Songs of Experience - Part 3

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Interview with Bono from U2 about Edun - DIE WELT mobil

"Well, we have been listening to a lot of "The Police". We have been listening to the first three Police albums – realising that these records are minimum masterpieces. They are right up there with the best work ever made, right up there with the Beatles. And that has become more and more of an influence. It's an influence on our album "Songs of innocence". But I think it's gonna be even more of an influence on our next record Songs of experience."

The Revelation (of Gordon Sumner)

 

[JamietheEdgefan]

well that's really encouraging - here's what I associate with those early Police records

- short songs, trimmed of fat
- high energy
- huge hooks
- stripped down production, clean, live feel.
- occasional flirtations with experimentation

of course, the strength of The Police, beyond the excellent songwriting was that they were tight as f***. Musicians of the highest order that drew from punk energy, but played with a jazz musician's touch. U2 are gonna have to up their game to play to this level

EDIT: you could make an argument that Ordinary Love is U2 trying on their The Police "shoes." it's probably the best indicator of the direction they're heading with SOE

I don't know too much Police, but that sounds great.

Conversely, I met up with a friend of mine, he doesn't exactly have the best view of u2 (thinks they're too commercial/upbeat/he just has a different taste), but he mentioned Ordinary Love as a song he'd heard and really loved (we were talking about broken bells and danger mouse), he thought it was a great tune.
Not the only time I've seen that kind of reaction - Ordinary Love really seemed to connect with a lot of people who otherwise wouldn't be interested, including younger people and (I hate this term) 'haters'.
It has a great streamlined, simple production, and has a great catchy hook that feels organic, rather than forced and rewritten a million times. It also achieves (For me) a very brilliant act of offering a hook/melody that sounds quite dark/very atypical of mainstream pop music (not obviously 'big', or 'happy', yet is also incredibly catchy and effective.

My one gripe would be that the original dangermouse version was a bit too slow, the instruments were too light/soft/quiet, and the arrangement was a tad repetitive. The Paul Epworth version improved all of this, giving the song the rough, driving feel it needed (and I'd wager was a main reason u2 hired him for SoI).

 

[Registered Dude]

My one gripe would be that the original dangermouse version was a bit too slow, the instruments were too light/soft/quiet, and the arrangement was a tad repetitive. The Paul Epworth version improved all of this, giving the song the rough, driving feel it needed (and I'd wager was a main reason u2 hired him for SoI).

I forgot about that Epworth version..

wasn't their a 3rd version as well? I seem to recall a mix where the song didnt fade out, but ended properly

 

[Mack_Again]

I dont wanna listen to chorus-laden guitars ever again unless they're appropriately used.

 

[aMansAman]

New Massive Attack album app may point in the direction of what to expect for SOE.

Don't think so. The Massive Attack app plays with sound fragments of the 4 (?) songs included in the "Ritual Spirit" EP. It is more of a remixing thing. The app uses the iPhone camera, geo data and even the health kit of Apple Watch (for detecting your heart beat). So everyone using the app will experience the songs differently

I don't know if U2 will go this path... maybe rather the visual presentation. I doubt U2 want their songs being remixed or mashed up

 

[Registered Dude]

I dont wanna listen to chorus-laden guitars ever again unless they're appropriately used.

Edge hinted that he may be using his acoustic more this time around..

Not a bad thing. His acoustic work on the Sweetest Thing single is sublime. Wish it was mixed higher

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

Message in a bottle and walking on the moon are great songs so if that's where they're taking us musically then great. Stings voice is kind of irritating though. Can't sit through an entire album of his singing like that. Hopefully Bono doesn't try to emulate that.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[JamietheEdgefan]

I forgot about that Epworth version..

wasn't their a 3rd version as well? I seem to recall a mix where the song didnt fade out, but ended properly

Yeah, definitely a third version - I think u2.com streamed it but it was never officially released, so it's kind of unofficially official? It had the same sped up tempo of the Epworth one, and a similar arrangement (also heavier drums than the original), but lacked the more electronic aspect of the Epworth one in favour of a straight forward rock sound.

Btw when did edge mention using more acoustic guitars? I'm all for them if they're used well, but I can't deny I'll be a little heartbroken if the soundscapey atmospheric guitars and exploring new pedals is kind of forgotten (his guitar sound seems to be moving more towards a simpler, rock sound, which I'm not in love with). Imo it would be moving away from his strengths (exploring sounds, minimalism) to his weakness (straight forward rock riffs. Apart from a couple of good ones, like cedar wood road, that sound is better left to more technically proficient, and rougher guitar players.

 

[Registered Dude]

^It is a recent quote, if I recall. He was asked if they've considered going a more acoustic route, given what they explored on the deluxe edition of SOI, and he said that direction may be one they head

 

[Mack_Again]

Edge hinted that he may be using his acoustic more this time around..

