New Album Discussion 9 - Larry needs new arms, ba rum pa pum pum

[DeVaul]

Funny seeing people who don’t post hardly ever coming here to trash it and the regulars defending the band relentlessly.

People are certainly coming out of the woodwork but the generalization here seems inaccurate, at least when it comes to the latter group.

I appreciate that they tried something different vs. simply mailing it on with Greatest Hits vol. 12.

Or a Best Of 2000-2010 consisting of Bomb singles and re-recorded NLOTH cuts.
::shudder::

 

[TinKnight]

Funny seeing people who don’t post hardly ever coming here to trash it and the regulars defending the band relentlessly.

Hey pal, I came out of the woodwork to call it mid, do not confuse me with them.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

So let's have a discussion. I think it's absolutely fair to call this project lazy.



The band was recording these tracks, anyway, to produce the audio version of Bono's book.



Bono decided to go on tour with his book, so he already developed at least partial "reworkings" of these songs to sing solo onstage along with his narration.



Now he wants to sell us full, recorded versions of those "reworkings" as an album.



So Bono is triple-dipping here ("Hey, we recorded these tracks for the audiobook (which he's selling), and I'm singing a little bit of this on-stage with some "new atmospherics" (for which he's selling tickets), so why don't we record these and sell them as a record of "reimagined" songs" by the whole band (revenue stream #3)). How can anyone not call this a cash grab?



That would have been fine had they taken this a little more seriously as an explicit album release. But I'm disappointed in this project (so far) because it sounds (to me) like Bono sang these as audiobook takes (things he only intended for us to hear, in little chunks, in the background of the audiobook). Now, he's trying to sell us these takes in their entirety (and asking us to pay $125 for 40 songs of that - I only buy their stuff on vinyl at this point).



What's my evidence that Bono could have give us better vocal takes? He produced much better vocals, at this same register, on their last proper album just a few years ago. He's still capable of doing that. This has nothing to do with age. He just didn't take the time to do it for this release. And, like I mentioned in a previous post, they could have recruited someone like Eno to develop some really dazzling ambient background stuff if they really intended this to be a "reimaginings" projects.



To call this a creative endeavor by U2 makes me think some people here are in serious denial about U2's current mindset as a band. I know I don't need to remind anyone here that this is the band that came out with AB, and Zooropa, and Passengers, and Pop.



I also pretty much hate when Bono tries to sing like a pop singer. Forget all of the vocal play and subtle melodic progressions; he's at his best as a rock singer.

I mean... everything we've been told by the band says that this is an Edge led project that began during lockdown... NOT just something they did because Bono wanted something for his book.

Edge is listed as the producer. Edge is the author of the letters that went out to fans. Edge is the one who became "obsessed" and turned it from an experiment into a project.

U2Songs also originally reported that the band DID have former producers work on the record. So let's wait until we see credits on the recordings before we completely rule that out. Just because Edge and Ezrin were the main people for the full project doesn't mean some other producers didn't have a hand on individual tracks.

Or it's certainly possible that U2Songs got it wrong.

Which is why the people going nuts that they somehow backtracked off of the Achtung Baby revival and are now going full Songs of Surrender for the Vegas shows (I know that's not necessarily you) off of one report from U2SONGS should Zoo Dot Calm (har har har) the fuck down and see what actually happens when they're announced in a few weeks.

In regards to whether it's creative or not... of course it is. It may not be to your liking, and that's fine. Is it as creative as recording a new album of original songs? Of course not. Is it more creative and less lazy than just releasing something that's already been released? Or putting together a compilation of b sides and songs we've heard in other forms and calling it new? 1000% yes.

If this was it and they were more or less retiring as a band that recorded new material? Ok. Fair to criticize them being lazy. But that's not what's happening. They ARE recording new material and have plans to tour it next year, when all of the band is healthy enough to hit the road.

In the meantime they're giving us a book, a solo tour different from anything they've ever attempted individually or as a group, a recording of reimagined old tracks to fill time, a documentary type film about the Dublin music scene, and a dozen shows in a technologically advanced concert venue. All to bide time until they launch the new album and tour the world again.

