U2: Overrated?

OK, I exaggerated for effect.

 

Far be it from me to keep you from listening to 70s AM Gold. If that floats your pleasant boat ...

 

The songs they performed on SNL this week were earnest as all fuck. Bono, buddy, believe us, you don't have to convince America how much things suck. Subtlety would be your friend. I suppose, in that regard, their new album could be an album of the times, in which everyone is freaking out all the time. But it doesn't make for good or affecting music.

 

In their defense, that's a symptom of a lot of music these days. Too much sledgehammer, not enough guitar.

 

What do y9u know about sledgehammers anyway, noob?

 

I listened to War, Boy and October in high school when U2 was in the same general category as Black Flag and Husker Du and bands of that ilk. I haven't really listened to them since. I have an ex who positively hated Bono and U2, but, then again, she's a Republican.

 

I've always liked that a band that contains members named Bono and The Edge has a drummer who was like, Hi, I'm Larry.

 

Randy "California" Wolf.

 

The new U2 album is great. Of course, seeing The Edge play the greatest guitar in the history of the world on it does make it better, but I think the lyrics are pretty good, too.

Get Out of Your Own Way is particularly good.

Love hurts
Now you look out, who's left with no words?
Your heart's a balloon, but then it bursts
It doesn't take a cannon, just a pin
------------
The face of liberty's starting to crack
She had a plan up until she got smacked in the mouth
And it all went south
Like freedom
The slaves are lookin' for someone to lead them
The master's lookin' for someone to need him
The promised land is there for those who need it most
And Lincoln's ghost said

Get out of your own way, oh, I....

 

Those lyrics are dreadful.

 

Sincerity is the new irony