Album 13: Mirror mirror on the wall, there's no album so let's just talk y'all

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U2DMfan said:
It's a solid read, except that the following is slightly wrong, in my view:



We already had a discussion on this topic, re: Edge's "acoustic" comment.

They'd already come up with a "new way of doing things", back around 1999.

The songs don't arrive out of small ideas that grow like in the 80's and 90's, they arrive out of ideas that already have a melody in place. In other words, the only way I can fathom a song like Pride or Ultraviolet (its unique guitar 'riff') coming together was purely by jam and that particular guitar figure naturally (magically?) arose out of it. Whereas so much of the stuff from the last 14 years seems like Edge is playing notes over pre-determined chords. So you end up, IMO, with a few autopilot songs like Walk On and Unknown Caller, or even Invisible. Where Edge is just plucking fairly standard root notes that anyone could have come up with. There's nothing unique about it.

To try to put a better example on it, think about the 'churning chime' songs. What happened to them? Think of the end of Zooropa, or the previously mentioned Pride and Ultraviolet or Streets or the crescendo of Bad any number of other songs. Unique chord patterns and cool sounds that almost had to come out of jams.

These days, it would be abandoned if Edge couldn't make sense out of the root chord. In the HTDAAB video that came in the deluxe album, Edge talked about Sometimes having an "illegal" note in it. Which is just another way of saying it had a variant in it (non-standard chord). And you can tell how he felt uncomfortable about it. They don't want to write "illegally" anymore. They want to write songs that can be sung around campfires with acoustic guitars.

So, no, they shouldn't figure out a "new way"' of doing things. They should go back to the way they were doing it that produced most of their magic.

That's how I see it.
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Nice post.

This is my gripe with U2 since ATYCLB. Edge just seems like a different guitar player now. He's had his moments but nothing to evoke what he was doing in the 80's and 90's. I can honestly say:

-Elevation
-Kite
-COBL
-NLOTH
-FEZ

are the only things that make me think, wow that's the Edge. Even then I don't know whats happen to his playing/creativity. I remember first listening to U2 in the 90's and thinking how the heck is he playing that song?

I do like his riff on Invisible though... :wink:
 
U2DMfan said:
It's a solid read, except that the following is slightly wrong, in my view:



We already had a discussion on this topic, re: Edge's "acoustic" comment.

They'd already come up with a "new way of doing things", back around 1999.

The songs don't arrive out of small ideas that grow like in the 80's and 90's, they arrive out of ideas that already have a melody in place. In other words, the only way I can fathom a song like Pride or Ultraviolet (its unique guitar 'riff') coming together was purely by jam and that particular guitar figure naturally (magically?) arose out of it. Whereas so much of the stuff from the last 14 years seems like Edge is playing notes over pre-determined chords. So you end up, IMO, with a few autopilot songs like Walk On and Unknown Caller, or even Invisible. Where Edge is just plucking fairly standard root notes that anyone could have come up with. There's nothing unique about it.

To try to put a better example on it, think about the 'churning chime' songs. What happened to them? Think of the end of Zooropa, or the previously mentioned Pride and Ultraviolet or Streets or the crescendo of Bad any number of other songs. Unique chord patterns and cool sounds that almost had to come out of jams.

These days, it would be abandoned if Edge couldn't make sense out of the root chord. In the HTDAAB video that came in the deluxe album, Edge talked about Sometimes having an "illegal" note in it. Which is just another way of saying it had a variant in it (non-standard chord). And you can tell how he felt uncomfortable about it. They don't want to write "illegally" anymore. They want to write songs that can be sung around campfires with acoustic guitars.

So, no, they shouldn't figure out a "new way"' of doing things. They should go back to the way they were doing it that produced most of their magic.

That's how I see it.
Click to expand...

this is a good post, and probably the best and most fair criticism of U2 i've seen in awhile.

The current method undoubtedly stems from wanting to write the perfect pop song. Can easily argue that Pride is their most perfect pop song, and like you just said, it wasn't written how many of their recent songs appear to have been.
 
I kind of want to put a notice at the top of every page on this forum, that flashes, in large capital letters (heh): TODAY IS APRIL FOOL'S DAY. THE EXCLUSIVE ALBUM NEWS SCOOP YOU JUST HEARD ISN'T TRUE.
 
Of random interest: UMG have just announced a label restructure, and Island-Motown-Def Jam is being re-split up, Island will be keeping David Massey at the top (important for U2 – he’s why they went back) and now get their own marketing and publicity department (which is why formal stuff for U2 has still been coming from Interscope even after they announced the move back to Island). I did not know Justin Bieber was on Island.
 
Somebody posted in a previous thread the title HOLY HELL...I don't remember who it was, but I really like that title for the new album, I think it fits the "crusade" the band is on...finishing the album, that is.
 
purpleoscar said:
The fake song title "What keeps us going on?" poses a good question for Interferencers.
Click to expand...

