can u2 write spacey and eerie songs on their own anymore?

[asr]

I'm not debasing U2' creative input at all here. The best idea our boys have had in years was allowing Eno and Lanois as songwriting partners. But I ask this considering that the three not-so-eerie/spacey songs on NLOTH-'Crazy Tonight', Boots, and SUC were written without Brian and Danny. That those traditional-sounding, radio-friendly pop songs written only by U2. Hence the question of wether or not U2 could be adventurous all by themselves any more.

 

[dan_smee]

were U2 ever eerie and spacey without one or both of them?

 

[asr]

I'm not talking about the two of them just producing. I'm talking about them as co-writers-given that three middle pop songs are music only by U2.

 

[dan_smee]

I'm not talking about the two of them just producing. I'm talking about them as co-writers-given that three middle pop songs are music only by U2.

ONe Step CLoser?

Just because there's none on this album (from a sample group of three) doesn't mean they can't do it anymore? Maybe they felt they needed to write non atmospheric songs for the album, and they ised Eno/Lanois for the atmospheric ones because, well, who the fuck wouldn't if they were available

 

[BVS]

Hence the question of wether or not U2 could be adventurous all by themselves any more.

So "spacey and eerie" = "adventurous"?

This board cracks me up sometimes.

The truth is we don't really know which "adventurous" parts U2 brought to the table.

 

[discothequeLP]

correlation does not equal causation. we can't say for sure that the other songs on NLOTH turned out how they did just because brian and danny helped them out.

 

[ozeeko]

I think having Brian Eno on board helps a lot because he was never into creating "songs". He's always been the one to help U2 think outside the box. The collision of these two opposing musical forces, U2 the hitmakers/rock band, with Eno the avantegarde/ambient artist, always produces the best results, in my opinion. Lanois brings a lot to the table as well. I think Steve Lillywhite only worked, or shall i say gelled, with U2 in the pre-UF days.

After it's all said and done, after SOA gets released, I would love to see U2 working with a producer completely outside the U2 camp.

 

[Muldfeld]

I believe they can, but the band must want to, and find the confidence to do so. It's not like the songs No Line On The Horizon, Magnificent, and even Moment of Surrender (edited down) were so crazy and avant-garde. They could easily have been the rocking singles the middle 3 are trying to hard to be. I don't even understand the band anymore.

 

[Muldfeld]

I think having Brian Eno on board helps a lot because he was never into creating "songs". He's always been the one to help U2 think outside the box. The collision of these two opposing musical forces, U2 the hitmakers/rock band, with Eno the avantegarde/ambient artist, always produces the best results, in my opinion. Lanois brings a lot to the table as well. I think Steve Lillywhite only worked, or shall i say gelled, with U2 in the pre-UF days.

After it's all said and done, after SOA gets released, I would love to see U2 working with a producer completely outside the U2 camp.

I just hope that's not Rick Rubin because Window in the Skies and The Saints Are Coming was laughable and it might have just as well been Lillywhite.

 

[dan_smee]

^

Dude, mellow. This is a rediculous claim as only 3 songs released in 5 years have absolutely no Eno/Lanois input. Give them a fucking chance. Interference rarely outdoes itself, but you guys are hilarious.

NLOTH found a great balance between the music they want to make and the future direction of the band. You people are so reactionary, you can't wait 5 minutes to see how things pan out.

"THE ALBUM IS FLOPPING"
"THE ALBUM SUCKS"
"THE ALBUM IS SO NOT A DIFFERENT DIRECTION"
"IS BONO OK?"

ZOMG!?!?!??!!?! Chill

 

[ozeeko]

I just hope that's not Rick Rubin because Window in the Skies and The Saints Are Coming was laughable and it might have just as well been Lillywhite.

I'm not even sure U2 has it in them anymore to do a complete 180 and write music without worrying about those 3 or 4 reassuring anthems that must be there to remind everyone "this is u2, the saviors of rock here to tell u everything is going to be alright. let's all pump our fists and rejoice! love! soul! love! hearts and love and soul!"

Alright, I know, U2 always wanted to be the biggest. I wish they just stopped caring. I guarantee we'd see better results. After all, what else do they have to prove? They've conquered the world everytime since 1987. It's time to either be satisfied with that and start anew, or else just pack it in. Because they may be in danger of entering their geriatric Rolling Stones period.