And all it is in here is "oh my god they're so lazy"

 

[JWR1992]

So let's have a discussion. I think it's absolutely fair to call this project lazy.



The band was recording these tracks, anyway, to produce the audio version of Bono's book.



Bono decided to go on tour with his book, so he already developed at least partial "reworkings" of these songs to sing solo onstage along with his narration.



Now he wants to sell us full, recorded versions of those "reworkings" as an album.



So Bono is triple-dipping here ("Hey, we recorded these tracks for the audiobook (which he's selling), and I'm singing a little bit of this on-stage with some "new atmospherics" (for which he's selling tickets), so why don't we record these and sell them as a record of "reimagined" songs" by the whole band (revenue stream #3)). How can anyone not call this a cash grab?



That would have been fine had they taken this a little more seriously as an explicit album release. But I'm disappointed in this project (so far) because it sounds (to me) like Bono sang these as audiobook takes (things he only intended for us to hear, in little chunks, in the background of the audiobook). Now, he's trying to sell us these takes in their entirety (and asking us to pay $125 for 40 songs of that - I only buy their stuff on vinyl at this point).



What's my evidence that Bono could have give us better vocal takes? He produced much better vocals, at this same register, on their last proper album just a few years ago. He's still capable of doing that. This has nothing to do with age. He just didn't take the time to do it for this release. And, like I mentioned in a previous post, they could have recruited someone like Eno to develop some really dazzling ambient background stuff if they really intended this to be a "reimaginings" projects.



To call this a creative endeavor by U2 makes me think some people here are in serious denial about U2's current mindset as a band. I know I don't need to remind anyone here that this is the band that came out with AB, and Zooropa, and Passengers, and Pop.



I also pretty much hate when Bono tries to sing like a pop singer. Forget all of the vocal play and subtle melodic progressions; he's at his best as a rock singer.

Not true. Adam first brought up this project back in 2020/2021.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Not true. Adam first brought up this project back in 2020/2021.

Truth.

Bassist Adam Clayton first mentioned a re-recording project during a June 2021 interview with Rocky O'Riordan on the band's U2-X Radio station on Sirius XM: "we are playing around with rearranging some of the songs that we have and setting them in a more acoustic environment. Edge got a bit of a bee in his bonnet and... said let's look at these songs and imagine them in a different context. So we are playing around with that. He's putting a lot of work into changing the keys, and moving them onto piano and that sort of thing." Clayton added that he hoped for a release by the end of 2021.

And again clearly pointing to Edge as the driving force behind this project, NOT Bono or his book.

That they then became connected seems to be a happenstance of timing and convenience.

 

[ndmaxfield]

Truth.



And again clearly pointing to Edge as the driving force behind this project, NOT Bono or his book.

That they then became connected seems to be a happenstance of timing and convenience.

Or they spun it like this. But if we use our own brains, it's obvious this album is a product of Bono's audiobook and book tour (weren't you the one who posted clips from the audiobook as previews of what to expect on this album?).

 

[JWR1992]

Or they spun it like this. But if we use our own brains, it's obvious this album is a product of Bono's audiobook and book tour (weren't you the one who posted clips from the audiobook as previews of what to expect on this album?).

Lol so then why even bring SOS up long before the book was even rumored? And why not just release both projects together at the same time and have both projects include the same 40 songs?

 

[ndmaxfield]

Lol so then why even bring SOS up long before the book was even rumored? And why not just release both projects together at the same time and have both projects include the same 40 songs?

So, you're thinking what? That Bono wrote the book last Spring and then published it in November? That book has probably been in development for a long time, along with the audiobook versions and these "reimagined" song versions and Bono's book tour. None of this happens overnight. And it's the same people working on all of these concepts and products. These aren't separate people working on separate concepts that just happened to collide.

 

[Irvine511]

U2 likes money, sure. We all do. They don’t pretend to be troubled by their extreme wealth. They also try very hard to make the world a better place in real, substantive ways.

But, to me, the only real “cash grab” — which was more reputation repair — were 1980-1990 greatest hits after the Pop debacle, and the Joshua Tree Tour. And people seemed to love those and think of them highly.

