New Album Discussion

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U2girl said:
Based on one word, Wake up dead man is about Bono's mother ? :shrug:
"Her" could be the "she" from Last night on earth for all we know.
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Whatever Bono was intending to write about (and yes, there's certainly not enough here to prove anything), I'm going to make an assumption that when the subject of a woman dying suddenly/unexpectedly comes to his mind, he's reminded of the loss of his mother, which is widely regarded as the most shaping moment of his young life.

And the narrator, whoever he is (a random bystander?) is wishing that it were possible to go back and stop this death from happening. How many times do you think Bono has had this thought about his own mother?

If it's calling back to a previous song on the album, it makes a lot more sense that the "her" is referencing Mofo than Last Night On Earth, and forms a nice bookend with that song.
 
Hello Interference!

What's up, everybody? You guys all seem so warm and friendly.

I can't wait for the new U2 album!!! :heart:

I was listening to "Two Hearts As One" on the tour bus the other night and it got me excited about a potential return to their more dancey, post-punk inspired early material!

I hope the recording process has gone well.

My latest album RED is on sale at a Walgreens near you!

Drink Diet Coke!

:)
 
Man this thread is totally off topic. :huh:

Where's the Slow Loris?

Oh well...

Hey Taylor Swift! Do you breakup with guys to create material for your albums?
 
Hi purpleoscar!

That's a pretty personal question lol. I usually like to let my songs speak for themselves! I hope you buy RED! I'm just here to talk about the new U2 album.

There are SO many different directions that the band can choose to go in at this point, and I'm so excited to see what Bono and co. decide to do!

I always think a mix of the old and the new is a good thing for an established act like U2 :)
 
jvy & lu

It took me a fair amount of time to understand that the
Authorial Voice was always/often (depending on the writer/lyricist)
not the Personal Voice. Yeah, i do believe sometimes
personal things can unconciously be detected....but also those who
writie also often/sometimes want to stretch themselves creatively.
So they will put themselves in others' shoes and write from those POVs.
 
lazarus said:
Whatever Bono was intending to write about (and yes, there's certainly not enough here to prove anything), I'm going to make an assumption that when the subject of a woman dying suddenly/unexpectedly comes to his mind, he's reminded of the loss of his mother, which is widely regarded as the most shaping moment of his young life.

And the narrator, whoever he is (a random bystander?) is wishing that it were possible to go back and stop this death from happening. How many times do you think Bono has had this thought about his own mother?

If it's calling back to a previous song on the album, it makes a lot more sense that the "her" is referencing Mofo than Last Night On Earth, and forms a nice bookend with that song.
Click to expand...


Welcome to the new Pop Themes thread! Now let's give New Album Discussion their thread back.
 
We just pretty much got confirmation that the album will come out this year and all people want to talk about is pointless crap. :tsk:

Based on previous albums, if they're just now planning to meet with the graphic designers, what is our estimated timetable for release?
 
the estimated time table is probably the same as it's always been: oct or nov 2013. the design team meeting with u2 is encouraging, but it's pretty much just right in line with what we know and have been expecting all along.
 
The band still has a bunch of J. Lennon's photography for the designer to use. And they may have just come up with a theme to tie all the songs together?

As for earlier, I'd guess that Zoomerang was bored.
 
U2girl said:
Based on one word, Wake up dead man is about Bono's mother ? :shrug:
"Her" could be the "she" from Last night on earth for all we know.

Wake up dead man fits with the God conversation song U2 often likes to put last on their album. Even if you put it along with the theme of materialism/consumer society indigtment/loss of faith, there's Gone. Mortality song, like Kite.

No one doubted MOS as a quality song and its artistic merit. The issue is whether it's a good single. Lead single after the longest break between U2 albums no less. I think it's not. I think it would tank. Evidently, U2 agreed. I would love the alternate universe where MOS gets a fair chance as a single by the outside world beyond U2 fans (and isn't chopped down by the radio), but it's not happening. Magnificent would be the only choice.
Click to expand...

