U2 Still has a great album in them

[womanfish]

The problem is that U2 is in a really, terribly, painfully uninspired place right now, and they need to find a way to break out of that or just admit to themselves and God and everybody that they're only putting out albums as an excuse to tour.

Except the last two are their best albums in over 20 years. (IMO)
It's not inspiration. I would say for Edge, it may be more an issue of innovation, at least on SOE. I think Edge is quite strong on SOI, and decent on SOE.
But in the end, the problem that has dogged the band now for 20+ years, is overthinking, false starts, hesitation, too many cooks in the kitchen, and from their single choices and certain songs even being allowed on No Line, they seem to have no one in their circle that will tell them them NO when they need to hear it.

 

[Hewson]

I thought Edge’s guitar work on Innocence was fantastic. While he didn’t have new sounds per say, some of his solos/chorus parts were a complete departure, like California, Volcano, and Raised By Wolves.

And on Experience he is largely absent and some of the guitar work is by others.

Edge clearly on bored.

 

[LemonMelon]

Listening to Edge when I was a kid taught me that guitarists didn't have to sound like Eric Clapton or Pete Townsend.

Now I wish Edge would remember that not every guitar part has to sound like Walk On.

 

[mikal]

And on Experience he is largely absent and some of the guitar work is by others.

Edge clearly on bored.

Yeah that was a bit odd. Yet his work on Little Things is so good. Some cool stuff on Blackout too. Otherwise took a huge step back and just strummed chords.

 

[pacemaker]

A lot has been said about the factors that have probably led The Edge to where he is these days as a songwriter. Specifically in the wake of the Rubin sessions, Turn Off The Dark and It Might Get Loud, it seems like he faced a number of professional opportunities that forced him to adapt his style to fit certain projects. You also can't fault a guy for wanting to try something new.

Despite being able to produce approximately 143 different songs from (basically) just an E chord and some good grooves at the beginning of the 90s, we've witnessed Edge trying to write straight forward pop songs that can then have some U2 shellac applied to them (if need be). Writing a U2 song that can be stripped down to - and just as powerful with - an acoustic guitar and vocals took precedent over atmosphere and arrangement.

He's a great songwriter, and always has been, but in a way uniquely his own. It's been interesting watching him branch out and hone a different aspect of the craft, but it just hasn't seemed as fully realized for a long while. The amount of collaborators, co-writers and other outside influences reflect this.

 

[Hollow Island]

Despite being able to produce approximately 143 different songs from (basically) just an E chord and some good grooves at the beginning of the 90s

 

[DeVaul]

Dump Tedder, hire Nigel Godrich (or Flood!) if the Lanois/Eno bridge is burned, and stop trying for HITS[emoji769]

 

[Iggy Fizz]

they still have a great album in them. I think the next one will be it. probably wishful thinking...

but regardless, it will be either panned or largely ignored because of the awful reputation they have earned themselves, for all the reasons already noted in previous posts...

 

[MattD]

A lot has been said about the factors that have probably led The Edge to where he is these days as a songwriter. Specifically in the wake of the Rubin sessions, Turn Off The Dark and It Might Get Loud, it seems like he faced a number of professional opportunities that forced him to adapt his style to fit certain projects. You also can't fault a guy for wanting to try something new.

Despite being able to produce approximately 143 different songs from (basically) just an E chord and some good grooves at the beginning of the 90s, we've witnessed Edge trying to write straight forward pop songs that can then have some U2 shellac applied to them (if need be). Writing a U2 song that can be stripped down to - and just as powerful with - an acoustic guitar and vocals took precedent over atmosphere and arrangement.

He's a great songwriter, and always has been, but in a way uniquely his own. It's been interesting watching him branch out and hone a different aspect of the craft, but it just hasn't seemed as fully realized for a long while. The amount of collaborators, co-writers and other outside influences reflect this.