I think NLOTH is a good album, but it's a frustrating listen because it sounds like 2 different U2's. It's the sound of the U2 that wanted to branch out but was unfortunately hijacked by the 00's dad-rock U2. They chickened out, they caved. That's my opinion, people. It's a good album. It could've been great.

 

[last unicorn]

Why should U2 write "eerie" songs?

 

[the tourist]

U2's eeriest song, in my opinion, is Beautiful Ghost.

 

[carling]

What you mean like one of Simple Minds single, Moscow Underground, on the new album? And before you all start the abuse.......listen to it first, then reply

 

[believer75]

I think NLOTH is a good album, but it's a frustrating listen because it sounds like 2 different U2's. It's the sound of the U2 that wanted to branch out but was unfortunately hijacked by the 00's dad-rock U2. They chickened out, they caved. That's my opinion, people. It's a good album. It could've been great.

I never understood the whole dad rock thing.....U2 makes music dad's love....I know a lot of daddy's who love Where the Streets Have No Name...there will be a lot of daddy's at the concert.

 

[corcovadosong]

i'd like to hear what U2 would sound like with an outside producer. I thought Nigel Godrich, but that only works one way. Nigel works well with Radiohead and letting the process play out, but his Paul McCartney album was good but very bare essence - Rubinesque? and i wasn't crazy about his Beck albums. Good, but not the same sort of explosive creativity. And the better question might be, would U2 be able to tolerate the strain that an outside producer might bring? are they willing to let their process be significantly altered.

 

[ahittle]

I think I know what you mean. U2 have tended toward more songcraft whereas they used to be able to spin an interesting vibe into a song.

When I think of a song like "Wire" or "Drowning Man," I hear a band that is not necessarily interested in the traditional mechanics of a song - verse, chorus, bridge, etc. Maybe they burned out on that style of writing, but they definitely are more interested in more formal song structures these days.

 

[believer75]

I think I know what you mean. U2 have tended toward more songcraft whereas they used to be able to spin an interesting vibe into a song.

When I think of a song like "Wire" or "Drowning Man," I hear a band that is not necessarily interested in the traditional mechanics of a song - verse, chorus, bridge, etc. Maybe they burned out on that style of writing, but they definitely are more interested in more formal song structures these days.

Yes, in the '00's, all along they have said they were focusing on the songwriting process. It was new territory for them to primarily put their focus in this direction. I feel like the new album has shifted somewhat from that direction into less formally structured songs....like NLOTH the song is really difficult to grasp the first few times you hear it. It is built in an interesting way to my ear.

 

[Rob33]

I never understood the whole dad rock thing.....U2 makes music dad's love....I know a lot of daddy's who love Where the Streets Have No Name...there will be a lot of daddy's at the concert.

YAY! DADDY'S! YES! YAY FOR DADDIES!



....k seriously, to the OP- U2 haven't lost the ability to write certain types of songs. They're just into different things at different times. It's that simple. Until NLOTH, so many people here were fixed on the idea that U2 can't be "experimental" or "daring" anymore...or can't make something more artsy instead of the radio-friendly stuff...the truth is, they do what they want when they want. They could rehash their back catelogue a million times over and produce the same old crap album after album, but they don't. Yes, of course U2 could write spacey and eerie songs on their own. If they've done it before, what makes you think they couldn't do it again?

 

[Marien]

Well, I think it's not a question of ability, they've done it before, so they can do it again, I think it is a question of wish, of what seems interesting for them now.

 

[Scorpionac]

I don't think sonic atmospherics are really anything to expect from them. What I think is that the band likes doing these songs but find it difficult (why else would they need help?).

For example, I don't think it's any coincidence that the three most atmospheric songs on Pop were leftovers from Zooropa (WUDM, If You Wear, If God Will.) And Cedars samples a Brian Eno song, for Santa's sake! Also remember their more ambient songs really started to show up/work well around TUF, Lanois and Eno's first.

Also the fact that even the quieter *moments* on Bomb weren't uninfluenced. The opening of Miracle Drug was cooked up by Jacknife Lee late in production, and One Step Closer was completely retooled by him (even incorporating that giant cloud of spacey-ness prominent in his remixes of Fast Cars and Vertigo). I don't think there's much doubt as to U2's cut-and-paste/collage/non-song creating abilities.

 

[last unicorn]

Also remember their more ambient songs really started to show up/work well around TUF, Lanois and Eno's first.

Absolutely. When I think of that particular U2 sound, I think of Eno and Lanois, mostly Eno.