Next Album Rumours Thread III - The Gospel of Adam
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Hollow Island
New Yorker
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You Give Love & Peace A Bad Name
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pacemaker
Refugee
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zoocarolina
Refugee
I read it as acoustic for new material as well, God only knows if something like that actually comes to fruition though with their constant flow of ideas not equaling something tangible
jphelmet
Refugee
Coming into this thread to catch up every few weeks, this acoustic nonsense is the most depressing yet.
The quote about Stuck in A Moment being the blueprint is the worst news possible to me as that is one of the few u2 songs that I genuinely hate. I do agree the acoustic version is better of it though, only because the original is such garbage.
As for the discussion about acoustic versions ever being as good as the originals. Check out the band Manchester Orchestra. Every album they do they do acoustic versions of everything, and just about every song is as good or better acoustically. They even did a companion albums (Cope & Hope) that was total reimagined as acoustic/atmospheric versions and it has many songs that are better that way.
The quote about Stuck in A Moment being the blueprint is the worst news possible to me as that is one of the few u2 songs that I genuinely hate. I do agree the acoustic version is better of it though, only because the original is such garbage.
As for the discussion about acoustic versions ever being as good as the originals. Check out the band Manchester Orchestra. Every album they do they do acoustic versions of everything, and just about every song is as good or better acoustically. They even did a companion albums (Cope & Hope) that was total reimagined as acoustic/atmospheric versions and it has many songs that are better that way.
The_acrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
I agree with everything you said. He’s definitely talking about reworking the new songs they’ve been working on for the last couple years or six. The fact that Adam thinks the album will be released later this year probably means sometime in 2022... which is still exciting for me to think about. Time goes so fast anymore, a year doesn’t really feel like a long wait anymore.
The_acrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
Double post
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JamietheEdgefan
Refugee
I've thought about it more, and I completely agree with this.
I'm starting to think the mentions of trying stuff acoustically is less indicative of an actually acoustic album, and more just a description of the very early stages, where they're trying out random stuff and they're nowhere near done.
It's probably most reflective of Edge still pursuing that "every song has to be able to work on a piano/acoustic guitar!" approach of the last two albums.
The thing that threw me was Adam saying it could come out later in the year - which sounds way more realistic for some acoustic covers than for the next album. But it wouldn't be the first time they said an album was arriving sooner than it actually does... I'm still predicting late 2022 at the earliest.
I noticed someone mention Danger Mouse as being a possibility to produce again, but I reckon the thing with Danger Mouse is that he prefers working with younger artists/bands that can still be molded and allow him to be able to really stamp his mark on those records.
He always leaves massive fingerprints on the records he touches. U2 are rock dinosaurs and can't be molded much (especially at this stage of their career) and they wiped most of his fingerprints off of SOI.
From those more recent interviews, it appears like the Edge has a particularly strong working relationship with Declay Gaffney, (100% guarantee you he'll be involved with the next album) he's been their engineer and producer for the last 3 records (since NLOTH). Other than that U2 were reportedly recording in studio with Ryan Tedder in the first-half of 2019 unfortunately.
Then the band went on tour down-under and we haven't heard anything since then. Prior to Covid we'd assume they had continued to record in studio with Tedder and Gaffney. Not a particularly exciting duo, but it's better than the band not recording any music I guess..
I'd potentially like to see U2 work with someone like Shawn Everett - who's recently produced some pretty respectable indie-rock records from the likes of The Killers, Alabama Shakes, Kacey Musgraves, The War on Drugs.
My preferred choices would be James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem or Chris Vrenna (the drummer) and Trent Reznor, I just remembered about Vrenna's U2 contribution after listening to the Influx Mix of Elevation. It's the music video version with Lara Croft on YouTube.
That abrasive, more meatier, hard-rock (notably the percussion improvements) atmosphere he brought to the relatively tamer, more pop-orientated album version, I thought was revitalizing, and it proved to be quite a substantial upgrade over the original, in my opinion.
He always leaves massive fingerprints on the records he touches. U2 are rock dinosaurs and can't be molded much (especially at this stage of their career) and they wiped most of his fingerprints off of SOI.
From those more recent interviews, it appears like the Edge has a particularly strong working relationship with Declay Gaffney, (100% guarantee you he'll be involved with the next album) he's been their engineer and producer for the last 3 records (since NLOTH). Other than that U2 were reportedly recording in studio with Ryan Tedder in the first-half of 2019 unfortunately.
