U2 - Songs Of Surrender Deluxe Edition Review
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- čas přidán 5. 09. 2024
- As a big fan of U2 - I went into their new album Songs Of Surrender (the deluxe edition with 40 tracks) with an open mind, and excitement about this unique release in U2's history. So where does it stand in their discography and what do I think about it?
Hi Alan Yes Irish band U2 are incredible. They have made a huge contribution to pop / Rock music. I like their first single back in 1980 I will Follow. Joshua Tree as a big seller, and contained a string of hits. Amazing that they are still recording in 2023. My favorite album is Achtung Baby from 1991. Thanks for posting this.
Thanks for watching, as always. Yes Achtung Baby is my favorite too - I think it's one of the greatest albums of all time by anyone.
Thank you for the thorough review of this new U2 album. I'm always hesitant when a band or artist does a reinterpretation of their past catalog....if it ain't broke, why fix it? I agree, those upcoming shows in Las Vegas this Fall will be memorable.
Thanks so much. The bands are entitled to try to reinterpret and perhaps come up with something unique, different that really works. LAYLA is the best example. I was excited to hear this album as I'm a big U2 fan. And it's not the disaster that many people say it is. But it's not a success either. Thanks for your point about the Sphere shows. I think they will be an incredible experience for those lucky enough to go. U2 continues to want to be on the forefront and that's a wonderful quality.
Been a HUGE U2 fan since 1987. Seen them 101 times in concert. Will not see them in Vegas because it’s not a U2 show without Larry!
101 times seen in concert. That is beyond unbelievable. You win the award for the biggest fan of U2 that I’ve ever heard of. Seriously you are amazing. I do think you should see them at the sphere. I think it’s going to be a historic concert. I think they continue to be at the forefront of technology and I think this may be the future of concerts. I think U2 is awesome that they’re always pursuing future greatness. I think it’s unfortunate about Larry Mullen but they’ve probably been working on this for years and they don’t want to and can’t back out now as it’s something theyve been working on for so long. I’m sure Larry would understand. Thanks so much for watching and commenting.
@@TheAlanRosenbergShow thanks yeah i wrote about it my tour experiences in a book. I always went to a minimum of 8 shows per tour, sometimes 27, sometimes 16 but always at least 8 that is until the last tour because like you I think songs of experience was not a great album so I only saw them once in that tour. Anyway no I’m definitely not going to Vegas.
It’s just not u2 without Larry so I’m annoyed they’re even calling it a u2 show. It’s not like they need the money or fame so they could have rescheduled like they did with Bono’s surgery in 2010. Anyway thanks for your response and your videos. Oh I’m also a huge Olivia newton-John fan since 1978 when I was 5 so I appreciated your video about her as well. Take care.
@@DeenaDietrich Thanks so much for your kind words and support. What book are you in. I've ready a bunch on U2. You certainly deserve your own book.
Thank you for being so devoted to your viewers in sticking to your “5 Listens” rule - even in this case when that demands something close to 13 hours of your time. I applaud your patience in giving 40 songs so much time to really grab you. I appreciate how well you have presented the points made in your review to form your conclusion about the album. From an artist’s perspective, U2, of course, has the right to reimagine its songs however it wants. The creator of something is entitled to modify the creation. From my personal perspective as a music listener, I am always interested in hearing variations of songs that I like. My hope, naturally, is that a different version of a beloved song will be good in its own right - as is the case with the obvious example: the unplugged rendition of “Layla.” I don’t think it’s as great as the original, but it’s still an excellent listen. So, it gets played in my home when I’m in a mellow mood. What won’t get played in my home is a version of a song that makes me wish I was listening to the original. I can’t think of any reason to listen to lackluster music unless there are no other options. I know you said that some of the songs on “Songs of Surrender” work, but you also said that none of the songs supplant the originals. Since I’ve been in agreement with the majority of your reviews, I’m pretty sure that sticking with the originals will give me the kind of U2 listening experience that’s second to none.
Thank you so much. I definitely have musical OCD in that I really have to give an album a chance to review it. How many of us listened to an album and it didn't grab you, but you kept listening to it and it really grew on you and then you eventually love it (hello Taylor Swift Midnights - to me). On the flipside, how many albums we thought we loved on one or two listens and then over time, it faded away. I understand the need of reviewers to get a review out immediately to grab viewers, but listening to an album once and reviewing it makes no sense to me personally and really has little value. Thanks for appreciating my musical OCD - it can be grueling sometimes especially with the volume of music I buy.