There are so, so many ways in which U2 has not done the easy thing, and this is one of them. They easily could have compiled 40 songs for 40 chapters and been done with it. They did way more than that, and my hope is that, yes, they do feel a bit lost and chastened after the I/E era and the Apple debacle, and this was as much an artistic investment and personal rediscovery as anything else.

I don’t love how WOWY tries to show off the cracks and strain in his voice in a way that doesn’t work for me (“look at me! My voice shows I’ve lived a life!”) But I think he’s singing well, and I thought Pride was done exactly right. It was interesting, and in conversation with the past. More of that, please.

Just be interesting.

 

[LadySpinHead]

Hey there. It’s been a while.
Pride was fine. WOWY is fine. This whole project is fine. I’m not too fussed about it.
My opinion on Bono’s vocals being “shot”… doesn’t he often sing more “broken” on purpose, to show emotion? That was my first thought on listening to WOWY, not “holy crap he sounds like petrified shit” but “oh, he’s trying to relay the feeling of the song, especially in the first half or so, as despair.” I know he’s done that in the past, SYCMIOYO is an obvious one, but also going back to That’s Life cover and more recent songs too (maybe Every Breaking Wave? I can’t remember offhand). He’ll purposely break his voice and then sing powerfully and clearly in the next verse. I always thought it was another way he portrayed vulnerability in the songs, and I’ve thought it showed pretty awesome control over his voice.

 

[clerks]

This board’s arguments against this project are lazy. 3 out of 10 at best. I won’t be buying them.

 

[DeVaul]

This board’s arguments against this project are lazy. 3 out of 10 at best. I won’t be buying them.

Who buys arguments on cd anymore anyway?

 

[clerks]

Who buys arguments on cd anymore anyway?

Fat losers. Cc me.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Who buys arguments on cd anymore anyway?

Seriously. I've been streaming my arguments for years.

 

[lazarus]

Not true. Adam first brought up this project back in 2020/2021.

Truth.

And again clearly pointing to Edge as the driving force behind this project, NOT Bono or his book.

That they then became connected seems to be a happenstance of timing and convenience.

I'll return to what I said yesterday--it's pathetic that it's taken them 2-3 years to rework all these tracks.

No "pandemic project" like this should have taken so long. THAT'S what's lazy, not the idea of the reimagining itself.

 

[Irvine511]

Seriously. I've been streaming my arguments for years.

I only make arguments on vinyl. They’re so much more subtle.

 

[DeVaul]

I'll return to what I said yesterday--it's pathetic that it's taken them 2-3 years to rework all these tracks.



No "pandemic project" like this should have taken so long. THAT'S what's lazy, not the idea of the reimagining itself.

I’m sorry but you’re a regular who should be relentlessly defending…

 

[pacemaker]

This board’s arguments against this project are lazy. 3 out of 10 at best. I won’t be buying them.

The arguments are lazy because they’re allowed to be lazy.

 

[JWR1992]

I'll return to what I said yesterday--it's pathetic that it's taken them 2-3 years to rework all these tracks.



No "pandemic project" like this should have taken so long. THAT'S what's lazy, not the idea of the reimagining itself.

Pretty sure it was confirmed these were all recorded in about a one year time frame.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

To be fair, I used to care about my arguments more, but then I got fat, rich and lazy

 

[allaras]

I really liked what they did with Pride. Bono’s voice is fine and I’m excited for all the potential new atmospheric landscapes Edge is going to paint for this project.

This one I can’t get into. I start to really like it and then when it’s about to take off it pulls a Sopranos and just abruptly

 

[allaras]

the best thing about all of this is that nobody has to actually listen to it. the originals? they still exist. they're merely reimagined alternate takes. in no way is the band saying "here - this is how we want you to listen to this now. delete all other versions and only use this now." yet a lot of people seem to be taking it that way, which is both fascinating and baffling at the same time.

You haven’t heard? They’ve partnered with Apple and are replacing all the streaming versions from past with these versions - including live ones in your own collection.

 

[allaras]

so let's have a discussion. I think it's absolutely fair to call this project lazy.



The band was recording these tracks, anyway, to produce the audio version of bono's book.



