V vs SFBM Options

[Wambangalang]

I'm gonna pop in V, my god it's been years since I listened to it from beginning to end.

good god man. I forgot to tell you the secret ingredient for making such a decision work. A bottle of red wine, consumed prior to and during listening should blur the senses to an appropriate level. I hope its not too late

[brandedwendy]

V. I'll join the walking down memory lane/notalgia posts.

However...I do remember it being the first Live-album I'd skip songs on (and that was a scary insight at the time.... skipping songs by Live).

[dancing queen]

I compared V to Queen's "Hot Space" & U2's "Achtung Baby" when it was released: I couldn't take hold to it like the previous albums, but just like Hot Space & Achtung Baby I grew to appreciate it because Live was taking a risk, which takes serious balls & once I had this understanding I grew to really enjoy it.

As for SFBM, well . . .

Achtung Baby is my favorite U2 album.

I liked V because it was so different. At the time I enjoyed that every LIVE album was a reinvention of sorts.

Last night I worked night shift and had my iPod on shuffle, only LIVE songs. As much as I have loved them over the years, I didn't realize how much I dislike SFBM. I think I have just been pretending that I'm older and don't sit around just listening to music anymore, but that's not true at all. I totally sit around listening to music all the time, and SFBM is just not worthy of the 4 creative geniuses who were Live. When BOP songs came on the iPod, I let them play. I don't hate them. Some of the songs have some redeeming qualities. But SFBM just feels - I don't know. It feels like my bad poetry.
I'm a terrible poet, a terrible writer. I like doing it. I do it for me I don't share it with anyone, because they would say "hey Jess, no one should have to read this drivel"
SFBM feels like something I could write.

I also paid close attention to the album versions of songs and then the Live at the Paradiso version. I've enjoyed Live shows always. Some are better than others, but I've always enjoyed them. I don't know that the Paradiso version of songs is worse exactly (some of you will say worse, and that's fine) but it's soooo dramatically different from how they used to get it done. I'm sure a few of you are like "dude, did she just wake up???"
yeah, maybe I didn't notice the water starting to boil all around me, I guess.

I mean, I did notice the difference in Ed's voice. It's impossible not to. They played in State College forever ago and Ed's voice in Walk The Line was so deep I could feel it in my bones (it was mildly eargasmic). The Paradiso version makes him sound prepubescent comparatively.

Anyway, on an island I'd take V. Partly because I know it was written off the cuff, so lyrics like "song so good it'd make a midget grow" are amusing and not abhorrent. And partly because Tricky is such a violently strange addition I find no choice but to like it.

I hope, when the zombies come, I have the sense to pack my 9mm and some good music.

[SinfulEyes]

Wow 29 to 5?

[tiger]

I compared V to Queen's "Hot Space" & U2's "Achtung Baby" when it was released: I couldn't take hold to it like the previous albums, but just like Hot Space & Achtung Baby I grew to appreciate it because Live was taking a risk, which takes serious balls & once I had this understanding I grew to really enjoy it.

As for SFBM, well . . .

Jeez, I don't see any comparison to Achtung Baby, which is a magnificent album. More like Zooropa to me, which is still not as off the wall as V.

As much as I dislike V, I had to take it over SFBM though.

This post has been edited by tiger: Aug 23 2011, 8:49 am

[Pokey]

Its funny that as low as both of these albums rank for most people, V isn't met with the utter disdain and hatred that SFBM is. It seems most view V for what it was, a bit of fun. Upon its release it copped a lot of flak because it was seen to be the new album everyone had waited years for. Not as it is now, a throw away rag tag group of songs the band made on the fly which the record company instead wanted to push as the new Live. Whereas SFBM (at least from Ed's pov) is an album taken a lot more seriously. Its seen as an actual downfall of creativity and musical ability, furthering to divide our band, and a legit attempt to make a proper album.

In other words, its easy to laugh off a lot of V because you're laughing with it, whereas with SFBM you're laughing at it.

[LiveRoCkS77]

I voted for SFBM by a longshot.

V, IMO, is amongst the very worst records I have ever listened to. SFBM at least has some redeeming qualities to it, although not many. SFBM has some catchy songs, though they mostly do suck in their entirety.

But V? Honestly? Call Me A Fool? Transmit your love? OK??? Are you fucking kidding me??

It's the only CD I do not own, after actually buying copies twice upon its release. They both got thrown out....one to the lot below my window and the other out a car window. Complete and utter trash other than Overcome.

SFBM at least has a few enjoyable tunes like Mystery, Night of Nights, Show, Sophia and You Are Not Alone. V has none of that and I utterly fucking despise everything that that record had to say.

[Pokey]

I voted for SFBM by a longshot.

V, IMO, is amongst the very worst records I have ever listened to. SFBM at least has some redeeming qualities to it, although not many. SFBM has some catchy songs, though they mostly do suck in their entirety.

But V? Honestly? Call Me A Fool? Transmit your love? OK??? Are you fucking kidding me??

It's the only CD I do not own, after actually buying copies twice upon its release. They both got thrown out....one to the lot below my window and the other out a car window. Complete and utter trash other than Overcome.

SFBM at least has a few enjoyable tunes like Mystery, Night of Nights, Show, Sophia and You Are Not Alone. V has none of that and I utterly fucking despise everything that that record had to say.

Haha you pretty much summed up how I feel but swap V and SFBM around in your post

[Hoodstock]

Wow 29 to 5?

SFBM sucks, but I have to say it's better than V. That album is drop dead horrible.

[LiveRoCkS77]

SFBM sucks, but I have to say it's better than V. That album is drop dead horrible.

Good man.

[apesce1]

They were both bad, however musically V has more input from all members, SFBM is seemingly all new age Ed = bland, safe eazy listening sadness.

[Pokey]

I think thats a lot of it too, V was more interesting musically. It certainly has an energy to it, that and as I said i have a pretty strong personal attatchment to it. I do wish that timing wise I could have had a better album come out at the time I needed it, but the way it worked out, it was V.
The fact CT was saying that by SFBM pretty much all his guitar parts were even being written by Jim Wirt is pretty telling and explains a lot about its completely flat and lifeless sound.

[Wambangalang]

SFBM at least has a few enjoyable tunes like Mystery, Night of Nights, Show, Sophia and You Are Not Alone.

you're doing the funny canadian dickhead thing here, yeh?

[donno]

That's like asking would you rather be water-boarded or have bamboo chutes under your fingernails.

[Merica]

I stand by what I originally said in this thread:

I also voted for V because, whilst not on the same level as the previous albums, I admire the explosion of energy and diversity - even if it was misguided. The album has a fair bit of kick to it, and I do think it has some decent tracks. And SFBM is too bland for me. So I go for V.

... but I must add that Show is, for all it's flat blandness, a tune that I dig.