Then the band went on tour down-under and we haven't heard anything since then. Prior to Covid we'd assume they had continued to record in studio with Tedder and Gaffney. Not a particularly exciting duo, but it's better than the band not recording any music I guess..
I'd potentially like to see U2 work with someone like Shawn Everett - who's recently produced some pretty respectable indie-rock records from the likes of The Killers, Alabama Shakes, Kacey Musgraves, The War on Drugs.
My preferred choices would be James Murphy from LCD Soundsystem or Chris Vrenna (the drummer) and Trent Reznor, I just remembered about Vrenna's U2 contribution after listening to the Influx Mix of Elevation. It's the music video version with Lara Croft on YouTube.
That abrasive, more meatier, hard-rock (notably the percussion improvements) atmosphere he brought to the relatively tamer, more pop-orientated album version, I thought was revitalizing, and it proved to be quite a substantial upgrade over the original, in my opinion.
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JamietheEdgefan
Refugee
I'd love to see them work with Markus Dravs, who helped produce Florence & the Machine's 'How big, how blue, how beautiful', Arcade Fire's 'Reflektor' (along with James Murphy), and my two favourite Coldplay albums, 'Viva la Vida' and 'Mylo Xyloto'.
He seems to be involved with helping artists produce albums outside of their comfort zone, and with great results. All those albums above really showed their respective artists in new lights, whilst still making that big, stadium friendly music.
I'd be really excited to hear what U2 could do with him.
He seems to be involved with helping artists produce albums outside of their comfort zone, and with great results. All those albums above really showed their respective artists in new lights, whilst still making that big, stadium friendly music.
I'd be really excited to hear what U2 could do with him.
I think VLV is the last great thing they did, but that period is when they started wearing the stupid neon costumes and then, on MX, ventured into doing super shitty top 40 radio production and songs. IMO, the band’s been lost ever since. Popular, but awful.
JamietheEdgefan
Refugee
Yeah, I kind of agree. I'm a sucker for big, catchy stadium rock, but 'A Head Full of Dreams' just did nothing for me. It sounded weirdly... Lifeless and empty.
At least on VLV they were challenged by Eno to do something different to their first 3 albums, and came up with some pretty great sounds (e.g. Lovers in Japan). And I think I like MX mainly for nostalgic reasons (still think Charlie Brown is great though).
Apparently Jon Hopkins is helping with their new album, so I'm hopeful we might get at least one or two decent songs.
I dig that track and think they could’ve put out a very solid EP with the good songs from that record.
1-2 is probably all you can hope for. They want to be everything to everyone now, and a stadium full of flashing wristbands is too much for a cornball like Chris Martin to pass up. Real shame, those first 4 records are a great run.
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Yea I like the highs on MX. But it was an inconsistent effort that marked a clear shift towards the horse shit they're doing now.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
Bon Jovi and now Coldplay?
Someone lock the thread until we're past this detour into bad taste.
Someone lock the thread until we're past this detour into bad taste.
Gonna Run 2 U
New Yorker
Kings of Leon tried this. He produced their last two records which got them their first number 1 album in America for Walls. However, his production style does not match what I love about that band and personally was not happy he produced their latest one which for the most part is an over produced bore.
Hollow Island
New Yorker
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2011
- Messages
- 2,947
Dravs also worked on Eno's Nerve Net, which was very much in line with Achtung Baby & Zooropa
JamietheEdgefan
Refugee
Ah fair enough. I'll check it out as I don't know KoL hugely well.
From what I've heard of Dravs' production, it tends to add a whole bunch of layers and atmosphere, which is my favourite kind of sound for U2, and I get the idea that he manages to convincingly help a band's sound 'evolve', which is always good for U2 (though I acknowledge your point about overproduction - I think that affects all of the albums I listed earlier).
DaveC
Blue Crack Addict
i don't think anyone short of phil spector could truly "overproduce" U2.
They should go with famed record producer Bruce Dickinson. Cock of the walk, baby.
DaveC
Blue Crack Addict
they might want to avoid being in a studio with that guy. i hear he has a fever.
Don't fever shame.
Besides, this guy makes so many hits he wears gold plated diapers, baby
DaveC
Blue Crack Addict
What's particularly clear now is that they've burned far too many relationships over the last 15 years.
