New Album Discussion 1 - Songs of..... - Unreasonable guitar album

super fly guy said:

Is there any good links out there,still not heard it.

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This one is very good quality.

Also, this may be old news, but the other day I saw a printed out setlist from one of the shows in January, and it listened the opening number as 'Brian Eno - Choral Intro', so it looks like they are working with him to some degree (though not necessary on a new album/single).

Yeah Eno prepped some ambient mixes of Achtung Baby for the tour- would be cool if he worked on some of their newer material too.

I just hope the single version of Glorify is the version from the Sphere, and that some new more straightforward mix. Really like what I’m hearing

DomCobb said:

U2Songs update: u2songs | Crystal Ball: Filming Sphere, New Single and More |

Says Glorify (the mysterious Sphere outro song) will be released as a single soon (maybe RSD).

And still saying the album is on track for this year, Fall specifically (2042 it is).

They don't say whether Atomic City or Glorify will be on it, though to me the former sound like the "rock album" and the latter sounds like SOA.

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There’s still a big asterisk about Larry’s recovery, but if they’re targeting a Q4 release and have already decided what songs are going to be on it, I guess the plan is to finish up in Vegas, have a break and reconvene in the studio.

It just feels like that’s still optimistic given it was only 6 months or so ago when recording one song was all Larry could manage and the indication was he needed more surgeries.

Has it really been 7 years since the last album!?

I’m still hearing Atomic City being played on radio stations, this must be their most popular single since Vertigo.

JamietheEdgefan said:

This one is very good quality.

Also, this may be old news, but the other day I saw a printed out setlist from one of the shows in January, and it listened the opening number as 'Brian Eno - Choral Intro', so it looks like they are working with him to some degree (though not necessary on a new album/single).

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I am *really* digging the vibe of this. Hope it's more in this direction! (I also loved The Blackout and, while I love SOE generally, it wasn't quite in that same vein)

Me too. I haven't liked much of U2's output since NLOTH - a handful of songs excepted - but this is good.

Doesn't really sound like U2 or very interesting. I still think their best move would be to get one more "back to basics" album out.

After a string of releases over the last few years that can only be summed up as 'absolute bollocks', culminating in the risible generic rawk of Atomic City, they've finally gone and done something good again with Glorify.

I don't doubt their intentions to try and be the best they can be at all times, they're never half arsed in their efforts and I feel they're only misguided by their own bad judgement, but they've tapped into something that is uniquely U2 here.

It contemporises traditional rootsy influences like gospel rather than trying to ape what they think 'rock' is, and getting Brittany Howard on board drives that point home. The backing choral element really makes it feel like a U2 song, that yearning and atmospheric feel that has been so lacking in much of their recent output over the last decade or so.

Really good work. More of this quality and less MOR pop and rock nonsense.

“Absolute Bollocks” should be the next album title

I wonder if that Glorify track is a remix as it doesn't sound very U2 at all?

So what do we think the Brian Eno choral intro is? Is this something from the unreleased Songs of Ascent from back in 2009?



It sounds beautiful, and I hope it means (a) they are working with Eno on a new album again. Or (b) it is a take from Songs of Ascent that they will revisit, and points towards a return to something more ethereal and atmospheric.

U2 don't exist to write 'rawk' songs, they exist on the boundaries of rock music, lying close to the edge of something spiritual. This dreamy mellow nature suits them so well.

It's tough to say right now - it could be a leftover piece of music from ages ago, it could be an intro the band asked Eno to write/record especially for the Sphere shows etc, with nothing further planned.

But I'm feeling hopeful that there could be more of a collaboration with him in the future. Songs of Ascent originally came out of sessions with Eno and Lanois after all, and given they've expressed a determination to eventually get SoA out into the world, maybe that will include getting the old crew back together, even if it's in a limited form (e.g. Eno & Lanois contributing to certain songs/arrangements along with a new main producer).

Between the choral intro for the sphere show, Eno's new ambient remixes of Achtung baby, the stage itself being inspired by Eno's turntable, Eno & Lanois featuring (albeit to a v limited degree) on Songs of Surrender, and 'Glorify' sounding far more like a preview of Songs of Ascent than Songs of Fuck-Off Rock and Roll, I'm really hoping this could all mean Eno returns in some form for the next album.

