1. Songs of Innocence is a weird one.

    I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to any of these songs individually, apart from Every Breaking Wave (piano). I would probably choose to listen to Invisible and Ordinary Love but they aren't on the album.

    However if you put these songs together collectively in an album then all of a sudden songs like The Miracle, California, Cedarwood Road, Sleep like a Baby and Raised by Wolves become a lot stronger.

    Whereas with Songs of Experience, I would probably listen to the Blackout, Lights of Home (Strings), The Best Thing, GOOYOW, Little Things and Love is Bigger individually, but for some reason the Album doesn't seem as strong as Songs of Innocence and doesn't flow as well as Songs of Innocence.
  2. Originally posted by SJKamal:Songs of Innocence is a weird one.

    I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to any of these songs individually, apart from Every Breaking Wave (piano). I would probably choose to listen to Invisible and Ordinary Love but they aren't on the album.

    However if you put these songs together collectively in an album then all of a sudden songs like The Miracle, California, Cedarwood Road, Sleep like a Baby and Raised by Wolves become a lot stronger.

    Whereas with Songs of Experience, I would probably listen to the Blackout, Lights of Home (Strings), The Best Thing, GOOYOW, Little Things and Love is Bigger individually, but for some reason the Album doesn't seem as strong as Songs of Innocence and doesn't flow as well as Songs of Innocence.
    Absolutely. I've said this from the very moment SOE came out. It has some stronger tunes than SOI but has no concept or cohesion whatsoever, while SOI is much mor cohesive and potent as an album.

    Quick summary:

    SOI = album of songs.
    SOE = gathering of tunes.
  3. Originally posted by SJKamal:Songs of Innocence is a weird one.

    I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to any of these songs individually, apart from Every Breaking Wave (piano). I would probably choose to listen to Invisible and Ordinary Love but they aren't on the album.

    However if you put these songs together collectively in an album then all of a sudden songs like The Miracle, California, Cedarwood Road, Sleep like a Baby and Raised by Wolves become a lot stronger.

    Whereas with Songs of Experience, I would probably listen to the Blackout, Lights of Home (Strings), The Best Thing, GOOYOW, Little Things and Love is Bigger individually, but for some reason the Album doesn't seem as strong as Songs of Innocence and doesn't flow as well as Songs of Innocence.
    The Zooropa effect.
  4. In my opinion U2 are at their best with “sentimental songs” which can give you more feelings,could they be happiness or a desperate cry....I explain: Songs of Innocence is more a “rock” album with a fast pace ...songs like Miracle...California...Volcano...Raised by...so it’s not my cup of tea.I’d rather play stuff like Iris or Wave which have a lot of pathos
    I prefer Experience ( it’s not the subject of this thread) because it’s more emotional.there is real life in most of the songs...like the intro or maybe Lights of Home ...Little Things.it’s a real personal trip and I find myself in it
    Btw....SOI and SOE are albums in which i skip songs everytime.that gives the albums the absence of a completeness
  5. This one has really grown for me, an amazing LP. The mastering just sucks. It's way too flat if. Listening to it with good headphones does not do justice to the headphones.
  6. Personally, I think if you replaced "Sleep Like A Baby Tonight" and "This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now" with "Lucifer's Hands" and "The Crystal Ballroom", and changed the running order a bit, it'd be a near perfect album. "California" is an underated song and would've done well as a single.
  7. Originally posted by neilgohil:Personally, I think if you replaced "Sleep Like A Baby Tonight" and "This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now" with "Lucifer's Hands" and "The Crystal Ballroom", and changed the running order a bit, it'd be a near perfect album. "California" is an underated song and would've done well as a single.
    Reach me Now it's one of their best tunes ever.
  8. "Sleep Like A Baby Tonight" and "This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now" are songs which make SOI special and distinctive.

    It is a shame that at least The Crystal Ballroom is just a bonus track on SOI.
  9. They just fall a bit flat for me. I like This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now to an extent but again not a huge fan. Just my opinion.
  10. Sleep like a baby & Reach me now are both very fine songs and work very well with The Troubles as the closing trio imo. The band should have just included Lucifer's hands and Crystal ballroom in the album and make it a 13 track record. The story behind Crystal ballroom fits perfectly into the album's narrative and concept and also it's a really great tune.
  11. I don't understand the love for Reach Me Now. It's the one song I always skip. The verse IMO is pretty bland, the chorus is better but there's an odd recurring dissonance where the guitar and vocals can't decide between a major and minor chord
  12. I think Reach Me Now is a tremendously unique song in the U2 catalog. I don't know of another song of theirs that remotely resembles the tone and vibe of the verses. I hear that theremin in the background, it's like the goddamn monster mash. One of my favorite Bono vocal line deliveries is "Into College Square.." total tom waits territory, it's strange and I love it