We certainly share some tastes, I've done reviews on Tull and U2 among others we share a love of too. Indeed, the new Tull became the most watched vid I've made within just 24 hours last week. So still a massive fanbase Subbed!
Thank you so much - I recently discovered your channel as well and watch it - you're awesome. I saw your Tull post on the Tull group facebook page and it was your biggest video. Fantastic. THANKS so much again!!!
@@TheAlanRosenbergShow Thank YOU my man! Great thing about music, it crosses continents and time! :)
@@DavysFlicks We do have similar tastes, including our love of horror / sci-fi as well.
Just found your channel this week. Like your content. Big U2 fan but not a completist.I was glad to hear your review. I heard a couple of the sinless and I wasn't really into it. Hearing your review helped me make the decision that I don't need this album. Keep up the good work. Im trying to backtrack on the rest of your videos.
Thanks so much. I really appreciate it. Hope you'll continue to enjoy my channel. Best, Alan
Thanks Alan I agree with most of what you say here. I'm also long-term U2 fan and while I enjoy this release I would definitely trade it for some new songs, where is Songs of Ascent?? Agree also that SoI is massively underrated. I like SoE too, give it more time. Enjoy your channel, keep up the good work
Thanks so much. The songs on Songs of Surrender that are from Songs Of Experience sound pretty good. I think you're right. I have to go back to SoE. Give it another shot. I never understood the dislike of SoL. Other bands would (should) give their right arm for some of those songs. I think too many people get blinded by this "love to hate" U2. Their later day stuff is pretty great in my opinion. Thanks again.
I really like the new album. I listened to it in four parts, like you did, over the course of a week. Don't think U2 was trying to one-up their earlier versions, just a different way of playing and singing the songs that they wrote. To me your statement that "none of these new reinterpretations supplant the earlier versions" is true but is a flawed argument against it's reason for being. Must they outclass the originals for it to be considered good? I say no. Their songs, so they can do what they want with them. I don't see what's so confusing about it. You might want to read (or re-read) Edge's write up for the album for further clarification as to the purpose and the thinking behind the project. I give the band a lot of credit for this release.
I agree with your statement completely. I thought my wording was good, but could get confusing. Because I'm confused to a certain extent. They completely have the right to this, and if fact, I respect them for doing it. Actually a novel idea, and I was excited to listen to it with an open mind. Which I did five times. I actually say that I like the album too, but in bits. It is one piece of work, one album and as a full 160 minute listen, it doesn't work. I love U2 as you can see, but I can't listen to it in one go, which a truly successful album should do. It bits - one CD at a time - it works better. But to me, none of these versions supplant the originals. If I want to listen to these songs, I'll be going back to the originals, so in that aspect, the album doesn't work either. It's an interesting idea, they have the right to do it, I applaud them for trying, but it's disjointed, not unified, and overall not a complete success. But it's not a dismal failure either. The album overall, leaves me confused. My gut says, a shorter, "unplugged" album would have been better. Thanks for watching and commenting.
@@TheAlanRosenbergShow Paul Simon did the same thing a few years back with his In the Blue Light album. He re-recorded a bunch of his songs from prior records. Not a single one would I consider "an improvement" over the original version, but so what? They don't have to be. His songs, he can do what he wants with them. Just like the U2 album - alternate versions, fascinating to hear, and I liked them.
@@michaellord9745 I never did buy that Paul Simon album but I'm aware of it. I explicitly state that the artists has a right to do it, and also a great song can be done in different ways and still be great - LAYLA the best example of this. I was excited for this release and I state that I'm glad I have it. But as big fans, we have the right to listen carefully and review it. This album by U2 is not a dismal failure and yea "so what" if none of the versions are better than the originals. It's cool to have alternate versions, but we can also say, this album will probably be sitting on the shelf unlike the others. Thanks.
@@TheAlanRosenbergShow That is true - it's not going to get more play than Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, Unforgettable Fire and such. But late at night, trying to unwind, these versions might do the trick if in a U2 mood.
@@michaellord9745 that is true. In short doses. Like each individual cd this is not a bad listen at all.
