Author Topic: New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE  (Read 90400 times)

u2hmtmkmkm

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Re: New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE
« Reply #90 on: October 09, 2014, 07:48:15 PM »
Okay I have the CD waiting for me at home torturing me that I can't play it until I finish work in 6 hours. Interestingly, the retailer in the Australia link on U2.com (JB Hifi) lists the acoustic session as "6 or 7 tracks." Will put that question to bed soon enough. And it's all in a cardboard digipack. If anyone on here wants all the catalogue and barcode info for the discography, and scans, I will post them later.
« Last Edit: October 09, 2014, 08:00:45 PM by u2hmtmkmkm »

u2hmtmkmkm

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Re: New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE
« Reply #91 on: October 10, 2014, 05:15:57 AM »
Spoilers here. And some poor commentary of the acoustic sessions. Bear with my layman explanations.

Okay this is what I have: Lucifer's Hands is in fact Return of the Stingray Guitar with entirely new lyrics. No mention of the old lyrics at all. The main guitar part is prominent from the original song, though. "I can change the world, but I can't change the world in me," does feature, but the two clauses are broken apart by more lyrics in between.

The Crystal Ballroom is much better in its unremixed form, but this is a subjective view coming from someone that doesn't get into all that dancey remix stuff that they have done in the past.

The acoustic sessions are in fact one entire track. Begins with Every Breaking Wave, just Bono singing with a guitar. This is probably how I want to hear this version live, especially Bono's singing. Absolutely beautiful. Sometimes forget what his voice is still capable of doing. A violin joins in halfway through. I'm typing my immediate reactions as I'm listening and it's unreal how touching it is. At one point, Bono even loses his breath so it doesn't feel like a perfect rendition. Larry's cymbal comes in at the final chorus. Then his drums. As does Adam's bass. Ends too abruptly for me.
California is next. Again more stripped down, but I wouldn't call it acoustic as all four instruments are involved (I don't know what qualifies as acoustic. Don't like the foreign sound that comes in for the chorus. Sounds like a guitar but just... off, along with some horns. Not really feeling this version at all.
Raised By Wolves next, with Edge's acoustic guitar, omitting the percussive breathing effects and going right into Bono's lyrics, but still somehow including that punchy guitar sound after "I Don't Believe Anymore." Larry hitting some woodwind sticks together. Similar horn effect as in the acoustic California when they play the chorus. But Bono's singing sounds way more stripped down and enjoyable to listen to. High pitched keyboard still there, with Adam's bass.
Cedarwood Road next, with just Edge jamming on an acoustic. Edge backing vocals. New humming sound effect joins them. Still no sign of Larry or Adam this time. Bono's singing in fine form again.
Song For Someone next. Guitar sounds electronic to me. Light drumming from Larry and keyboards presumably from Edge. Singing is A1 again.
Ends with The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone). Acoustic guitar only and Edge joins on backing vocals for the oh oh oh parts. Sounds like Bono claps to the beat at parts too. Definitely clapping. No sign of Adam or Larry.
Not understanding the choice to have them as one track as it doesn't appear that they are actually playing them one after the other live.

The Troubles sounds very similar to the original. Lykke Li doesn't feature at all, Bono sings his main part as he originally did, but in a different style, and Angel Deradoorian sings backings. The chorus, "Somebody stepped inside your soul...," is different entirely, replaced with, "Somebody stopped the world I know. Somebody threw a line to me. Somebody tell me what to say." Not a bad version all up, though I don't like the new chorus lyrics, and ultimately I prefer the original because the band felt that was obviously the one that deserved to be on the A side.

Sleep like a Baby Tonight lyrics are 95% different, and all the same musical features are there; the haunting opening chords and the powerful guitar between chorus and verse, that harp, the piano keys, but it all just seems like there are a lot more instruments and noise in this one. I like the original much more because it comes across with the less is more mentality, and to me is more of a lullaby. Larry's drum hits sound A LOT like they do in Zoo Station, that very metallic sound effect.

And finally, Sleep Like a Baby Tonight goes for 11:06 because it does feature Invisible as a bonus track at the end. Baby Tonight goes for approx. 5:15 and then at 6:20, Invisible kicks in, making it 4:45 long (the Red Edit is 3:47). The intro is a bit longer, as is the bit just after that horn (?) sound starts. It actually feels slower than the Red version too, which might account for the extended track time, as there doesn't seem to be 1 minute of extra music. As such, I think Bono has resung this version to the new track speed, as opposed to just having slowed down his vocals along with the song. The bit between the first chorus and the second verse is twice as long. Again, I prefer the original because it has more urgency by not having those extra bits. The outro peters out for longer too. No new lyrics in this version.

u2hmtmkmkm

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Re: New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE
« Reply #92 on: October 10, 2014, 05:22:35 AM »
Some images. Scans of relevant info coming later.

morgan1098

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Re: New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE
« Reply #93 on: October 10, 2014, 09:41:21 AM »
Awesome report. Thanks for the info U2hmtmkmkm!

morgan1098

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Re: New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE
« Reply #94 on: October 10, 2014, 10:51:16 AM »
So it looks like retail exclusive tracks aren't happening after all. At least not that we've heard.

And retail exclusives aside, this looks like the first time in a while that there aren't any region/country specific bonus tracks either. For the past few albums Australia, Japan, and heck, even the UK got bonus tracks (NLOTH2, Fast Cars, Ground Beneath Her Feet, etc.)

