Dave Fanning Comments From U2.com

[U2Fan101]

Well I'm not worried if it's the third, even though I thought ATYCLB and HTDAAB were shit albums, HTDAAB is better than ATYCLB in my opinion. So maybe the 'finale' of the three will be the best.

But, I think they've closed the book on that style and have started a new one. I really don't think this will be like the last two.

 

[luna_lovegood]

I'm not sure if it quite works out as "trilogies", but U2 quite clearly does go through phases with certain sounds. October doesn't fit next to Zooropa, but it does fit next to Boy. ATYCLB doesn't fit next to War, but it does fit next to HTDAAB. Passengers and (hopefully) NLOTH sort of fuck up the trilogy theory, but there is a pattern.

I actually think it kind of does work out as distinct triolgies. IMO You can catorgorize U2 into early 80s, late 80s, 90s and 2000s. Boy, October and War have threads that run through them. The powerful, emotionnal, raw youthful energy of U2 under 25. Then there is a distinct break with War - UF, Josh and R&H are epic, soaring landscapes that capture a maturity of songwriting and soundscape. Once again, a distinct break with the 80s - AB, Zooropa and Pop are a study of dark electronic pop rock music, and a musical challenge to their back catalogue. Then 2000 - a conscious "back to basics" decision. Every three albums there is a deliberate change of sound. The sound develops and cahnges across the "trilogies" but history shows that the general "sound" remains similar. So to me, its seems natural that ATYCLB, Bomb and No Line will follow a similar pattern. They're, so far, about an epxloration of older, calmer U2, as grown men, with families, more solid values and more steady lives. Their music has calmed down and been harnessed into the "2000s" sound. So while I hope No Line is more of a break than the patterns suggest, I am expecting it to be along the same vein of the previous 2 albums.

 

[mwheelonh]

It's hard to keep coming by here these days...not because nothing's leaked yet, but because of all the "but of course, since [insert album name here] was shit, this'll be different, or it'll also be shit..."

Seriously, get some perspective. Go buy every faux-hip hip crap album in the top 40 currently and then tell me that [insert album name here] is truly "shit". Best U2 effort? Up to personal opinion. But "shit"? Jesus, if you think that, go back to henryrollins.com.

Haven't you ever heard the phrase "harshing my buzz"? All these fans, just trying to get excited about a band they like (or love), and Mr. Troll has to come along and drop that sort of shit in here...sigh. I'm glad registration is free.

 

[luna_lovegood]

^ Chill out. Theres a lot more poeple in this part of the forums who are happily excited than there are party poopers.

 

[dan_smee]

It's hard to keep coming by here these days...not because nothing's leaked yet, but because of all the "but of course, since [insert album name here] was shit, this'll be different, or it'll also be shit..."

Seriously, get some perspective. Go buy every faux-hip hip crap album in the top 40 currently and then tell me that [insert album name here] is truly "shit". Best U2 effort? Up to personal opinion. But "shit"? Jesus, if you think that, go back to henryrollins.com.

Haven't you ever heard the phrase "harshing my buzz"? All these fans, just trying to get excited about a band they like (or love), and Mr. Troll has to come along and drop that sort of shit in here...sigh. I'm glad registration is free.

QFT!!!

You have my vote for Tsar of interference!

 

[luna_lovegood]

haha. Tsar of interference.

 

[U2387]

Yeah, cause those albums were SO awful.

Both albums that won numerous awards, from fans, fellow muscians and critics. They sold a combined 7.5 million copies in the U.S. during the peak of the illegal download years and over 21 million copies worldwide and produced wildly successful tours. Plus, the albums have some of U2's greatest material on it.

I'm not saying every song is great. I strongly disagree with Fanning regarding his comment about "A Man and a Woman". But I also feel some "off" songs are on JT as well.

Also, if we use that "trilogy" analogy, the final album in each trilogy shows tremendous leaps from the first album. This was true with songs from "War", R&H and "Pop", the previous "third albums in U2's trilogies", when compared to the first and second album in the "trilogies". I even felt this was true for HTDAAB compared to ATYCLB. "Bomb" showed some very innovative work, with songs like "Love & Peace" and "Fast Cars", sounds we hadn't heard from U2 before. Therefore, I would expect the same on NLOTH.

