A whole concept for the ¿three? Records "announced"

[finnsmith]

Tonight, as i was not listening to the record, a concept for the whole set of maybe three records u2 will be releasing dawned on me. Well, dave fanning, and some other sources, said they were three, didn't he?
When i first listened to the record, i could hear traces of what u2 used to be, war, uf, joshua tree. The 80's. The lyrics, and the text on the booklet, talk about their childhood, adolescence,... Things and sounds that recall their first records... So, what if:

The second album had sounds and lyrics from the stardom, the 90's, their young maturity, ab, zooropa, pop, or even later. Songs about experience. And then...

A third album (songs of ascent??), about maybe their last years, or something completely different, a break with all that past (well, you know, a real breaking, not just publicity) and a look into the future?
Then, with all that, a mastodontical goodbye tour and a (if it still is possible) decent retirement.

Does it sound so weird???

 

[Niceman]

Tonight, as i was not listening to the record, a concept for the whole set of maybe three records u2 will be releasing dawned on me. Well, dave fanning, and some other sources, said they were three, didn't he?
When i first listened to the record, i could hear traces of what u2 used to be, war, uf, joshua tree. The 80's. The lyrics, and the text on the booklet, talk about their childhood, adolescence,... Things and sounds that recall their first records... So, what if:

The second album had sounds and lyrics from the stardom, the 90's, their young maturity, ab, zooropa, pop, or even later. Songs about experience. And then...

A third album (songs of ascent??), about maybe their last years, or something completely different, a break with all that past (well, you know, a real breaking, not just publicity) and a look into the future?
Then, with all that, a mastodontical goodbye tour and a (if it still is possible) decent retirement.

Does it sound so weird???

I thought that what Fanning suggested was even more interesting:

This is U2 exploring the sounds of the 1970s.

Soe would be them exploring the sounds of the 1980s.

And the Soa would be them exploring the sounds of the 1990s.

Especially if we look at Rattle & Hum as U2 exploring the sounds of the 1960s, this would all be very exciting for me!

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

Nothing sounds weird anymore. Or "so" weird. Or wired. I think we've flown that coup a long long time ago.

Do you believe in rock n' roll
Can music save your mortal soul?

in a galaxy far far away....

 

[lazarus]

Why put "announced" in the thread title? It's pretty lame to disguise your own theories as actual news.

 

[U2girl]

This has been talked about before on fan forums.

Issues being 1) no one except Fanning, the band included, said there'd be three albums also 2) who knows where SOA fits in with their current DM phase if presumably SOE is that other record DM's pal talked about back in January with RS

Read more: Broken Bells' James Mercer on Turning Dark Songs Into a Party Record | Rolling Stone
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Apparently they've done just tons of material. Apparently that whole first record is just Brian's work.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

What the fuck are you talking about?

 

[mikal]

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

 

[Duff]

Said it before, but
Songs of Innocence - "Where we were"
Songs of Experience - "Where we are"
Songs of Ascent - "Where we are headed"
U2's albums have always been bunched in trio's.

 

[purpleblackeye]

Anybody ever consider the simple explanation that SOI is SOA but the band just changed the name of the album.

SOA is being treated as this lost record waiting to be unearthed. It's just ridiculous sometimes.

Newsflash: U2 is really freaking slow at finishing songs. A third album after SOE might never happen or come out in 2022 for all we know


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[Zoo Lemon]

Bono said in a recent interview that SOA was the result of experimentations with Danny Lanois and Eno (which by the way was known). Meaning very likely that not a single Danger Mouse's finger was ever laid on SOA stuff - except EBW which is an EBW rewrite Of course there might be cases like this, songs changing atmosphere and becoming other songs, et cetera - but the concept of SOA, he meant, was unique to those Lanois/Eno sessions. Also, he added that SOA won't be for the next future - he said they might return to those songs "at some point". SOE, on the contrary, sounds like a progression of something just started with Danger Mouse. Which could mean, technically, they may even have some songs done and ready that will end up on that one.

 

[Nick66]

The problem with Fanning's "theory" about 3 records rooted in the music of three different decades (if that's indeed what he said) is that SOI sounds very little like something you'd hear in the 1970's. Thematically, of course, it's rooted at that point in their story, but the music itself is decidedly 2014.

It's no more a 1970's throwback record than it is "punk rock".

 

[jeevey]

Then there's the question of if and why U2 would feel a need to revisit the 2000s, which are recently over and not the site of their best work.

 

[Niceman]

Then there's the question of if and why U2 would feel a need to revisit the 2000s, which are recently over and not the site of their best work.

I feel like, at its best and worst, U2 in the oughts was U2 looking back. Revisiting the revisit seems redundant and redundant.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Anybody ever consider the simple explanation that SOI is SOA but the band just changed the name of the album.

SOA is being treated as this lost record waiting to be unearthed. It's just ridiculous sometimes.

Newsflash: U2 is really freaking slow at finishing songs. A third album after SOE might never happen or come out in 2022 for all we know


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

The longer the wait, the less I believe that there may be a second album, let alone a third. If the album isn't already completed, then I just think u2 will do U2 things and take foooorevvver

 

[mikal]

The longer the wait, the less I believe that there may be a second album, let alone a third. If the album isn't already completed, then I just think u2 will do U2 things and take foooorevvver

Yep. I'm basically assuming it won't happen. That way if this isn't just another SOA scenario then I can be presently surprised.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[AEKU2]

The longer the wait, the less I believe that there may be a second album, let alone a third. If the album isn't already completed, then I just think u2 will do U2 things and take foooorevvver

I dont think the pressure is on U2 to complete the album. I think the pressure is on Apple to get the app done.

 

[Niceman]

I dont think the pressure is on U2 to complete the album. I think the pressure is on Apple to get the app done.

That's right. I suspect U2 is obligated to have an album for the app release, so if that's the case then the timing will be up to Apple.

 

[dabiggestu2fan]

There will be SOE I am sure. This is very different situation then SOA. Bono just mentioned SOA but he said soe will be out in writing. This is a lot more official then a simple quote made once about SOA.

 

[dan_smee]

I don't think anyone is doubting SOE exists as a concept... Bono has spoken about it numerous times and it is pretty concrete in their plans. I think the thing is more around will they actually release it. Lots of things can happen in the next 6-18 months.

I mean, comments were made a week out from the apple announcement saying they hoped to have the album out this year. They were sharking then, and this is probably no different. It's either done on nearly done. Apple and other factors are at play.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[Snowlock]

How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb was supposed to be out in 2003.

No Line on the Horizon was supposed to be out in 2008.

Songs of Ascent was supposed to be out in 2009.

Songs of Innocence has been realistically rumored since 2010.

Songs of Experience and another as yet unnamed album? I'm a believer in faith as much as anyone, but I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

There will be SOE I am sure. This is very different situation then SOA. Bono just mentioned SOA but he said soe will be out in writing. This is a lot more official then a simple quote made once about SOA.

So ya know who told us about Songs of Ascent? Boner.