What influences do you want/awate for the next album?

[babyman]

u2 have experimented really lots of sounds and styles in all their records. from blues to electronic, soul and much more............
so, what's the style you want to hear for the next album? in which direction do you think will the guys move?

 

[GAGV]

u2 have experimented really lots of sounds and styles in all their records. from blues to electronic, soul and much more............
so, what's the style you want to hear for the next album? in which direction do you think will the guys move?

¡REGGAETÓN! (Remember they're "a band from Jamaica called U2")

Just kidding (obviously). As they're never returning to electronic rock, I suppose that an album with songs similar to Fast Cars/Xanax would push the envelope in terms of experimentation.

Or they could release some of the "Rifforama" songs that made the original "Dragon".

 

[XHendrix24]

I actually really like the "cold" sound that they've been teasing us with since "The Ground Beneath Her Feet," and in my opinion most adequately captured in "Mercy."

But yeah, I'd really like an album exploring that cold sound, with less focus on radio hits and more focus on making a great, complete-feeling album with a focus (while I like HTDAAB, it was probably their least focused effort). I want an album that takes you on a fantastic journey, like JT, Achtung, UF, or Zooropa. I really think that could be U2's third masterpiece. I'm not getting my hopes up, though.

 

[AtomicBono]

I actually really like the "cold" sound that they've been teasing us with since "The Ground Beneath Her Feet," and in my opinion most adequately captured in "Mercy."

But yeah, I'd really like an album exploring that cold sound, with less focus on radio hits and more focus on making a great, complete-feeling album with a focus (while I like HTDAAB, it was probably their least focused effort). I want an album that takes you on a fantastic journey, like JT, Achtung, UF, or Zooropa. I really think that could be U2's third masterpiece. I'm not getting my hopes up, though.

no point in me posting since you just posted exactly what I was going to say...

 

[Zoots]

no point in me posting since you just posted exactly what I was going to say...

I agree with XHendrix24 too. The album should take us on a journey! It should have some kind of loose concept and common musical style and not sound like a greatest hits cd.

As much as I would like them to go in the direction of Night And Day, it's not gonna happen. So more songs like Ground Beneath, Mercy and Stateless would be

 

[babyman]

my dream would be an album with no videos, no resonance, no interviews, like pearl jam do for example. and the sound of the ground beneath her feet would fit my desire.........

 

[Zoots]

my dream would be an album with no videos, no resonance, no interviews, like pearl jam do for example. and the sound of the ground beneath her feet would fit my desire.........

I kinda agree. I don't have a problem with videos, even though they've not been that interesting lately. But definitely.. less promotion, less hype, less media publicity would be a refreshing change!

Bottomline is I just wish they continue to surprise us in whatever they do until they retire. Keep changing the sound/direction/image whatever and never settle on one safe path that they know would work well.

 

[babyman]

I kinda agree. I don't have a problem with videos, even though they've not been that interesting lately. But definitely.. less promotion, less hype, less media publicity would be a refreshing change!

Bottomline is I just wish they continue to surprise us in whatever they do until they retire. Keep changing the sound/direction/image whatever and never settle on one safe path that they know would work well.

imagine that, u2 makes an album and no one in the media says a damn thing about............................wow, will it ever happen??
i doubt..................
but in certain ways it happened with zooropa though they did 3 videos, there wasn't so much acclamation for its release. i don't remember the band promoting it, expect playing the songs during the 1993 tour.

 

[Zoots]

imagine that, u2 makes an album and no one in the media says a damn thing about............................wow, will it ever happen??
i doubt..................
but in certain ways it happened with zooropa though they did 3 videos, there wasn't so much acclamation for its release. i don't remember the band promoting it, expect playing the songs during the 1993 tour.

Yet another reason I think the 90s was the best decade for them!

 

[XHendrix24]

no point in me posting since you just posted exactly what I was going to say...

I agree with XHendrix24 too. The album should take us on a journey! It should have some kind of loose concept and common musical style and not sound like a greatest hits cd.

As much as I would like them to go in the direction of Night And Day, it's not gonna happen. So more songs like Ground Beneath, Mercy and Stateless would be

Hey, what can I say? Great minds think alike.