I'd say Brian & Danny would be extremely reluctant to work with U2 again. It's been over 12 years now..
I wouldn’t be surprised if Eno & Lanois said something along the lines of.. look, boys.. we love you but... never again!
I mean they shared the songwriting credits on NLOTH, so there was a lot at stake in terms of collaboration. And we know for sure that Lanois was frustrated by the outcome. He said they should have stopped working on the album 6 months earlier, closer to the Fez residence. Do you imagine the long agony of 6 months watching your friends banging their heads on the wall and only making things worse.
Eno & Lanois have 1/nothing to prove and 2/a long list of successful collaborations. Why on earth would they go through that hassle again ? Especially since they’ll probably make much less money out of it than they did before?
If U2 were able to go for a 6 months throw-away project, maybe? But this continuous quest for relevancy..
I'd say Brian & Danny would be extremely reluctant to work with U2 again. It's been over 12 years now..
I wouldn’t be surprised if Eno & Lanois said something along the lines of.. look, boys.. we love you but... never again!
I mean they shared the songwriting credits on NLOTH, so there was a lot at stake in terms of collaboration. And we know for sure that Lanois was frustrated by the outcome. He said they should have stopped working on the album 6 months earlier, closer to the Fez residence. Do you imagine the long agony of 6 months watching your friends banging their heads on the wall and only making things worse.
Eno & Lanois have 1/nothing to prove and 2/a long list of successful collaborations. Why on earth would they go through that hassle again ? Especially since they’ll probably make much less money out of it than they did before?
If U2 were able to go for a 6 months throw-away project, maybe? But this continuous quest for relevancy..
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JamietheEdgefan
Refugee
I checked out some of this today - Dravs apparently did the drums, which really remind me of zoo station & the Fly (though I've heard Lanois was the primary producer of AB, so maybe that's just a coincidence or influence).
They seem to have worked together a few times - really feels like he could be a natural successor to Eno for U2, and I'm surprised they haven't worked together yet. Though as others have mentioned, maybe the band has a bad reputation in production circles by now...
womanfish
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
The sadness and missed opportunity of No line On The Horizon
This is my proper playlist for that album:
Soon
Magnificent (a song that has become one of my very favorites of theirs)
No Line…
Moment of Surrender
Unknown Caller
Fez
White as Snow
Breathe
Cedars
have been listening to this for the last week. It’s beautiful, meditative, a dollop of darkness, a dash of hope, and a new unique sound/feel throughout. Without embarrassment. Really the perfect U2 mix.
I feel like if they would have lead off with Magnificent for the first single, it would have had strong reception at both rock and modern/alt stations coming off of Bomb.
Unknown Caller, while not perfect, fairs so much better in this track listing.
It just shows how powerful of an album they could have, and could still make by foregoing the quest for HITZ!
This is my proper playlist for that album:
Soon
Magnificent (a song that has become one of my very favorites of theirs)
No Line…
Moment of Surrender
Unknown Caller
Fez
White as Snow
Breathe
Cedars
have been listening to this for the last week. It’s beautiful, meditative, a dollop of darkness, a dash of hope, and a new unique sound/feel throughout. Without embarrassment. Really the perfect U2 mix.
I feel like if they would have lead off with Magnificent for the first single, it would have had strong reception at both rock and modern/alt stations coming off of Bomb.
Unknown Caller, while not perfect, fairs so much better in this track listing.
It just shows how powerful of an album they could have, and could still make by foregoing the quest for HITZ!
AndrewCowley
Refugee
Breathe doesn’t belong there. Would work better after Unknown Caller.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
You've omitted roughly the same tracks I do on mine (although I keep Boots as it's not as bad as the other two in that middle section). But I'm curious how Unknown Caller works better when it has the same three tracks before it as on the release version, including coming right after MOS? Not sure how having Soon as an intro would change that. I think it already works on the official album.
While Magnificent would have been a "smarter" lead single, I still think MOS would have been a bigger statement from the band. Arguably their best track of the decade, Eno's favorite, great lyric, cathartic/inspiring message, powerhouse Bono vocal, etc. Instead, they gave it the closing slot on the 360 tour, where it didn't work, at all.
I'm not sure what to do with Breathe. I didn't like it as the concert opener, but maybe to begin the album that long intro would be fitting. I think it's fine where it is, tbh, as it has the same "showstopper" density of Acrobat, Dirty Day, Please, Exit.