Lastly, remember that all bands have their own unique sound. U2 can experiment all they want, yet they will always have that U2 sound. "Mofo" wasn't the Chemical Brothers or Prodigy - but it was U2's version of that sound. It was still very U2, yet a very different U2 sound. "Fast Cars" was still very U2, yet also very Mediterranean. I expect more of this type of experimentation here - songs that are still U2 in sound, yet different for them. Other reviews have had more discussion regarding experimentation. I think Fanning is saying that here too - there's new layers and sonic arrangements, but it's still clear it's U2.

Remember, if it weren't for U2 having their own unique sound, AB wouldn't have produced "One" and "Zooropa" wouldn't have produced "Stay" - two of U2's more popular tracks. And what might sound like the "same old U2" to you or even Fanning could sound very different to someone else. I recall a roommate stating way back in 1988 how U2 sounded completely different on R&H compared to prior work! I wondered what that person thought of AB.

In other words, album reviews are a bit pointless as they are so subjective. But if NLOTH takes the best from ATYCLB and HTDAAB and throws in some new sounds, I know I'd be very happy.

A great, great post. Excellent, well thought out, my sentiments exactly. There will be those classic type U2 tracks like stay and one, but overall, NLOTH will break new ground.

 

[intedomine]

Although HTDAAB and ATYCLB might indeed have been "shit" albums, they still offered some immensely enjoyable and universally memorable U2 tunes. Beautiful Day, Walk On, Vertigo and SYCMIOYO are going to be cherished for years to come (like your classic and timeless U2 songs such as Mysterious Ways, Pride, I Will Follow, Desire), though cherished in different ways from each other.

The only major let down with ATYCLB and especially HTDAAB for me, is the lack of a consistent musical direction or flow or cohesion, the sense that 11 songs had been slapped together onto one disc. Most of the songs, when taken on their own, are all important parts of the U2 canon, and all appear to fulfil what U2 wre trying to do at the time. Maybe they were trying to do too many things at the time?

I often wonder as to how much of, and to what extent, the Chris Thomas stuff carried over onto the album proper. The promising thing NLOTH has going for it is that U2's 1st go at LP12 (Rubin) has been entirely scrapped. On HTDAAB, it was quite obvious that U2's 1st and 2nd (3rd, 4th, 5th?) efforts were captured on the album, and older ideas (such as COBL and ABOY) were put on the record, therefore delivering a confusing mix and vision.

 

[Hitman]

Well I'm not worried if it's the third, even though I thought ATYCLB and HTDAAB were shit albums, HTDAAB is better than ATYCLB in my opinion. So maybe the 'finale' of the three will be the best.

But, I think they've closed the book on that style and have started a new one. I really don't think this will be like the last two.

So, you registered for Interference.com at the time when U2 released a "shit" album. And the only other album that they have released since that time is also a "shit" album.

Why, I ask, have you posted on a U2 message board almost 1,000 times during that time?

 

[artdirector]

There's only one album worth talking about. Achtung baby! Hopefully this album will pass it up !

 

[corianderstem]

So, you registered for Interference.com at the time when U2 released a "shit" album. And the only other album that they have released since that time is also a "shit" album.

Why, I ask, have you posted on a U2 message board almost 1,000 times during that time?

Just because someone doesn't like one or two of U2's albums doesn't mean they automatically stop liking the albums that person does like.

Not liking something by U2 doesn't mean you have to turn in your Fan Card.

 

[SpaceBoy]

I often wonder as to how much of, and to what extent, the Chris Thomas stuff carried over onto the album proper. The promising thing NLOTH has going for it is that U2's 1st go at LP12 (Rubin) has been entirely scrapped. On HTDAAB, it was quite obvious that U2's 1st and 2nd (3rd, 4th, 5th?) efforts were captured on the album, and older ideas (such as COBL and ABOY) were put on the record, therefore delivering a confusing mix and vision.

I believe very little of what they did with Chris Thomas was used, they definitely had an album's worth of material they had recorded before they brought in Steve Lillywhite. Too bad we'll never hear what they were up to with that 20 piece string section.