Aaron

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Re: New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE
« Reply #95 on: October 11, 2014, 02:18:17 PM »
I've tweeted a number of tidbits from those pics U2HMTMKMKM.   Thanks for putting those up.  :)

Aaron

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Re: New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE
« Reply #96 on: October 12, 2014, 05:37:16 PM »
Autorip in Europe through Amazon did split the acoustic session into individual tracks.

dagobah

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Re: New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE
« Reply #97 on: October 13, 2014, 04:56:26 AM »
Spoilers here. And some poor commentary of the acoustic sessions. Bear with my layman explanations.
 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Yeah, u2hmtmkmkm, thank you for the details and for taking the time to post them.  That was really kind of you.

And to everyone else posting little tidbits of info, thank you!  I'm glad there are just a handful of people posting here.  It keeps things simple and efficient.  Over at the @U2 forum, I'm probably missing some great stuff, but I just don't have the time to sort through hundreds of irrelevant posts just to discover 10 or 11 interesting comments or informative posts.

So it looks like retail exclusive tracks aren't happening after all.
Well, I hope so.  I love when a band offers bonus tracks and remixes, but not if I have to buy the album from 3 or 4 different retailers.  Those costs add up and I'm on a budget.  Depeche Mode has done the same thing in the past, whether it was different retailers or different European countries . . . . . and it's ridiculous to try to track down all those Depeche Mode remixes.  On Youtube, I just listened to The Crystal Ballroom [12-inch Mix] . . . . . the bonus track from the vinyl version of Songs Of Innocence . . . . . . and I'm relieved that I don't feel the track is worth acquiring.  If I felt it was worth acquiring, I don't think I would buy the vinyl version just to get one bonus track.

jw

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Re: New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE
« Reply #98 on: October 13, 2014, 08:29:39 AM »
And to everyone else posting little tidbits of info, thank you!  I'm glad there are just a handful of people posting here.  It keeps things simple and efficient.  Over at the @U2 forum, I'm probably missing some great stuff, but I just don't have the time to sort through hundreds of irrelevant posts just to discover 10 or 11 interesting comments or informative posts.

Ha!  Yeah, I'll echo that.  Don't get me wrong.  I love @U2.  But when an album release comes around, it is impossible to keep up with the deluge of posts in their forum.  I'm not even trying this time around.  I'm relying on the @U2 news and information from this forum to get the relevant info that I want.  So kudos to Aaron and U2Wanderer.org.  Looking forward to the new version and updates!

morgan1098

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Re: New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE
« Reply #99 on: October 13, 2014, 01:56:03 PM »
Anyone notice a difference here? The first photo is from U2.com, and it looks like the discs have the tattoo artwork on them. The second photo is from the actual set on Discogs, and it doesn't look like the tattoo design is on the disc. Is it just a trick of the light?



« Last Edit: October 13, 2014, 03:45:50 PM by morgan1098 »

morgan1098

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Re: New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE
« Reply #100 on: October 13, 2014, 04:32:40 PM »
Hidden artwork:
On the double vinyl, apparently the inner sleeve for Disc 1 has a photo of the Edge, an the inner sleeve for Disc 2 has a photo of Larry. You actually have to "look inside" the slot to see this. I don't have the vinyl so I can't confirm.

falling at your feet

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Re: New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE
« Reply #101 on: October 14, 2014, 05:09:56 AM »
Hidden artwork:
On the double vinyl, apparently the inner sleeve for Disc 1 has a photo of the Edge, an the inner sleeve for Disc 2 has a photo of Larry. You actually have to "look inside" the slot to see this. I don't have the vinyl so I can't confirm.

I just received the vinyl edition this morning.

When you look inside the first opening of the outer sleeve(behind front cover of Larry & son), you can see a replica of the inner right hand side of the gatefold, e.g. Bono & Edge. (you have to look deep into the vinyl slot to see Bono, as he is close to the spine)

It's the same when you open the second outer sleeve, you can see a replica of the inner left hand side of the gatefold.(you have to look deep into the vinyl slot to see Adam as his photo is close to the spine)

Love the packaging, all B & W, the simplicity works well and only one band photo takin gup the full inner gatefold.

I also notice that side 4 only, is on 45rpm, as I flipped it over from 33rpm, did not know I had to change it until the sound came.

Aaron

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Re: New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE
« Reply #102 on: October 14, 2014, 06:21:51 AM »
Just back from Target here in Canada.

They are not stocking the 1CD version at my store.  They only received the deluxe.  The deluxe is stickered with the "Son gs of Innocence" sticker under the stretch wrap - so it's affixed to the digipack itself.  And the copyright info on the back is that of the US branches of Interscope.  This has happened in the past where the packaging is the US packaging but it holds Canadian discs, but I'll have to wait an hour to find out.  I pre-ordered my copy of the deluxe at HMV instead. 

dagobah

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Re: New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE
« Reply #103 on: October 14, 2014, 07:27:29 AM »
3. Lucifer's Hands has the lyric "I can't change the world, but I can change the world in me" which was of course first heard on "Rejoice" from October
You are correct that Rejoice includes these lyrics:
I can't change the world
But I can change the world in me


Interestingly, Lucifer's Hands actually switches the words "can't" and "can"

According to the digital booklet (that came with the Amazon Auto-rip while purchasing the physical 2-CD version of Songs Of Innocence), Lucifer's Hands includes these lyrics:

Yes, I can change the world
Yes, I can change the world

The poor breaking bread that's made out of stone
The rich man won't eat, he's eating, alone
That's easy
But I can't change the world
In me.

Aaron

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Re: New U2 album SONGS OF INNOCENCE
« Reply #104 on: October 14, 2014, 08:21:58 AM »
Anyone notice a difference here? The first photo is from U2.com, and it looks like the discs have the tattoo artwork on them. The second photo is from the actual set on Discogs, and it doesn't look like the tattoo design is on the disc. Is it just a trick of the light?

The tattoo design is on the disc, but it's done with a varnish type treatment so it only shows up when you move it back and forth in the light.  It would be difficult to see in scans and the like.