u2 should have done better

[LemonMelon]

So, what you're saying is that the day after Bomb was released, they should've begun work on the new album. 11/23/2004 if you're scoring at home. Sorry, that doesn't work for me. Their work for Bomb pretty much ran all the way through to 2006. (ie: album promotion, extensive tour)

Even with Rubin in the mix, they've probably been working on this album since about 2007. So, that's a whopping 2 years.

Yeah, I would argue that it took a whole lot longer to make Bomb, and they were more indecisive with Bomb. With Rick Rubin, they knew to jump ship early on. The Chris Thomas sessions were a trainwreck.

 

[Rachel D.]

So, what you're saying is that the day after Bomb was released, they should've begun work on the new album. 11/23/2004 if you're scoring at home. Sorry, that doesn't work for me. Their work for Bomb pretty much ran all the way through to 2006. (ie: album promotion, extensive tour)

Even with Rubin in the mix, they've probably been working on this album since about 2007. So, that's a whopping 2 years.

Everyone seems to conveniently overlook the fact that U2 were ON TOUR from spring 2005 to December 2006 after HTDAAB was released.

 

[MikeyJB]

All of this could be arguably connected to Bono being absent. Throw in his recently weak lyrics, and I think the OP has at least a valid point to consider.

What the fuck are you on about?? Have you heard the album?!?

 

[LemonMelon]

What the fuck are you on about?? Have you heard the album?!?

No, they haven't.

 

[God Part III]

why is it that you respond to everyone's post with an automatic dismissal of their opinion, by ironically, giving your own just-as-tentative opinion?

Did you read the OP?
Saying: "Any TRUE U2 fan would only like this or that" is pretty the most egocentric, idiotic, dare I say it trolling behaviour you could have on a message board. The OP is basically saying: "I don't like Crazy Tonight, Sexy Boots, or SUC, and it's Bono's fault. Shame on you, Bono." It's totally ridiculous. U2 made a new record, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but calling out whether someone is a "true" U2 fan or not is crap. And blaming Bono's political career is just sheer lack of insight.

 

[walkon274]

Did you read the OP?
Saying: "Any TRUE U2 fan would only like this or that" is pretty the most egocentric, idiotic, dare I say it trolling behaviour you could have on a message board. The OP is basically saying: "I don't like Crazy Tonight, Sexy Boots, or SUC, and it's Bono's fault. Shame on you, Bono." It's totally ridiculous. U2 made a new record, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but calling out whether someone is a "true" U2 fan or not is crap. And blaming Bono's political career is just sheer lack of insight.

Two points:

1. The guy is entitled to his opinion. If the guy says he doesn't think true fans would like it, that he doesn't like the new songs, or that he thinks Bono's possible absence is to blame, that's his perogative. If the guy said any true fans will like it, he likes the new songs, and Bono is the reason they are good, NONE OF YOU WOULD BE SAYING HIS OPINION IS RIDICULOUS. You only think his opinion is ridiculuos b/c you don't agree with it and it is negative.

2. "And blaming Bono's political career is just sheer lack of insight". Okay, now this is your opinion yet you state it as fact. Aren't you doing the same thing you're jumping on the OP about? Also, many people in the music industry and on here have stated or will state that U2's output has suffered since Bono's increased political involvement in the 2000's. Not sure how his statement is a lack of insight.

 

[God Part III]

Two points:

1. The guy is entitled to his opinion. If the guy says he doesn't think true fans would like it, that he doesn't like the new songs, or that he thinks Bono's possible absence is to blame, that's his perogative. If the guy said any true fans will like it, he likes the new songs, and Bono is the reason they are good, NONE OF YOU WOULD BE SAYING HIS OPINION IS RIDICULOUS. You only think his opinion is ridiculuos b/c you don't agree with it and it is negative.

There's stating your opinion, and there's saying that you're better than everyone else. OP falls into category 2.

2. "And blaming Bono's political career is just sheer lack of insight". Okay, now this is your opinion yet you state it as fact. Aren't you doing the same thing you're jumping on the OP about? Also, many people in the music industry and on here have stated or will state that U2's output has suffered since Bono's increased political involvement in the 2000's. Not sure how his statement is a lack of insight.

