Next Album Rumours Thread IV - 2 Sing 2 Furious

[womanfish]

Bring back the dark, atmospheric and experimental U2. Get loose of those poppy songs like Love is bigger.../Get out of....
13 There's a light, would be a nice bridge to that new atmospheric album.
More examples of songs that are in that category: Tomorrow, Drowning Man, Heartland, Unforgettable Fire, Exit, Deep in the heart, Until the end of the world, Gone, Zooropa, Lemon, Velvet dress, Every Breaking wave (album version), Winter, White as snow, Your blue room and ...yes Mercy!!!

I agree with the sentiment, and most of the songs you list. But I kinda wish people would get over Winter and Mercy. They just aren't that good. I think it's time to admit it.
I'd throw in Love Comes Tumbling, Cedars of Lebanon, Love is Blindness, Wake Up Dead Man, Sleep Like A Baby, or something in the vein of Book of Your Heart would be ok as well.

The expiration date on them doing a "full on rock record" has passed. Would have been cool if they would have done it properly with Bomb, but they most certainly did not. IMO No Line actually rocks more than Bomb, and was more sonically interesting. I think if they could pull off a higher quality No Line, without the horrible attempts at RAWK/POP songs, they could still do it. Some real mature rockers like No Line On The Horizon, Fez, and Magnificent, paired with atmospheric stripped down moments like Cedars, Moment of Surrender, White as Snow.

 

[womanfish]

Honestly it's just Get Out and American Soul.

They're obvious attempts at creating something poppy and mainstream - complete with the rapper du jour bridge between the two songs - and it just failed miserably.

Best Thing? Eh, I can deal with it. Shouldn't have been the lead single, or any single, but it would have made a nice album track.

If one of the above two had to stay it would be Get Out - but NOT as a single or anything that was promoted or given priority placement on the tour setlist. Just as a song.

The rest of the album has a very "we're old now" feel, which is perfectly fine, and they should have just stuck with that instead of trying, again, and failing, again, to be hip and cool with the kids.

The kids don't like you. It's okay. Accept the oldness.

Very true. Unfortunately they don't seem to realize that these pop/rawk songs have the same effect that plastic surgery has. Everyone sees it fake and desperate, and it ends up making you look older.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Very true. Unfortunately they don't seem to realize that these pop/rawk songs have the same effect that plastic surgery has. Everyone sees it fake and desperate, and it ends up making you look older.

the other thing is - and this may be the hardest hurdle for U2 to get over - i don't think making the "right" decisions on singles and on what tracks to promote will make a huge difference for them at this point.

the "wrong" decisions have a greater negative impact than the positive impact of the "right" decisions.

 

[womanfish]

the other thing is - and this may be the hardest hurdle for U2 to get over - i don't think making the "right" decisions on singles and on what tracks to promote will make a huge difference for them at this point.

the "wrong" decisions have a greater negative impact than the positive impact of the "right" decisions.

Definitely true. I know that we put a lot of stock on the apple thing dinging U2's image and standing. But I still say that Discotheque and it's video was the nail in POP's coffin and then to repeat the same identical mistake 12 years later with Boots and it's video is truly just mind-boggling to me. People not actually getting the chance to, or just avoiding listening to the greatness that lies on the rest of those two albums took HUGE chunks of time and standing away from them. And was so easily avoidable. Gone or Staring at The Sun as the first one off POP, and Magnificent off No Line. This is when singles actually mattered. Now with streaming not so much.

Your point is taken on what it means now. Nobody is sitting on the edge of their seat for a new U2 single. I just think that it needs to be a song that represents the feel of the rest of the album. Obviously avoid trying to get to pop radio markets. Hit the adult alternative and rock radio and be happy. Make a full album that holds up in quality and reflects the standing that they have as the elder statesmen. They are only a few that continue to actually try to put out new stuff they want people to hear. I mean, it's down to them and Springsteen, and I guess Green Day, Foo Fighters and Chili Peppers are sort of transitioning to that stage as well.

 

[lazarus]

the other thing is - and this may be the hardest hurdle for U2 to get over - i don't think making the "right" decisions on singles and on what tracks to promote will make a huge difference for them at this point.

the "wrong" decisions have a greater negative impact than the positive impact of the "right" decisions.

Very true. But I think The Blackout could still have got into regular rotation on Alt. Rock radio stations like KROQ. I'm not sure what that gets them, but at least less people hear Best Thing and Get Out and roll their eyes.

 

[womanfish]

Very true. But I think The Blackout could still have got into regular rotation on Alt. Rock radio stations like KROQ. I'm not sure what that gets them, but at least less people hear Best Thing and Get Out and roll their eyes.

I think the Blackout would have been a cool choice for a first single. Just not for SOE. Nothing else sounds even remotely like it on the album. While I think its a really good song, I almost always forget about it because it is just so out of place on that album.

 

[mikal]

The Blackout is the most ambitious their rhythm section had been in at least 10-15 years. They should have showcased the hell out of it.

 

[womanfish]

Since we know that U2 has a "singles" problem. Let's rate their lead single choices from best to worst. It doesn't mean rating the song itself per se. But the appropriateness of that song for its accompanying album, and its overall benefit or detriment to the full release.

For me:

1. With or Without You
2. Beautiful Day
3. Pride
4. New Year's Day
5. Vertigo
6. The Fly
7. Fire
8. Desire
9. A Day Without Me
10. Numb
11. The Best Thing
12. Miracle
13. Discotheque
14. Boots

 

[mikal]

Since we know that U2 has a "singles" problem. Let's rate their lead single choices from best to worst. It doesn't mean rating the song itself per se. But the appropriateness of that song for its accompanying album, and its overall benefit or detriment to the full release.

