Invisible Discussion Thread II (Do not post song requests - discussion only!)

[Earnie Shavers]

Bono/Edge both on the BBC within a couple of days - could be explained simply by the fact that the Super Bowl ad and campaign was US-centric. Doesn't make sense if the song is about to disappear again, but if not, makes sense that they drum up a bit of quick promo elsewhere.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Bono/Edge both on the BBC within a couple of days - could be explained simply by the fact that the Super Bowl ad and campaign was US-centric. Doesn't make sense if the song is about to disappear again, but if not, makes sense that they drum up a bit of quick promo elsewhere.

But by the time edge Is on tomorrow you won't even be able to download the song

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

So is 2.5m downloads any good? I mean didn't this go out to over 100m?

Lots of people are lazy and will search YouTube and pirate sites before downloading even if the thing is free. I'm sure more than 2.5 people have listened and enjoyed it. Think of it like distribution versus readership of newspapers.

I suspect the actual lead single is going to be a very fun/summery song very different from invisible.

 

[brooklynmike]

Right, but I think with far less bombast this time. Not 'reapplying for the job/biggest band in the world', which was pretty cringey. Bono already has the sales pitch down, and we're going to hear it a million more times - does anyone really need another U2 album? - that's a bit different.

Right. Something needs to be fought and overcome. Currently there's no worthy enemy, so Bono is setting up an enemy. As of now, it is "does anyone really need another U2 album?".

Possibly another reason why the album is delayed is that this is a pretty weak/ uninteresting thing to overcome and they just can't think of anything better.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Lots of people are lazy and will search YouTube and pirate sites before downloading even if the thing is free. I'm sure more than 2.5 people have listened and enjoyed it. Think of it like distribution versus readership of newspapers.

True I guess

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Right. Something needs to be fought and overcome. Currently there's no worthy enemy, so Bono is setting up an enemy. As of now, it is "does anyone really need another U2 album?".

Possibly another reason why the album is delayed is that this is a pretty weak/ uninteresting thing to overcome and they just can't think of anything better.

I don't know about 'enemies to overcome', I think it's really just testing the temperature. With Pop to ATYCLB, I think there probably was a lot of frustration or whatever around Pops 'failure', but with No Line I think it probably caught them by surprise a bit. They thought the singles were great, they thought the album as a whole was great, and then... silence. There's no enemy, they're really just not sure.

 

[PhilsFan]

coolbrodude@gmail.com thanks

 

[brooklynmike]

I don't know about 'enemies to overcome', I think it's really just testing the temperature. With Pop to ATYCLB, I think there probably was a lot of frustration or whatever around Pops 'failure', but with No Line I think it probably caught them by surprise a bit. They thought the singles were great, they thought the album as a whole was great, and then... silence. There's no enemy, they're really just not sure.

By enemies to overcome, I'm thinking more along the lines of promotion and touring rather than the Album itself. ATYCLB had the "trying to become the biggest band" storyline for a while, then it shifted a bit when 9/11 happened. During Vertigo, they were the big band going back to it's punk days. With NLOTH, there was really not much of a theme or anything to overcome.

They're kind of in the same boat as they were after POPMART as far as the public tired of the big superstar show. They're now going to get back into the we're just a group of regular guys who like to make great music in small spaces phase.

 

[Nick66]

they're now going to get back into the we're just a group of regular guys who like to make great music in small spaces phase.

 

[Nick66]

Now I'm sad.

Listen to Invisible! It will make you giddy as a school girl!

 

[brooklynmike]

 

[Airseven]

One of three things is going on here...

1) The album isn't quite done, but they're already confident enough in it to release a song. Meanwhile they have someone like Epworth picking it apart to see if there's any way to make the album even better.

2) They're about to surprise us with an album in the next couple of weeks.

3) The album is done but they're waiting to June to release it because of some sort of marketing strategy... like releasing two singles before the album drops.

4) The album is not done. They are bringing in additional producers to re-fuck everything in hopes of a tentative June release at earliest. Despite the album delay, they couldn't pass up a giant promotional opportunity like the Super Bowl.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

4) The album is not done. They are bringing in additional producers to re-fuck everything in hopes of a tentative June release at earliest. Despite the album delay, they couldn't pass up a giant promotional opportunity like the Super Bowl.

Bono said they are still working with danger mouse in the interview with no mention of anyone else

 

[God Part III]

Guys, Invisible can be about more things at once.

It's not like it hasn't happened before.

I'm with Nick/Neil. There's definitely an activist Bono in there, albeit subtle. That only adds to the song though.

 

[iota]

Ok, I know this is a ridiculous thing to think about and this is just inviting disappointment, but there are a few cases for a possible double album:

Remember one recent description of the new album as being divided between songs of innocence and songs of experience?

And the recent statement by Burton's Broken Bells bandmate...on the "1st record being all Burton"?

Then the coy statement by Bono that "most" of the album is produced by Burton?

Also, the structure of Invisible seems kind of "White Album" - verse, chorus, verse, chorus, quick solo, bridge and...no resolving chorus...almost like it's designed to lead into the next song quickly. It's short, tight, crisp and....over. Next song. This is great for a double album where each song has to keep it moving. I know this is probably the weakest and most subjective argument, but just something I've noticed.

Alright. I'm just inviting misery by even considering getting my hopes up....but....maybe??