 

[Hallucination]

I think Slash should play on the next album and Robert Smith should play on the album. Robert should duet with Bono on a song. And David Usher should also duet on a song, possible as the lead vocals while Bono does background vocals. Make it a whole hip hop theme where every song is U2 featureing..... whoever.

 

[Layton]

imagine that, u2 makes an album and no one in the media says a damn thing about............................wow, will it ever happen??
i doubt..................
but in certain ways it happened with zooropa though they did 3 videos, there wasn't so much acclamation for its release. i don't remember the band promoting it, expect playing the songs during the 1993 tour.

They didn't promote Zooropa because it was guaranteed to sell at least a million. They released it in the midst of the AB/Zoo TV fervor. Which means an album of toilets flushing would've sold. There really wasn't any commercial risk involved with the release of Zooropa. Somehow, I don't think the next album will be released in that kind of commercially safe environment.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

The sound of Ground Beneath Her Feet and Stateless are both amazing to me. Both are incredible beautiful songs. I think there's daylight between them and everything on ATYCLB and HTDAAB. Lightyears. I'm really interesting in hearing this song from the new Wim Wenders film. I said in one of these debates in here that I would love U2 to have a film or some other side project that would allow them to release something a bit more care free outside of the album cycle that now seems to be firmly based on the most commercially successful U2 formula, and completely risk free.

So yes, on the one hand, the sheer beauty of Stateless/Ground Beneath to me is a natural continuation of sound and direction post-Pop, and both carry far more depth than anything off the last two albums, far more soul. On the other hand, the rawness in the sound of Xanax & Wine to me is great as well. Far better than the way overproduced 'rock' on HTDAAB, and in reality is far more of a new direction or sound than Fast Cars ended up being. Imagine an album that actually WAS just the sound of 4 guys playing in a room?

Of course they could do a double album, one disc lets U2 run free with whatever experimental/creative urges they may be having - take us on another journey, it's been too long. The other disc reigns it right in and is a straight up, balls out, guitar, bass and drum and nothing else rocker.

 

[Zoots]

Once again, I agree with everything in Earnie's post!

Dude, you gotta check out my mega appreciation thread in EYKIW!

 

[Iskra]

I'd like a Passengers album since the concept was different "passengers" taht got on and off.
Could you imagibe Bjork, PJ Harvey, Thom Yorke, Peter Gabriel, Michael Stipe etc getting on board for a few tracks?
I'd love to see more collaborations. Other people seem to piush our boys more.

I'd also like to see more "world" influence, different instruments, celtic, African. Not exactly a Peter Gabriel or paul Simon album but just a hint.

 

[bsp77]

I'd like a Passengers album since the concept was different "passengers" taht got on and off.
Could you imagibe Bjork, PJ Harvey, Thom Yorke, Peter Gabriel, Michael Stipe etc getting on board for a few tracks?
I'd love to see more collaborations. Other people seem to piush our boys more.

I'd also like to see more "world" influence, different instruments, celtic, African. Not exactly a Peter Gabriel or paul Simon album but just a hint.

Even though I prefer all of the U2 albums to Passengers, I wish they had the balls to do something like that again.

In terms of a world influence, they could continue in the vein of Fast Cars.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Fast Cars has all the 'world influence' of one of those Coke t-shirts printed in Thai.

 

[The Sad Punk]

More shoegazing.

 

[Meghan]

Of course they could do a double album, one disc lets U2 run free with whatever experimental/creative urges they may be having - take us on another journey, it's been too long. The other disc reigns it right in and is a straight up, balls out, guitar, bass and drum and nothing else rocker.

That's the best idea!

 

[jacobus]

hard rockin' bluesy metal industrial/electronic
(NineInchNails, Krupps, QOTSA, Rammstein)

 

[the tourist]

I'm hoping for a couple songs that are really upbeat and rocking with cool riffs like Vertigo and All Because Of You, but having lyrics with depth. I expect we'll see Mercy and a couple songs in the vein of Fast Cars. Every U2 album has a slower, shorter song, so I expect we'll see one of those. I expect one throwaway pop song to grab people's attention. That makes 7. Maybe a bluesy song with a longer solo, a piano song, and a "classic" (like City Of Blinding Lights), a ladies song (like A Man And A Woman, since that was apparently made for "the ladies" or something). That brings us to 11. One more for the Special Edition release and we've got a new album.