Noting that we don’t really know what’s going on with Larry there’s some stuff to unpack, and while there is a massive dose of speculation in this, there could be some logic to something like:

- Larry has committed to one more proper album/tour cycle before calling it quits.
- at the same time, they have had SOA on the burners for 15 years now. They keep putting it off, seemingly to focus on more “now”/commercial sounds.
- it seems as though the rawk album songs are chosen and they are just needing a polish/recording session to get them captured.
- Atomic City seems more like the rawk album and Glorify seems more like SOA

So with two albums all but cooked and ready, the big unknown is Larry’s health for touring. Assuming the above is true:

- releasing Atomic City gave them a focus point for the shows so it wasn’t just nostalgia.
- Glorify was thrown in as the outro music, with a heavy focus on Brittany Howard so that fans didn’t immediately go bananas about this new u2 song. A single mix may have a lot more Bono in it.
- they always had the option to release it during or after the Sphere shows, but would decide based on Larry’s health.
- if Larry is going to be fit by Sept/oct for recording that rawk album and staring a tour next year, glorify goes back on the shelf.
- If Larry needs another 12 months, they know they can’t wait 8 years between albums and call themselves a relevant ongoing band. They can release SOA without touring and buy Larry the 12 months he needs.
- this would be a departure from the apparent strategy of saving SOA as a bit of a final bow. I think their first choice would be to drop the rawk album, massive world tour and SOA is kind of like an ambient and ethereal full stop.

So all of that is a long and convoluted way of saying I think if the do release Glorify as a single, it may be tied to SOA and might be an indication that Larry may not be fully fit to commit to quickly recording a whole album and a world tour early in 2025. Recent rumours that this now seems to be the plan may be quite telling re Larry’s health. Given the way people seem to drop singles a few months apart and wait until the third song to announce an actual album these days, we might see Glorify in March to close down the Sphere run, another one in late may, and a third with an album announcement for SOA in July. SOA can drop in September, Bono and Edge can do some promo acoustically and they could even do a one off show in Dublin like they did with SOS that includes a limited role for Larry. They can spend the rest of this year slowly laying down the rock album, drop it October 2025 and commence farewell tour in 2026 for their 50th anniversary.

Really interesting ideas, Dan.

I think what makes it all the more plausible is the rumoured single release of Glorify.

Between clearly not being a big rock and roll song, and the lyrical focus being very spiritual, it really seems like something written for Songs of Ascent. But given how much Bono emphasised that they wanted to put out a rock album first, now seems like a very odd time to release something like Glorify. You'd think, if anything, they'd want to put out another Atomic City-type single.

U2songs have speculated that Glorify may be released for Record Store Day, and if that's the case, this might be a much smaller deal than Atomic City. It could be more a case of 'we need something for RSD, let's release that concert outro we've been using lately', rather than 'here's a big new single and preview of Songs of Ascent'. This could be a more niche release that largely flies under the radar, like when they released 'Soon' on vinyl.

But I could totally see a plan like what you're describing - Larry's still not fit to tour, but they don't want to spend so long between albums, so they bite the bullet and put out Songs of Ascent as a more subdued project that doesn't require a tour.

Another option that occurs to me is what we've heard of Glorify could easily be an alternate mix (possibly even a Brian Eno mix!), arranged especially to wind things down at the end of a concert. Perhaps there's a band mix with heavier drums, more prominent guitar etc, that would actually fit on a rock album, and Glorify winds up being more of a sister song to Atomic City, and a small preview of a rock album later this year.

I think any of those things are possible. I don’t think RSD needs to be independent of the other options though. I doubt they are struggling for RSD ideas because they could easily just do Pride 40. But if Glorify was released for RSD that could totally just be a physical version of the new single that will eventually become part of the new album - it doesn’t have to be one off just because of an RSD tie in.

I will listen to Atomic City ten times till Tuesday before i listen to anything like Glorify.

