New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE

[Aaron]

I read that article and it was interesting. The iTunes deluxe edition has the acoustic tracks listed as single downloads coming out Nov 18 at American Thanksgiving.

I would imagine that this is because as Adam said they want to give the physical copies 'a chance' against the spotifies of the world which he said will come out at a later date. Having all of this music come out in multiple formats over time is just really interesting. When we look back it will be 'as a whole' which is neat.

Do a search in iTunes for "Songs of Innocence +" - it's a separate album listing for just the Bonus disc in most countries.  Doesn't include the first disc.  In it the tracks are split up, but "Invisible" remains hidden.  And if you pre-order it you get all the acoustic tracks except "The Miracle" as soon as you purchase.  No need to wait till Nov 18.  :-)  This album showed up on iTunes the same day the CDs showed up in shops. 

[Aaron]

Just going through my CDs today and looking and ripping and all that.

And I have to say, the one I'm most impressed with for the deluxe versions?  The one from India.  It's a heavier cardboard used than elsewhere.  The inner sleeves that come out are not flimsy paper like the Canadian version, but actual heavy weight card stock.  And when you open the CD front cover and see Larry's tattoo symbol?  It's not printed there in grey like the Canadian, but is rather done with a technique similar to the CD where it is a different glossy finish on the black matte background.

Also the cds are packed inside of little plastic envelopes inside the card sleeves themselves...the whole package feels more expensive than the Canadian version, or even the Japan version (whose CDs come inside of tissue paper inside the card sleeves).

[Aaron]

There appears to have been some serious quality issues with the Songs of Innocence white vinyl in the USA.  I wonder if this is why the release was delayed by a week. 

https://twitter.com/u2w/status/528568802754449408
This is a copy bought in the USA (Philadelphia) which featured a bubbled label.  The label isn't stuck to the vinyl, only around the edges.

https://twitter.com/u2w/status/528569110096277505
This second one is one I bought myself that was purchased in Halifax, NS.  Again the label is all puckered.  I noticed this one was loose at the edges, so I peeled it back and sure enough there is a second label underneath.

I've been told about two other instances where the same thing has happened.  One was bought on the west coast, and another one was bought here in Halifax.  Just wondering if anyone else has opened their vinyl and if they had any similar issues?

[miryclay]

This band and label picked the wrong country to have a mispress. US consumers are notoriously picky when it comes to quality control. I have had records sent back to me as a seller when things aren't 100% correct.

Does the Crystal Ballroom 12" remix CD Japan have any different sources audio issues? I wonder where it was sourced from?

[Aaron]

Does the Crystal Ballroom 12" remix CD Japan have any different sources audio issues? I wonder where it was sourced from?

I imagine it was provided by the band / label as they have done in the past for bonus tracks - it was likely mastered this way.  This is common practice for CDs in Japan.  They go on sale later usually, and usually at a higher price than domestic CDs, so labels include extra incentives to get people to hold off and buy the domestic product over a cheaper, earlier import. 

[God, Part II]

Is there any difference in encoding between the U.S. and Japanese discs (i.e. 16-bit vs. 24-bit)?

By my understanding Audio CDs are 16-bit.  To burn a 24-bit wave file to a CD it would be down sampled to 16-bit.  And these are audio CDs.  Not another format.

Sorry to loop back around to this subject, and subsequent research certainly appears to support your assertion, Aaron--but what of this example? I have Thompson Twins' GREATEST HITS (hey, don't judge me!) and, on the back, it reads "20 Bit Digital Mastering From the Original Master Tapes". So this CD is not 20-bit? Is it just the digital master they made from the original master tapes that's 20-bit? But if that 20-bit digital master has to be downsampled to 16-bit for the actual CD pressing, then is the 20-bit origination just a difference which ultimately makes no difference? Apologies if this is all obvious to the rest of you, but color me  .

[Aaron]

Is there any difference in encoding between the U.S. and Japanese discs (i.e. 16-bit vs. 24-bit)?

By my understanding Audio CDs are 16-bit.  To burn a 24-bit wave file to a CD it would be down sampled to 16-bit.  And these are audio CDs.  Not another format.

Sorry to loop back around to this subject, and subsequent research certainly appears to support your assertion, Aaron--but what of this example? I have Thompson Twins' GREATEST HITS (hey, don't judge me!) and, on the back, it reads "20 Bit Digital Mastering From the Original Master Tapes". So this CD is not 20-bit? Is it just the digital master they made from the original master tapes that's 20-bit? But if that 20-bit digital master has to be downsampled to 16-bit for the actual CD pressing, then is the 20-bit origination just a difference which ultimately makes no difference? Apologies if this is all obvious to the rest of you, but color me  .

