JamietheEdgefan
Refugee
The way i see it, i'm guessing it's all been tactical ever since NLOTH flopped. They were doing really well in terms of success and popularity with ATYCLB and HTDAAB. I presume they had high hopes that NLOTH would do equally well, and they could afford to make a zooropa-esque side project (songs of ascent) that wouldn't have been as major or successful, but still wouldn't have hurt u2's 'winning streak'.
However, NLOTH's failure, perhaps coupled with u2 or bono-fatigue with the public seems to have made the band go down a few notches in terms of commercial/public success. So, i'd guess they're aiming for the next project to bounce them back to the top.
If that is the case, releasing a low-key Songs of Ascent would be a bad idea, because it's left field nature (i'm presuming it won't have any pop/chart-topper songs), and a lack of massive promotional push (if people here are imagining it as a 'quiet release') that u2 normally have, would significantly decrease it's audience, so it would probably do even worse commercially than NLOTH, and perhaps u2 (concerned with relevance) would worry that such a thing would further cement them as 'has-beens', and put even greater pressure on them to deliver another Joshua tree/Achtung baby level album.
Just speculation of course, but if it is the case, and they want to get 'back to the top' ASAP, then their next move will definitely be a big commercial-friendly album, NOT a low key Songs of Ascent release. And that's why i don't think SoA will ever be released as anything more than out takes.
It's also why i think they've been so reluctant to release any b-sides or follow up EPs (saving possible to recycle on the next big album), and partly (along with spiderman and the tour) why they didn't release that 2011 album: because it didn't have a 'One', 'beautiful day' or 'vertigo' yet to bounce them back from NLOTH's failure.
However, NLOTH's failure, perhaps coupled with u2 or bono-fatigue with the public seems to have made the band go down a few notches in terms of commercial/public success. So, i'd guess they're aiming for the next project to bounce them back to the top.
If that is the case, releasing a low-key Songs of Ascent would be a bad idea, because it's left field nature (i'm presuming it won't have any pop/chart-topper songs), and a lack of massive promotional push (if people here are imagining it as a 'quiet release') that u2 normally have, would significantly decrease it's audience, so it would probably do even worse commercially than NLOTH, and perhaps u2 (concerned with relevance) would worry that such a thing would further cement them as 'has-beens', and put even greater pressure on them to deliver another Joshua tree/Achtung baby level album.
Just speculation of course, but if it is the case, and they want to get 'back to the top' ASAP, then their next move will definitely be a big commercial-friendly album, NOT a low key Songs of Ascent release. And that's why i don't think SoA will ever be released as anything more than out takes.
It's also why i think they've been so reluctant to release any b-sides or follow up EPs (saving possible to recycle on the next big album), and partly (along with spiderman and the tour) why they didn't release that 2011 album: because it didn't have a 'One', 'beautiful day' or 'vertigo' yet to bounce them back from NLOTH's failure.
