Songs of Experience - Part 2

[JamietheEdgefan]

I felt the same way a little bit when I first heard it. I still like the song and think the chorus does the job alright, but something tells me they were a massive hook or two away from making it quite memorable.

Agreed, they seemed to get close but not quite hit that mark!

RE what you said about NLOTH's 50-60 not being as completed as these SoE 18 - I think from what we've heard, they're certainly quite far ahead right now, some songs apparently sound finished and it seems they're more into getting SoE finished than they ever were about Songs of Ascent.

... But Bono has been known to exaggerate after all! I think immediately after he said that they had 5 or 6 songs for SoA, Daniel Lanois said in a separate interview that Bono considers something to be a 'song' once it has one line of lyrics, or a couple of chords, rather than when it's, you know, recorded, produced, mixed & mastered (of which u2 does a hell of a lot before releasing).
Take what he's just said in this interview, for example - he says that they have 18 songs, but also says Edge wrote one (tightrope) the other day. If it's just been written, it's likely quite far from its finished , recorded form.

So when Bono says they have 18 songs, I'm a bit wary of thinking that means for certain that they're basically done with them, and simply cutting down to 11 to release.

 

[DomCobb]

Whether or not those 18 songs have actually been recorded, it's clear that at least a few are finished or near finished.

The fact that they bring up their progress on SOE in just about every interview and have been talking about it for more than a year now makes me think this actually is going to happen (unlike SOA). The fact that the tour will "end" in November means they at least have a few months off to finish and release, possibly? I feel like a spring release of SOE to coincide with the next leg probably makes the most sense.

 

[Oregoropa]

I like 'Epic'

 

[dan_smee]

This is less convincing than the photo shoot news, but in all is a positive sign.

18 songs complete? I'll believe it when I see it. And if they are still writing new stuff for this record, then it is still a way off. Still, I think it is happening, and I think they know that they have to. Exciting on the whole, but I wouldn't go nuts just yet.

 

[Mack_Again]

18 songs completed yet there will only be a dozen when finished...do these guys work in reverse or what?

I guess what they mean is there are 18 songs that COULD end up on the album and probably album will contain 12 songs or so. I wish they put it all in one album. 18 songs. or at least 15 songs.

 

[JamietheEdgefan]

They'd have 3 full months (december, january, february) if the rumours of march 2016 are true, for them to finish SoE by the next tour leg.

If a lot of tunes are already done, it seems plausible to me. But when Bono says Edge started a new song just "the other day", i worry that they're still in the songwriting/messing around stage rather than the recording/producing/mastering stage.

Then again it kinda depends on the song - they threw Volcano on SoI at the last minute (they actually had to pull the album back from Apple to do so), and a journalist noted that in the days/hours leading up to NLOTH's completion, they were still writing/re-writing and recording songs. So Edge coming up with tunes now doesn't have to mean they're massively far away from finishing. They work on their albums right up until release, like Edge says: U2 albums don't get finished, they just get released.

 

[JoRu]

Bono reveals details of U2's new album 'Songs of Experience' | EW.com

Bono says SOE will be "very epic".

Edge working on a song provisionally called "tightrope".

18 (!) tracks completed. Will be around a dozen when finished.



This. Is. Happening.



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To clarify, he said that the song The Edge came up with ("Tightrope") is "very epic", not the album as a whole. Though there have been indications of a more grand sound, for sure (the "U Talking U2 To Me"-segment, for example).

Anyway: they don't really deserve the benefit of the doubt, but I'll give them it anyway. As of right now I do believe they are very set on this happening, and pretty soon. My worry is that once the European leg is done and they'll sit down with the material they have things will get too real. Management will say "new album would be great, but you've got this deadline to finish it because after that we've got tour scheduling that's too far along to change much" and they will eventually chicken out because they have a bunch of songs they're not yet happy with and wouldn't get done in time, and they won't do an EP either because it's not big and impactful enough.

This may be all BS on my part and not how things work at all, but that's my worry. I'm taking the "18 songs completed"-quote with a huge amount of salt, by the way. Cautiously optimistic, though.

 

[JamietheEdgefan]

Good point. The only hope is that they stand by their recent comments about the era of 5 year-long albums being over, and wanting to releasing something quick, and rough.
Hopefully they stand by that in the face of tight tour deadlines, or perhaps a conversation with Jimmy Iovine that delays everything by a year.