I find that I often agree with your perspective on most things. I find that what U2 does best in their songs is leave the theme up for interpretation. Most times, no one is certain what a song is about unless U2 themselves come out and direct say it and that usually only happens in a live setting (ie Bad). That's what makes their songs even more powerful is that they are open for interpretation. Is One about a couple who are going different ways after a long time together or is it about dealing with Aids( which I have often heard). So yes it's about his mother and no it's not....we don't know (song still stinks).

As for MOS, spot on. I love this song but as a lead single, it would have bombed. Radio these days is not going to give a 7 min song a chance and to cut a song like MOS down to 4 min would have ruined the power of the story that it tells. Magnificent, Crazy Tonight or Breathe would have been the best choices to be a lead single if we are taking GOYB out of the mix. Magnificent is a classic U2 anthem, Crazy Tonight is catchy enough to draw in new fans (but dear load those lyrics are SUSPECT and his voice cracks not once but twice!!!). Then there is Breathe, which might be the best song on the album. Its catchy and its lyrically sound (even the loose electricity line gets by) and that chorus is amazing.
 
Sorry, just realized a new thread was created for this side topic....please disregard my last post.
 
I just watched the live stream of Steve Averill (one of U2's graphic designers) talking at the U2 Conference. Someone in the audience asked him if he's working on the next album's artwork or if he's heard the new songs. He said they're meeting with the band next week.
Click to expand...

"So let's see, we were thinking for this record we could have a bunch of black-and-white pictures of the band looking moody."
"Hmm, interesting. What about the cover, do you want just a shot of you four sitting on a bench like a bunch of old farts?"
"Nah, let's mix it up. How about just a bland gray horizon, with a big garish 'equal' sign?"
"Brilliant!"
 
Does Averil come in before Corbijn (or other photo work) does? I would think the pictures would determine the direction of the layout and design.
 
Album cover and artwork in 2013 ? really??

And me i thought the music lovers today were not buying physical copies anymore,just downloading on ITune...
 
popacrobat said:
the estimated time table is probably the same as it's always been: oct or nov 2013. the design team meeting with u2 is encouraging, but it's pretty much just right in line with what we know and have been expecting all along.
Click to expand...

this
:up: :hyper:
 
lazarus said:
Does Averil come in before Corbijn (or other photo work) does? I would think the pictures would determine the direction of the layout and design.
Click to expand...

I'd have thought the main photos come first, then they fit the design around them, that's just my hunch.
 
lazarus said:
Whatever Bono was intending to write about (and yes, there's certainly not enough here to prove anything), I'm going to make an assumption that when the subject of a woman dying suddenly/unexpectedly comes to his mind, he's reminded of the loss of his mother, which is widely regarded as the most shaping moment of his young life.

And the narrator, whoever he is (a random bystander?) is wishing that it were possible to go back and stop this death from happening. How many times do you think Bono has had this thought about his own mother?

If it's calling back to a previous song on the album, it makes a lot more sense that the "her" is referencing Mofo than Last Night On Earth, and forms a nice bookend with that song.
Click to expand...

Perhaps.
I never thought about that verse in that way...though usually Bono tends to be open saying which songs are specifically about his parents, unless if it's not already obvious from the lyrics.

Anyway. I guess with Averill's meeting for the album cover it's now virtually official new album this year ? No reports on Corbjin and the band on a photo shoot though...are they indeed using Julian Lennon's photos ?
 
Using Julian Lennon's photos would save some time, since they wouldn't have to do photo shoots right now and can get straight to the artwork.
 
I'm not overly familiar with Lennon's photography, but if we get something other than black and white snaps of not very interesting poses of the band, I'm all for it. You can sit this one out, Anton.
 
An Cat Gav said:
I'd have thought the main photos come first, then they fit the design around them, that's just my hunch.
Click to expand...

Depends. I think historically Corbijn's work came first with most U2 albums, but in general, a designer can work with existing photos, OR the designer can art direct the shoot and make the photos fit an existing design.
 
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