Another Firsthand Review of “Get On Your Boots”
Greetings, U2 Fans!
I’m good friends with Skott Bennett, a.k.a Barely Larrry, the drummer for Zoo Station. In addition to being the Hit Man for San Francisco’s resident U2 tribute band, he works at a radio station here in The City. He was invited into a meeting with Universal today, who premiered the new U2 song for the station. Since we’re all anxious (that’s an understatement!) to find out exactly what this new album is all about, I talked to him about the song shortly after the meeting. This is what he had to say about it:
God bless ‘em, it opens with a drum fill, not unlike “Young Folks” by Peter, Bjorn & John, and then we’re on our way. The signature riff is muscular and catchy in the “Vertigo” vein, with a rapid fire vocal pattern. I read Alan Cross’s blog this morning and he compared the verses to “Pump It Up” by Elvis Costello. I can’t say I disagree with that. It’s evocative, but I wouldn’t call it a rip-off. The chorus takes a trip through the Middle East with Bono singing, “You don’t know how beautiful you are.” There’s a half-tempo breakdown/bridge with a processed drum loop that I cannot wait to hear in a stadium. It’s like John Bonham playing on a Massive Attack song before the song lurches back into the main riff for another verse and chorus. And then before you know it, it’s all over. It feels like a seven minute epic crammed into about three minutes, although I didn’t check my watch for the time.
The single most striking thing about this song for me are the drums. Or at least I think they’re drums. I’ve never heard so many layers of rhythm on a U2 song. There are a lot of very processed drums (I thought of Kasabian at one point and N*E*R*D* at another) and loops going on, coming in and out of the mix and then at points it goes back to traditional sounding drums for emphasis. It’s extremely tasteful, but complex enough to make my head spin. And I have no idea how I’m gonna manage to pull it off when my band learns it, so stay tuned for some comedy while I work that business out.
Anyway, this is NOT U2 by the numbers. This is not a “return to form” or “back to basics.” This is, what the kids like to call, some OTHER s**t. And I loved it. I think you will too. And I can’t wait to hear it again.
Last 4 posts by jenniwren08
- Running to...buy this album? - January 15th, 2009
Great review Barely Larry! I can not wait to hear the new single!
-Cyril
PS: Zoo Station rocks! I saw their Red Rock show in SF a year and a half ago, and it was a blast. If you can’t catch a U2 show they are the next best thing!
“some OTHER s**t” - that’s what I’ve been hoping for! Can’t wait to hear it now, thanks for the review Skott/Crazy.
- J.
certainly an exciting review with a fantastic description! i like the ‘layers of drums’ description particularly. i read early on that they were spending a lot of time on drum sounds and looking into how they recorded the drums on Jimi Hendrix albums. it seems like the song takes a few twists & turns which i love. who would think of elvis costello, john bonham, massive attack, and middle eastern music? not many bands today for sure. there is some great indie music out there but radio is playing it way too safe
hopefully U2 will jolt the establishment once again and open the flood gates for some of the younger talented bands/artists trying to do something different! Go U2!
-DM.
Hey! I have heard it and its great! The song is similar to Queens “Bicicle Race” with its “chaingun ryhmes” i mean the “I don’t believe in Peter Pan Frankenstein or Superman” sort of quick, funny type of rhymes . It also reminds me of Billy Joel “We didnt start the fire!” in the same sense. Especially with lyrics ” Einstein, James Dean, Brooklyn’s got a winning team ,Davy Crockett, Peter Pan, Elvis Presley, Disneyland”. They are the same type of rhymes.
@lucas - where did you hear it?? Has it been leaked yet?
- J.
Lucas? You are not telling us something.
LLLLLLLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!
Please, please, please…………tell me, tell me where you heard it!!
Um, I think Lucas is playing you fine people.
Hopefully boots will shock and rock. Maybe lose some fans but will open doors for a whole new chaper in the U2 story…can’t wait
wow, great discrition indeed.
Can’t wait to hear it myself!!
Niko
Here’s my story. I’m so happy I found a place to share it:
Heard the U2 song “Get on Your Boots” twice. A record gentleman came into my shop and played it for me twice. He had only received the copy that morning - to play and move and play and move - and we listened to it for his third and fourth time.
He said - he liked it more the heard it.
My friend said it sounded like beatles.
My other friend said bono likes the word beautiful.
My final friend in the room said - nice production.
I said I saw Bob Dylan dropping down cards in Subterranean Home Sick Blues during the verses. And noticed: verse - chorus (very U2-ish) - verse - chorus… - BREAK (loud drum breakdown) - and a close that reminded me of the “Yeah!” in The Beatles’ Baby You Can Drive My Car: “beep beep beep - Yeah!”
You can listen to the new song on U2’s website
http://goyb.u2.com/
One of the reasons why I love U2 so much is ..you never know what you are gonna get. I love Get on your boots. Sounds like Queen, ELO and Elvis Costello’s Pump it up all mixed together. I can’t wait for the rest of the album!
Also, who knew a taste of Flamenco music could taste so good
Utter Garbage!
Play a couple songs off Achtung Baby, Zooropa, The Unforgettable Fire, War, The Joshua Tree, Rattle and Hum…. then play this crap. You’ll quickly agree that it is crap also. Clean your ears out everyone. As they say… if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, guess someone f*cked up!
Just plain sad.
i think the song should have been called vertigo II….dissapointing to me, specially the chorus bit, no punch…and then in the song goes into hip hop mode at the end…
change at the end of the song when bono goes hey hey hey, for yeah yeah yeah! and you have the end of vertigo…
even though i don’t think its a terrible song i can’t believe this tune has been selected as the 1st single, isnt there anything better?
lets get this straight from the start,I love u2 and think they have pushed the boundarys time after time ,but this simply is a bad song .
Play with or without you and this back to back and tell me im wrong.
I really hope the album has a few hidden gems as I said the guys are great and I dont want to put out a bad review as im a real fan.
And Im sure this is not the sort of comment the u2 camp want to hear (or tell the band)……..lets put it this way …….the emperor has no clothes.
Let’s all analyze the new song and decide if it’s “good” or not… Grrrrr. Just enjoy being able to hear new music from living legends- they are the best rock n roll band ever so have some fun with it for goodness sakes- Get on your boots people! Sexy boots!
It doesn’t make me feel anything, u2 Is all about feeling, it’s like they sat down and thought let’s write a hit instead off feeling things and seeing what happens. It’s no kings of leon, killers but the big suprise for me this year was keane fantastic album.
Not sure i agree that it’s Vertigoesque, methinks ’tis more fast car the sequel perhaps the vocals are so similiar - just a thought.
Amen Giazka!! Vertigo part 2 this tune is weak!
Amen mike!
what a crap song! really this song sucks it´s boring, does not have a clue and it´s meaningless in the lyrics part… so sad that this band produces this kind of music
I’m A HUGE U2 Fan… But this song is absolute garbage! The video is disturbing and U2 is in danger of finish very poorly.
boots definately sounds like pump it up, but remember the escape club’s “wild wild west? very similar melodies too..check it out!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQkyYC3si3c&feature=related