We have been waiting three years for U2's new material, even though it was teased that it will came out only few months after its predecessor. They needed three years to convolut their 40 year experience inoti what they called Songs of Experience. Considering delay, one would expect that the industrious boys were cooking something special, maybe their first decent material since All That You Can't Leave Behind. How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb sounded like a reprise of All That You Can't Leave Behind, while No Line On The Horizon and Songs Of Innocence were simply lukewarm efforts. Unfortunately, Songs Of Experience does not represent a leap forward.
Singles that promoted the album seemed like an indicator that we might deservingly expect great things from U2 again. You're The Best Thing About Me is a signature U2 jam with big chorus, and Get Out Of Your Own Way totally belongs on How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb since it sounds like a b-side of All That You Can't Leave Behind. On the other hand, The Blackout is probably the worst song they have released in the past two decades, a bad hybrid of Elevation and Get On Your Boots.
So, prior to album's release, we had a confusing situation which didn't help us determine in which direction the album will go. The final result is no worse or better than what we got from U2 with their last few albums - a collection of mediocre, predictable songs. Edge did not deliver any revolutionary riffs, and everything sounds too polished. Fans will claim that this is a true U2 because Bono standardly sings good, and the crew are doing a decent job, but I simply don't see a song (except You're The Best Thing About Me) that can live after the tour is over.
The opening Love Is All We Have resembles the last album of Editors (easy synth and whiny vocals), and Lights Of Home is as If they covered Beck's Loser with annoying chorus. American Soul is another number with hybrid guitars and memorable chorus, while Summer of Love is a typical U2 song that does not develop into anything. Red Flag Day is a pure filler, while The Snowman (Little More Better) is actually a refreshing summer hit. Few ballads towards the end of the album are just a spark of what kind of fire we would want to get from U2, with 13(There Is A Light) being the most ignated.
In general, U2 have been in the creative vacuum for a while now, but because of what they have given us in the past, we keep on forgiving them for shitty materials. Songs of Experience is an album by a band who is putting experience in front of courage.