The problem with The Edge is that he’s ditched his unique sound and penchant for textured sonic landscapes in favour of boring conventional songwriting. All this ‘it has to sound good on acoustic’ nonsense has made him (and Bono) turn into just another ordinary songwriter. And while his guitar technique has improved, he’s just intent on writing awful dad ‘rawk’ guitar riffs, so he’s turned from sound pioneer into, well, just another guitarist.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

The problem with The Edge is that he’s ditched his unique sound and penchant for textured sonic landscapes in favour of boring conventional songwriting. All this ‘it has to sound good on acoustic’ nonsense has made him (and Bono) turn into just another ordinary songwriter. And while his guitar technique has improved, he’s just intent on writing awful dad ‘rawk’ guitar riffs, so he’s turned from sound pioneer into, well, just another guitarist.

Yes. This.

Whoever sold them on this "it has to sound good acoustically" shit needs to be dimed and quartered.

 

[tommycharles]

Yes. This.

Whoever sold them on this "it has to sound good acoustically" shit needs to be dimed and quartered.

The baffling thing is, some of them don’t even sound good that way. On the I&E promo tour they were sometimes playing The Miracle acoustically, and it didn’t work at all.

When Edge wants to, he can still be his usual interesting self. One of the things I was interested by on the E&I film was the number of different parts he adds to The Blackout live. It’s a good studio track, but he didn’t really figure out his part until they went on tour.

 

[DeVaul]

Yes. This.

Whoever sold them on this "it has to sound good acoustically" shit needs to be dimed and quartered.

They took the wrong lessons from their time with Rick Rubin

 

[zoocarolina]

The baffling thing is, some of them don’t even sound good that way. On the I&E promo tour they were sometimes playing The Miracle acoustically, and it didn’t work at all.



When Edge wants to, he can still be his usual interesting self. One of the things I was interested by on the E&I film was the number of different parts he adds to The Blackout live. It’s a good studio track, but he didn’t really figure out his part until they went on tour.

I’ve watched a couple of fan covers recently of The Fly and UTEOTW and there’s some intricate stuff going on there that they are having a tough time replicating. The Blackout guitar work gives us hope for a Zootv guitar era revival from The Edge. Just melt our faces off again.

 

[BEAL]

Yes. This.

Whoever sold them on this "it has to sound good acoustically" shit needs to be dimed and quartered.

I would assume Rick Rubin. He’s not one for letting a band noodle around in the studio. You come to him with a near finished product and record.

U2 had never worked like that before. They jam and jam and jam and out of a single instrumental comes 12 songs. It’s drives everyone they’ve worked with mad but it’s what makes U2 unique.

It also allowed them a ton of freedom when playing the songs live to take it any which direction. I used to look forward to hearing the new album live because of what curve balls they’d throw in. A big solo finish to LNOE, or Please, Dirty Day, etc etc Kite. Wanna throw that song as it’s the last one they really modified from their 2000 and on catalog

Now for the most part the newer songs sound exactly like the studio

For Edge he has to ditch the bare bones structure and say fuck it, if the song is made up of effects and studio magic who cares. The rhythm section has held their own, time to use their skills to explore more. Not less.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Do we honestly think the first time any producer asked them to come with a finished product was Rick Rubin? And they were coming off two smash records at the time... they were that shook?

Had to be something else.

 

[dan_smee]

I was listening to the Chicago April 87 show the other day - telling quote from Bono - it was never their ambition to be number 1.

The success of ATYCLB somehow convinced Bono that a particular formula was the way to be the biggest band in the world.

They need to return to the attitude that got them there in the first place, not the one that had its brief moment in the golden days of AC.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I was listening to the Chicago April 87 show the other day - telling quote from Bono - it was never their ambition to be number 1.

The success of ATYCLB somehow convinced Bono that a particular formula was the way to be the biggest band in the world.

They need to return to the attitude that got them there in the first place, not the one that had its brief moment in the golden days of AC.

Yet while he was saying that, a film crew was coming what would become a major motion picture documentary...

 

[womanfish]

I was listening to the Chicago April 87 show the other day - telling quote from Bono - it was never their ambition to be number 1.

The success of ATYCLB somehow convinced Bono that a particular formula was the way to be the biggest band in the world.

