Hewson
Blue Crack Supplier
Imagine Bono on Uranus,
Next Album Rumours Thread II - Songs of Ass Scent
- Thread starter DaveC
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Imagine Bono on Uranus,
gvox
Ghost of Love
gvox
Ghost of Love
48 or so crackin good tunes?
Hewson
Blue Crack Supplier
And finally the live debut of Reach Around.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
Gonna Run 2 U
New Yorker
Here we go again. Will they go “rawk” as some of you put it or will they go “experimental”.
Expect more of the same folks.
The only surprise we’re in for is if they decide to drop something earlier right in time for Trump’s re-election.
Expect more of the same folks.
The only surprise we’re in for is if they decide to drop something earlier right in time for Trump’s re-election.
HansaTonImbiss
Acrobat
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2008
- Messages
- 401
Ugh. When I hear "rawk" I think of HTDAAB, my least favorite contemporary U2 album.
Here's a few ideas: No bullhorns. No crunchy guitars. No rock from Uranus. Just write insanely good lyrics with memorable riffs and a bit of depth or experimentation on it. Work with whatever producer you need to so that sound is fostered. Put it out whenever it's ready, but don't over tinker. That's it. They could call the album "Senegalese Lizard Fart Sounds" and I wouldn't care if it sounded fresh and did all of the above while eschewing their desperate, failing attempts to be relevant or get radio airplay.
I don't give a flying turkey if they go for more simplistic and straight forward or if they try to experiment.
All I ask is that they stick with the vision for the duration and not whitewash it in a convoluted attempt at popular radio appeal.
And one or two producers tops. Oh, and Ryan Tedder thrown off a cliff.
All I ask is that they stick with the vision for the duration and not whitewash it in a convoluted attempt at popular radio appeal.
And one or two producers tops. Oh, and Ryan Tedder thrown off a cliff.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
If they're going to work with a younger "hip" producer again, I actually wouldn't mind them going with Ariel Reichstadt. That last Vampire Weekend album sounded fantastic, and I think he does quality work in general. Clearly they're aware of him due to the HAIM collaboration on the last album.
Whether or not he'd be willing to put up with their habits is another question.
Whether or not he'd be willing to put up with their habits is another question.
tommycharles
War Child
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2005
- Messages
- 778
Thing is, those habits have produced their most interesting music. Bono vamping melodies over Edge's soundscapes is the irreducible minimum of U2 (the other two are an important part of that as well, but for just for simplicity's sake). As they move away from that toward Ryan Tedder providing songs for Bono to write words to, it loses the essence of the band.
They need a producer who can be the musical equivalent of what Nicholas Parsons did on Just a Minute - spark and keep the vibe in the room that let's good things happen. This doesn't work for someone like Rubin or Dave Sardy, because their talent is in taking finished songs and making them great (Steve Lilliwhite has done this usefully for them, but he pretty well only went to work on their songs after they were fully formed) . And it doesn't work for Tedder or Greg Kurstin because they're songwriters who settle for producer credit and a lot of money when the artist wants to appear as though they wrote the song.
Their way of working is definitely unique to what most producers have experienced. But they should stop conforming to what producers want.
I'd love to see them work with Nigel Godrich, but I think that would result in a fight and a retreat back to somewhere safer.
AndrewCowley
Refugee
They have burned through so many producers, you wonder if there’s producers out there who’d be wary of working with them, even if invited by the band themselves. The potential upside is high, but history tells you there’s a good chance of it consuming a couple of years with no outcome.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
Danger Mouse spent a long time with them, letting them follow their instincts, and what did they do? Gave over half the album to Tedder and Epworth to slick up and water down.
So even if a producer is willing to let U2 be U2, they'll wind up fucking them over anyway and ruining some of the tracks.
So even if a producer is willing to let U2 be U2, they'll wind up fucking them over anyway and ruining some of the tracks.
