1. Originally posted by Unodostres123:[..]
    If it was just about making the money they wouldn’t have reworked 40 songs. It would be foolish to suggest money was anywhere near the top priority for any of the band when doing these reworks. Obviously management and the record label are going to prioritise making as much money as possible when they’ve got ‘new’ material to sell so that’s where the multiple versions come into it. U2 aren’t the only band doing it, artists st the start and middle of their career are doing it as well, big and small. You can like or dislike the album but it can’t be passed off as a money making project, not when there’s no sensible evidence to suggest that’s the case. Surely people are intelligent enough to realise that.


    100% agree.
  2. The difference between other artists and U2 doing it, is that other artists actually sound good. Some of These recordings sound like drunk Bono and Edge recorded on an iPhone. I’m not even critiquing the song changes, just the way they recorded them right now. How can anyone listen to that “get out” clip and think it’s well made?
  3. Originally posted by Monopoly:The difference between other artists and U2 doing it, is that other artists actually sound good. Some of These recordings sound like drunk Bono and Edge recorded on an iPhone. I’m not even critiquing the song changes, just the way they recorded them right now. How can anyone listen to that “get out” clip and think it’s well made?
    I have no complaints at all with them having the idea of this album, I totally get it. Some of the snippets of the songs we got in the audiobook and having listened to them again with these TikToks are good, but some are terrible. I like the idea of the songs being reworked, I didn’t really expect all of them to be more or less acoustic versions. The Get Out Of Your Own Way clip sounds like a demo - like a jam before the finished product. It’s a one off so I’m fine with it, I’m still looking forward to the release though
  4. Originally posted by Monopoly:The difference between other artists and U2 doing it, is that other artists actually sound good. Some of These recordings sound like drunk Bono and Edge recorded on an iPhone. I’m not even critiquing the song changes, just the way they recorded them right now. How can anyone listen to that “get out” clip and think it’s well made?
    Drunk and in the bathroom.. UTEOTW sounds like they used children's instruments. There's a few ok snippets I've heard, but most of them sound like busking takes of Bono and Edge. With Bono sounding like he has a cold and sings into an iPhone indeed. His voice (and new arrangements) on the book tour were much better imo.

    Still hope that the Audiobook snippets aren't representative of the final work and its sound. But having trouble to understand not why, but why they did it this way.
  5. Seems like I’m in the minority when I say I’ve been enjoying every snippet from the book and am looking forward to the rest of the songs being released
  6. Just listened a few again, and think the main think that bugs me is that 'cheap scrap acoustic guitar' sound. And 'percussion with a spoon on a tincan' sound. Don't think that's Larry and I've yet to hear any Adam either.

    All U2 members have always been massively involved in the production side of scaping their sound. To me this sounds like just Edge doing acoustic overdubs and Bono via his iPhone. Wonder if the 4 of them were ever in a room together for this (from what I've heard so far).
  7. Easy tigers.
  8. I'm surprised by many people's reactions, and in particular by the intense and derogatory words used when talking about these snippets and the band in general.

    I personally enjoyed most snippets when I listened to the audiobook. Some sounded really good to me (AIWIY, SYCMIOYO, 11 o'clock come to mind), some I felt more neutral about. Maybe one or 2 such as Desire threw me off and I truly disliked. I understand that some people might have different and more negative impressions of the snippets, but I still don't understand the point of using such intense criticism and negative words towards this project and the band.

    I think this has more to do with the people who choose to express themselves like that, than the band and the SOS project. We have a 5 year old at home and we try to teach her that how we speak and how we react is our own choice and responsibility. If you dislike something, it is better to just let it be. Constructive comments and discussions are good to have, but plain bashing and trashing is quite pointless. People who do that tend to have some kind of inner unresolved conflict that they can't deal with.

    I think we all don't like aging ourselves, and we don't like the band aging. Many of us have followed this band for decades with various degrees of obsession, and I think the band and their music have been the soundtrack to our lives. Seeing them age is not easy, and makes us reflect on our own aging and what we lose when we age (first and foremost our health, youthfulness, energy, inspiration). The band are like a mirror for us and some struggle with this more than others. It's the only good explanation I can find for what I've been reading on this forum over the past weeks.

    So maybe this is a good time to look at ourselves/yourselves, and also manage our expectations of U2. The band is old. Their inspiration and energy is not what it was in the 80s and 90s or even 2000s. They may be around for much longer, or not. Even with the best intentions, after such a long run it's impossible not to become a legacy act to some extent. If you are looking for a fresh, young, driven band maybe look somewhere else. Meanwhile, if I look back at the catalog from the last 15-20 years, I still think it is overall pretty impressive and there is plenty to enjoy there. Some songs I don't particularly like so I let them be, there is no need to 'hate' them.

    Also, these are just snippets. Pride ended up having much more to it than one would think from the audiobooks snippet. From an artistic point of view it is quite interesting as arrangement and performance. Surely not for everyone and I respect that.

