go back to "raw sound"!!!!!!!

logansan33 · 04-03-2006, 10:40 AM

hello everybody!!! this is only my second post so be good to me!! i've been a fan of the boys since 1980 and they are one of my main influences as a musician. my question is this.....does anyone else think their sound is a bit "over produced". their sound on the first 2 maybe the 3rd(war) albums is really just raw guitar sound. i am impressed with their live "vertigo" dvd because its just the four of them playing and you can hear each of them distinctly. just my opinion though. what do you guys think????

Miricale_Drug · 04-03-2006, 11:56 AM

i agree - it even carries on with UF. Can you imagine them allowing ASOH with its vocal line (Which does sound a bit scream-ish at times) being on a record now.. or bad with its similar qualities?

I think no - and we're worsee off 4 it

Irishteen · 04-03-2006, 12:04 PM

I would love to see a return to the early 80's style, their first three albums are just so great, I would love to see the band make a quick, raw sounding album

cjboog · 04-03-2006, 12:07 PM

I don't think it was really all that great sounding in War and October, but I think an updated Boy style album would be great! I was listening to A Day Without Me and Electric Co. in the car yesterday thinking how great the album would sound if it was rerecorded or something. Anyway, I really love the rawness of Boy and would love to hear that same kind of rawness on a later album. That being said though, I wouldn't mind the exact opposite either.

thelaj · 04-03-2006, 12:41 PM

I actually think HTDAAB has godawful production. Listen to X&Y for a well produced album. It sings through a good sound system. Bomb on the other hand sounds muddy and flat.

annie_vox · 04-03-2006, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Irishteen
I would love to see a return to the early 80's style, their first three albums are just so great, I would love to see the band make a quick, raw sounding album

I agree that they were great... But I don't want them to go back! I want them to move forward and produce a new sound. If they go back I guess that means that they can't do anything new again... and you all know what thet means

logansan33 · 04-03-2006, 04:25 PM

dont get me wromg i think all their albums are great......all except "discowhatever" lol. i just think with 25 years behind them and the EDGE starting to solo a bit ( i mean actually bending notes and such) that they could create a well done raw guitar,bass,drums and vox album!! that could really sound different than the previous 3 or 4. its not going back, its just applying 30 years of experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

zoopop · 04-03-2006, 04:53 PM

Maybe by them playing the old "Boy" songs on the Vertigo tour ;Electric Co., A Cat Dubh, Into the Heart, Gloria ( I know) they will get back to that raw/punk sound. "Vertigo" flirts with that notion a bit.

BVS · 04-03-2006, 06:12 PM

When did U2 ever make a "raw" album?

GibsonGirl · 04-03-2006, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BonoVoxSupastar
When did U2 ever make a "raw" album?

Bingo!

Chizip · 04-03-2006, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BonoVoxSupastar
When did U2 ever make a "raw" album?

Havent you watched wrestling? Raw is War.

Hence, U2's raw album is War.

Bono's shades · 04-03-2006, 07:05 PM

I think people are using "raw" in a relative sense. U2 have never sounded as raw as some other bands, but compared to the slickness of the production of the last two albums, their first three albums almost sound like punk rock.

BVS · 04-03-2006, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bono's shades
I think people are using "raw" in a relative sense.

Perhaps, but it still seems uninformed to ever label a U2 album as being raw...

LMP · 04-03-2006, 07:27 PM

what is "raw"?

little to no production?

banging on trashcans like the white stripes?

i think X&Y isn't produced that well, it sounds too soulless and spacey, in response to whichever poster mentioned that.

CMIS · 04-03-2006, 07:34 PM

I would really love to hear Edge just letting go, flying off the handle. He is such a great guitarist, I know he is not a virtuoso in the vein of Hammett or Mustaine, but I think his composition is supreme. I think he is the one member of U2 who will probably keep getting better till the day they call it a day (oh man, is that gonna be sad)

BVS · 04-03-2006, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CMIS
I know he is not a virtuoso in the vein of Hammett or Mustaine,

As in Kirk Hammett? You've got to be kidding? Him and virtoso don't belong in the same sentense.

I use to have a guitar teacher who would teach a solo or a scale and then say "this is how Hammett would fuck it up."

gherman · 04-03-2006, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CMIS
I think he is the one member of U2 who will probably keep getting better till the day they call it a day (oh man, is that gonna be sad)

I think some people here should think about this statement a little more.

doctorwho · 04-03-2006, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bono's shades
I think people are using "raw" in a relative sense. U2 have never sounded as raw as some other bands, but compared to the slickness of the production of the last two albums, their first three albums almost sound like punk rock.

See, I don't think the last two albums are as nearly as over-produced as many claim. Or if they are, then UF, JT, AB, "Zooropa" and "Pop" were equally over-produced.

Listen to the CD single version of "Pride". There's an extra verse of the chorus in there - however, in that verse, Bono's vocals weren't touched. As a result, he sounds, well, raw and scratchy. But the rest of the song has him "cleaned up". This is clearly the effects of production. All of U2's albums from UF on are this way, and I'd argue that this is there even in the first 3 albums.

So if by "raw" one means not over-produced, then I doubt this will happen. Over-production, sometimes to the point of ruining a song, happens a lot on U2's albums. It's their nature, for better or worse. But if you mean "raw" in terms of energy... well, it's impossible to have 45-year old men become like 19-year olds again. But I find U2 just as invigorating now on some songs. I could do with a few less of their ballads (not a big fan of some of them, even on AB).

clifedge · 04-03-2006, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thelaj
I actually think HTDAAB has godawful production. Listen to X&Y for a well produced album. It sings through a good sound system. Bomb on the other hand sounds muddy and flat.