Agree completely. This is just it. It's not the producer per she, but rather their incessant belief that the radio = relevance. So - when they don't feel they have the "singles" they pass the baton.
The band still has it - you see it when they play love. They just need to shift their vision of relevance. Relevance today is a band of their tenure putting out something compelling and honest. If they followed this model and just stayed true to their "vision" they would gain the relevance they want.
The band still has it - you see it when they play love. They just need to shift their vision of relevance. Relevance today is a band of their tenure putting out something compelling and honest. If they followed this model and just stayed true to their "vision" they would gain the relevance they want.
the tourist
Blue Crack Addict
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2003
- Messages
- 27,919
Albums with the Danger Mouse types.
Non-album singles with pop producers.
Easy.
Non-album singles with pop producers.
Easy.
Hollow Island
New Yorker
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2011
- Messages
- 2,947
The pool of producers who would work with them has got to be pretty shallow. They screwed over three generations of producers within a decade (Chris Thomas, Rick Rubin & DM). Even Eno & Lanois were pissed at them over NLOTH. I'd be shocked if U2 didn't have a terrible reputation in the industry.
dan_smee
ONE love, blood, life
I’ve been saying for years that Declan Gaffney should get a full producer gig. If they want good songs that are considered for radio and not oversheened nonsense, his reworking of their music has always sounded more natural and accessible.
Nate Dogg
Refugee
They are in their 60s now. I would be very happy with the last album( I mean it’s getting more likely) being produced by Eno and Lanois. No other producers have brought out of the band what they have. They just need to get the “hit singles” mentality out of their system.
JamietheEdgefan
Refugee
I suspect it could be a rough plan of theirs to actually do this and release 'Songs of Ascent' as their final album.
Bono (and I think Adam) has mentioned SoA repeatedly in the last decade as something they're planning to go back to (as if they're 'saving it for later'), and it's about the concept of forever, which seems a fitting 'final chapter' for the band.
Wouldn't be surprised if they released a rock/pop album produced by Ryan Tedder (or someone like that), and then went out with Songs of Ascent, produced by Eno and Lanois.
AndrewCowley
Refugee
Don’t assume Eno and Lanois would work with them again. There was a fallout of sorts over songwriting credits for NLOTH.
They need to never release an album named "Songs Of..." again.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
I can't imagine they're still feuding about that sticking point (god knows what part McGuinness played in it), but the other question is whether or not Eno and/or Lanois would want to put in the required time to produce a U2 album.
Of course, Eno could always pull his "occasionally review and advise" method where he's not there all the time.
They need a steady stream of digital singles (break out the RedOne bs and get it out of their system) for attention with occasional album statements of less mainstream intent for the next decade before the farewell tour. It’s time to finally embrace the elder statesmen status, play to the core audience and say fuck the casuals. #FTC
PopFly
War Child
Revisiting this post from myself seven months ago, I realize I typed SOI when I meant to type SOE.
PopFly
War Child
If the rough plan is one more rock/pop Tedder album in 2022-2023, then another break, and then a "final" record that may or may not be Songs Of Ascent, keep in mind that Eno is 72 and Lanois is 68. Waiting eight more years for that final record with their old producers may not be feasible since they're already "old" producers.
If their rough plan is one more album with Tedder than they're idiots
JamietheEdgefan
Refugee
Yeah. I assume (perhaps cynically) that the main reason they've worked with Ryan Tedder is to make some hits. So I understand them working with him the first time, or even for SoE.
But that's two albums in a row where they've failed to make a song anywhere near a big as their last hits (Vertigo, Beautiful day etc). At this point, it seems clear that Tedder isn't the one to make it happen.
Sure it's possible they genuinely love the music they make with him, and want to continue even if it doesn't yield any successful singles, but... I doubt that's the case.
Irvine511
Blue Crack Supplier
With touring pressure off for a while, I’d like them to think small for a record. Focus on being quiet. Make a “Folklore,” which is the best album of the year so far by any major artist.
Fight me.
Fight me.
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