Maybe it's HDCD?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Definition_Compatible_Digital
"HDCD encodes the equivalent of 20 bits worth of data in a 16-bit digital audio signal by using custom dithering, audio filters, and some reversible amplitude and gain encoding; Peak Extend, which is a reversible soft limiter and Low Level Range Extend, which is a reversible gain on low-level signals. There is thus a benefit at the expense of a very minor increase in noise.[3]

That the encoding process is compatible with ordinary CD players (without audible distortion), is disputed: “Not being able to decode the peak soft limiting, a normal CD player will output distorted peaks”.[

[God, Part II]

Maybe it's HDCD?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Definition_Compatible_Digital
"HDCD encodes the equivalent of 20 bits worth of data in a 16-bit digital audio signal by using custom dithering, audio filters, and some reversible amplitude and gain encoding; Peak Extend, which is a reversible soft limiter and Low Level Range Extend, which is a reversible gain on low-level signals. There is thus a benefit at the expense of a very minor increase in noise.[3]

That the encoding process is compatible with ordinary CD players (without audible distortion), is disputed: “Not being able to decode the peak soft limiting, a normal CD player will output distorted peaks”.

Huh. Well, I feel a little like a tribble having the ENTERPRISE's engine technology explained to me by Scotty, but I get the gist. Thanks for the clarification!

[Aaron]

Or it could have just been mastered at 20bit and then reduced to 16bit if it is a redbook format audio CD.    My understanding of audio is vague at best, but one of my best friends is an audio engineer.  And I look a lot up on the 'net.  (Taking anything from Wikipedia with a grain of salt because I know how bad the U2 section is in places...)

[miryclay]

My first 45, record purchase for that matter, was "Hold Me Now" by the Thompson Twins.

[Andrey_VI]

I see that many peoples here have digital deluxe version of SOI from different sources (Amazon, Qobuz, etc.). And I have only physical one (German pressing CDs). I ripped CDs to FLAC images and want to create additional .cue file with separated acoustic tracks. It would be great if we can create a little database with cue-sheets of SOI's "deluxe part" from different sources. Hope that original master tape is the same for CD and digital versions.

[slaneman]

I see that many peoples here have digital deluxe version of SOI from different sources (Amazon, Qobuz, etc.). And I have only physical one (German pressing CDs). I ripped CDs to FLAC images and want to create additional .cue file with separated acoustic tracks. It would be great if we can create a little database with cue-sheets of SOI's "deluxe part" from different sources. Hope that original master tape is the same for CD and digital versions.

There is no 'master tape' anymore. It's all digital now. I would expect every CD and flac digital download to come from the same source initially. So all CDs and flac files should be identical. The digital master can be sent in seconds anywhere in the world.

If you wanted to get crazy, I guess you could question how the mp3s are made by the different people selling them, i.e., iTunes vs. Amazon, who make their own lossy files. Those might sound different because of a possible difference in the type of mp3 used.

[slaneman]

Here's my take on HDCD.

HDCD was an attempt to improve the sound of CDs. It had a negligible effect on the market because no one could really hear much of a difference. First of all, you needed a CD player that said it was HDCD capable of playing that encoded 20-bit file. Of course the audio manufacturers just looked at it as a way to charge more and make more money for a player (when CD players had become dirt cheap).
The Wikipedia description is as good as any if you want details of the technical process.

We tried all sorts of those players in our store when it first came out. I could never hear much difference. It was a tough sell. We did tons of demos and comparisons. Eventually no one talked about it anymore. Even CDs that did have an option of HDCD playback came out without any mention on the disc at all. You had to go to a HDCD website that had a list of every CD that was encoded with the HDCD process. HDCD capable CDs could be played on any CD player and supposedly deliver the standard CD sound. Even that became controversial.

This format had zero impact for consumers and for a simple reason. Most people just couldn't hear any improvement. But like all things dealing with someone's hearing, there will always be a few who claim it's better.

[enaul]

I see that many peoples here have digital deluxe version of SOI from different sources (Amazon, Qobuz, etc.). And I have only physical one (German pressing CDs). I ripped CDs to FLAC images and want to create additional .cue file with separated acoustic tracks. It would be great if we can create a little database with cue-sheets of SOI's "deluxe part" from different sources. Hope that original master tape is the same for CD and digital versions.

I'm not sure from where my cds are, but i think i have the South East Asia Version. This is my attempt to split the Acoustic tracks, done with CD Wave Editor.

