jick
Refugee
Here are some snippets of the desciptions of all the songs in HTDAAB. Take note that I only included the snippets that point to a possible "rehash" theory. Take note how often lines like "classic U2" or "vintage U2" or "quintessential U2" were used. Take note how every song always seems to fit an "era" of U2 or how it could have belonged to a previous album or how every song is compared to an old U2 classic. It seems the new album is nothing new - U2 isn't breaking any new sonic ground and are playing it safe which is actually a good thing for me. Check these snippets out:
1. VERTIGO
NME: "features a riff from The Edge as big as 'Beautiful Day'"
U2 Interference Interview: "That’s a song that just smells like U2, once you hear the first 10 seconds you are hooked. It's kind of like "Pride" or "Elevation."
Musicweek: "U2 return the glory days of the early 80's ..."
2. MIRACLE DRUG
Q: "The sort of wide-eyed anthem that should by now carry a U2 patent."
Musicweek: " ...guitar sound that is synonymous with the Joshua Tree, while the ending has the rousing drums that first appeared on U2's slight foray into hard rock on Exit. Begins downtempo, but in true U2 fashion, rouses before too long."
3. SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T MAKE IT ON YOUR OWN
NME: "...backed by simple chiming guitar and drums reminiscent of 'Where The Streets Have No Name'..."
Q: Bono on his father's death. As stately and emotive as One.
Uncut: "...like a companion for 'One'..."
Musicweek: "... invokes sounds more familiar on Joshua Tree's Where The Streets Have No Name... "
4. LOVE AND PEACE OR ELSE
Uncut: "... ends with some martial drumming from Larry Mullen..."
Musicweek: "...reminiscent of Mofo on Pop..."
5. CITY OF BLINDING LIGHTS
NME: "... sounds like an updated 'With or Without You' ..."
Q: "...back to the wide-open terrain of The Unforgettable Fire, via a vintage Edge motif..."
BLENDER: "Vintage U2.."
Musicweek: "...sounds as though it is a lost track from 20 years ago that could have appeared on The Unforgettable Fire ..."
6. ALL BECAUSE OF YOU
NME: "'Achtung Baby'-era guitars..."
7. A MAN AND A WOMAN
Musicweek: "... vocals on this sound as though they were recorded in 1983 for War ...sends flashbacks of War's Drowing Man..."
8. CRUMBS FROM YOUR TABLE
Q: " ...Edge breaks out I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For's ringing guitar..."
Uncut: " ...a tyipical mid-tempo U2 riff..."
Musicweek: " ...sounds a little like Mysterious Ways ..."
9. ONE STEP CLOSER
Musicweek: " ...very traditional downtempo, atmospheric classic U2 number"
10. ORIGINAL OF THE SPECIES
NME: " ...builds into an epic ballad which is classic U2."
Musicweek: " ...a love ballad that could have featured on All You Can't Leave Behind."
11. YAHWEH
Q: "...quintessentially U2 - from soaring chorus to a title that co-opts the Hebrew word for God..."
Musicweek: "...huge chiming guitars..."
I see a pattern on how its going so far. With the new songs U2 is being compared to U2. I have read similar track by track previews of POP and they were actually comparing U2 to other artists like Prodigy/Chemical Brothers (Mofo), Oasis (SATS), Chris Isaak (Velvet Dress) - the only comparison I read to older U2 was Do You Feel Loved compared to Real Thing. Fast forward to ATYCLB, In A Little While was compared to motown, New York was likened to Lou Reed. I didn't have magazines that previewed Zooropa but I highly doubt that they'd say that the songs could have easily belonged to a previous album.
The theme of this new album seems simple. Rather than draw from musical influences of the current music that is hot now, U2 are drawing from their past catalogue and from their influences when they were staring out (Ramons, Led Zeppelin). U2 are just trying to be U2 now. They are now reshasing their older song ideas - kinda like getting what made them tick and the Best Of 1980-2000 - and using the same sonic signatures for this new album.
I think U2 are now past the stage of pushing creative limits and experimentation. I think they have already found their limits with POP and Passengers and have already learned and drawn a lot from those experiences. I think U2 are at a stage where they know their career is nearing the end and they want to leave a nice lasting legacy. U2 want to just be U2 for once. Rather than draw from new musical influences (there isn't much to choose from these hip-hop artists and manufactured popstars), U2 have decided to rehash their old song ideas but make it sound fresh for 2004.