 

[artdirector]

HTDAAB was good but not great. there's only been two great albums from the band. JT and AB. The rest of their albums were good but not great.

 

[Muldfeld]

So he thinks this album could be the third album of the ATYCLB-HTDAAB trilogy???

Eck!

Yeah THAT scared me, as did his comment that "A Man and a Woman" and "Crumbs" were gems.

If he wanted to be political, he could just have said U2 were doing a more basic kind of approach before; now they're not. But he genuinely seems to think the last album was amazing and isn't sure if this is better or not. Jeez!

 

[Muldfeld]

Well I'm not worried if it's the third, even though I thought ATYCLB and HTDAAB were shit albums, HTDAAB is better than ATYCLB in my opinion. So maybe the 'finale' of the three will be the best.

But, I think they've closed the book on that style and have started a new one. I really don't think this will be like the last two.

Yeah, but the whole chapter thing implies a similarity. It makes me think this sounds very basic, obvious, and direct, which I don't want.

It's clearly a matter of opinion. But changing subject, I don't really think Fanning described it well. If he says Stand Up Comedy is the closer to a Led track, it must not be similar in any aspect to the former albums. Other aspect is, if the abum belongs to a trilogy shall we remember that Star Wars was also a trilogy as well. Maybe it's Empire Strikes Back.

No offense, but I hate the entire story of Star Wars, so I'd be screwed. Star Trek Deep Space Nine, however....

 

[Muldfeld]

Atomic Bomb was pretty good..to each and their own I guess.

I can't wait for this one!

The scary thing for me is that I can't tell if an album is good from the start. I really wanted and believed HTDAAB was a great album for the first month or so, and then the dismay set in.

 

[U2girl]

There's only a pattern if you're looking for it. I think too many people trying way too hard to see things are really aren't there.

U2 are one of the few bands who have such distinctly different sounding albums that almost sound at times like they were done by different bands. I totally agree that you can group a couple albums together here and there, but the fact that so many people want to lump their whole career into trilogies makes no sense if you really look at each album and each era.

There's a reason why the trilogy theory keeps popping up. It's not intentional but their albums can be divided in three's.

War is a more fleshed out songwriting but sound-wise it is connected to Boy and October.

CHANGE

UF more atmospherics, more delay in the guitar, fascination with America in the lyrics that continues with JT (the more fleshed out songwriting, and very prominent guitar delay) and peaks with Rattle and Hum.

CHANGE

Euro-sounds and flirtation with dance/techno/electronica and less direct lyrics on AB, and then on Zooropa and Pop.

CHANGE

Pop music, and return to more straightforward writing with ATYCLB and the real back to basics/retro album with Bomb. The focus is on 11 singles rather than an album.



My impression from all the articles so far is NLOTH will use the songwriting experiences they got with ATYCLB and Bomb but with a more cohesive "album" and some more experimental sounds and some less direct lyrics. It won't be "ATYCLB part III" (BTW I'm still waiting for part II) but I'm not convinced they're really pushing for a new era just yet.

 

[Muldfeld]

There's a reason why the trilogy theory keeps popping up. It's not intentional but their albums can be divided in three's.

War is a more fleshed out songwriting but sound-wise it is connected to Boy and October.

CHANGE

UF more atmospherics, more delay in the guitar, fascination with America in the lyrics that continues with JT (the more fleshed out songwriting, and very prominent guitar delay) and peaks with Rattle and Hum.

CHANGE

Euro-sounds and flirtation with dance/techno/electronica and less direct lyrics on AB, and then on Zooropa and Pop.

CHANGE

Pop music, and return to more straightforward writing with ATYCLB and the real back to basics/retro album with Bomb. The focus is on 11 singles rather than an album.



My impression from all the articles so far is NLOTH will use the songwriting experiences they got with ATYCLB and Bomb but with a more cohesive "album" and some more experimental sounds and some less direct lyrics. It won't be "ATYCLB part III" (BTW I'm still waiting for part II) but I'm not convinced they're really pushing for a new era just yet.

The only thing that gives me hope is that, before these sessions started, Bono said they wanted to head in an entirely new direction.

