New Album Discussion: Worthwhile, Informative, And Not Even Slightly Grating

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I believe it was Adam who said in an interview sometime in the last year that when Bono says something like, "We have an album's worth of songs," the reality is that they have a bunch of ideas for songs. To truly put out the SOA they probably initially intended would involve a good deal of time and effort----even if the songs are "half done," there's half the work still to do. I don't know if they would put that much effort into an album that wouldn't be under the U2 name and garner "U2" some acclaim--none of them really speak highly of Passengers these days.
 
The jig is up with Passengers anyway. What use would it be today? People just see bono and edge and assume that = U2. Having all of U2 playing with Eno would still have people saying, oh, that's U2, Passenger wha? That would just be the name of the album to the casual music fan. It's not 1995 anymore.
 
Niceman said:
They released a studio album of new songs in 1995.
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of course...but they didn't have the balls to release it/market it/label it as a proper u2 record, or a u2-eno record...
the next proper u2 "rock" record was already on the horizon, and they didn't want to oversaturate the market. in fact, what would become "pop" was initially scheduled for relaease in september 1996 or so. there was even talk, at the time, of an arena tour for fall 1996. sessions for pop started in fall 1995 in london with nelle hooper at the helm. those sessions were scracthed and the only track to ever surface was the glorious "two shots of happy".
 
What a shitty looking movie. Even in Italian.

North Star seems only marginally better. Very clunky, though it doesn't seem fair to judge right now.
 
That looks like quite possibly the worst movie ever.

Holy shit, I am glad I haven't seen any yet, and definitely won't be starting now!
 
I have no idea where they are going anymore with the snippet in the movie especially (maybe was promised to Bay and the album wasn't ready?). Weird to say the least. Just save the best of what you have for the next album and let's move on. I just hope it includes stuff like North Star, Mercy, EBW bc I hate to think those would just die off as unreleased tour material without a proper mix!
 
zooropop40 said:
Havent been around much... so what are the chances that SOA will be dropped completely?? :sad:

I really hope the idea stays, I would LOVE (thats an understatement) to hear them do an album like that.
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They have been talking about it occasionally in interviews, but it doesn't seem like a top priority for them. It could still be released at some point, though.
 
While I know the chances of this are none to zero, what I'd love to see from U2 is a true double album. I don't mean like R&H, I mean a true 22 to 24 track release. The first disc could contain the more "rocking" U2 - showcasing their next direction. The second disc could be the highly experimental U2 - which may or may not showcase their next direction, but allows them to explore ambient sounds or songs that may not typically be under the "U2" heading. In other words, "Songs of Ascent" could be that second disc.

U2 have never released a true double album and I think now is the time to do so. If 22-24 songs are too much for them, then make in 20 or so (10 songs per disc). But make it the best of the 5000 songs Bono says they have worked on. Songs that are great but risky - disc 2. Great rock songs that they put up against anything they've released in the past - disc 1. Of course, fans will always argue about which song belonged on what disc and perhaps a b-side should have been included as well - but that's part of the fun.

But even I don't think U2 are brave enough to show that much. Given where they are in their careers, I actually think now is the perfect time to do such an event - take that risk, prove to everyone you can rock and experiment; write pop while still creating great art.
 
nirniva said:
Speaking of which: if they're so worried that Songs of Ascent is "too experimental", why not just release it as a Passengers record? The diehard fans would eat it up, and the casuals wouldn't care one way or the other.

I realize that the answer to my question is, in all likelihood, "Larry."
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I've had that thought.... and had the same theory about why not! :lol:
 
doctorwho said:
While I know the chances of this are none to zero, what I'd love to see from U2 is a true double album. I don't mean like R&H, I mean a true 22 to 24 track release. The first disc could contain the more "rocking" U2 - showcasing their next direction. The second disc could be the highly experimental U2 - which may or may not showcase their next direction, but allows them to explore ambient sounds or songs that may not typically be under the "U2" heading. In other words, "Songs of Ascent" could be that second disc.

U2 have never released a true double album and I think now is the time to do so. If 22-24 songs are too much for them, then make in 20 or so (10 songs per disc). But make it the best of the 5000 songs Bono says they have worked on. Songs that are great but risky - disc 2. Great rock songs that they put up against anything they've released in the past - disc 1. Of course, fans will always argue about which song belonged on what disc and perhaps a b-side should have been included as well - but that's part of the fun.

