jick
Refugee
Ever since the birth of U2, I have noticed a trend that the band has followed after Boy. They have been following the motto that to go forward, you have to take some little steps backward. So far the trend has consistently been one step backward to go two steps forward. Here goes:
Boy (BIRTH)
October (BACKWARD) - experimenting with their religious conviction but taking it too far
War (FORWARD) - good mix of religious and political beliefs and spawned some hits
Under A Blood Red Sky (MORE FORWARD) - captured what makes the band tick - performing live with a lot of passion
Unforgettable Fire (BACKWARD) - still learning to explore ambient sounds and spontaneous playing
Wide Awake In America (FORWARD) - the realization of the potential of two UF songs in a live setting including U2's best live staple "Bad" which was also highlighted in Live Aid; plus two UF rejects that showcase great songwriting and bass playing
The Joshua Tree (MORE FORWARD) - the pinnacle of their career which contained all the best elements of their previous work - `nuff said!
Rattle And Hum (BACKWARD) - they experimented on incorporating elements their musical heroes into their music which got a bad rap
Achtung Baby (FORWARD) - the second pinnacle of their career, after turning their backs on the image R&H overdid but turning to irony and heavy industrial sounds
Zooropa (MORE FORWARD) - the realization of their musical experimentation and perhaps the most ambitious and risky piece of work done by a mainstream pop band
POP (BACKWARD) - failed attempt to incorporate the hip music at that time, which was trip-hop and jungle techno, to their own music; unfinished and disjointed
ATYCLB (FORWARD) - realization that it's not always best to try to incorporate other incompatible music with you own, instead, they chose to just sound like themselves
HTDAAB (MORE FORWARD) - the previous album was a return, this one is a reasurrance that they are still sounding like themselves but this time with a more edgy sound
Their "backward" albums are always U2 on a mindset of trying out different "elements" to incorporate them in a future album or to discard them altogether. It's like a Formula One car during winter testing where they are simply testing new components - lap times aren't great and they aren't really in competetive mode.
So from all indications and following this trend, U2's follow-up to HTDAAB could be a dud but the subsequent albums would be great. That is if U2 still have 3 albums left in them.
Cheers,
J
Boy (BIRTH)
October (BACKWARD) - experimenting with their religious conviction but taking it too far
War (FORWARD) - good mix of religious and political beliefs and spawned some hits
Under A Blood Red Sky (MORE FORWARD) - captured what makes the band tick - performing live with a lot of passion
Unforgettable Fire (BACKWARD) - still learning to explore ambient sounds and spontaneous playing
Wide Awake In America (FORWARD) - the realization of the potential of two UF songs in a live setting including U2's best live staple "Bad" which was also highlighted in Live Aid; plus two UF rejects that showcase great songwriting and bass playing
The Joshua Tree (MORE FORWARD) - the pinnacle of their career which contained all the best elements of their previous work - `nuff said!
Rattle And Hum (BACKWARD) - they experimented on incorporating elements their musical heroes into their music which got a bad rap
Achtung Baby (FORWARD) - the second pinnacle of their career, after turning their backs on the image R&H overdid but turning to irony and heavy industrial sounds
Zooropa (MORE FORWARD) - the realization of their musical experimentation and perhaps the most ambitious and risky piece of work done by a mainstream pop band
POP (BACKWARD) - failed attempt to incorporate the hip music at that time, which was trip-hop and jungle techno, to their own music; unfinished and disjointed
ATYCLB (FORWARD) - realization that it's not always best to try to incorporate other incompatible music with you own, instead, they chose to just sound like themselves
HTDAAB (MORE FORWARD) - the previous album was a return, this one is a reasurrance that they are still sounding like themselves but this time with a more edgy sound
Their "backward" albums are always U2 on a mindset of trying out different "elements" to incorporate them in a future album or to discard them altogether. It's like a Formula One car during winter testing where they are simply testing new components - lap times aren't great and they aren't really in competetive mode.
So from all indications and following this trend, U2's follow-up to HTDAAB could be a dud but the subsequent albums would be great. That is if U2 still have 3 albums left in them.
Cheers,
J