4.52am Issue: 061 The U2 Issue 30th Novemeber 2017

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T
his week in 4.52am we have a wee look at
what is always a big story, the latest album
from up-and-coming Irish rockers, U2.
From there we take a moment to learn an Edge
guitar part or two as well as checking out Linkin
Park who are going to be sorely missed.
We finally finish our Telemaster Jr project – “The
Last One” – before moving on to Thick Syrup and
Sonic Kharma, then checking out some cool
tunes from la Contessa.
Next week we launch our end of year ‘Awards’
which are pretty special, so more anon.
Hope you enjoy it
All at 4.52am

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Contents
U2 .......................................................................................... 9
Learn to Play: U2 .................................................................. 17
Learn to Play: Linkin Park ..................................................... 21
The Last One ......................................................................... 25
Thick Syrup ........................................................................... 35
Sonic Kharma ........................................................................ 37
La Contessa Presents… .......................................................... 39
1960s: Manfred Mann ........................................................... 41
1970s: Sad Cafe ..................................................................... 43
1980s: The Smiths ................................................................. 45
1990s: The Beatles ................................................................ 47
2000s: Feist ........................................................................... 49
2010s: Lawson ...................................................................... 51

U2
W
hen U2 released ‘Songs of Innocence’ what seems
like aeons ago, giving it away must have seemed a
fine idea. It was a good album – in fact a return to
form in many ways – but whoever came-up with the idea of
automatically adding it to everybody’s iTunes account went a
step too far for the public, and it was seen as an imposition and
people took offence as only people on social media can take it -
with ladles.
It must have been confusing for all concerned. Still the biggest
band in the world, they give their work of years away and get
totally flamed over it. And now we find the companion album,
the delayed ‘Songs of Experience’ – as all you lovers of Blake will
know – appearing this week. No sign of a giveaway, and in fact
very little by the way of fanfare, but what we do get is a proper
album, a really, really good album that perhaps many people
would have thought was something that was long in the band’s
past. A genuine step forward.

appear elsewhere.

In many ways, U2 should be beyond this, in the same way that
you don’t expect the Rolling Stones to make an album that is
anything more than enough of a re-tread to keep the inevitable
tour respectable. But to be fair, despite the grief the band –
Bono – gets for speaking out as they have always done, in many
ways it is a long time since they have taken any chances with
their music, and if ‘Songs of Experience’ isn’t all the way there it
is certainly a step in that direction, with some genuine risks
being taken alongside a gentle recap of some of their finest
moments.
In many ways U2’s career has been one of phases – the early,
raw days, the polish of the Unforgettable Fire and Joshua Tree
years, the leap into the unknown with the My Bloody Valentine
tinged Eurogenius that was Achtung Baby and Zooropa, being
the highpoints. From there though the gaps between albums got
longer and unlikely though the idea may be, it seemed as though
a lack of confidence crept in, for whatever reason. Post Zooropa
it was as though there were too many albums that artistically –
visually – pushed the art and politics, but with the odd
exception, even the best songs owed more to the band looking
over their shoulders than it did to trying to ‘dream it all up again,
and again.’
In many ways then, ‘Songs of Experience’ is something
completely different for a band that really doesn’t need to try
too hard, and though it is an evolution from the definite promise
of ‘Innocence’ in some ways it is that reimagining of themselves
that this band more than any other was always so adept at.
Yes, there are pointers to the past, but there is a definite

Joy to some of the songs that we haven’t heard in a long time.
For me (as usual) it is the guitar sounds that define the change.
Where ‘Innocence’ looked again at tones you’d recognise from
Boy, October and War, ‘Experience’ works in parallel with that,
mining what could have been if the Edge had put his pedal board
away in 1984 and just bashed the fuck out of a Telecaster. Quite
seriously, at times it could be Johnny Ramone, T.V Smith or Billy
Bragg playing and there is a definite feeling of looseness and
freedom through the majority of the tracks.
Plenty of others will talk you through the songs themselves, and
it is a glory box of a collection that any U2 fan will love, but the
important question is whether it will turn any heads that haven’t
previously been converted. If it had been plonked into a billion
iTunes accounts and people had actually listened, would it do
enough to melt a few hearts?
In truth, probably not as it is hard to preach to the disinterested
at the best of times, but there is enough here to really please an
old U2 fan that looks forward to their albums with a hope born
of feigned innocence rather than studied experience. And I have
to say it is the best U2 album, the freshest U2 album since
Zooropa, and my god I just hope they keep their nerve and
against everybody’s expectations, give up trying to be Coldplay
trying to be U2 and remember that they are so much better than
that and make the leap into something unique and important, a
Deus ex Machina of an era that could prove to be their greatest
achievement.
You don’t need me to tell you where to buy the album.

