Bi-partisan president, Bi-partisan band, Bi-partisan album

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WaltDisney

The Fly
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Nov 26, 2008
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Barak Obama is all things to all men. He is left and he is right, he is Southern and he is Northern. His politics are full of inspiring rhetoric that can raise the roof off a town hall. The question is, is there room for Obama to shine through? will his direction be too ambiguous? Will it fall on middle ground,? The place where people don't agree or disagree.

As we all know, Bono is about unity, he's about 'one'. All he can do is talk about solutions, talking about the cause is for those who want to throw bombs from the sidelines. We all admire him for this, and so we should, if he has helped one person along the way then we should not judge. Obama and Bono walk a familiar turf, pergatory, the middle place.

So, we face an eternal question, do rock & politics mix? Or more to the point - does bi-partisanship and rock mix? Well, in my humble opinion, they do not. Rock has never been about sitting on the fence, rock is what it is, it wears it's heart on it's sleave. Why is Bono tired of being Bono? It's because Bono is now an establishment, Bono has to tow a line, he has to be all things to all men. Bono is not really Bono at all.

The ultimate downfall of NLOTH is it's occupation of the middle place. It pleases some with the brooding first half, of pleases some with the pop halfway mark, it pleases others with the gentle ending - ultimately though, in trying to please everyone, you dissapoint everyone too. The saying goes 'say something to someone, not everything to everyone'. A masterpeice reflects it's time, of is a whole thematic work. This album will not be remembered as a masterpeice, simply because it is occupying no-mans land, the middle place. Musically, and more importantly, lyrically.
 
It's just music, mate.

Of course, I guess I just analyse U2 albums so much because I've always felt that each era of their career reflects the mood of the time. Greed of the 80's, pop culture and the emergence of irony in everything in the 90's etc etc
 
So you're saying you want more "I can't believe the news today/I can't close my eyes and make it go away/.... I'm so sick of it!" and less "But I won't heed the battle call/It puts my back up, my back up against the wall"?

See, he was doing this as far back as War.
 
Oh dear I guess I must be one of the few u2 fans who who is pretty overall pleased by the whole album, and I like all the tracks beginning middle and end so I am not in the least disappointed. so lucky old me:applaud:
 
I don't think Bono or the band make concessions, they just don't really have it in them to be as adventurous as a lot of people would prefer.

Their ambition is to make music for a huge audience.
So their ambitions will not allow them to take certain risks.

You can't expect them to return to something they don't want to return to.
 
Meh. What does Obama have to do with whether or not you like the album? Or whether it's a good album or not?
 
Rock has never been about sitting on the fence, rock is what it is, it wears it's heart on it's sleave. Why is Bono tired of being Bono? It's because Bono is now an establishment, Bono has to tow a line, he has to be all things to all men. Bono is not really Bono at all.

Bono the rock star and Bono the activist/lobbyist (not politician) probably do get quite sick of each other. He's always worn his heart on his sleeve in his music...do you not see that this time around? I'm not sure why you think Bono isn't being Bono...

Well, except for the eye makeup lol. Pffft, better than botox.

It pleases some with the brooding first half, of pleases some with the pop halfway mark, it pleases others with the gentle ending...

Doesn't that also reflect their career? Brooding 80s, pop 90s, gentle 2000s. NLOTH feels to me like a similar journey, not middle place no-mans land. Not a masterpiece but definitely the best journey since Pop.
 
Really, this thread should be moved to the goal is soul, because after all, this is a compelely spiritual album no? Mostly at least.:doh:
 
Their ambition is to make music for a huge audience.

And might I add that this has always been their ambition. The fans of U2 have often been far more pretentious than the band.

As for me, I like Obama. I like NLOTH. I like the "middle", if you will. So I guess for me the shoe fits. :shrug:
 
I'd love to debate this fascinating issue but alas have not listened to the new album.

That said, U2 are not the be all and end all of rock and roll. I know, hard to believe, but true.

I'd like to hear Nick Cave's thoughts on Obama. Why didn't he address it in his recent (American-influenced) album? Instead singing about Lazarus reincarnated as a bum in New York or something. Sheesh.
 
Oh dear I guess I must be one of the few u2 fans who who is pretty overall pleased by the whole album, and I like all the tracks beginning middle and end so I am not in the least disappointed. so lucky old me:applaud:

Nope, you are not alone. I also like the entire album. :wave:
 
So you're saying you want more "I can't believe the news today/I can't close my eyes and make it go away/.... I'm so sick of it!" and less "But I won't heed the battle call/It puts my back up, my back up against the wall"?

See, he was doing this as far back as War.

I agree.....and since then, there has been a "cease fire" in Northern Ireland for over a decade.

Walt Disney,

What do you want Bono to sing about? President Obama is going to close Gitmo by the end of this year. Thank God. And he will be pulling our military out of a country, Mr. Bush forced us to invade under false pretense.
 
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