But even I don't think U2 are brave enough to show that much. Given where they are in their careers, I actually think now is the perfect time to do such an event - take that risk, prove to everyone you can rock and experiment; write pop while still creating great art.
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:up:
 
doctorwho said:
While I know the chances of this are none to zero, what I'd love to see from U2 is a true double album. I don't mean like R&H, I mean a true 22 to 24 track release. The first disc could contain the more "rocking" U2 - showcasing their next direction. The second disc could be the highly experimental U2 - which may or may not showcase their next direction, but allows them to explore ambient sounds or songs that may not typically be under the "U2" heading. In other words, "Songs of Ascent" could be that second disc.

U2 have never released a true double album and I think now is the time to do so. If 22-24 songs are too much for them, then make in 20 or so (10 songs per disc). But make it the best of the 5000 songs Bono says they have worked on. Songs that are great but risky - disc 2. Great rock songs that they put up against anything they've released in the past - disc 1. Of course, fans will always argue about which song belonged on what disc and perhaps a b-side should have been included as well - but that's part of the fun.

But even I don't think U2 are brave enough to show that much. Given where they are in their careers, I actually think now is the perfect time to do such an event - take that risk, prove to everyone you can rock and experiment; write pop while still creating great art.
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Well they did have their chance when some in the band wanted to make a double album out of JT. (a good thing it didn't happen)

Considering how long it takes them to make albums post Zooropa, I'd rather not wait even longer for a double album.
 
But the dazzling technology and staging has somewhat overwhelmed the band itself on the past few tours
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I'd call that one of the inaccuracies. I can't even imagine what staging overwhelmed the band on Vertigo or Elevation.

Wouldn't it be a refreshing change of pace to see U2 go out on a small-venue tour again, or at least a stripped-down arena jaunt minus all the distracting bells and whistles where the music was placed front and centre again?
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Seriously, did this guy sleep through the first half of the last decade?

Well gosh, now I can't stop pointing them out.

“The right to be ridiculous is something I hold dear,” sang Bono on 2009's “Moment of Surrender,”
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Ha.

It would be nice to witness U2 having a laugh once in awhile and acknowledging the abject lunacy and excess of its situation
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Yes, what a shame they're so dour and so serious all the time. It's like the talky bits of Rattle & Hum all over again! Except not.
 
It would be nice to witness U2 having a laugh once in awhile and acknowledging the abject lunacy and excess of its situation. That would be comfortingly humanizing.
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Didn't watch the Tony Awards, I guess. That's OK, I suppose. Nobody else did either.
 
Well, they have regained and amplified their seriousness this decade, and everything Bono says sounds like a rehearsed soundbite that is supposed to be "profound". They do seem inhuman these days, more so than any band I can think of. They used to seem like actual people, not so much these days. Which isn't to say they aren't, they just don't show that side anymore. They should show their humour, because they are funny.
 
Really? I don't get that impression at all.

Edit: I mean, I get the impression that they're funny. :wink: I mean that I don't think that they seem 'inhuman.'
 
Vertigo 05/06 only looks stripped down compared with the recent 'beast' Elevation is as close to Love Town U2 as we've seen in recent years in its minimilism...

The no frills approach didn't hurt their mid period 84-89 and I am still amazed how watchable that Denver 1987 footage is in R&H, sans screens, East German cars, oversized fruit and claaaaws..

Yes, he got the wrong song but even the fan can't nab the title in one, oops;

"what a shame the Toronto Star didn't find someone to write about U2, who actually gets it right. For example, why does Ben mistake a line from "I know I'll go crazy" for "Moment of surrender"? "
 
Perhaps he couldn't work out IGCIIDGCT's title, so he just settled on a simpler one. Reminds me of a Simpsons scene I like, as most daily occurrences do:

Kent Brockman: Gualadala...uh...uhmpe... France.
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Hollow Island said:
Well, they have regained and amplified their seriousness this decade, and everything Bono says sounds like a rehearsed soundbite that is supposed to be "profound". They do seem inhuman these days, more so than any band I can think of. They used to seem like actual people, not so much these days. Which isn't to say they aren't, they just don't show that side anymore. They should show their humour, because they are funny.
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It seems you might be asleep at the wheel this decade.



But I do love the irony though.
 
LemonMelon said:
Perhaps he couldn't work out IGCIIDGCT's title, so he just settled on a simpler one. Reminds me of a Simpsons scene I like, as most daily occurrences do:
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There once was a time when i could relate anything to a Simpsons episode. :cute: I haven't watched them in probably a decade, so now all my references are ancient
 
BVS said:
It seems you might be asleep at the wheel this decade.



But I do love the irony though.
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Would you go so far as to say that the ironing is delicious?

This thread is now about Simpsons references.
 
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