If it's legit? It's love. Love is what keeps them going. Regardless of how some behave on various forums, there is a deep love for this band from the fanbase that allows the lads to keep doing what they do. As well as their love for each other. Without that bond, they'd have quit a long time ago. How often do you get a band with four decades of history that STILL has all four original members? You don't. It's a once in a lifetime sort of magic. :love:


That said, I'm gonna laugh my ass off if this turns out to be legit and they timed it this way perfectly. :lmao:
 
Fluxblog » Blog Archive » All Those Frozen Days


Sure, they put the pressure on themselves ; consider their own legacy they're competing with every time they release.

Let's see their peers. R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Depeche Mode. One of them imploded, one of them actually had arguably the most radio song of their career with Sirens and Lightning Bolt is hardly inaccessible stuff, Radiohead isn't really comparable in any way, and like most 80's bands this late in their career, Depeche Mode is only recording for the fan base. Not hard to see why U2 refuses to a heritage act.

But the reality is that U2 haven’t had a major hit since “Vertigo” in 2004, and ten years later there isn’t much of a space for them in mainstream culture. Doesn't mean they can't try though.

U2′s previous album, No Line on the Horizon, sold over a million copies in the United States alone, which shows that the band can sell a LOT of records to their faithful core audience even if they have no hits. It’s safe to say that whatever they put out next will sell about the same. And frankly, they should be happy with that. In this day and age, any record that can sell a million copies is a minor miracle.
Yes, however this is U2. They have more ambition than that.

“Invisible” is a pretty good U2 song, but it’s very obviously the sound of a band hedging their bets and desperately hoping that being familiar is enough to inspire excitement in their audience. This strategy paid off in 2000 when they released “Beautiful Day” after a decade of fairly arty material, but it makes no sense now. If they’re going to recycle a strategy from their past, it has to be the Achtung Baby gamble.

Invisible is a hint of a new direction, not a return to "classic" U2 like BD was. I too think they're gambling, hence getting a new producer at 50 and abandoning Eno, Lanois and Lillywhite.

Ideally, it should be something that allows The Edge to truly cut loose and remind people that he’s one of the most inventive and influential guitarists of his generation.
Agreed.
 
U2girl said:
U2start.com poster says



A close friend has just seen our twitter post and has told me by PM that a friend of his spoke to Dallas last Wednesday and he was told the guys were polishing up a song called Blue Sky (literally) so I believe this can be true.



:shrug:
Click to expand...


Yeah I'm sure Dallas is dropping specific song titles that haven't been mentioned by the band all the time.

I mean he is new to the U2 camp so maybe now they can't trust him.
 
U2girl said:
Let's see their peers. R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Depeche Mode. One of them imploded, one of them actually had arguably the most radio song of their career with Sirens and Lightning Bolt is hardly inaccessible stuff, Radiohead isn't really comparable in any way, and like most 80's bands this late in their career, Depeche Mode is only recording for the fan base. Not hard to see why U2 refuses to a heritage act.
Click to expand...

You really haven't got the slightest clue about any of these bands.
 
U2girl said:
Let's see their peers. R.E.M., Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Depeche Mode. One of them imploded, one of them actually had arguably the most radio song of their career with Sirens and Lightning Bolt is hardly inaccessible stuff, Radiohead isn't really comparable in any way, and like most 80's bands this late in their career, Depeche Mode is only recording for the fan base. Not hard to see why U2 refuses to a heritage act.
Click to expand...

R.E.M. "imploded"?

WTF are you talking about?
 
U2girl said:
A close friend has just seen our twitter post and has told me by PM that a friend of his spoke to Dallas last Wednesday and he was told the guys were polishing up a song called Blue Sky (literally) so I believe this can be true.
Click to expand...


Blue Sky? i liked that song a lot better when it was called BEAUTIFUL DAY.

that's it, guys. they're out of ideas. i hate this band. i wish they'd stop. :sad:
 
last unicorn said:
The album cover is so lame. And taken from some stock photo. Really, U2 what are you thinking? And I'm not even going to talk about these stupid song titles :tsk:

Sadly, I finally must admit, the new album sucks big time :down:
Click to expand...

Irvine511 said:
Blue Sky? i liked that song a lot better when it was called BEAUTIFUL DAY.

that's it, guys. they're out of ideas. i hate this band. i wish they'd stop. :sad:
Click to expand...

The two of you need to stop being so negative. It's bringing the whole thread down. :down:
 
Reg Mcgowan, exactly! Imagine, if, let's say, 2 first minutes of new album were this way. And then Edge broke out with some delicious riff..... Yeah. In my dreams. They'll record something similar to atyclb at best, something very good but safe.
 
BVS said:
What's "fuck it" about releasing a cover as a b-side :huh:
Click to expand...

BVS,

"Fuck It" in the sense that they went with their instinct and released this stuff (even as a B-Side), and didn't care what people would think. It fits brilliantly into their concept and material on the POP album.

They need the Achtung Baby "dream it all up again" turn once more. A cohesive album that is "ballsy" and fresh, where every single song fits perfectly on the record (the themes, the sonic atmosphere and overall feel of it). No fillers, just 11 or 12 great songs.

It's just wishful thinking of course but one can still fantasize...:wink:
 
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