Bono said the lyrics from "Where The Streets Have No Name" came from his visit to Ethiopia in, what was it, 1985? His visit to Africa (which surely must have been initially undertaken for political reasons) led to what is considered an all time top 10 U2 song. Spending time with world leaders must have led him to write stuff like Crumbs From Your Table, Cedars of Lebanon. What I mean by the lack of insight by the OP is that Bono's work for Africa and Human Rights is a part of who he is and has influenced him into being the artist and singer he is today. It's basically the same as being annoyed that he has a wife and four children. If the people in U2 didn't have lives beside the band they wouldn't be able to write and perform the music we thrive off. That includes Bono's activism.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

this thread sucks

 

[God Part III]

Pretty much

 

[gherman]

this thread sucks

ass

 

[nirniva]

Wow, what a horribly presumptuous statement! That's one of the worst I've read here in a while.

As an "ardent U2 fan", I politely, but strongly disagree with you. I've always like GOYB. Sorry for having such horrid taste to enjoy a "mindless filler". And, to make matters worse, I think "Stand Up" is the best song on the album and that "Crazy" could be a wonderful hit song from this album.

Here I am, enjoying U2 for 26 years, and clearly I'm an idiot for liking these "fillers".

Fortunately, you are here to save the day! I will now switch to loving only the more abstract U2 songs. Where's "Elvis Presley Ate America"?

As one of the three people on this forum who thinks HUTDAB is pretty good, I feel your pain.

 

[BVS]

To begin, I have not listened to the album yet, I'm waiting for March 3. However, why is it that every opinion someone gives that you do not agree with on this forum must be verified or proven with some sort of scientific proof?

Aren't you the one who continually says music is subjective? Well if it is, why are you telling someone to prove their subjectivity?

This is all "you could come up with"? What exactly is that supposed to mean?

That part was a joke in reference to the OP's comment based on length of time should = better output. Context is your friend.

Additionally, how the hell do you know where Bono was during the recording of this album? I'd say there is tons of circumstantial evidence which points to the fact over the last five years Bono was not in the studio as much as he should have been. Off the top of my head you have:

1. The fact the album took 5 years to make- the longest in-between time for them
2. The fact the album was delayed from October to Christmas to March
3. The fact entire recording sessions were scrapped.
4. The fact over the past 5 years Bono has been involved in big charity events and/or meetings which HAVE taken up his time on and around recording session dates.

All of this could be arguably connected to Bono being absent. Throw in his recently weak lyrics, and I think the OP has at least a valid point to consider.

Overall though, why is it that you respond to everyone's post with an automatic dismissal of their opinion, by ironically, giving your own just-as-tentative opinion?

I'm basing my opinion on what I've read from each of the band members and Bono himself. They've all stated they didn't want his "other job" to interfere with the album this time around, including Bono himself. If there was a break in recording it was usually the whole band not just one individual. The scrapping of the first work has been put on record that working with Rubin wasn't exactly the way they liked to approach recording nothing to do with Bono, and the delay didn't sound like it was Bono either since he felt they were pretty much done and was playing clips to fans and talking release.

But go ahead and speculate all you want, that's what you do best...

 

[Thanksandy]

I don't think any U2 albums has been perfect and even the great masterpieces have weaker songs that I don't listen to as much i.e. Red Hill Mining Town and One Tree Hill on JT, Tryin to Throw Your Arms Around The World and Acrobat on AB. None of them are poor songs, just not as good as the rest of the material on either album, but does this make them fillers because I didn't like them as much?.
I think it's one thing to say songs aren't as good as others and another to say songs are just fillers, that's going a bit far.
People are always going to single out 2-3 songs from NLOTH as not being up to standard and I'm sure people can do the same for each U2 alum that has been released.

 

[coolian2]

i love these people with <200 posts who signed up in like 2002 turning up telling me not to like the album.

and then i have no life for having so many posts.

 

[OrARoundabout]

I'll admit, I'm guilty of holding U2 to impossibly high expectations...but they did they job on this album and thats all I was looking for...


BTW: Was this guys expecting NLOTH to top AB? Cuz AB is simply...untoppable

 

[TheWaqman]

The only disappointing song on the album for me is GOYB. But I've appreciated it now with their live performances.