    Maybe the only real negative point I can see about this release is that it seems to have been delayed too much. It was probably completed 1 year or longer ago and should have been released then. This probably has to do with Bono's book release which was apparently delayed as well. Time is slipping away...

    So remember, the album is not out yet. There is probably much more to many of those recordings than the snippets reveal. Just wait for the whole thing, give it a few listens, and come back to share your thoughts. And try to do the same for any future projects of the band. If you feel very strong negative emotions, maybe first look inside yourselves and first try to figure out why you feel that way. You might be surprised by what you find.
  9. i've shown this new version of Pride for some of my family that doesn't follow the band and they actually liked. i talked about the band pretend to release a album with re-worked songs and the idea have sounded good to them. i think that the average listener see with good eyes acoustic versions from good songs of the band.
  10. Originally posted by beerok:I'm surprised by many people's reactions, and in particular by the intense and derogatory words used when talking about these snippets and the band in general.

    I personally enjoyed most snippets when I listened to the audiobook. Some sounded really good to me (AIWIY, SYCMIOYO, 11 o'clock come to mind), some I felt more neutral about. Maybe one or 2 such as Desire threw me off and I truly disliked. I understand that some people might have different and more negative impressions of the snippets, but I still don't understand the point of using such intense criticism and negative words towards this project and the band.

    I think this has more to do with the people who choose to express themselves like that, than the band and the SOS project. We have a 5 year old at home and we try to teach her that how we speak and how we react is our own choice and responsibility. If you dislike something, it is better to just let it be. Constructive comments and discussions are good to have, but plain bashing and trashing is quite pointless. People who do that tend to have some kind of inner unresolved conflict that they can't deal with.

    I think we all don't like aging ourselves, and we don't like the band aging. Many of us have followed this band for decades with various degrees of obsession, and I think the band and their music have been the soundtrack to our lives. Seeing them age is not easy, and makes us reflect on our own aging and what we lose when we age (first and foremost our health, youthfulness, energy, inspiration). The band are like a mirror for us and some struggle with this more than others. It's the only good explanation I can find for what I've been reading on this forum over the past weeks.

    So maybe this is a good time to look at ourselves/yourselves, and also manage our expectations of U2. The band is old. Their inspiration and energy is not what it was in the 80s and 90s or even 2000s. They may be around for much longer, or not. Even with the best intentions, after such a long run it's impossible not to become a legacy act to some extent. If you are looking for a fresh, young, driven band maybe look somewhere else. Meanwhile, if I look back at the catalog from the last 15-20 years, I still think it is overall pretty impressive and there is plenty to enjoy there. Some songs I don't particularly like so I let them be, there is no need to 'hate' them.

    Also, these are just snippets. Pride ended up having much more to it than one would think from the audiobooks snippet. From an artistic point of view it is quite interesting as arrangement and performance. Surely not for everyone and I respect that.

    Maybe the only real negative point I can see about this release is that it seems to have been delayed too much. It was probably completed 1 year or longer ago and should have been released then. This probably has to do with Bono's book release which was apparently delayed as well. Time is slipping away...

    So remember, the album is not out yet. There is probably much more to many of those recordings than the snippets reveal. Just wait for the whole thing, give it a few listens, and come back to share your thoughts. And try to do the same for any future projects of the band. If you feel very strong negative emotions, maybe first look inside yourselves and first try to figure out why you feel that way. You might be surprised by what you find.
    I'm not criticizing the project/idea. If I look at it as a Bono/Edge busk project perspective I think it's actually quite interesting and I definitely like some of the snippets in new keys and acoustic (Bad sounds surprisingly intimate).

    But it's promoted as U2, and this doesn't feel like a band effort at all from the snippets. Could be that the snippets were mixed differently to suit the audio book and we'll get to hear them as a four-piece.
  11. Originally posted by melon51:..... 'cheap scrap acoustic guitar' sound. And 'percussion with a spoon on a tincan' sound.....
    .....To me this sounds like just Edge doing acoustic overdubs and Bono via his iPhone...


    I said this in my original scepticism on this whole disaster. U2 needs to be plugged in end of story. They need to keep Edge away from the mixing board and take the producers hat off him permanently.

    'SOS ENO' is what i wish the Album was called.
  12. Originally posted by Cgmorgan1986:Seems like I’m in the minority when I say I’ve been enjoying every snippet from the book and am looking forward to the rest of the songs being released
    What kind of U2 fan are you? Just kidding.

    I like most of the snippets except Stories For Boys although even that has its own subdued depressed charm to it. The standouts for me are the funkified versions of Get Out Of Your Own Way and Two Hearts Beat As One. But I think the updated version of One is going to be great based on what we can hear. I also think the With Or Without You snippet has the suggestion during the final moments of the snippet that it's about to launch into a more strident vocal similar to the Colbert performance. Can't wait for that. The only one that left me scratching my head a bit is the Where The Streets Have No Name snippet. I don't really see the point of that one and hope the final album version is completely different.