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

You would think that at least 9-10 of the songs are done and ready to go by now if they were serious that some of these songs were on their way to being finished when they put out songs of innocence. Unless they've already scrapped those and started over during the tour.


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[CMIS]

Not expecting a thing. Bono can yap all he wants.

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[Mrs. Garrison]

Not expecting a thing. Bono can yap all he wants.

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[mikal]

Bobbi's song count equation:

X*.18352


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[trevgreg]

RE what you said about NLOTH's 50-60 not being as completed as these SoE 18 - I think from what we've heard, they're certainly quite far ahead right now, some songs apparently sound finished and it seems they're more into getting SoE finished than they ever were about Songs of Ascent.

... But Bono has been known to exaggerate after all! I think immediately after he said that they had 5 or 6 songs for SoA, Daniel Lanois said in a separate interview that Bono considers something to be a 'song' once it has one line of lyrics, or a couple of chords, rather than when it's, you know, recorded, produced, mixed & mastered (of which u2 does a hell of a lot before releasing).
Take what he's just said in this interview, for example - he says that they have 18 songs, but also says Edge wrote one (tightrope) the other day. If it's just been written, it's likely quite far from its finished , recorded form.

So when Bono says they have 18 songs, I'm a bit wary of thinking that means for certain that they're basically done with them, and simply cutting down to 11 to release.

Agreed. It seems like they have had a lot of time though to at least get these 18 songs pretty far down the line. Of course, the "Tightrope" comment makes it apparent that they're still writing. But it's hard for me to imagine that a lot of those songs aren't pretty far along yet, especially if they played 3-4 that were basically complete for those podcasters a month or two ago.

18 songs complete? I'll believe it when I see it. And if they are still writing new stuff for this record, then it is still a way off. Still, I think it is happening, and I think they know that they have to. Exciting on the whole, but I wouldn't go nuts just yet.

I'm definitely curious to see if Edge will follow through on the suggestion he have in that interview earlier this month, that at some point they'll just say "screw it" and release it as is rather than tinkering with it for a bit longer. If there's any time period to do it though, it'll be in the next few months (at least in terms of completing the thing sooner than later).

 

[Registered Dude]

full quote... Sounds "up". Beautiful Day type song I'd guess

“We’re well into it,” Bono tells EW. “Edge just came up with a cracker the other day! It’s provisionally titled ‘Tightrope.’”

As far as how the new material will sound, Bono says of that track, “It’s very epic. It’s very up. And, you know, that’s probably what the experience has taught us: to be fully in the moment and that fun is respected, and joy is not to be let go of.”

 

[RoKKeR]

As I've said before, I know I'm supposed to be pessimistic about this sort of stuff as a U2 fan but I'd say it's all lining up pretty nicely.

They played 3-4 near complete to Adam Scott Aukerman a few months ago. They heard and rolled with the comments about putting something out more quickly like Zooropa and not keeping it in the oven so long.

They continue to talk about it in interviews. Hell, we knew some song names back when SOI was released.

They have a break from the end of this year and the beginning of the next spring, which is when the tour is rumored to start up again.

They have done *some* photo shoots / design of what might be the album's artwork / visual style.

...am I missing anything? Haha. While it may be optimistic to say Spring of next year, that's what makes the most sense with the next leg if they want to incorporate new material and change the show I bit.

But anything can happen with these guys...

 

[dan_smee]

The biggest thing for me is the lack of a tour announcement. Obviously they sell more tickets if there is new material, so they are most likely lining up announcements. If a tour announcement/on sale date comes before an album announcement, then we may start to worry.


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[Mack_Again]

Not expecting a thing. Bono can yap all he wants.

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I just salute you

 

[RoKKeR]

The biggest thing for me is the lack of a tour announcement. Obviously they sell more tickets if there is new material, so they are most likely lining up announcements. If a tour announcement/on sale date comes before an album announcement, then we may start to worry.


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Ah, very good point. This will be interesting to follow.

 

[Mack_Again]

as i said somewhere, Im fearing that U2 will finally do album-less tours like Metallica or Stones are doing. Though it's great that they are still on the road, I hate that they tour to get revenues. Come on, U2, get ur shit together.

 

[superchuk5]

I'm imagining tour announcement comes first and then album is either released as tickets go on sale or as a second wind of promotion. they wouldn't pass up the HBO publicity but it's too soon for an album announcement.