I think they should have started the song out just like they did in their live performances. It sounds that much cooler (see Brit awards and Echo awards).

 

[4U2Play]

This album did not take four years to make. The Rubin sessions were ditched halfway through, at which time the band started over. Thus, NLOTH only took two years to put together, which is not bad at all.

Exactly.

This notion that NLOTH took "five years to make" is wrong.

Considering Edge's family emergency during the tour in '06, one might assume they weren't writing as much as they normally might on the road. The Vertigo tour only ended in December '06, after which they all probably took a long break to be with their families for a few months. I'm sure one of the Plebans will correct me if I'm wrong.

In any case, NLOTH did suffer a false start when U2 finally figured out that Rick Rubin is a shitty producer (at least for them). I'm glad they junked everything and started from scratch, rather than go with whatever mediocrity they had, just because Akann from Interference is jonesing for some new tunes.

 

[BEVERLY56]

I'm so glad I read this thread. Now I can save myself some money and not buy the album. Or concert tickets, for that matter.

You know what they say about opinions... like assholes, everybody has one.

 

[bram]

Regarding the original post: The band has addressed the "is Bono too distracted by his charity work?" issue about 1,298,482 times in interviews by now.

 

[bsp77]

I see TC hasn't even bothered to come back and respond. He is purposefully being an ass. Can we lock this please?

 

[Iskra]

After years of defending his work to all my friends and naysayers, I have to admit that he is the weakest link on this album. Where is the poet that even Dylan admired?

 

[BVS]

After years of defending his work to all my friends and naysayers, I have to admit that he is the weakest link on this album. Where is the poet that even Dylan admired?

It's funny there's another thread that calls this a Bono album...

Just goes to show you...

 

[clerks]

What makes U2 great is they also think "they should have done better" and will try that next album...

But they are so in sync with each other, that I bet the 40 songs they wrote that never made it, would be filled with hit after hit after hit...

I NEED A BOX SET now!

 

[ndmaxfield]

I don't mind the new album but when you consider the amount of time they have had to make this, there really shouldn't be any weak songs on it. On No Line however, even the most ardent u2 fan will have to admit that boots, SUC and perhaps Crazy Tonight are nothing more than fillers. I think a lot of the blame has got to go to Bono who doesn't spend as much time with the band as he used to do. I love his charity work but I think it's really starting to have a negative impact on U2's music.

oh, flim-flam

 

[Montrose]

After years of defending his work to all my friends and naysayers, I have to admit that he is the weakest link on this album. Where is the poet that even Dylan admired?

Maybe you should ask Dylan if his opinion has changed...

 

[cdirani]

Originally Posted by akann
I don't mind the new album but when you consider the amount of time they have had to make this, there really shouldn't be any weak songs on it. On No Line however, even the most ardent u2 fan will have to admit that boots, SUC and perhaps Crazy Tonight are nothing more than fillers. I think a lot of the blame has got to go to Bono who doesn't spend as much time with the band as he used to do. I love his charity work but I think it's really starting to have a negative impact on U2's music.

Trouble is that the weakest songs may mean the strongest for others.

 

[dan_smee]

Do you know what we don't have enough of on this site?

Bitching and moaning about how crap U2 are. Can we please have some more?

 

[ozeeko]

I like Boots, and i think it works well within the context of this album.

Crazy Tonight and Stand Up Comedy, however, sound like they're coming from another album altogether. They're not bad songs, but they do sorta break up the trance that NLOTH had me in thru the first 4 songs

 

[dabiggestu2fan]

I love SUC!!!! Boots is great although I overplayed it too much and crazy tonight is pretty cool. The other songs are phenomenal so i think the 5 year wait was well worth it.

 

[shart1780]

Omg your so right, what am i thinking liking these songs, i dont like them now because you have told me i shouldnt like them

Is it because he didn't say "IMO"?

To me Breathe is the low point. The lyrics are too typical cliche'd cheesy Bono.

I like SUC but it doesn't seem to fit in the album very well. This doesn't seem like the type of album that should have heavy Led Zeppelin riffs. It's not exotic sounding at all, like many of the other songs.