Thank you. I was a Beyonce fan, and I’m so sick of the uniform knee jerk hero worship. Enough. She had a good album, but it doesn’t reach the heights her percieved stature implies. Come on. And the Coldplay props nulifies some of the review as well. I was half expecting a Yeezus reference.

One thing I do agree with is that the choruses are generally very weak. I like Volcano and Raised by Wolves, but tracks 2-5 really do feel like a wet fart, as he so eloquently described it. U2 going for the gusto and falling flat on their faces. I like some of the bottom half of the album. I wished they sort of just humbled themselves and went that route and made sort of a subtler set that got into people’s goodwill on their own volition.

Another bone to pick is something that is inherently handicapping “rock” bands (whatever that is now) – ripping them for bringing in lots of producers. So, Bey and Yeezus can use dozens of producers and cop (or integrate) their idea, but U2 can’t? I get it, sometimes it’s more effectively done and sometimes it sucks, but why mention it at all. This whole war against “rockism” is a fucking failure. U2 always goes for a grand slam and hit a single this time out, but authenticity does matter. Fuck it.

Fellas, fellas – let’s not tire ourselves out here. We need to conserve some energy for upcoming matters of hate/anger/disappointment/expected failure:

“I think it’s time for an episode of Sick Burns.”

Courtney Love shreds.

Can I re-gift my free U2 album to my dad?

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/u2-songs-of-innocence-20140911

I’m just gonna leave this here…

Partial disclosure:

I don’t know about you guys, but I kinda wish internet music review culture could slow down a little bit. It’s not even been a full two days (!) since anyone has heard this thing, and we’re already getting Rolling Stone singing its praises and Stereogum doing the opposite, among countless others. It just feels like a race to the bottom, filled with immediate, visceral reactions that don’t do much other than satisfy people’s need to have heard of them first.

Now excuse me while I wait impatiently for year-end list season to start, because mine’s already put together

For a minute there I was worried I would get through a review of this album that didn’t included the obligatory Beyonce hosannas, but this came through in the end.

All hail the monoculture and our new lord and savoir Beyonce.

“5 out of 5 Stars, Album of the Year!” – Rolling Stone, probably

lol i <3 TMZ that's the site i'm on, rite?

Ariel Pink is a talented songwriter with star quality and original point of view. That’s a pretty rare thing in this day and age.

really digging deep into the creep thing there, eh Ariel? “hey i just talked abt being a misogynist creep, how about i release a song named after a phrase used by men who force themselves on women”

In related U2 and Lykke Li news…..

She just broke my f’ing heart.

kourtney ckilled curt lol omg

lol

omg

Dope. Just got my “Thanks for pre-ordering, shithead” confirmation email.