I'd take a U2 rehashing their old song ideas over an experimental U2 any day. If ATYCLB was the album that brought back the alienated U2 fans who couldn't digest all the experimentation back into the fold, HTDAAB should be the album that will keep thse fans in the fold and strengthen the fan base. I am very happy and excited to see U2 rehashing old song ideas.
Cheers,
J
1. VERTIGO
NME: "features a riff from The Edge as big as 'Beautiful Day'"
U2 Interference Interview: "That’s a song that just smells like U2, once you hear the first 10 seconds you are hooked. It's kind of like "Pride" or "Elevation."
Musicweek: "U2 return the glory days of the early 80's ..."
2. MIRACLE DRUG
Q: "The sort of wide-eyed anthem that should by now carry a U2 patent."
Musicweek: " ...guitar sound that is synonymous with the Joshua Tree, while the ending has the rousing drums that first appeared on U2's slight foray into hard rock on Exit. Begins downtempo, but in true U2 fashion, rouses before too long."
3. SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T MAKE IT ON YOUR OWN
NME: "...backed by simple chiming guitar and drums reminiscent of 'Where The Streets Have No Name'..."
Q: Bono on his father's death. As stately and emotive as One.
Uncut: "...like a companion for 'One'..."
Musicweek: "... invokes sounds more familiar on Joshua Tree's Where The Streets Have No Name... "
4. LOVE AND PEACE OR ELSE
Uncut: "... ends with some martial drumming from Larry Mullen..."
Musicweek: "...reminiscent of Mofo on Pop..."
5. CITY OF BLINDING LIGHTS
NME: "... sounds like an updated 'With or Without You' ..."
Q: "...back to the wide-open terrain of The Unforgettable Fire, via a vintage Edge motif..."
BLENDER: "Vintage U2.."
Musicweek: "...sounds as though it is a lost track from 20 years ago that could have appeared on The Unforgettable Fire ..."
6. ALL BECAUSE OF YOU
NME: "'Achtung Baby'-era guitars..."
7. A MAN AND A WOMAN
Musicweek: "... vocals on this sound as though they were recorded in 1983 for War ...sends flashbacks of War's Drowing Man..."
8. CRUMBS FROM YOUR TABLE
Q: " ...Edge breaks out I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For's ringing guitar..."
Uncut: " ...a tyipical mid-tempo U2 riff..."
Musicweek: " ...sounds a little like Mysterious Ways ..."
9. ONE STEP CLOSER
Musicweek: " ...very traditional downtempo, atmospheric classic U2 number"
10. ORIGINAL OF THE SPECIES
NME: " ...builds into an epic ballad which is classic U2."
Musicweek: " ...a love ballad that could have featured on All You Can't Leave Behind."
11. YAHWEH
Q: "...quintessentially U2 - from soaring chorus to a title that co-opts the Hebrew word for God..."
Musicweek: "...huge chiming guitars..."
I see a pattern on how its going so far. With the new songs U2 is being compared to U2. I have read similar track by track previews of POP and they were actually comparing U2 to other artists like Prodigy/Chemical Brothers (Mofo), Oasis (SATS), Chris Isaak (Velvet Dress) - the only comparison I read to older U2 was Do You Feel Loved compared to Real Thing. Fast forward to ATYCLB, In A Little While was compared to motown, New York was likened to Lou Reed. I didn't have magazines that previewed Zooropa but I highly doubt that they'd say that the songs could have easily belonged to a previous album.
The theme of this new album seems simple. Rather than draw from musical influences of the current music that is hot now, U2 are drawing from their past catalogue and from their influences when they were staring out (Ramons, Led Zeppelin). U2 are just trying to be U2 now. They are now reshasing their older song ideas - kinda like getting what made them tick and the Best Of 1980-2000 - and using the same sonic signatures for this new album.
I think U2 are now past the stage of pushing creative limits and experimentation. I think they have already found their limits with POP and Passengers and have already learned and drawn a lot from those experiences. I think U2 are at a stage where they know their career is nearing the end and they want to leave a nice lasting legacy. U2 want to just be U2 for once. Rather than draw from new musical influences (there isn't much to choose from these hip-hop artists and manufactured popstars), U2 have decided to rehash their old song ideas but make it sound fresh for 2004.
I'd take a U2 rehashing their old song ideas over an experimental U2 any day. If ATYCLB was the album that brought back the alienated U2 fans who couldn't digest all the experimentation back into the fold, HTDAAB should be the album that will keep thse fans in the fold and strengthen the fan base. I am very happy and excited to see U2 rehashing old song ideas.
Cheers,
J