Bono decided to go on tour with his book, so he already developed at least partial "reworkings" of these songs to sing solo onstage along with his narration.



Now he wants to sell us full, recorded versions of those "reworkings" as an album.



So bono is triple-dipping here ("hey, we recorded these tracks for the audiobook (which he's selling), and i'm singing a little bit of this on-stage with some "new atmospherics" (for which he's selling tickets), so why don't we record these and sell them as a record of "reimagined" songs" by the whole band (revenue stream #3)). How can anyone not call this a cash grab?



That would have been fine had they taken this a little more seriously as an explicit album release. But i'm disappointed in this project (so far) because it sounds (to me) like bono sang these as audiobook takes (things he only intended for us to hear, in little chunks, in the background of the audiobook). Now, he's trying to sell us these takes in their entirety (and asking us to pay $125 for 40 songs of that - i only buy their stuff on vinyl at this point).



What's my evidence that bono could have give us better vocal takes? He produced much better vocals, at this same register, on their last proper album just a few years ago. He's still capable of doing that. This has nothing to do with age. He just didn't take the time to do it for this release. And, like i mentioned in a previous post, they could have recruited someone like eno to develop some really dazzling ambient background stuff if they really intended this to be a "reimaginings" projects.



To call this a creative endeavor by u2 makes me think some people here are in serious denial about u2's current mindset as a band. I know i don't need to remind anyone here that this is the band that came out with ab, and zooropa, and passengers, and pop.



I also pretty much hate when bono tries to sing like a pop singer. Forget all of the vocal play and subtle melodic progressions; he's at his best as a rock singer.

 

[dan_smee]

So let's have a discussion. I think it's absolutely fair to call this project lazy.



The band was recording these tracks, anyway, to produce the audio version of Bono's book.



Bono decided to go on tour with his book, so he already developed at least partial "reworkings" of these songs to sing solo onstage along with his narration.



Now he wants to sell us full, recorded versions of those "reworkings" as an album.



So Bono is triple-dipping here ("Hey, we recorded these tracks for the audiobook (which he's selling), and I'm singing a little bit of this on-stage with some "new atmospherics" (for which he's selling tickets), so why don't we record these and sell them as a record of "reimagined" songs" by the whole band (revenue stream #3)). How can anyone not call this a cash grab?



That would have been fine had they taken this a little more seriously as an explicit album release. But I'm disappointed in this project (so far) because it sounds (to me) like Bono sang these as audiobook takes (things he only intended for us to hear, in little chunks, in the background of the audiobook). Now, he's trying to sell us these takes in their entirety (and asking us to pay $125 for 40 songs of that - I only buy their stuff on vinyl at this point).



What's my evidence that Bono could have give us better vocal takes? He produced much better vocals, at this same register, on their last proper album just a few years ago. He's still capable of doing that. This has nothing to do with age. He just didn't take the time to do it for this release. And, like I mentioned in a previous post, they could have recruited someone like Eno to develop some really dazzling ambient background stuff if they really intended this to be a "reimaginings" projects.



To call this a creative endeavor by U2 makes me think some people here are in serious denial about U2's current mindset as a band. I know I don't need to remind anyone here that this is the band that came out with AB, and Zooropa, and Passengers, and Pop.



I also pretty much hate when Bono tries to sing like a pop singer. Forget all of the vocal play and subtle melodic progressions; he's at his best as a rock singer.

There’s lots here and others have already covered some of my points, but I just want to call out that some of the things up top in your post aren’t how I’ve interpreted them and the fact we are starting from very different positions might explain the difference of opinion.

The band was recording these tracks, anyway, to produce the audio version of Bono's book.



I’m not sure that was the original intent. I think the band decided to record these tracks as an interesting project they could do separately. They say things go off in the room for them and covid meant they couldn’t do that. The book in my eyes was just the catalyst for an idea to record. The audiobook itself being the motivator is not something I agree with.



Bono decided to go on tour with his book, so he already developed at least partial "reworkings" of these songs to sing solo onstage along with his narration.


Now he wants to sell us full, recorded versions of those "reworkings" as an album.