They need to return to the attitude that got them there in the first place, not the one that had its brief moment in the golden days of AC.

ugh. Them going for the ATYCLB formula does make some sense. It brought on 2 following albums that like ATYCLB had about 4 shit songs surrounded by great material. And it spawned songs up through SOE that had some sound and structure of Beautiful Day and Walk On. (Invisible, Get Out, ect...)

So sad when I listen to NLOTH. Just how bizarre it is that the band and producers let that happen. You actually had a U2 record that was taking a new and different direction in sound, songs that were sprawling and complex, with Edge still killing it, and then you have these few songs on there that are just so awful and out of place.
I don't hate Boots as much as most people. I think if it had been on Bomb it would have been better. But on No Line... along with Crazy and Stand Up, it just absolutely derails that album.

The band is/was talking about two ideas, the Songs of Ascent type thing with beautiful possibly more atmospheric type stuff, or a straight on rock record. No Line was sort of both of those things combined and it worked, if not for those 3 songs (and the lyrics of Unknown Caller - oy)

My only hope is that maybe after the two Songs of albums, that stuck to more traditional song structures, that they do want to make a shift back to something more free flowing and open. But at this point who knows.

 

[tommycharles]

So sad when I listen to NLOTH. Just how bizarre it is that the band and producers let that happen. You actually had a U2 record that was taking a new and different direction in sound, songs that were sprawling and complex, with Edge still killing it, and then you have these few songs on there that are just so awful and out of place.
I don't hate Boots as much as most people. I think if it had been on Bomb it would have been better. But on No Line... along with Crazy and Stand Up, it just absolutely derails that album.

The band is/was talking about two ideas, the Songs of Ascent type thing with beautiful possibly more atmospheric type stuff, or a straight on rock record. No Line was sort of both of those things combined and it worked, if not for those 3 songs (and the lyrics of Unknown Caller - oy)

12 years on from Pop, they still hadn’t learned the lesson about not booking the tour before the record was made. 360 was locked and loaded conceptually by the end of the Vertigo tour, but the Morocco sessions didn’t produce stadium bangers. So they wrote some more or less at gun point, and it shows.

 

[mikal]

ugh. Them going for the ATYCLB formula does make some sense. It brought on 2 following albums that like ATYCLB had about 4 shit songs surrounded by great material. And it spawned songs up through SOE that had some sound and structure of Beautiful Day and Walk On. (Invisible, Get Out, ect...)

So sad when I listen to NLOTH. Just how bizarre it is that the band and producers let that happen. You actually had a U2 record that was taking a new and different direction in sound, songs that were sprawling and complex, with Edge still killing it, and then you have these few songs on there that are just so awful and out of place.
I don't hate Boots as much as most people. I think if it had been on Bomb it would have been better. But on No Line... along with Crazy and Stand Up, it just absolutely derails that album.

The band is/was talking about two ideas, the Songs of Ascent type thing with beautiful possibly more atmospheric type stuff, or a straight on rock record. No Line was sort of both of those things combined and it worked, if not for those 3 songs (and the lyrics of Unknown Caller - oy)

My only hope is that maybe after the two Songs of albums, that stuck to more traditional song structures, that they do want to make a shift back to something more free flowing and open. But at this point who knows.

I think Stand Up Comedy is the only "horrible" song of the bunch, but that one, Boots, and to an extend Crazy Tonight, just don't fit the album. I would have rather had an 8 song album removing them, maybe putting the Linear version of Winter in there because at least it fits, maybe even Soon and then you have 10 song album.

 

[womanfish]

I think Stand Up Comedy is the only "horrible" song of the bunch, but that one, Boots, and to an extend Crazy Tonight, just don't fit the album. I would have rather had an 8 song album removing them, maybe putting the Linear version of Winter in there because at least it fits, maybe even Soon and then you have 10 song album.

Yeah, I lead off my tracklist of NLOTH with Soon. I keep Unknown Caller just because it fits ok musically. But 75% of that song needs a lyrical overhaul. Never been a big fan of Winter. I think it's the one U2 song I may say actually needs Ryan Tedder to rework. (don't shoot me)

 

[Irvine511]

here's how you win over The Youngs:



i just stumbled across this. it will put a smile on your face.

 

[lazarus]

The constant interruptions by "Cool Dad" were infuriating.