Headache in a Suitcase said:

I will listen to Atomic City ten times till Tuesday before i listen to anything like Glorify.

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Same

i also push back against the idea that it's generic rawk, a repeat of the 2000s, and/or a rip off of Blondie / The Clash... although i of course acknowledge that the "i'm free" part sounds like "call me" (but it's quite literally only that part)

Re the Eno choral intro, I'm sure u2songs reckoned it was a new version of "Deep Blue Day" from the Apollo album, albeit one that's very, very different... but I don't hear that at all to be honest. The chord progression and vocal harmonies sounds very U2 to me.

Given it's been 7 years without an album, what difference does another year or two make. They've had lots of opportunity to just release stuff low-key for RSD etc in the past and not done. Similarly, anything other than a new album and tour isn't going to have an impact culturally, so who knows what they'll do.

They never want to waste anything either, so releasing Glorify in some form (a remix, or maybe it is something more ambient-y so no Larry = no problem) might just be as part of a promo push for her album?

I know its always been "one for all and all for one", but after the success of the Sphere shows, I get the impression they much be itching to get going with a new album and tour.. and how long do they give Larry to get fixed? Is there a risk he won't be able to get back to full fitness for the sort of schedules they will want to do, even as they get older.

Headache in a Suitcase said:

I will listen to Atomic City ten times till Tuesday before i listen to anything like Glorify.

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Certainly that version of it anyway.

If there's a version with more "Soon" vibes as an intro/outro to an album or maybe from the mythical SOA then I'm in.

ascender_RS said:

Re the Eno choral intro, I'm sure u2songs reckoned it was a new version of "Deep Blue Day" from the Apollo album, albeit one that's very, very different... but I don't hear that at all to be honest. The chord progression and vocal harmonies sounds very U2 to me.

Given it's been 7 years without an album, what difference does another year or two make. They've had lots of opportunity to just release stuff low-key for RSD etc in the past and not done. Similarly, anything other than a new album and tour isn't going to have an impact culturally, so who knows what they'll do.

They never want to waste anything either, so releasing Glorify in some form (a remix, or maybe it is something more ambient-y so no Larry = no problem) might just be as part of a promo push for her album?

I know its always been "one for all and all for one", but after the success of the Sphere shows, I get the impression they much be itching to get going with a new album and tour.. and how long do they give Larry to get fixed? Is there a risk he won't be able to get back to full fitness for the sort of schedules they will want to do, even as they get older.

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there's a clear risk - and a clear timeline - attached to Larry. or should i say an unclear timeline.

he did randomly show up in some Dublin restaurant's instagram the other day - so perhaps he's feeling better and that's why the band was fine with pulling the plug on more Sphere shows (for now). but there's still such an unknown surrounding his status.

i would not rule out a return to Sphere in the fall for a limited run if they find out that Larry is still has a while to go. maybe not with the full Achtung Baby show - maybe something different. the space is open - Dead & Company will be done by the end of the summer.

remember - it was literally this time last year where we finally got details on the Sphere shows, right before (and during) Super Bowl. so who knows - maybe Dolan has another commercial planned for Harry Styles for this sunday. but it doesn't seem likely - there's zero buzz on anything outside of Dead & Co. and, ya know, the Sphere infomercial that U2 did at the Grammys the other day.

re: Glorify - i'd still take anything U2Songs is putting out there with a huge grain of salt. they've been wrong before. they were the ones who declared that the Sphere shows would be called SOS Baby and be an acoustic mix of Songs of Surrender and Achtung Baby tracks. that, uh, wasn't even remotely close.

They also just recently said that the band recorded Atomic City at the last two shows to use during the Grammys and, well, that wasn't even remotely close to being correct, either.

I know we're in pure speculation zone, but I cannot imagine them NOT using SOA as their swan song. Releasing it ahead of whatever this new album is going to be just b/c of Larry doesn't really make sense - especially for how long it's been cooking. I think they're definitely going to make sure it's their last album.

MattD said:

After a string of releases over the last few years that can only be summed up as 'absolute bollocks', culminating in the risible generic rawk of Atomic City, they've finally gone and done something good again with Glorify.