Hi Alan, I applaud your process of listening to a recording 5 times before reviewing it.
Some albums are instantly likeable and some grow on us with repeated listens.
Unfortunately this one won't for me, I could barely get thru it once. Part of the problem is our familiarity with the songs, any uptempo tunes here have the life sucked out of them. Hearing Where the streets have no name on the Joshua Tree and then feeling the intro in my chest from the powerful but clear volume at their concert, the song became one of my favorites. The version here is stripped of that and many of the others are too.
A truly great song can sometimes be redone, ie: Layla unplugged , but that doesn't always work and this release isn't for me. Maybe a double or even single CD would work better.
Thanks - you mentioned two great points that I should have said - LAYLA is the greatest example. The old story that a great song can be played in different ways and still be great. LAYLA is the greatest example. Who would've that the radically different unplugged version - a complete reinvention would work as well as the classic original - it's by far Clapton's largest selling album, yet with 40 chances on this album, that doesn't happen once. Also you're other point - perhaps it's a better "more frequent" listen with the single CD version. I don't know since I went for the 40 song, but I doubt it.
As I'm sure you know, Start me up began as a reggae sort of number but once the tempo got sped up the song became the kick ass tune we love, some of us anyway. Music is so subjective, as my motto says. I think a ranking of Jethro Tull albums would make an interesting vid for your channel.
Keep rockin' Alan!
@@onemansmusicisanothermansnoise thanks. Have a couple of those early Start Me Ups. Stones also released one on the Tattoo You super deluxe. They always said reggae but to me really only a little bit. I guess reggae influenced. Not too good anyway. Thank god they kept working on it. I actually did a Tull ranking and it’s one of my most popular videos. Thanks
@@TheAlanRosenbergShow Great, I'll check it out, I was going to search it but decided to tack it on to that comment.
That WA song, Living Proof, you recommended,really rocks, I'll check out more!
@@onemansmusicisanothermansnoise thanks. That makes me feel good to turn someone on to the greatness of some Wishbone Ash. I’ll have to do a video on them.
I'm still debating on getting this.Your review really helps though Alan
I’m still confused with it. I’m glad I have it. Don’t think I’ll listen to it much any more. None of the versions are improvements and some are not too good. But overall it’s not bad. If that makes any kind of sense perhaps it’ll help.
@@TheAlanRosenbergShow being a big U2 fan do you have the box sets Ucthung Baby and All that you Leave Behind ?
@@thomaswery3087 no I didn’t go for any of them. I have over 50 of their records. All their albums. Lots of bootlegs and tons of cd singles with loads of bonus tracks. Plus all their dvds. So for the cost it wasn’t worth it. The only U2 boxes I have is the Joshua Tree and Under Blood Red Sky which are in the video. I guess I love U2 but not that much lol.
@@TheAlanRosenbergShow I don't have as much U2 as you but I did get the boxes but with all your music you probably have it pretty much covered
@@thomaswery3087 Awesome that you have them. Those boxes looked huge and have like everything in them. Very cool to have. In fact I’ve never seen one in person. My local stores never carried them.
Hello Alan I started viewing your latest Jethro Tull video , and the comments are turned off ?. I'm not complaining, I'm thinking the comment section is always open for us to leave a message.
Thanks so much for telling me that Carl. My mistake. Had it off by accident. I LOVE the comments. I just turned it on. Thanks so much again.
never a fan of bands “reimagining” their old stuff unless like you said its done in a live setting. this just seems like such a weird thing to do as a studio album especially for U2. Funny enough my next video i’m posting in a few days is my U2 CD collection so I’ll be curious to hear what you think of what I got to say.
I'm looking forward to watching it. I just used their other albums as a backdrop. I actually have over 50 U2 albums including bootlegs, imports and really good CD singles with tons of bonus tracks. Eventually I may have to copy you to do a U2 video...THaNKS
@@TheAlanRosenbergShow it'll be interesting cause there is one big thing we disagree about
@@STEVEHEROLD what’s the one big thing we disagree on? Lol
@@TheAlanRosenbergShow the answer will be revealed this Thursday!
@@STEVEHEROLD I’ll be there.
Bono should have sung all the songs in his best Elvis voice it would've been a masterpiece, lol.
lol....The Leonard Cohen voice doesnt work - yea perhaps Elvis would've been better.