The Rattle & Hum version is still better.

 

[Irvine511]

The constant interruptions by "Cool Dad" were infuriating.

The Rattle & Hum version is still better.

Cheer up, rainy face.

Sometimes, people enjoy things.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

here's how you win over The Youngs:







i just stumbled across this. it will put a smile on your face.

I think you caught the old if you think that’s how you win over the youngs [emoji14]

 

[The Panther]

U2 should pull a Colonel Tom Parker/Elvis and release Having Fun On Stage With U2, a non-musical LP of Bono cracking jokes in between songs.

It would earn them a record "0.0" on Pitchfork, put their name in headlines again, and finally get them over the need to be so damned over-calculating with every release.

 

[U2387]

here's how you win over The Youngs:



i just stumbled across this. it will put a smile on your face.

Certainly put a smile on my face. Thank you, Irvine!

We tend to get so caught up in what others think of U2. Discuss what the post 2009 or post 2014 or whatever perception of them is. Especially among young people. I am the same way. It's natural to want such an incredible band we all love to have the success, popularity and multi generational impact they clearly still want.

I think we often forget that this perception isn't based on much more than "they're that Apple band" or "Bono is annoying" or whatever it is this week. I have yet to expose anyone to live U2 for the first time, either in person or like this guy did, and not have them be absolutely blown away. I've practically dragged people to shows before, talking shit about Bono the whole way in, and they have left absolutely speechless.

I know from reading your posts that you attended the first show in Boston in 2015 as did I. I recently watched a lot of video from that show- Electric Co, RBW/UTEOTW, BD/MOS/Bad/WOWY/COBL- and was STILL, 5 years later through crappy headphones, IN AWE of how they performed that night. It took me on an emotionally powerful journey back to that night.

I like "cool dad" here. He makes a ton of good points trying to expose someone born well after even ATYCLB to U2. I especially like how he talks about how big they were in the 1980s but makes sure his daughter knows that they've lost little or nothing live since then.

You hear far too much "yeah, man, I hate Bono and that stupid Apple bullshit album, but damn, could that band do it like no other at one time." Yeah, not true. As we both well know, they still perform at an amazingly high level for any band, never mind one their age.

Thanks for another reminder of what happens when you expose people to live U2! I've yet to hear anyone who talked bad about them not eat their words after being exposed to something like this.

 

[AndrewCowley]

The Rattle & Hum version is still better.

No it’s not. The whooo-hoooo’s from the Live Aid performance of Bad are out of this world. They put everything that followed to shame.

 

[tommycharles]

U2 should pull a Colonel Tom Parker/Elvis and release Having Fun On Stage With U2, a non-musical LP of Bono cracking jokes in between songs.

It would earn them a record "0.0" on Pitchfork, put their name in headlines again, and finally get them over the need to be so damned over-calculating with every release.

Crowded House released a cd of only stage banter years ago called Spooky Vibrations and it’s brilliant.

U2 on the other hand would release an 75 minute album which has 3 tracks, each compiled from Bono’s intro to One at various 2005 gigs.

 

[Irvine511]

I know from reading your posts that you attended the first show in Boston in 2015 as did I. I recently watched a lot of video from that show- Electric Co, RBW/UTEOTW, BD/MOS/Bad/WOWY/COBL- and was STILL, 5 years later through crappy headphones, IN AWE of how they performed that night. It took me on an emotionally powerful journey back to that night.

.

Boston 1 was hands down the best concert I’ve ever seen. And I saw Bruce play for 3.5 hours in a comparatively small (10,000) arena in Baltimore not long before Christmas where he did Born to Run in its entirely. That was fucking awesome. That was the best concert I’d ever seen. Until Boston 1.

Boston 1 was actual musical transcendence — the “tight narrative” worked, kept you in its grip, and then it exploded in ecstasy and I left my body several times. And they ended with “40” and hi. Shining the stage light on the crowd. I walked away thinking that if that was the last time I saw U2, I’d be fine with it.

I would put I/E & E/I as their best tour after Zoo TV. They really put together something great this decade that was extensively thought through and coherent. Like Zoo TV. Twice.