Are U2 Running Out Of Ideas?

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So Cruel

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Are U2 Running Out Of Ideas?
« on: November 03, 2017, 04:40:56 PM »
I was a little shocked when I first listened to GOOYOW. It distinctly sounded like the rhythm section of Beautiful Day. After a few more listens, it sounded like they basically took the backbone of Beautiful Day and dropped a new song over it. Now, I actually like this song, it's in my opinion the best of the 4 we've heard, but using the bass/drum sound from Beautiful Day kinda bugs me. To me it's either they used it because BD was a hit and they thought let's just put another song on top and maybe we'll get another hit or they just couldn't come up with anything so they lazily used BD.

Yesterday I clicked on one of the links here and heard American Soul. My jaw dropped when it came to the chorus. They used a piece from a 3 yr old song from the last album as the chorus to a new song! I just don't buy that these albums are linked argument as a way to justify this. I can see if they used it as fade in/fade out as some sort of link, but they are using it as the chorus to the song! Would people be ok if a chorus on the new album was "I can't live, with or without you"? It's just seems lazy to use something that appeared on record 3 years ago.

Are U2 running out of ideas? Blatantly using words and music as a major part of new songs that have been a part of older albums. I hope this is just these 2 songs and that's it. Many bands, including U2 have borrowed from other bands. They did it with Beautiful Day, Do You Feel Loved, Bullet the Blue Sky, etc.. but to take an old song of your own and drop a major piece of it into a new song is kinda unheard of.
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The Exile

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Re: Are U2 Running Out Of Ideas?
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2017, 04:46:22 PM »
I was a little shocked when I first listened to GOOYOW. It distinctly sounded like the rhythm section of Beautiful Day. After a few more listens, it sounded like they basically took the backbone of Beautiful Day and dropped a new song over it. Now, I actually like this song, it's in my opinion the best of the 4 we've heard, but using the bass/drum sound from Beautiful Day kinda bugs me. To me it's either they used it because BD was a hit and they thought let's just put another song on top and maybe we'll get another hit or they just couldn't come up with anything so they lazily used BD.

Yesterday I clicked on one of the links here and heard American Soul. My jaw dropped when it came to the chorus. They used a piece from a 3 yr old song from the last album as the chorus to a new song! I just don't buy that these albums are linked argument as a way to justify this. I can see if they used it as fade in/fade out as some sort of link, but they are using it as the chorus to the song! Would people be ok if a chorus on the new album was "I can't live, with or without you"? It's just seems lazy to use something that appeared on record 3 years ago.

Are U2 running out of ideas? Blatantly using words and music as a major part of new songs that have been a part of older albums. I hope this is just these 2 songs and that's it. Many bands, including U2 have borrowed from other bands. They did it with Beautiful Day, Do You Feel Loved, Bullet the Blue Sky, etc.. but to take an old song of your own and drop a major piece of it into a new song is kinda unheard of.


Also, Boots was just Vertigo Part 2, it had virtually the same riff.

As I have been saying, I wouldn't begrudge the band a little lack of creativity if they actually mimicked their best material. But recycling Glastonbury's music (for the 2nd time) and Volcano's lyrics is kind of baffling. If you're gonna ape something, pick UTEOYW or Exit or something interesting.

Oh, and I think U2 already re-released Beautiful Day. It's called Invisible, check it out!  ;D
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Jswallow

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Re: Are U2 Running Out Of Ideas?
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2017, 04:58:53 PM »
Sorry Exile but the riff from Vertigo & boots sound nothing like each other, only thing that's similar is the construction of both songs. Same with Invisible & BD totally different.. I wouldn't be surprised if they havnt had this idea of using Volcano for a while. I think it's kind of quite clever what they've done & the song is a real grower but I know you won't agree.

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shineinthesummernight

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Re: Are U2 Running Out Of Ideas?
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2017, 05:09:25 PM »
Are any of you people artists?  I'm just a writer whose output is less than prolific, but if you do dabble you'll know that a lot of artists revisit the same themes over and over.  Steinbeck..for example, often delved into the everyman who was down on his luck.  Perhaps that's different than using the same words you think?  My point is that many artists borrow from their earlier material.  Think of Picasso's cubes, clocks, etc.

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guest4

Re: Are U2 Running Out Of Ideas?
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2017, 05:10:30 PM »
Are any of you people artists?  I'm just a writer whose output is less than prolific, but if you do dabble you'll know that a lot of artists revisit the same themes over and over.  Steinbeck..for example, often delved into the everyman who was down on his luck.  Perhaps that's different than using the same words you think?  My point is that many artists borrow from their earlier material.  Think of Picasso's cubes, clocks, etc.
Yep...Stephen King is another.

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sashlon

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Re: Are U2 Running Out Of Ideas?
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2017, 05:36:18 PM »
Are any of you people artists?  I'm just a writer whose output is less than prolific, but if you do dabble you'll know that a lot of artists revisit the same themes over and over.  Steinbeck..for example, often delved into the everyman who was down on his luck.  Perhaps that's different than using the same words you think?  My point is that many artists borrow from their earlier material.  Think of Picasso's cubes, clocks, etc.

This is very true.

Honestly though I think a lot of the time we see or hear what we're looking for.