Learn to Play:
U2
I
don’t know why it is that the Edge has never really got the
credit for what he creates ‘sonically’, although I would guess
that it has something to do with him not getting ‘Olympic’ in
the ‘80s with Yngwie and Eddie and the rest of the boys, but
then I can’t remember any of their songs and I’m rather partial
to U2’s.
Regardless of that, if you think his work is just a case of setting
your Boss Delay to the right setting, you haven’t really got to
grips with the man’s work yet, so here we are, fill your filthy
boots.

Learn to Play:
Linkin Park
I
wrote a book that had Linkin Park as the trigger for all kinds
of mayhem in it, quite a few years ago, and I must have made
at least a tenner off it, so I have always looked at them with
some fondness.
Needless to say, the recent tragedy was horrendous, and whilst
in some sorry way it makes you re-evaluate just how good they
have been, perhaps it should never have been in question. Top
band, sadly..well, just sadly.

The Last One
I
t has been a while since we started our Telemaster Junior
project, but circumstances meant that it is only recently that
we have finished it, and I thought I should share it with the
group.
As you can see, out Telemaster features the final Jooky paisley
finish – is the final Jooky guitar, in fact – and a quite lovely club
of a neck. The pickup from Ben at Fletcher Pickups is gorgeous,
we should have a video next week – and all in all it ended-up
tuned A-A and sounding immense.
I’d like to thank all the chaps that joined in, it was fun…

Thick Syrup
G
ord I love Thick Syrup and am all manner of pleased to
hear that they have a new album on the way next
February. As is customary, there is a single to celebrate
such news in the shape of ‘Jennifer’ which comes with a rather
cool homage to Star Trek’s Data.
Made by Glasgow film maker Jimmy Gage, the video catches
Data's journey into humanity on camera. The band say of it,
"Emerging from a bush in a garden in Ibrox, Glasgow, Data tries
to make sense of his new situation. He discovers that the
tricorder malfunction triggered a series of sub space jumps that
resulted in him being flung to the northern hemisphere of 21st
century earth. As he tries to adapt to local customs and
familiarise himself with the flora and fauna of the area he is
surprised to experience an unusual sensation. An emotion is
passing over him. What it is he does not know."
Facebook Bandcamp Pre-Order

Sonic Kharma
A
nother great Swedish Rock band is Sonic Kharma who
released a rather brilliant album back in September in
the shape of, ‘Too Much Is Just Enough’ and are backing
it up quite nicely with a fine track, ‘New Day’,
Henrik “Henk Moody” Braennlund tells us more,
"I was inspired to write the lyrics for New Day instantly when I
first heard the instrumental naked version. The song melody was
played over and over in my head from the first chord and I had
to translate what I heard to what I felt the song melody could
mean. And often when you do that it translate into something
that you feel at that point in time. I was stuck in a rut, not
necessarily all about love (which is easy to translate everything
into), and I heard that this song definitely had to do with
empowerment! To break free from any negativity that is going
on right now. There´s a New Day dawning and it can be
whatever you want it to be. So I hope you find the negativity
vanish in your life when you hear this song and that you like it
and want to listen to more of our music! Follow your passion,
people! :D".
Find out more,
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La Contessa Presents…
A
nother week may have passed, Christmas lights seem to
be spreading like mould across the country and I have to
say, La Contessa is spending some time getting ready for
the big vote we launch next week for her song of the year.
Which as you can imagine is going to be something rather
special.
This week though, she hasn’t let the distractions, well, distract
her too much and she has delivered her usual selection of
brilliantly well observed tunes for your delectation. In many
ways this week matters a little more than most as it has been
pizza, if not nail-biting, so this is for Dido and all who may sail in
her.
Enjoy!

1960s: Manfred Mann

1970s: Sad Cafe

1980s: The Smiths

1990s: The Beatles

2000s: Feist

2010s: Lawson