I think your sequence is out here. The Bono tour is likely a result of Larry’s back. U2songs say the new album was done and meant to be released in March, so he’s likely filling time here. Maybe he intended to do a little show, but either way - I small tour of tiny venues isn’t exactly a big money spinner.




So Bono is triple-dipping here ("Hey, we recorded these tracks for the audiobook (which he's selling), and I'm singing a little bit of this on-stage with some "new atmospherics" (for which he's selling tickets), so why don't we record these and sell them as a record of "reimagined" songs" by the whole band (revenue stream #3)). How can anyone not call this a cash grab?


Because the term cash grab is charged. A cash grab would be him playing 60 arena shows with this tour. You talk about it like a band isn’t supposed to record and release music and play shows. The book itself isn’t really in the picture. I see all this as a companion piece that is a nice diversion before the next new album. I am certainly not getting offended by it.

 

[Hollow Island]

It’s not likely that the Bono tour is the result of Larry’s back. The Bono tour is the result of his book and Penguin requiring him to go out and promote it.

 

[DeVaul]

The Bono tour is the result of his book and Penguin requiring him to go out and promote it.

I must’ve missed all those other rock star memoirs that the publishing companies pushed the writers out on the road to develop and perform shows for.

 

[Hollow Island]

I think there is confusion over the difference between outtake and demo. See my earlier post re not reading/misinterpreting, and then arguing against what was assumed as the point rather than what was actually said.

Lol, you think I’m confused about the difference between a demo and outtake? See what I mean about you being the one guilty of what you accuse me of?

I’m not the one using outtake and alternative take interchangeably even though they mean different things and neither apply to SOS. And outtakes generally are rougher than the finished product. Regardless, nothing on SOS is meant to sound like an outtake - Pride can’t get any farther than the sound of TUF, and an outtake would share that sound. As would an alternative take. They’re meant to sound like new versions.

 

[ndmaxfield]

There’s lots here and others have already covered some of my points, but I just want to call out that some of the things up top in your post aren’t how I’ve interpreted them and the fact we are starting from very different positions might explain the difference of opinion.

The band was recording these tracks, anyway, to produce the audio version of Bono's book.



I’m not sure that was the original intent. I think the band decided to record these tracks as an interesting project they could do separately. They say things go off in the room for them and covid meant they couldn’t do that. The book in my eyes was just the catalyst for an idea to record. The audiobook itself being the motivator is not something I agree with.



Bono decided to go on tour with his book, so he already developed at least partial "reworkings" of these songs to sing solo onstage along with his narration.


Now he wants to sell us full, recorded versions of those "reworkings" as an album.


I think your sequence is out here. The Bono tour is likely a result of Larry’s back. U2songs say the new album was done and meant to be released in March, so he’s likely filling time here. Maybe he intended to do a little show, but either way - I small tour of tiny venues isn’t exactly a big money spinner.




So Bono is triple-dipping here ("Hey, we recorded these tracks for the audiobook (which he's selling), and I'm singing a little bit of this on-stage with some "new atmospherics" (for which he's selling tickets), so why don't we record these and sell them as a record of "reimagined" songs" by the whole band (revenue stream #3)). How can anyone not call this a cash grab?


Because the term cash grab is charged. A cash grab would be him playing 60 arena shows with this tour. You talk about it like a band isn’t supposed to record and release music and play shows. The book itself isn’t really in the picture. I see all this as a companion piece that is a nice diversion before the next new album. I am certainly not getting offended by it.

I think the band is being deceptive by marketing this as a proper album. If they had marketed it as a soundtrack to the audiobook and Bono's book tour, that might have been an industry first and actually kind of cool (and maybe a very limited release would justify the prices they're charging for the deluxe versions). But they're marketing this as a completely separate "re-imagining" project (and some people are taking the bait). I'm not convinced they "re-imagined" on a very serious level based on the two songs we have so far. I guess time will tell after the full album comes out.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I must’ve missed all those other rock star memoirs that the publishing companies pushed the writers out on the road to develop and perform shows for.

Bro, you haven't lived until you see Prince Harry do Wonderwall while recounting memories of his mom dying

 

[AndrewCowley]

WOWY is boring. Musically bereft and Bono’s vocals are all over the place. It’s exactly what I feared these songs would be.