I got another phone call from my very first friend about our 20-year high school reunion. He said a suite was might be reserved for the Class of 94 at the football game. I said, “Mineral Wells has a stadium that has friggin suites?!”
President Obama will address the nation tonight. He normally addresses the nation from the East Room, and I’m guessing that’s because he feels more comfortable standing when giving a speech than sitting. As a matter of fact, he’s only addressed the nation from the Oval Office twice. His predecessor addressed the nation from the Oval Office six times, and his predecessor’s predecessor did it thirteen times. Surprisingly, Nixon only did it once, and that was his resignation speech. Source: Wikipedia
One day I may have to actually explain to my kids the meaning behind “roll up your window” and “hang up the phone”. In today’s world, those things no longer apply.
I thought it was pretty cool of Tim Cook to honor Steve Jobs with “Just one more thing.”
U2 new album random thoughts:
I was following the Apple event via two live blogs and then I got an email from the U2 fan club that I should be expecting something big in the next half hour. To be honest I was just thinking a performance or their new album on a phone you’d have to purchase, but I wasn’t expecting a free album I could get immediately.
I’m convinced if it wasn’t for a strong deadline like this Apple event they would still be trying to tweak the album. One reason it was released in collaboration with Apple is this is the ten year anniversary of their iPod commercial.
It’s gonna take me a while to dissect all the metaphors and double meanings in the lyrics, but that’s how I like it. A good album should take some time to digest.
I’ll describe this album as a lot of their early stuff off albums like Boy and The Unforgettable Fire with a splash of Achtung Baby.
I was too critical of the album on the first listen, but the second listen made me really appreciate it as I followed the lyrics. On a scale of 1 to 10, I gave their last album a 5.5. On the first listen for the new one, I at first gave it a 6, but I’ve bumped it up to a 7. I also felt the last album not only didn’t have any radio worthy songs, but didn’t really have anything that the audience could connect and interact with (think ‘Pride’) but this one has a few.
Bono has feared the band is struggling to stay relevant and I think it was Adam that stated for them to be so, they’d need more songs to make air play. I’m not convinced many of these songs will play on the radio, but artistically it’s solid. So I think people over the age of 35 will like it, but I doubt the young folk will be attached to it, unless they really appreciate folks like David Bowie, The Clash, and The Ramones. I’d say it’s really an album for old time fans and not one that will win over any new ones. I’m the outlier U2 fan that actually likes the newer stuff more than the older stuff.
A lot of U2 albums take you on a interconnective journey from song to another. I’m not sure if each song is connected or related to one another, but the overall subject of young innocence is apparent, when they were a young band on a journey of firsts, hence the name Songs of Innocence. I’ll take it a step further and say it’s about reconnecting, discovery, guilt, self-forgiveness, and hope for redemption. They’ll also be releasing another album in the somewhat near future about what all they experienced, Songs of Experience, and I expect that one to be meatier.
I think the most spiritual song is “Song For Someone” – And I’m a long long way from your Hill of Calvary – And I’m a long way from where I was and where I need to be.
Their album How to Destroy An Atomic Bomb dealt a lot with Bono’s father’s death. There’s a song in this album about Bono’s mother who died when he was 14 at her father’s funeral of an aneurysm.
The main riff in ‘Volcano’ sure sounds a lot like ‘Glastonbury‘.
So how does a free release of this album play into Billboard rankings? Here’s an article that explains it well. Basically it won’t be on the chart until the album actually goes on sale on Oct 14.
I think the album is really solid. It gets better with each listen, which good albums do. It's quintessentially U2-sounding, with many moments of real artistic risk and creativity. I've seen several knee-jerk comments online about it being "boring" or derivative of bands who are derivative of U2 (e.g. The Killers and Coldplay). As one who listens a lot to those bands, I don't think Songs of Innocence sounds at all like them. If anything, there is a slight Kings of Leon resemblance. In any case, these are very enjoyable songs hewn from the unique DNA that makes U2 U2. An enormous improvement over the previous album. 8/10.
"One day I may have to actually explain to my kids the meaning behind “roll up your window” and “hang up the phone”."
I asked my daughter just yesterday what she was clicking on when she hit "save." She had no idea what it was, just knew that was the symbol for clicking something. She's never seen a floppy disc.
Despite the play on the name, The Daily Show’s Austin visit is not during SXSW. SXSW is in March.
I haven’t had a chance to listen to the new U2 album, so I enjoyed your thoughts as a preview.
I think the album is really solid. It gets better with each listen, which good albums do. It's quintessentially U2-sounding, with many moments of real artistic risk and creativity. I've seen several knee-jerk comments online about it being "boring" or derivative of bands who are derivative of U2 (e.g. The Killers and Coldplay). As one who listens a lot to those bands, I don't think Songs of Innocence sounds at all like them. If anything, there is a slight Kings of Leon resemblance. In any case, these are very enjoyable songs hewn from the unique DNA that makes U2 U2. An enormous improvement over the previous album. 8/10.
"One day I may have to actually explain to my kids the meaning behind “roll up your window” and “hang up the phone”."
I asked my daughter just yesterday what she was clicking on when she hit "save." She had no idea what it was, just knew that was the symbol for clicking something. She's never seen a floppy disc.