 

[prbiker15]

In case anyone didn't get to listen to the interview, Bono was on the phone during Zane Lowe's radio show earlier today.

https://soundcloud.com/u2news-2-0/bono-entrevistado-por-zane?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=twitter

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

Alright. I'm just inviting misery by even considering getting my hopes up....but....maybe??

Hope is all we have...right now...

 

[watsons]

Apologies if someone already answered this, but I don't ever remember a U2 song credited to "Paul Hewson, David Evans" etc. as the composers of the song, like the Invisible (RED) edition is. Is that how every song off of iTunes is credited? If not, does that hold any significance?

 

[Pop Artist]

Apologies if someone already answered this, but I don't ever remember a U2 song credited to "Paul Hewson, David Evans" etc. as the composers of the song, like the Invisible (RED) edition is. Is that how every song off of iTunes is credited? If not, does that hold any significance?

Ordinary Love is credited the same - at least that's how it was for the Oscar nominations, when I saw that I did think it was unusual for them that it was like that. Don't think there is any earth shattering significance to it though.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

Apologies if someone already answered this, but I don't ever remember a U2 song credited to "Paul Hewson, David Evans" etc. as the composers of the song, like the Invisible (RED) edition is. Is that how every song off of iTunes is credited? If not, does that hold any significance?

I'd say no, but most of my U2 iTunes downloaded songs credit "...Bono & The Edge"...so it is a change if nothing else.

 

[dabiggestu2fan]

Today I heard the song like 5 times in the radio at work here in Vancouver! That's probably more times then I heard boots being played on the radio. This is a good sign

 

[powerhour24]

Apologies if someone already answered this, but I don't ever remember a U2 song credited to "Paul Hewson, David Evans" etc. as the composers of the song, like the Invisible (RED) edition is. Is that how every song off of iTunes is credited? If not, does that hold any significance?

Most of the iTunes stuff I have from U2 has the same thing in the metadata, it's really just a six in one/half dozen in the other kind of thing if they credit them by name or as U2.

 

[trojanchick99]

Been listening to one of our alternative stations since just before noon and haven't heard it once. I have heard Do I Wanna Know? three times though. I love that song, but seriously, play a different Arctic Monkeys song please.

 

[Rob33]

Today I heard the song like 5 times in the radio at work here in Vancouver! That's probably more times then I heard boots being played on the radio. This is a good sign

Everytime I get in my car I scan through the pop/alt/rock stations and I've heard it 3 times so far here in Los Angeles...pretty cool.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Ordinary Love is credited the same - at least that's how it was for the Oscar nominations, when I saw that I did think it was unusual for them that it was like that. Don't think there is any earth shattering significance to it though.

Danger Mouse goes by his real name (Brian Burton) on writing credits as opposed to production credits, so perhaps it's either a nod to him and/or inside joke between the band and the Mouse.

Sent from my android cause iphones are for old people

 

[JOFO]

JOFO in the last thread really captured how I feel about Invisible, like they said that they hear a little bit of a connection to the '80's from Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk and the like. I grew up then with all of them. I agree also I hear them trying to stay in the zone of the last 5-10 years. The only thing I disagreed with the poster was he wasn't overly enthused with Invisible (which I am) and they said that while Boots made them feel awful Invisible makes them feel positive.

I must apologize to JOFO because I paraphrased alot of what they said.... could you quote someone from a previous thread???

Here's my post:
I think if you discovered U2, and other bands like Depeche Mode, The Cure, etc. during the mid 80's when you were a teenager, like I did, you will find this song at once nostalgic (in a good way: those synths in the verses reek of 80's analog sounds) and also trying to capture the audience of the pop music from the last 5-10 years (the chorus).

My prediction is that if the album is great and takes off, and this is actually on it, it will become a classic live in concert, but not like Streets or One, more like when they play BD or Vertigo.

It wasn't exactly what I was hoping for (there's just a bit too much pop/hit/compression/no space/thing for me to go absolutely nuts over it (I LOVE the ambience of UF more than anything), but I accept what they are doing and can like the song very much.

Boots left me feeling awful, this leaves me feeling happy. And at this point I don't want to over analyze it more than I already did. I will take what I can and that's that.

 

[JOFO]

I'll tell you all the truth: all I hoped for was a record (and who knows we might get it but I doubt it) that has the SPACE of UF/JT/R&H as opposed to the compressed sound that's been going on for 14 years or more now.

I love the 80's thing on Invisible, although some I'm sure would argue it's not 80's at all. To me it is.
I accept the chorus as being up there with any Killers/Kelly Clarkson/Coldplay/whatever the fuck...of the last 8 years or so BIG POP CHORUS. It works. It's not trying to hide from itself. So that's fine.

I really like it. Best lead off single (if that's what we think it is) since BD by far.

 

[david]

I don't hear the Coldplay in this song, maybe I don't listen to enough Coldplay. But on an audiophile message board I post on people keep saying it sounds like Coldplay. To me that just seems like a lazy way to dismiss the song.

 

[powerhour24]

Lordy, big pop chorus is a new invention in the past 8 years? You name checked Beautiful Day in your post and everything. Hell, U2's done pop choruses since the 80's just look at Sweetest Thing.

 

[JOFO]

David: No I didn't mean the song SOUNDS like Coldplay at all, just that they went for a big pop chorus which I could've named 100 other bands that also do.

Powerhour: No no, of course the big pop chorus has been around forever (Beatles anyone?) I just mean the whole 16th note tamborine thing and the A over c# chord and all that musician stuff that has become blase since at least the mid 2000's.

It's a really good tune; I'm nitpicking.