I must admit, my anticipation for this release was the lowest since I became a fan back in 1988. I remember lining up at the record store for Pop at midnight in 1997 and going home and listening to it till 4am. In the last week I started to get that feeling again. A few reviews on here from those that heard the leak had me getting excited, even though out of the 4 songs I had already heard, only 2 really connected with me.
This morning I dropped my daughter off at school and headed over to the store to pick up SOE. I wasn't going to kid myself, there wasn't much work getting done today. I have now listened to it in full 3x and here are my initial thoughts.
1. Love Is All We Have Left
What is this? SOE or a left over from the Unforgettable Fire? Starting the album off with a hymn, I dig it. It has a later day Bowie flavor to it, which is pretty cool. A fresh start.
7/10
2. Lights of Home
What's this I hear? The ghost of Gone is in there somewhere. I hear it in the piano in the chorus. A bluesy solo from the Edge. They go for the big ending and it works. I think I kinda like the string version better though.
8/10
3. You're the Best Thing...
My thoughts on this song have already been written. It's a good pop song, but I don't really come to U2 for good pop songs. Good is the enemy of Great, isn't it Bono?
6/10
4. Get Out of Your Own Way
I really like this song. Yes, it's on the pop side, but it has a bit of bite. The one thing I hate is that they lifted the bass/drums from Beautiful Day. That drops it down a bit but this is a song that i'll keep coming back to. Maybe a guilty pleasure.
8.5/10
5. American Soul
This albums Miracle or Boots, just that it doesn't suck. It's not great and it's kinda odd to use a piece that was already released 3 years ago, but the song is still decent.
6.5/10
6. Summer of Love
This may be the blandest U2 song I've heard. It's not even b-side material. It's not truly offensive like Peace on Earth or Song for Someone, it's just completely vanilla and is filler which you usually don't find on U2 albums. First skip able track.
3/10
7. Red Flag Day
I read this could have been on War, and I agree. It just wouldn't be one of the better songs on War. I like it, but don't love it. Reminds me a bit of This is Where You Can Reach Me Now. Same type of vibe.
6/10
8. The Showman
Yup. This one's a lot of fun. A bit of Springsteen, a bit of the Kinks, a bit of the Stones. Should have been the first single. People would be singing this in bars and parties ahead of You're the Best Thing. Will be a good live song.
8/10
9. The Little Things
This is the U2 we've grown to love. Epic, moody; this one would have fit on almost any U2 album since the Unforgettable Fire. I've liked this song since I heard it live the first JT show. Only complaint would be that there could have been an epic Edge solo to close it. He's a minimalist, but I'm just sitting here imagining what someone like Jimmy Page would have done to close out this song.
9/10
10. Landlady
Very nice. The sound of a mature rock n roll band not trying to appeal to kids. This may grow to be one of my favorite later day U2 songs.
8.5/10
11. The Blackout
When I first heard this I wasn't that impressed. I can say that hearing it on the album I am liking it more. Like American Soul it's U2 doing a rock song like Miracle or Boots that doesn't suck.
7/10
12. Love is Bigger....
Ohh boy. A big clunky sappy title and a song that slips too far into Coldplay territory for my liking. What's next, a rendition of Kirk Van Houten's Can I Borrow A Feeling? This one is gonna be skipped.
3/10
13. 13
Song for Someone redux. Song for Someone is number one on my worst U2 songs ever list. This one won't make that list, but I just don't see the need for it. The song was already done. We've heard much of this before. Not impressed and a very weak way to end the album.
2/10
Overall Album 7/10
The Extra's
Ordinary Love - I need another version of Ordinary Love like I need a hole in my head. 1/10
Book of Your Heart - a good song that should have made the album ahead of a few others. 7/10
Lights of Home - very cool. I like this string version more then the album version. 8.5/10
You're the Best... - this one can go in the trash. 2/10
All in all a good, but bit uneven effort from the band. There are some definite highs and few lows. The album ends for me with a couple of duds. If it was up to me this would be the album that should have been released.
1. Love Is All We Have Left
2. The Blackout
3. You're the Best Thing About Me
4. Get Out of You're Own Way
5. American Soul
6. Book of Your Heart
7. Red Flag Day
8. The Showman
9. Landlady
10. Lights of Home (String Version)
11. The Little Things That Give You Away