You have got to be kidding me. Coldplay would be no good without overproduction. X&Y is their worst to date. Not that I don't listen to it. But it sure as heck isn't any better than Bomb.

cypress · 04-03-2006, 11:08 PM

U2's last several albums have been very well-produced but not over-produced. They have been produced to deliver the sound the band wants the consumer to hear, period. That is NOT "over-production".

In their early days, the albums sounded more raw for a couple of reasons: one, the band was itself less polished than they are now.. WAY less polished.. and, two, they did not have the $ to pay for top-notch production. If anything what you are hearing today is closer to the exact sound U2 wants you to hear than it was in the past.

It would be interesting to hear what some of those early albums would sound like if U2 were to re-record them today with all of the resources available to them today and all they have learned over the last 30 years.

04-03-2006, 10:40 AM	#1
logansan33 Babyface Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: binghamton ny Posts: 5 Local Time: 05:37 AM	go back to "raw sound"!!!!!!! hello everybody!!! this is only my second post so be good to me!! i've been a fan of the boys since 1980 and they are one of my main influences as a musician. my question is this.....does anyone else think their sound is a bit "over produced". their sound on the first 2 maybe the 3rd(war) albums is really just raw guitar sound. i am impressed with their live "vertigo" dvd because its just the four of them playing and you can hear each of them distinctly. just my opinion though. what do you guys think???? __________________

04-03-2006, 11:56 AM	#2
Miricale_Drug War Child Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 831 Local Time: 06:37 AM	i agree - it even carries on with UF. Can you imagine them allowing ASOH with its vocal line (Which does sound a bit scream-ish at times) being on a record now.. or bad with its similar qualities? I think no - and we're worsee off 4 it __________________

04-03-2006, 11:08 PM	#20
cypress The Fly Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Zoo Station, Wisconsin Posts: 273 Local Time: 12:37 AM	U2's last several albums have been very well-produced but not over-produced. They have been produced to deliver the sound the band wants the consumer to hear, period. That is NOT "over-production". In their early days, the albums sounded more raw for a couple of reasons: one, the band was itself less polished than they are now.. WAY less polished.. and, two, they did not have the $ to pay for top-notch production. If anything what you are hearing today is closer to the exact sound U2 wants you to hear than it was in the past. It would be interesting to hear what some of those early albums would sound like if U2 were to re-record them today with all of the resources available to them today and all they have learned over the last 30 years. __________________

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04-03-2006, 12:04 PM	#3
Irishteen Blue Crack Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 29,624 Local Time: 06:37 AM	I would love to see a return to the early 80's style, their first three albums are just so great, I would love to see the band make a quick, raw sounding album

04-03-2006, 12:07 PM	#4
cjboog Refugee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Washington State, USA Posts: 1,332 Local Time: 10:37 PM	I don't think it was really all that great sounding in War and October, but I think an updated Boy style album would be great! I was listening to A Day Without Me and Electric Co. in the car yesterday thinking how great the album would sound if it was rerecorded or something. Anyway, I really love the rawness of Boy and would love to hear that same kind of rawness on a later album. That being said though, I wouldn't mind the exact opposite either.

04-03-2006, 12:41 PM	#5
thelaj Refugee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Liverpool, UK Posts: 2,461 Local Time: 06:37 AM	I actually think HTDAAB has godawful production. Listen to X&Y for a well produced album. It sings through a good sound system. Bomb on the other hand sounds muddy and flat.

04-03-2006, 04:25 PM	#7
logansan33 Babyface Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: binghamton ny Posts: 5 Local Time: 05:37 AM	dont get me wromg i think all their albums are great......all except "discowhatever" lol. i just think with 25 years behind them and the EDGE starting to solo a bit ( i mean actually bending notes and such) that they could create a well done raw guitar,bass,drums and vox album!! that could really sound different than the previous 3 or 4. its not going back, its just applying 30 years of experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

04-03-2006, 04:53 PM	#8
zoopop Rock n' Roll Doggie Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: San Antonio TX Posts: 3,441 Local Time: 11:37 PM	Maybe by them playing the old "Boy" songs on the Vertigo tour ;Electric Co., A Cat Dubh, Into the Heart, Gloria ( I know) they will get back to that raw/punk sound. "Vertigo" flirts with that notion a bit.

04-03-2006, 06:12 PM	#9
BVS Blue Crack Supplier Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: between my head and heart Posts: 41,203 Local Time: 11:37 PM	When did U2 ever make a "raw" album?

04-03-2006, 07:05 PM	#12
Bono's shades Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: The back of beyond Posts: 5,038 Local Time: 11:37 PM	I think people are using "raw" in a relative sense. U2 have never sounded as raw as some other bands, but compared to the slickness of the production of the last two albums, their first three albums almost sound like punk rock.

04-03-2006, 07:27 PM	#14
LMP Blue Crack Supplier Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 37,609 Local Time: 11:37 PM	what is "raw"? little to no production? banging on trashcans like the white stripes? i think X&Y isn't produced that well, it sounds too soulless and spacey, in response to whichever poster mentioned that.

04-03-2006, 07:34 PM	#15
CMIS Refugee Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 1,081 Local Time: 05:37 AM	I would really love to hear Edge just letting go, flying off the handle. He is such a great guitarist, I know he is not a virtuoso in the vein of Hammett or Mustaine, but I think his composition is supreme. I think he is the one member of U2 who will probably keep getting better till the day they call it a day (oh man, is that gonna be sad)