 

[bsp77]

I'm hoping for a couple songs that are really upbeat and rocking with cool riffs like Vertigo and All Because Of You, but having lyrics with depth. I expect we'll see Mercy and a couple songs in the vein of Fast Cars. Every U2 album has a slower, shorter song, so I expect we'll see one of those. I expect one throwaway pop song to grab people's attention. That makes 7. Maybe a bluesy song with a longer solo, a piano song, and a "classic" (like City Of Blinding Lights), a ladies song (like A Man And A Woman, since that was apparently made for "the ladies" or something). That brings us to 11. One more for the Special Edition release and we've got a new album.

So HTDAAB Part 2.

No

 

[Zoots]

So HTDAAB Part 2.

No

Well said! The last thing I want is HTDAAB part II.

 

[RademR]

Their first single should be the first and last song on the album in memory of this tour.

I hope they change their direction and try something new, "Mercy" is really exciting and something in that vein would be great.

Some great rock n roll stuff. We had Sometimes and Stuck on the last two records, and their great, but I want another WOWY or AIWIY on this record.

If they continue to make the same music as their last two albums, I wouldnt mind that much. Sure I would complain, but it would still be great music and I would love it.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

I'm hoping for a couple songs that are really upbeat and rocking with cool riffs like Vertigo and All Because Of You, but having lyrics with depth. I expect we'll see Mercy and a couple songs in the vein of Fast Cars. Every U2 album has a slower, shorter song, so I expect we'll see one of those. I expect one throwaway pop song to grab people's attention. That makes 7. Maybe a bluesy song with a longer solo, a piano song, and a "classic" (like City Of Blinding Lights), a ladies song (like A Man And A Woman, since that was apparently made for "the ladies" or something). That brings us to 11. One more for the Special Edition release and we've got a new album.

 

[Meghan]

I'm hoping for a couple songs that are really upbeat and rocking with cool riffs like Vertigo and All Because Of You, but having lyrics with depth. I expect we'll see Mercy and a couple songs in the vein of Fast Cars. Every U2 album has a slower, shorter song, so I expect we'll see one of those. I expect one throwaway pop song to grab people's attention. That makes 7. Maybe a bluesy song with a longer solo, a piano song, and a "classic" (like City Of Blinding Lights), a ladies song (like A Man And A Woman, since that was apparently made for "the ladies" or something). That brings us to 11. One more for the Special Edition release and we've got a new album.

As much as I love HTDAAB, I'd prefer something completely different.

I don't necessarily want something in the vein of Fast Cars or Mercy. I want them to make something I've never heard before. Something that has never been done before. I don't know what it should sound like, or even if I'll like it, but I want to hear something new.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

As much as I love HTDAAB, I'd prefer something completely different.

I don't necessarily want something in the vein of Fast Cars or Mercy. I want them to make something I've never heard before. Something that has never been done before. I don't know what it should sound like, or even if I'll like it, but I want to hear something new.

 

[If you shout...]

It should sound like the band collectively saying, as many people have pretty much said in one way or another, "Fuck the past."

I don't give a shit whether or not I like it all that much. I'd rather see the band fail tremendously by challenging themselves (and us, as a result) than sort of succeed by recording something like these last two "albums."

But I'm not saying that just because I've not really felt either of the last two albums, really. I LOVE their non-canonical works and all, but I don't want to see them put out another POP, regardless of how much I love it.

I already love the old stuff. Show me something new to love, you know? Gimme something thrashy, something confrontational, or even something so passive that it's perfectly un-U2. No matter what, I hope it's more minimal (compositionally, stylistically, and especially lyrically), so to speak, than their post-Original Soundtracks 1 work.

 

[babyman]

I'd also like to see more "world" influence, different instruments, celtic, African.

definitely, they must do a celtic area song. id on't remember any other since tomorrow. and even an afro rhythm would be cool for U2, like slug for example, that song has kinda tribal which is absolutely fantastic! i love that song very muchb!

 

[Axver]

If I had my way, I'd lock U2 in a room for two weeks and make them listen to a combination of Porcupine Tree (and other Steve Wilson projects) and 'Dunedin Sound' bands. Quite the contrasting combo there.

Then I'd lock them in ANOTHER room for two weeks and after those two weeks, I expect a complete album.

I don't care how it turns out - it'd be a hilarious experiment no matter what!