And more Lanois talk

[RavenBlue]

We're in the home stretch now Can't wait to see what happens

 

[phillyfan26]

I hope it doesn't sound anything like Achtung Baby. For one, that was U2's worst album production-wise, and for two, something new and different is always better. It sounds like they're going for the latter, only framing it as innovative in the way that AB was innovative.

 

[Val]

.... U2 can only totally revamp their sound once. ....

Why is that? Thank you.

 

[cobl04]

I get the impression that the new album is just going to be 12 tracks worth of 30 second soundbites from Lanois about what the next U2 album will sound like.

That made me laugh.

"Now we are working with periods of creation well-defined. We shall meet somewhere and work two weeks on all possible aspects. Then we go on with other occupations for three weeks before meeting again. It requires a logistics, but for the creation, it is as if everything was fresh each time we're meeting again together. "

I've read this over and over, and have absolutely no idea what he is trying to say

I would guess that the people who are gonna complain about this will find something to complain no matter what the band releases

If you expect an album like Achtung Baby then I think you probably will be disappointed. Why would you expect it? Because the mere mention of the word? All he's talking about is U2 innovating their own sound, similar to the way they did on Achtung Baby.

The single biggest problem I've seen on Interference as a whole is the narrow minded frame of reference. That is to say, everything U2 does has to be directly compared to everything they've done before. So even when Lanois (or others) are saying U2 are trying to innovate their own sound and comparing that ambition to the innovation of U2's sound on Achtung Baby, people can't help but expect Achtung Baby Part 2. It's just narrow minded.

It's as silly as the people who claim ATYCLB was some return to an 80's U2 form or bashing Coldplay entirely because of similarities to U2. It's viewing things through a myopic lens.

If he had used someone else to use a frame of reference or influence, say Jimi Hendrix, then (just as I read in a thread the other day) it's "Oh, I don't want them to sound like Jimi Hendrix, they've already done All Along The Watchtower...blah blah". It lacks any context or perspective. It confuses influence for mimicry. It ignores what Lanois had actually said when talking about Mitch Mitchell. It's just plain short-sighted all around. AND it happens a lot AND it's many many different people thinking in the same manner.

U2 can't rewrite their genetics. They will sound like U2 no matter what they do. Seems to me they are at least trying different approaches (ala Achtung Baby) and hopefully that will give us a new angle on U2's sound.

But for God's sake just because Lanois or someone else mentions Achtung Baby, can we just try and open the scope enough to understand that it's the approach they are talking about rather than a sound. Why would U2 deliberately try and go repeat themselves?

Anyways, I'm just trying to warn people about those expectations.
This album will not be able to approach the heights of Achtung Baby's reputation because it's just not physicaly possible. U2 can only totally revamp their sound once. From then, it's variations on the theme. Just like they can only have the classic 'U2' sound once, ATYCLB wasn't derivative of that, at all. They can only do so much to innovate their sound without totally and completely changing the dynamics. They are at least trying, it seems.

I don't want to be preachy or condescending here, honestly but I think we've got to nip this right now or else, I think when the new single comes out, it will be an incessant festival of 'Achtung this and Achtung that'. Can we try and be fair to the guys? I say start by saying to some of you, take your head out of the tunnel and look from a different angle.

These last two posts are spot on It's why I was frustrated circa Bomb, because no matter what the album sounds like, there's a group of people on here who will always compare it to the past. It's why Attyclub, Bomb and this new one (after a few months) will get bashed, because they compare it with the past. Okay, so Bomb might not have been as good or as innovative to some people as Achtung, but so what? Some people here just have to rip it to shreds, find something to criticise, and ruin it for everyone else.

Me? I'm not overly excited by all this 'molten metal' crap and 110% new and innovative. If the album comes out and it sounds like nothing they've done before, but it sounds crap, then I'm not going to like it, and even though it isn't any good, there'll be a bunch of people who'll sing it's praises because it's a departure.

I'd be happy enough with just an album with no major departure, just good songs

 

[buzzkill27]

What I get out of this is at the very least we won't have an album that sounds bland ....because the last two albums had parts of them that sounded very bland,very doctor's office type music e.g. When I look at the World,Yaweh,One Step Closer To Knowing even COBL sounded so very bland on HTAAB compared with how great it sounded live....hopefully Jacknife Lee isn't there to overproduce things...the fact that Lanois along with Lillywhite are handling the mixes gives me hope....to me the last interesting sounding U2 record first song to last song was the POP album

 

[cobl04]

What I get out of this is at the very least we won't have an album that sounds bland ....because the last two albums had parts of them that sounded very bland,very doctor's office type music e.g. When I look at the World,Yaweh,One Step Closer To Knowing even COBL sounded so very bland on HTAAB compared with how great it sounded live....hopefully Jacknife Lee isn't there to overproduce things...the fact that Lanois along with Lillywhite are handling the mixes gives me hope....to me the last interesting sounding U2 record first song to last song was the POP album

How apt your username is

 

[Rich79]

^agreed about POP being the last album that is interesting from start to finish.

If it's like Achtung Baby, great; if it's not, also great...as long as it's a new U2 album.
I'm just happy to know it is almost finished. Still predicting an official statement before August.

