD, vinyl, etc.)

    The 20-track version and the 40-track versions are limited and will not be repressed (but at 100,000 copies on CD and 50,000 on vinyl I can’t believe those won’t be around for some time…)
  4. Originally posted by EdgeMedia72:[..]


    This is actually true, I have also noticed this.

    Very strange, however goes to show what i know about music - absolutely nothing lol - happy for the band to grab those number 1 chart positions around the world and a top 5 in the US.

    The album has seemingly on the whole been taken really well by reviewers both critics and the more casual fan.
    Just don't ask the fanatic about this one.
  5. Originally posted by u2wanderer1:[..]


    They kind of did. For physical copies anyway.

    What will stay in print is the 16-track version. In five years time when stores want to reorder, that will be the only version available to them (on CD, vinyl, etc.)

    The 20-track version and the 40-track versions are limited and will not be repressed (but at 100,000 copies on CD and 50,000 on vinyl I can’t believe those won’t be around for some time…)
    Ah that’s interesting, had no idea.

    So one could look at the digital release as “the album with tons of b-sides and extra tracks”
  6. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:Skimmed it over the weekend.

    Some songs are cool, most are “fine”, some are totally questionable lol.

    They really should’ve picked the 10-12 most interesting ones and released that. It’s not to say that more isn’t merrier, but when I’ve heard 6 songs where it’s just the melody played on a piano with some acoustic guitar accompaniment, I’m completely bored by the 7th one.

    I will also say, that I honestly kind of feel like this record takes away from U2’s songwriting mystique in a way? As in, when you remove the Edge’s inventive guitar, or inventive production from many of these songs, the “U2 formula” that I never really pondered before is on full display. It’s kind of odd.

    Appreciate your take. I hear you on much of this - especially the "some are cool" others "fine" and others "questionable" - though I'm enjoying the fact that they released a full 40 song collection. In the best sense of the phrase, it's great "background music" to have on at home at any point in the day. Just letting it play for the full 2.5 hours or so and appreciating the laid-back vibe.

    Also, I had sort of the opposite reaction to your final point, at least to more of the band's recently released material. I posted this previously, too, but I think especially the SOI/SOE stuff has benefitted immensely from this stripped-back approach. Barlow and Jacknife I prefer to Epworth/Tedder/Danger Mouse but collectively I'll take just the Edge on acoustic guitar/piano for a lot of these songs any day.
  7. I agree with those who are saying that the whole 40-song collection is a bit unwieldy if you want to listen to all of it, but it also seems it was released with the assumption that people won't be doing that anyway. Edge is talking a lot in the promo interviews about how listening habits have changed, people like to listen to something casual and not intrusive in the background - seems like the idea was that people will choose what they like the most anyway and make their own playlists.
  8. Originally posted by hedyzera:[..]


    in the Brazilian media (music critics) i'm seeing the oposite, most of people complaining about the band spoiling the classics songs and how the band has lately become irrelevant and for this reason I'm very surprised with the numbers that SOS is reaching anyway
    I'm totally separating media and people... what I feel is that the disconnection is just growing day by day.
  9. it's quite a good album to kick back and read a book to. Which might make sense,
  10. I've been listening to it whilst reading Bono's book, I know these are featured in the audio version but still works just as well.
  11. I've been listening to it in bed before I go to sleep. It's a nice experience.
  12. Able to listen to it while I do some uni work. I typically stick to instrumental stuff by SoS works.