phanan

If U2: The Band didn't want that, they wouldn't do it. Period. I don't buy that at all.

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Blind faith in your leaders, or in anything, will get you killed.

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Desert Island

LemonMacPhisto

To me, Coldplay sounds like a watered down mix of U2, Radiohead, R.E.M., George Harrison/latter Beatles, and now Brian Eno and Bowie/Eno stuff. The problem is, they can't make the pieces fit together well enough. Let's step into a film comparison here: P.T. Anderson's style is derivative of Martin Scorsese and Robert Altman, specifically, but you can still tell he injects enough of his own essence into his work, otherwise he's just a pure copycat. Like I said above, I'm glad you feel this way, Screwy, but don't expect everyone to agree with you. Enjoy them on your own terms.

I think ATYCLB is a response to their '90s period, and yes, it is more hits-oriented, but it marks a specific time in their lives. They're not the same guys they were in the '80s or '90s, trying to find their places in the world. They are where they are now. The band itself is a family. That album is about finally finding your place in the world and having to deal with that. Plus, it's ties to 9/11 give it an extra layer of pathos on top of the previous areas of awesome. Is it a perfect album? No. But to say it's just the band on autopilot is ill-informed. You can subjectively dislike it, but there are enough qualities on that album that make it stand apart from the rest of their discography, in a good way.

Every band wants to make a connection with people, that's why they fucking make music. And U2 in particular wanted to let everyone know that they're back and ready to take the world by storm again.

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Screwtape2

Having a producer help you and having one of the greatest authors of our time help you write a song is a very different thing. Very different.

LemonMelon

Coldplay were crafted by the hands of God to bestow upon us euphoric soundscapes that ignite the flames of our soul and propel us towards the revelatory epiphanies that will ultimately incite the glorious Revolution.

U2 have been bullshit since 1976.

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lazarus

Show me TWO reviews...



And Screwtape, Stateless wasn't a commercial song at all. In fact, it sounds even more unlike U2 than TGBHF does.

The last thing we have to go on is Fast Cars, and I'm very optimistic. All talk has been about moving in a different direction. So how can it sound like the last two?

Also, I think ATYCLB is the more cohesive collection, but the songs, to me, aren't as good as The Bomb.

phanan

Did anyone look at the comments section there? Good 'ol Shart1780 had to mention U2.

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Blind faith in your leaders, or in anything, will get you killed.

- Bruce Springsteen

Desert Island

LemonMelon

Hold on there a second. Define "it". What are they doing exactly that a real™ band wouldn't?

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elevated_u2_fan

you gotta be fucking kidding me...

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LemonMacPhisto

That's cool. Of course it's up to interpretation, since none of us know for sure, so that makes perfect sense, too.

I think LM's right about that "eternal song" idea. They want to be like the Abbey Road/Let It Be-era Beatles and have that one song that will transcend everything to the same degree as "Hey Jude" or "Let It Be."

But if you were in a band, would you rather focus on making the songs, or marketing it yourselves when you know there's a solid team that's been working with you for years and a label that would promote the hell out of it anyway?

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LemonMelon

He really likes In Rainbows, that's for sure.

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phanan

They are doing the opposite of your statement here:

__________________
Blind faith in your leaders, or in anything, will get you killed.

- Bruce Springsteen

Desert Island

LemonMelon

You're judging motive without having any real facts.

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elevated_u2_fan

Wragging on a band for being derivative of another is kind of silly when you think about it. I can't think of a single band today that doesn't take some (or all) of it's sound from a band that came before...

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lazarus

LemonMacPhisto

Definitely, it's just how it's all put together that makes it a big issue, you know. That and Coldplay's massive popularity may have something to do with it.

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