Songs of Experience- U2

Trey Anderson Feb. 2nd, 2018

 

It’s been 42 years since the creation of the Irish-born band U2. Yet somehow, they are still able to record an album that finds meaning in this new world that we live in whilst reflecting on the past experiences. Songs of Experience is classic U2 with Bono’s vocals still sounding fresh accompanied by The Edge’s magnificent guitar skills and the constant rhythms and beats produced by Larry Mullen Jr. Not to mention the great Adam Clayton on bass.

 

Get Out of Your Own Way is a soft yet hard-hitting ballad about not to let your own head get in the way of living life to its best and its fullest. Bono leads the singing but there are some amazing backing vocals from the rest of the group. You’re the Best Thing About Me is a wonderful love song that is sweet in its soul. The smoothness of it and the flow compliment Get of Your Own Way perfectly. They appear as simple love songs but go further beyond that showing the deep thought put behind them.

 

The champion of this album is by far American Soul. Not only is it a love letter to the United States but, it is also a call to action for the truth and that we need to be accepting of all people all over the world and embrace them with open arms. Mullen Jr. and Clayton really shine in this particular song with a heavy fast-moving beat. Both provide techniques and rhythms only a true pro can deliver. You’ll never stop moving your feet to this one. The message that America and its people are rock and roll could not be truer. The Edge’s electricity can be felt throughout, and Bono’s voice comes from the heart as the lyrics provide the perfect anthem for today.

 

The other tracks on Songs of Experience are: Love is all We have Left, Lights of Home, Summer of Love, Red Flag Day, The Showman, The Little Things You Give Away, Landlady, The Blackout, Love is Bigger than Anything in its Way, 13, Ordinary Love, and Book of Your Heart. All of which maintain a relevancy in this day and age but also showcase U2’s views from an older perspective as once young Irishmen dealing with the harsh troubles of the 1970s and 1980s. Love is Bigger than Anything in its Way provides a message of hope from that generation leaving an impact on those who listen to it.

U2 has created many albums over the years but this is by far one of their best. If you’re looking for a new but old really great tracks then, this is the album for you. It truly encapsulates our society as a whole while also recalling past “experiences”.