 

[rihannsu]

I've been thinking that it really is unfair to the band to judge ATYCLB and HTDAAB as albums against all the other U2 albums because the band stated quite clearly that their focus during the creative process for both of these was not on the idea of an album but rather on the individual songs. Even though Bono still did lyrics at the end of the process I think both suffered because he did not have the concept of "album" in mind. Both of these records are great collections of songs. The songwriting is great. But they don't add up to more than the sum of their parts because the band did not envision them that way. There are thematic connections in that ATYCLB deals with mortality, grief and healing and Bomb is, as Edge stated, a journey from fear to faith, but these things were later constructs that only shaped which songs made the albums and what running order. As such the magic of an "album" was lost. I think that if you stopped looking at the albums and just stacked the songs up against other songs in the catalogue then they fair much better.

The difference this time around is that even though they completed a lot of the music without thinking in terms of "album", Bono clearly approached his lyric writing with some sort of framework. This may be what really makes the difference because if he has that vision in mind when writing the potential is much greater for this to really hang together. Also, the decision to have the very beginning of the writing process start with all 4 guys together again is sure to have brought back more of the magic.

Dana

 

[edgeplaytheblue]

sounds very very promising ... i can't wait any longer!!

 

[U2girl]

The only thing that gives me hope is that, before these sessions started, Bono said they wanted to head in an entirely new direction.

Edge said only half of the album is experimental, and half is U2 stuff in "usual gestaltion".

Larry said they initially wanted a really experimental album with 3 or so singles but opted against it.

 

[Airseven]

Edge said only half of the album is experimental, and half is U2 stuff in "usual gestaltion".

Larry said they initially wanted a really experimental album with 3 or so singles but opted against it.

Did Edge really say that?

I think he was talking about the writing process. That half of the album was recorded in limited takes, a raw production. And the other half of the album went through the usual evolution of processing and re-writes.

That's totally different than what you said.

 

[U2girl]

My understanding was the "limited takes" - Fez stuff - was more experimental. He didn't say the same about the other half that went through several re-writes.

 

[Airseven]

My understanding was the "limited takes" - Fez stuff - was more experimental. He didn't say the same about the other half that went through several re-writes.

Ok, but he didn't say that it wasn't "experimental" (whatever that means). He said that it went through the usual U2 recording process.

His point was about the production. Not about the writing necessarily.

 

[U2girl]

We will hear soon enough.

 

[dan_smee]

I've been thinking that it really is unfair to the band to judge ATYCLB and HTDAAB as albums against all the other U2 albums because the band stated quite clearly that their focus during the creative process for both of these was not on the idea of an album but rather on the individual songs. Even though Bono still did lyrics at the end of the process I think both suffered because he did not have the concept of "album" in mind. Both of these records are great collections of songs. The songwriting is great. But they don't add up to more than the sum of their parts because the band did not envision them that way. There are thematic connections in that ATYCLB deals with mortality, grief and healing and Bomb is, as Edge stated, a journey from fear to faith, but these things were later constructs that only shaped which songs made the albums and what running order. As such the magic of an "album" was lost. I think that if you stopped looking at the albums and just stacked the songs up against other songs in the catalogue then they fair much better.

The difference this time around is that even though they completed a lot of the music without thinking in terms of "album", Bono clearly approached his lyric writing with some sort of framework. This may be what really makes the difference because if he has that vision in mind when writing the potential is much greater for this to really hang together. Also, the decision to have the very beginning of the writing process start with all 4 guys together again is sure to have brought back more of the magic.

Dana

spot on. as always Dana, your post totally sums it up

I respect everything you say, and you haven't let me down

 

[rihannsu]

spot on. as always Dana, your post totally sums it up

I respect everything you say, and you haven't let me down

Thank you. (What! there's no blush smiley????)

Dana

 

[ndmaxfield]

Anybody else listening to Dave Fanning right now?...so far two old U2 songs (Fast Cars, WITS)...wishful thinking that he'll spring the new single on us 6 hours early.

 

[Sicy]

Thank you. (What! there's no blush smiley????)

Dana

 

[rihannsu]

Thanks, I didn't realize that's what that one was.

Dana