U2's New CD

[Bayard]

Downloaded, "Songs of Experience", from Amazon last night. It's growing on me, but I'm still disappointed. I love Bono's voice, and this doesn't showcase much passion or range. The songs are just okay.

Who else has given it a listen, and what do you think?

[louis-t]

1. They are getting older.

I was lucky enough to do some shows with them on their first American tour. Twice they opened for us and twice we opened for them. I found an interview with The Edge from a few years ago where he mentioned us.

[genxlib]

3. OK now I am intrigued

Who is "us"?

I used to go to a lot of alternative music shows in the 80's and 90's.

[louis-t]

4. We were a straight ahead rock band.

Barooga. Managed by Bob Seger's manager. We toured with Seger in 1980. After that tour was over, we were on the east coast and did shows as headliner and ended up doing 4 shows with those guys. Main Act in Providence, Paradise Club in Boston, Toad's Place, New Haven, Bijou in Philly. I found the hotel itinerary and matched up the dates with ones I found on U2 website.

[genxlib]

5. Not my region

And I was a bit young for 1980. Sorry I missed you.

But that is a vey cool connection. I’ve been a big U2 fan since the early 80s. The live version of Bad was the soundtrack of my freshman dorm in college. I admire them for being together and relevant for such a long time.

I will cut them some slack for a pedestrian album. Most bands in their position are paying the oldie circuit of state fairs.

[Bayard]

8. I know I'm impressed!

So.....what are they like in person? Do tell.

[louis-t]

10. Very quiet, shy.

Somewhere, there must be a photo of all of us together. I remember one gathering upstairs at the Bijou in Philly. There were a few cameras around.

[Bayard]

11. Interesting......

[Bayard]

13. Would love to see those pics

[Docreed2003]

2. Agreed...

I listened to it all the way through the other night on Apple Music and it was pretty weak overall, I thought.

[NightWatcher]

6. I'm just glad that Apple didn't force it onto my iPhone again.

That was a bust for them years ago.

[Initech]

7. I have mixed feelings on this album.

It's good for U2 standards, but it's also not good for U2 standards. Even in their modern era, they have much better albums - ATYCB, Atomic Bomb, and yes I even liked Songs Of Innocence. But as far as the spectrum goes, this is more of a meh when it could have been an awesome album.

[Codeine]

9. Its sad when an act doesnt realize

they’re simply spent, just artistically and creatively empty. They plod along, workmanlike, sometimes trying to rekindle old fires and other times trying to emulate newer sounds, but everything they try is just hollow and washed out — too little butter scraped over too much bread, as a certain Hobbit once mused.

Don’t get me wrong, at their height U2 were monstrous, and produced some of the finest music of the 80s, but now. . . not so much. Pack it in, lads; tour the old classics for an appreciative and well-off audience of folks pushing fifty, and stop embarrassing yourselves with compressed, massaged, focus-tested tripe.

[Iggo]

12. Iron Maiden tickets sell better than Bruce Dickinson tickets.

Judas Priest tickets sell better than Rob Halford tickets.

Black Sabbath tickets might even sell slightly better than Ozzy tickets.

That could have something to do with why they keep plodding along.

Maybe not specifically in this case.

But maybe.

[Codeine]

14. Iron Maiden can still write a decent tune,

but I see what you mean.

[Corgigal]

15. Got it

Play it loud in the car. Love red flag day. We all get old, so what?

Going to see them in Nashville with my 25 year old son. When I check my tickets, they are now going for 3 times the purchase price. This is my first time I ever saw them. I'm just glad I am. I never saw Prince or George Michael. Money was too tight due to raising a family. I lost out and can never get a re-due.

I guess it's all in the way you see it. Going to see American Pharoah in April. Didn't see him race live, just happy I'm getting the chance.

[Bayard]

16. It is growing on me

I keep finding myself humming, When The Lights Go Out.

If this wasn't U2, I'd think it was pretty good. And it is, don't get me wrong. They just really raised the bar long ago.

[Corgigal]

17. Oh you're right

I just saw Bruno Mars a few months ago. He's at his peak. u2 isn't anymore, still not bad. Listen to red flag day twice. You'll like. I'm at this moment in time, got to be satisfied.