 

[LemonMelon]

I've read this over and over, and have absolutely no idea what he is trying to say

Essentially, Danny, he's saying:

"We're segmenting off our work into well-defined periods of two weeks each. We'll take three weeks or so off after those two weeks are up, and then get back to work. It takes some effort to manage our time properly, but when we do, it seems that the time we allot to working together is always fresh and creative."

Something like that anyway.

 

[cobl04]

Ah... that's better.

Still don't see what purpose was served in saying that though.

Remember when they didn't take so long?

 

[U2girl]

I hope this album will deliver on all this hype.

 

[ahittle]

If this album is as good as Coldplay's new disc (grazie Brian Eno), we're in for a late-period U2 masterpiece on our hands...

That is a good sounding record. And I'm not even much of a Coldplay fan, but the production on it is really cool. Song structures are also pretty neat.

 

[Rosebud]

Very news!

 

[u2search]

Ah... that's better.

Still don't see what purpose was served in saying that though.

Remember when they didn't take so long?

Well, maybe he is just describing the way they work this time around?

 

[digitize]

*sigh*

This sounds like a "Daniel Lanois with Brian Eno" album... I was hoping for Eno/Lanois. "Daniel Lanois with Brian Eno" gave us ATYCLB, so I'm a little wary.

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

*sigh*

This sounds like a "Daniel Lanois with Brian Eno" album... I was hoping for Eno/Lanois. "Daniel Lanois with Brian Eno" gave us ATYCLB, so I'm a little wary.

As long as this album is better than Bomb i am going to be happy (not to say that bomb is bad..i just think the singles off of ATYCLB are more tolerable than bombs...maybe with the exception of COBL).

 

[Matthew_Page2000]

*sigh*

This sounds like a "Daniel Lanois with Brian Eno" album... I was hoping for Eno/Lanois. "Daniel Lanois with Brian Eno" gave us ATYCLB, so I'm a little wary.

Yes they did...and ATYCLB is a great album. But if it makes you feel any
better "Daniel Lanois with Brian Eno" also have us Achtung Baby. Also a great album and maybe a little more up your alley.

At this point I don't expect a U2 album to change the world or fuck up the mainstream or redefine "cool." 14-22 year olds look at U2 the way I looked at the Stones in '86. As a curiosity with a great back catalogue, but not in any
way contemporary. And fair or not 14-22 year olds define what's cool, not 34 year old farts like me.

I just want a great album with great songs...and that's not too much to ask for is it?

 

[BEAL]

You also realize that AB was a Danny Lanios with Brian Eno album. Danny was very frustrated, but was there from start to finish. Eno would come in and give his pointers, then leave. They said it was very fresh, and easier on Brian to do it that way.

 

[Muldfeld]

There's one big problem with all these 'Achtung Baby'-comparisons: for me personally it hypes the new album more than quotes like 'The Edge is on fire', with the great risk the album is gonna disappoint me when it misses the 'promised' innovativeness.

Well, it's more trust-worthy than Bono's comments prior to Bomb's release that it was the band's first guitar record -- suggesting it had more pronounced guitar-work than even "Achtung Baby". Also, no one is saying this record is the best U2 record, unlike Bono who said Bomb might be U2's best record, which was pure nonsense; it was their most Coldplay record, for sure, ie "City of Blinding Lights", "Sometimes You Can't Make it..".

I just hope the lyrics are mature and not the drivel Bono's been writing the last 2 albums, except "Stuck in a Moment", which was pretty great.

 

[gweeps]

there is danger, though, in the repeated comparisons to Achtung--especially if people get it in their heads that it'll sound like Achtung...

who cares what other people think?

i'm getting a bit more excited with every passing month.

and i bet the album sells 10 million+ in the first year.

 

[digitize]

Yes they did...and ATYCLB is a great album. But if it makes you feel any
better "Daniel Lanois with Brian Eno" also have us Achtung Baby. Also a great album and maybe a little more up your alley.

At this point I don't expect a U2 album to change the world or fuck up the mainstream or redefine "cool." 14-22 year olds look at U2 the way I looked at the Stones in '86. As a curiosity with a great back catalogue, but not in any
way contemporary. And fair or not 14-22 year olds define what's cool, not 34 year old farts like me.

I just want a great album with great songs...and that's not too much to ask for is it?

Ah... I'm 15.

 

[digitize]

You also realize that AB was a Danny Lanios with Brian Eno album. Danny was very frustrated, but was there from start to finish. Eno would come in and give his pointers, then leave. They said it was very fresh, and easier on Brian to do it that way.

I do realize that, so I'm not sure if I'm optimistic or not.

 

[digitize]

As long as this album is better than Bomb i am going to be happy (not to say that bomb is bad..i just think the singles off of ATYCLB are more tolerable than bombs...maybe with the exception of COBL).

I'd agree that the ATYCLB singles are better than the Bomb ones (save COBL and Vertigo), but overall Bomb > ATYCLB for me... yes, they need to make it better than Bomb.

 

[the tourist]

Remember when they didn't take so long?

No, as I first became a U2 fan in '95 or so. And it's taken a long time for each release since then.

 

[vaz02]

and i bet the album sells 10 million+ in the first year.

Not a chance in hell. It might struggle to sell 10 mill in 2 years.