As to making revenues off of tour, that's more of an industry macro issue rather than the fault of the band. It is very hard to make money directly off an album itself these days, so the tour is the primary money maker. The album less tour may happen someday, but any dates they announce will just be new legs of I+e. You could argue that the 2010-2011 legs of 360 were an album less tour since they played so little NLOTH material.

 

[Mack_Again]

I'm imagining tour announcement comes first and then album is either released as tickets go on sale or as a second wind of promotion. they wouldn't pass up the HBO publicity but it's too soon for an album announcement.

As to making revenues off of tour, that's more of an industry macro issue rather than the fault of the band. It is very hard to make money directly off an album itself these days, so the tour is the primary money maker. The album less tour may happen someday, but any dates they announce will just be new legs of I+e. You could argue that the 2010-2011 legs of 360 were an album less tour since they played so little NLOTH material.

yeah 360's last leg was closest thing U2 came to album-less tour but I'm mostly afraid of announcing tours unrelated to albums. like Metallica's MetOn tour. I hope that U2 is (mostly) done with albums and can put out soon

 

[BVS]

as i said somewhere, Im fearing that U2 will finally do album-less tours like Metallica or Stones are doing. Though it's great that they are still on the road, I hate that they tour to get revenues. Come on, U2, get ur shit together.

WTF?! Why are you talking about U2 doing "album-less" tours in the context of an album that is only a year old and talk of another coming out soon? Why do you hate that a band tours to get revenues? Do you not understand the industry? Come on, Mack, get ur shit together.


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[Registered Dude]

up to date listing of new songs mentioned in SOE coverage:


1. Morning After Innocence
2. Red Flag Day
3. The Little Things You Give Away
4. Civilisation
5. Get Out Of Your Own Way
6. Instrument Flying
7. Much More Better (title needed)
8. Tightrope

 

[trainmaniac]

Brand new rumours from Portugal. Portuguese promoter said to Blitz that U2 will definitely come to Portugal in 2016... but it's not allowed to say whether it will be an arena or outdoor show!
He also said that the show will take place in July 2016 and that ticket sales will occur until the end of 2015.

It's all here (in portuguese): Concerto dos U2 em Portugal é anunciado oficialmente ainda este ano - BLITZ

 

[Registered Dude]

yeah the buzz from someone well placed is that when all is said and done, the tour will have lasted three years - so far they're planning for:

Europe - Spring 2016
North America - Summer 2016
Australia (& Asia?) - Fall 2016

All subject to change. Not sure if South America gets a visit. Stadiums will enter the equation for the final legs.


..plenty of time in between legs to finish an album

 

[trainmaniac]

May we have an outdoor tour in Europe? The portuguese promoter says he's not allowed to reveal whether it will be arenas or outdoor (and in the past he had no problems saying that the plan was for arena shows), but the most interesting thing is that he says that they will start selling just one show and demand may grant a second show. Well... they are not selling just one show if it's indoor, I suppose?

 

[The_acrobat]

That ties in with the belief that there will be a tour announcement around the time of the HBO special, and tickets going onsale before the end of 2015.

Portugal in July kind of goes against what's been previously rumored, but who knows? I think all we can say for certain is that tour dates will be announced in November.

As for SOE, I'll be surprised if we hear a note from it just because it's U2, and I know how they work. It's encouraging that a year later they're still talking about it like its gonna happen, but in NO WAY IS IT A GUARANTEE. I hope we get it, that'd be amazing!


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[LadySpinHead]

they wouldn't pass up the HBO publicity

How soon we forget the Tonight Show rooftop performance.

 

[The_acrobat]

How soon we forget the Tonight Show rooftop performance.

That was a strange time;
- new single
- super bowl commercial
- tonight show
- oscars & golden globes
- ordinary love + Mandela movie
- rumors of an album in April, May, arena tour beginning September 2014
.... And then nothing.......

We can all agree that whatever the plan was, the KILL SWITCH was pushed at the eleventh hour.


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[YBORCITY]

up to date listing of new songs mentioned in SOE coverage:


1. Morning After Innocence
2. Red Flag Day
3. The Little Things You Give Away
4. Civilisation
5. Get Out Of Your Own Way
6. Instrument Flying
7. Much More Better (title needed)
8. Tightrope

I for one am mostly excited for Much More Better..... I hear it's Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!