To me, GOOYOW doesn't sound anything remotely like Beautiful Day. Sorry, I just don't hear it. And, although I think American Soul is by far the weakest SOE track so far and the chorus rehash IS odd, I'm prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt. It seems totally reasonable that these two records are linked and shared some DNA.

I see the whole thing as a weird double album. I think U2 see it that way too.
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The Edges Cat

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Re: Are U2 Running Out Of Ideas?
« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2017, 11:15:49 PM »
Every artist is a cannibal, every poet is a thief...

After 37 years, how can you not repeat yourself?
The Edge: “[Eno] would love to see us making albums a bit more like [Zooropa]. Where we go, ‘You know what? We’re not going to second-guess any of this. Let’s just go for it.’”

U2 Fans: We'd all love to see that, Edge.

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Tafkab

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Re: Are U2 Running Out Of Ideas?
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2017, 12:03:52 AM »
That's possibly true, but it's still open to critique...

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robgalloway

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Re: Are U2 Running Out Of Ideas?
« Reply #8 on: November 04, 2017, 09:13:47 AM »
Are any of you people artists?  I'm just a writer whose output is less than prolific, but if you do dabble you'll know that a lot of artists revisit the same themes over and over.  Steinbeck..for example, often delved into the everyman who was down on his luck.  Perhaps that's different than using the same words you think?  My point is that many artists borrow from their earlier material.  Think of Picasso's cubes, clocks, etc.


+1

I'm also an artist and I don't see what the issue is. I also think it's not at a lazy. In fact I think it's harder to reference your previous work. You often find yourself trying to avoid repetition. I did it on my latest album I borrowed the Coda from one song on my previous album and used it for a new song. Now when I sing it live I merge the two. I'm really glad I stuck with the instinct.

Most of you accuse U2 of overthinking every album since Joshua Tree yet accuse them of suddenly become lazy. Give them a break.


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JTNash

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Re: Are U2 Running Out Of Ideas?
« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2017, 10:10:36 AM »
I’m hard pressed to find an artist that doesn’t build on their past.  I can’t think of any! 

I mean it’s their style
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guest85

Re: Are U2 Running Out Of Ideas?
« Reply #10 on: November 04, 2017, 10:25:21 AM »
I guess it’s ok to sample your old stuff as long as the new stuff is good. That’s my biggest issue with this, the new music isn’t any good.

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an tha

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Re: Are U2 Running Out Of Ideas?
« Reply #11 on: November 04, 2017, 10:37:33 AM »
I hoped (and talked about it at the time) that the very sudden and almost jarring cut off/fade out of the troubles at the end of SOI would bleed into the start of SOE - with that music continuing and segueing into the first song proper of SOE....linking the records together as companion pieces...honestly thought would be cool - although 3 years later it probably isn't such a good idea - would have been better had the albums been 6 months apart or something.

As for the recycling ideas/sounds debate I am neutral on it -to me it can be a good thing it can be a bad thing...depends how it is done and whether it is good stuff or bad stuff ....

That of course is subjective but i don't think that recycling stuff/using it again in a different way is instantly a bad thing.



« Last Edit: November 04, 2017, 10:39:38 AM by an tha »
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guest4

Re: Are U2 Running Out Of Ideas?
« Reply #12 on: November 04, 2017, 10:39:42 AM »
I hoped (and talked about it at the time) that the very sudden and almost jarring cut off of the troubles at the end of SOI would bleed into the start of SOE - continuing and segueing into the first song proper of SOE....linking the records together as companion pieces...honestly thought would be cool - although 3 years later it probably isn't such a good idea - would have been better had the albums been 6 months apart or something.

As for the recycling ideas/sounds debate I am neutral on it -to me it can be a good thing it can be a bad thing...depends how it is done and whether it is good stuff or bad stuff ....

That of course is subjective but i don't think that recycling stuff/using it again in a different way is instantly a bad thing.
Wow...that concept of segueing The Troubles into the upcoming album's first song...
would have been GREAT! Maybe you should contact The Edge and he can take it back into the studio  ;D ;D ;D

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guest85

Re: Are U2 Running Out Of Ideas?
« Reply #13 on: November 04, 2017, 10:40:06 AM »
I hoped (and talked about it at the time) that the very sudden and almost jarring cut off of the troubles at the end of SOI would bleed into the start of SOE - continuing and segueing into the first song proper of SOE....linking the records together as companion pieces...honestly thought would be cool - although 3 years later it probably isn't such a good idea - would have been better had the albums been 6 months apart or something.

As for the recycling ideas/sounds debate I am neutral on it -to me it can be a good thing it can be a bad thing...depends how it is done and whether it is good stuff or bad stuff ....

That of course is subjective but i don't think that recycling stuff/using it again in a different way is instantly a bad thing.

I agree. Recycling old material is fine as long as the end result is a great tune.

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guest94

Re: Are U2 Running Out Of Ideas?
« Reply #14 on: November 04, 2017, 10:51:38 AM »
It's important to distinguish between an artist building on their past and blatantly trying to copy it. I have no problem with U2 taking inspiration from their past or writing follow up songs to previous albums, but reusing the bridge of a previous song for a new chorus is just flat out lazy. There's no getting around the fact that it's the exact same structure and it's baffling why they would choose to do this.