Better album?

[LemonMelon]

Let's look at this. I spent last night listening to a mess of ATYCLB/HTDAAB outtakes, and I found, along with some alternate versions, that if they could have cleaned the tracks up a bit, we could have had a more experimental and fun (though probably not better) HTDAAB.

Now honestly tell me, which of these sets are better...

The album that was...

1. Vertigo
2. Miracle Drug
3. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
4. Love And Peace Or Else
5. City Of Blinding Lights
6. All Because Of You
7. A Man And A Woman
8. Crumbs From Your Table
9. One Step Closer
10. Original Of The Species
11. Yahweh

Or, the album that wasn't....

1. Native Son
2. Flower Child
3. Sometimes You Can't Make It On You Own (alternate)
4. Levitate
5. Mercy
6. Neon Lights
7. Love You Like Mad
8. Fast Cars/Xanax And Wine
9. All Because of You (Alternate)
10. Are You Gonna Wait Forever?
11. Smile
12. Yahweh (Alternate)

Now some of you might ask, why are you beating a dead horse, but this question could become very applicable with the recording of the next album; should U2 polish the songs to their pleasure, or should they leave some rust on? These are WONDERFUL tracks they never used, and it would have been a killer album either way, but it's scary that B-sides this genius will never see the light of day. Think about it.

 

[roy]

I thought long and hard about it (honestly) and I much, much, prefer the released album to the alternative one you listed.

 

[Zoots]

I don't know... both are hit and miss... For ABOY I prefer the alternate version but for Sometimes, I'm starting to prefer the album version, overall!

 

[WalkOn21]

Yeah this is pretty much beating a dead horse.

I don't agree with adding all the alternate versions just for the sake of having an alternative album. Some album versions actually are better than the unreleased ones. However:

Native Son should have replaced Vertigo
Xanax and Wine should have replaced Fast Cars
Sometimes (Single version) should have replaced Sometimes (Album version)

and Mercy should've been included

The other album versions are best the way they are. OSC shouldn't have been included at all, if you ask me, by the way.

 

[LemonMelon]

I think some might be missing the point of this thread.

The real question is, should U2 continue the polish the power out of their songs (which is what made HTDAAB sound like it did) or should U2 let there be a little dirt in the songs?

Native Son is clearly sloppier than Vertigo, but it has more of a message to it, and it is a song that could have fit better with U2's political views.

The alternative versions are a perfect example of imperfection. There's some honest to goodness moments that surpass the polished versions.

So is the group overthinking the recording process or not?

 

[Zoots]

So is the group overthinking the recording process or not?

Of course the group is overthinking the process and overproducing the shit out of their albums now. A little bit of imperfection is always good. Look at Pop!

 

[LemonMelon]

Do you think the producers that they have are causing this, or is the band just getting stubborn? Should they get Flood back or what?

 

[Chizip]

This is how I'd make the album

Native Son
Miracle Drug
Sometimes
Love and Peace
City of Blinding
All Because of You alternate (10 times better IMO)
Smile
Crumbs
One Step Closer
Original of the Species
Yahweh alternate
Xanax and Wine

 

[Zoots]

Should they get Flood back or what?

Yes!!!

 

[Aygo]

In the 'unreleased & rare' those tracks shouldn't have been mixed with Salome remix, Numb edited and those things...

If there was an album only with those outtake tracks, it could be something like...

Levitate
Love you like mad
All because of you (alt)
SYCMIOYO (alt)
Smile
Mercy
Native Son
Xanax And Wine
Are you gonna wait forever
Flower child
Yahweh (alt)

 

[MacPhistoPT]

take out all because of you and a man and a woman
insert mercy, fast cars in all versions, smile and are you gonna wait forever

I'd be happy

 

[doubleU]

Or, the album that wasn't....

1. Native Son
2. Flower Child
3. Sometimes You Can't Make It On You Own (alternate)
4. Levitate
5. Mercy
6. Neon Lights
7. Love You Like Mad
8. Fast Cars/Xanax And Wine
9. All Because of You (Alternate)
10. Are You Gonna Wait Forever?
11. Smile
12. Yahweh (Alternate)

No LAPOE???
And a cover???

No way.

 

[DignityPassesBy]

Has anybody got smile, flower child and love you like mad and wasn't levitate suppose to be an ATLYCLB track or so bono said in a rolling stone interview

 

[namkcuR]

You'd expect me to prefer the alternate record wouldn't you?

You'd be wrong.

Maybe it's the grammys, I dunno, but I'm enjoying Bomb, the real record, a lot right now.

 

[DignityPassesBy]

yea same i've had it in my cd player since it came out ... i really haven't taken it out it and achtung are my favourites

 

[WalkOn21]

Native Son is clearly sloppier than Vertigo

You don't know what you're saying.

Native Son is just as 'finished' as Vertigo is. Well, since Vertigo is waaay overproduced, Native Son is 'sloppier', yes.

 

[cjboog]

I don't think Native Son was as finished as Vertigo, and it was definately sloppier...

...anyone know where I can get the All Because of You Alternate Vertion w/o paying for the Compelte U2?

 

[cjboog]

I guess what I am asking is can anyone send me ABOY alternate because I am NOT paying for the Complete U2

 

[TheFlyOnTheWall]

Just give us Mercy, and all the other songs can be shit.

 

[SunBloc]

I think a lot of hard compromise went on within the band itself to wind up with the current album. Some songs on the Bomb and left out seem to have one band members name clearly stamped on them. Maybe this is another reason why they had to name it HTDAAB - because of a difficult time in settling on the songs.