I don't doubt their intentions to try and be the best they can be at all times, they're never half arsed in their efforts and I feel they're only misguided by their own bad judgement, but they've tapped into something that is uniquely U2 here.

It contemporises traditional rootsy influences like gospel rather than trying to ape what they think 'rock' is, and getting Brittany Howard on board drives that point home. The backing choral element really makes it feel like a U2 song, that yearning and atmospheric feel that has been so lacking in much of their recent output over the last decade or so.

Really good work. More of this quality and less MOR pop and rock nonsense.

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Completely agree. As much as I like Atomic City, and it is *technically* a new sound for them, it feels a bit backwards looking in a way that doesn't particularly suit them. But I love the sound of Glorify. If it really is them, then good on them and whatever producer they've got there. It's exciting and yet it feels like an avenue that makes sense for U2, especially as they getting up there in age. Something a bit more meditative, yet still catchy, using a bit of modern take on gospel which is a genre they've tapped into before and makes a good fit for them.

A full album like that, obviously finding some space for Edge and Larry too in other songs (assuming there isn't a more full band version of this track) could be something special.

Achtung Ya'll said:

I know we're in pure speculation zone, but I cannot imagine them NOT using SOA as their swan song. Releasing it ahead of whatever this new album is going to be just b/c of Larry doesn't really make sense - especially for how long it's been cooking. I think they're definitely going to make sure it's their last album.

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Whether or not SOA will be their swan song, I can't imagine they'd release it now. Yes they've had years to work on it, but I feel like there's "working on it," and there's "finishing it," and the latter takes time for them, and it seems like they're already locked in on the "finishing it" stage for the rock album. That's the plane that's coming in to land and I think if Larry proves an issue, they'll just call off a release of anything rather than trying to what I think they would see as a crash landing for SOA.

Also, if SOA does end up being a swan song, they're going to tour it, regardless if the songs aren't stadium built. They have an ace up their sleeve of "the final U2 tour," which is something that will give them massive bucks.

Glorify is some rich stuff. Fantastic. Catchy and memorable. Would love to see that appear on a future album whatever / whenever it is.

I've actually cooled my jets on the whole Blondie rip off thing, mostly because the band acknowledged it. I like the song, don't love it, doesn't really inspire me to listen to it again. I don't know if there's really anything they can do though to inspire me at this point, and that's ok. They're in their 60's.

Glorify being a RSD single makes the most sense. Brittany Howard has a new album coming, and Glorify is not on it. Certainly , SOA* or "Unreasonable guitars" album are nowhere near.
As for Larry theories, easy tigers. The current plan is recording this year and a tour in Spring 2025. Plenty of time for him to recover fully.

*last album? Only if you-know-who cant go on. Back in the Fall of recording Atomic City he played in the studio for hours.

And was reportedly wincing in pain the entire time

Achtung Ya'll said:

I know we're in pure speculation zone, but I cannot imagine them NOT using SOA as their swan song. Releasing it ahead of whatever this new album is going to be just b/c of Larry doesn't really make sense - especially for how long it's been cooking. I think they're definitely going to make sure it's their last album.

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How confident are we that SOA even exists in any sort of form other than a collection of what U2 call demos/ideas on a server somewhere? Its one of those things which we've all hung on to over the years and they keep referencing it every few years, but on the Bono BS scale from 1-10, I am starting to think its near the top end.

Headache in a Suitcase said:

And was reportedly wincing in pain the entire time

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TBF, it can be challenging to tell the difference between a Larry wince and a Larry grimace.

ascender_RS said:

How confident are we that SOA even exists in any sort of form other than a collection of what U2 call demos/ideas on a server somewhere? Its one of those things which we've all hung on to over the years and they keep referencing it every few years, but on the Bono BS scale from 1-10, I am starting to think its near the top end.

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It is a 100 on the Boner BS scale.

I have been saying this ever since that infamous interview in 2009. Even a set of demos and ideas is a stretch. Clayton has stated that when Bono hears an idea, it is immediately a song for him, as a direct answer to a question about Songs of Ascent.