Not a bad thing. His acoustic work on the Sweetest Thing single is sublime. Wish it was mixed higher

I remember Edge used acoustic on Discotheque. (well you can't tell as it went thru synth, I think)

 

[Mack_Again]

I would like the integration of acoustic and electric, just like I saw on new Baroness record. but i don't wanna see tons of folk songs just for the sake of doing "traditional rocknroll songwriting" or "whatever Rick Rubin said"

 

[MrPryck2U]

Message in a bottle and walking on the moon are great songs so if that's where they're taking us musically then great. Stings voice is kind of irritating though. Can't sit through an entire album of his singing like that. Hopefully Bono doesn't try to emulate that.

Obviously, with Bono, you gotta take whatever he says with a massive grain of salt. I highly doubt, though, that Bono will be emulating Sting's voice in any way. I've always dug Sting's songwriting because he doesn't stick with the same clichés and comes up with original topics to sing about.

 

[mikal]

I just ran into The Edge at my local Subway during my lunch break. I asked him if the band is getting close to releasing SOE. He said "Maybe, we'll see". I then pressed for more details asking him when it will come out. He said "Not today".

 

[prbiker15]

Is he on fire? Lots of hits?

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I just ran into The Edge at my local Subway during my lunch break. I asked him if the band is getting close to releasing SOE. He said "Maybe, we'll see". I then pressed for more details asking him when it will come out. He said "Not today".

6 inch or foot-long?

 

[mikal]

6 inch or foot-long?

He asked for a 6 inch uncut, whatever that means.

 

[Registered Dude]

I just ran into The Edge at my local Subway during my lunch break. I asked him if the band is getting close to releasing SOE. He said "Maybe, we'll see". I then pressed for more details asking him when it will come out. He said "Not today".

you see, it's this kind of stupid discussion that makes me sick..












why on EARTH would you eat at Subway??

 

[mikal]

you see, it's this kind of stupid discussion that makes me sick..












why on EARTH would you eat at Subway??

I'm a big fan of Jared and what he stands for.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Fly-2000]

I forgot about that Epworth version..

wasn't their a 3rd version as well? I seem to recall a mix where the song didnt fade out, but ended properly

Was it this one?

https://soundcloud.com/ricardo_fly/u2-ordinary-love-new-mix

 

[Registered Dude]

Was it this one?

https://soundcloud.com/ricardo_fly/u2-ordinary-love-new-mix

yes - cheers!

 

[Hewson]

6 inch or foot-long?

Neither, he's Irish.

 

[Registered Dude]

ALERT

Bono has changed his hair. no more blonde.

What impact might this have on the album?

 

[mikal]

I need to photoshop that face on my body in my Facebook pictures going forward.

 

[womanfish]

ALERT

Bono has changed his hair. no more blonde.

What impact might this have on the album?

Thank God, that was... Not right.

 

[Mack_Again]

I just ran into The Edge at my local Subway during my lunch break. I asked him if the band is getting close to releasing SOE. He said "Maybe, we'll see". I then pressed for more details asking him when it will come out. He said "Not today".

wait, isn't he busy doing cool stuff like making something like this?

 

[dan_smee]

Maybe the blonde represented youth and innocence, and for the new album he will lose the plugs and let his natural, totally bald, but with receding patches around from ear to ear represent experience?


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[prbiker15]

I'm probably the only one who liked the blonde hair. It was different. Then again, I wouldn't mind if he went back to his normal hair color.

 

[Mack_Again]

Hey, I didnt hate blonde hair. but I didn't like it either.

 

[BEAL]

I kind of wish Adam would go back to trying to come up with the most bad ass base line possible. Maybe that would inspire Edge.

To me, AB and Pop are his masterpieces for guitar work. Even if some of it is studio magic, I just love that he took his style to another direction with some of the weirdest guitar sounds ever.

I miss hearing his riffs throughout the song though. Something like Ultraviolet, or LNOE just propelled the songs along. The obvious song too is Streets.

Now it seems like we get riff to open, scratching/chords on the verses, and then it's back for the chorus.

Drive the song, or at least have interesting parts come throughout.

 

[mikal]

I kind of wish Adam would go back to trying to come up with the most bad ass base line possible. Maybe that would inspire Edge.

To me, AB and Pop are his masterpieces for guitar work. Even if some of it is studio magic, I just love that he took his style to another direction with some of the weirdest guitar sounds ever.

I miss hearing his riffs throughout the song though. Something like Ultraviolet, or LNOE just propelled the songs along. The obvious song too is Streets.

Now it seems like we get riff to open, scratching/chords on the verses, and then it's back for the chorus.

Drive the song, or at least have interesting parts come throughout.

Well, I'd say Adam's bass on Volcano was pretty bad ass. Average U2 song overall, but really great bass.