Code: [Select]

REM GENRE Rock
REM DATE 2014
REM DISCID 420B0605
REM COMMENT ExactAudioCopy v1.0b3
PERFORMER "U2"
TITLE "2014-10-13 Songs Of Innocence (Deluxe Edition) CD2"
FILE "U2 - Songs of Innocence Disc 2.flac" WAVE
  TRACK 01 AUDIO
    TITLE "Lucifer's Hands"
    INDEX 01 00:00:00
  TRACK 02 AUDIO
    TITLE "The Crystal Ballroom (Album Mix)"
    INDEX 01 03:55:08
  TRACK 03 AUDIO
    TITLE "Acoustic Sessions (Every Breaking Wave - California - Raised By Wolves - Cedarwood Road - Song For Someone - The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone) (Busker Version))"
    INDEX 01 08:35:40
  TRACK 04 AUDIO
    TITLE "The Troubles (Alternative Version)"
    INDEX 01 31:24:36
  TRACK 05 AUDIO
    TITLE "Sleep Like A Baby Tonight (Alternative Perspective Mix by Tchad Blake) - Invisible (Album Mix)"
    INDEX 01 35:56:58

OR

Code: [Select]

REM GENRE Rock
REM DATE 2014
REM DISCID 420B0605
REM COMMENT ExactAudioCopy v1.0b3
PERFORMER "U2"
TITLE "2014-10-13 Songs Of Innocence (Deluxe Edition) CD2 (Split By Song)"
FILE "U2 - Songs of Innocence Disc 2.flac" WAVE
  TRACK 01 AUDIO
    TITLE "Lucifer's Hands"
    PERFORMER "U2"
    INDEX 01 00:00:00
  TRACK 02 AUDIO
    TITLE "The Crystal Ballroom (Album Mix)"
    PERFORMER "U2"
    INDEX 01 03:55:28
  TRACK 03 AUDIO
    TITLE "Every Breaking Wave (From Acoustic Sessions)"
    PERFORMER "U2"
    INDEX 01 08:35:60
  TRACK 04 AUDIO
    TITLE "California (There Is No End To Love) (From Acoustic Sessions)"
    PERFORMER "U2"
    INDEX 01 13:04:61
  TRACK 05 AUDIO
    TITLE "Raised By Wolves (From Acoustic Sessions)"
    PERFORMER "U2"
    INDEX 01 16:24:58
  TRACK 06 AUDIO
    TITLE "Cedarwood Road (From Acoustic Sessions)"
    PERFORMER "U2"
    INDEX 01 20:22:21
  TRACK 07 AUDIO
    TITLE "Song For Someone (From Acoustic Sessions)"
    PERFORMER "U2"
    INDEX 01 23:41:30
  TRACK 08 AUDIO
    TITLE "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone) (Busker Version)"
    PERFORMER "U2"
    INDEX 01 27:17:46
  TRACK 09 AUDIO
    TITLE "The Troubles (Alternative Version)"
    PERFORMER "U2"
    INDEX 01 31:24:68
  TRACK 10 AUDIO
    TITLE " "
    PERFORMER ""
    INDEX 01 35:57:04
  TRACK 11 AUDIO
    TITLE "Sleep Like A Baby Tonight (Alternative Perspective Mix by Tchad Blake)"
    PERFORMER "U2"
    INDEX 01 35:58:21
  TRACK 12 AUDIO
    TITLE " "
    PERFORMER ""
    INDEX 01 41:11:18
  TRACK 13 AUDIO
    TITLE "Invisible (Album Mix)"
    PERFORMER "U2"
    INDEX 01 42:18:17


[Aaron]

Some tidbits from a couple of recent interviews in non-English speaking countries (Portugal and Spain):

- Tour will be starting before next summer
- Tour will run over 2 years.
- Some songs tell you what to do.  Streets for instance doesn't have any
roof.  These songs are songs in rooms.  They suggest indoor spaces.  But
eventually they'll go outside.

- Bono speaks about innocence.  Innocence leaves you when you understand
your own mortality.  You can return to innocence in moments of beauty.

- Adam thinks "Volcano", "Song for Someone", "Every Breaking Wave" and
maybe "Cedarwood Road" have legs and will be strong songs, and great live
songs.

- Sleep Like a Baby Tonight - started working on years ago ("good few
years") but never made it past the demo stage.  Played it for Danger
mouse and he jumped on it.  Five - six days spent on it on the entire
album.

- "The Crystal Ballroom" might be the next single.  It's one of the best songs on the album. (Edge)
- There's magic in the acoustic version of "Every Breaking Wave" - also a contender for a single.
- Haven't had a lot of time to think about the 2nd single.