For me:

1. With or Without You
2. Beautiful Day
3. Pride
4. New Year's Day
5. Vertigo
6. The Fly
7. Fire
8. Desire
9. A Day Without Me
10. Numb
11. The Best Thing
12. Miracle
13. Discotheque
14. Boots

I'd bump Desire up a couple notches. And Discotheque is so fucking good. Even though the US didn't understand it, the quality of the track should bump it up to at least #9 or 10

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Very true. But I think The Blackout could still have got into regular rotation on Alt. Rock radio stations like KROQ. I'm not sure what that gets them, but at least less people hear Best Thing and Get Out and roll their eyes.

yea i mean - i think at this point of U2's career the single (and general marketing choices) represent the difference between the following scenarios

a) good decisions - the olds get really excited, they get a courtesy invite to a few awards shows for some "aww let's cheer for the old guys" moments, generally good media reaction, they sell a shit ton of tickets (to the olds), interference argues ad nauseum over whether or not they made the right choice

b) bad decisions - the olds go meh, they get mocked in the press, the haters get really loud, they sell a shit ton of tickets (to the olds), interference argues ad nauseum over whether or not they made the right choice

 

[womanfish]

I'd bump Desire up a couple notches. And Discotheque is so fucking good. Even though the US didn't understand it, the quality of the track should bump it up to at least #9 or 10

I know what you mean. I think it's the fact that it was paired with the Village People video, it just was... unfortunate. If they had started with Gone, or Staring at the Sun and then maybe moved to Disco, (and it had a totally different video) things would have been different. I just think the combo of the song/video leading off the introduction to POP, did much more harm than good.

And yes it is a good song, and that drop out guitar riff is incredible.

As for Desire... this is probably the ONE time I would say they should have gone with the tune that didn't totally represent the album. I mean they had All I Want is You just sitting there! They were coming off the Joshua Tree. All I Want would have been an automatic number one hit for several weeks. Desire to me would have been the perfect second single.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

so when Sing was released - the Stevie Wonder track came out about a month before the movie.

So conceivably that would mean that we are roughly a month or so away from a new U2 track.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I know what you mean. I think it's the fact that it was paired with the Village People video, it just was... unfortunate. If they had started with Gone, or Staring at the Sun and then maybe moved to Disco, (and it had a totally different video) things would have been different. I just think the combo of the song/video leading off the introduction to POP, did much more harm than good.

And yes it is a good song, and that drop out guitar riff is incredible.

the leaks and hype, which interference was of course a part of, was all about how U2 were releasing a dance album. it wasn't actually true, but by releasing Discotheque first, complete with mirror ball video and Village People dance off? And a press conference where they played a B Side off the album?

Man - what a blown opportunity. Gone, Last Night On Earth, Staring At The Sun - any of the straightforward rock songs - could have completely changed the trajectory of the album.

it was equally annoying that when Staring At The Sun finally came out it had such a great video - back when such things mattered.

 

[womanfish]

the leaks and hype, which interference was of course a part of, was all about how U2 were releasing a dance album. it wasn't actually true, but by releasing Discotheque first, complete with mirror ball video and Village People dance off? And a press conference where they played a B Side off the album?

Man - what a blown opportunity. Gone, Last Night On Earth, Staring At The Sun - any of the straightforward rock songs - could have completely changed the trajectory of the album.

it was equally annoying that when Staring At The Sun finally came out it had such a great video - back when such things mattered.

Yes. Yes. and Yes!

Strangely, coming off of Zooropa, Any of the three songs you named would have been seen as U2 "returning to form" as any of them feel a bit Achtung Babyesque.

I forgot about them playing Holy Joe. WTAF?!?!

Also, I breezed through the POP ABC special the other day on YouTube. OMG! It was so terrible. And the fact that they set themselves up with the narrative - I'm paraphrasing here- "This can't just be a great album, It has to be better than Achtung Baby, better than The Joshua Tree. It can't just be a huge tour, it has to be bigger and badder than ZooTV,"

I mean REALLY?!?!

 

[womanfish]

the leaks and hype, which interference was of course a part of, was all about how U2 were releasing a dance album. it wasn't actually true, but by releasing Discotheque first, complete with mirror ball video and Village People dance off? And a press conference where they played a B Side off the album?

Man - what a blown opportunity. Gone, Last Night On Earth, Staring At The Sun - any of the straightforward rock songs - could have completely changed the trajectory of the album.

it was equally annoying that when Staring At The Sun finally came out it had such a great video - back when such things mattered.

Also The Staring at the Sun video is us seeing U2's instant remorse and wake up call post-Discotheque.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Yes. Yes. and Yes!

Strangely, coming off of Zooropa, Any of the three songs you named would have been seen as U2 "returning to form" as any of them feel a bit Achtung Babyesque.

I forgot about them playing Holy Joe. WTAF?!?!

Also, I breezed through the POP ABC special the other day on YouTube. OMG! It was so terrible. And the fact that they set themselves up with the narrative - I'm paraphrasing here- "This can't just be a great album, It has to be better than Achtung Baby, better than The Joshua Tree. It can't just be a huge tour, it has to be bigger and badder than ZooTV,"

I mean REALLY?!?!

the sun truly did melt their wings that night.

part of this is why i do separate out the Pop mistake from all of the other mistakes. No Line, the Apple Thing - these were attempts to stay on top There's a sense of desperation, pandering and going against their instincts in a chase for relevancy with their late career mistakes.

Pop was straight hubris. They just thought they were in a place where their shit just didn't stink and they could do whatever the hell they wanted.

 

[lazarus]

I think that SATS video is slick and generic. Give me the one with all the candid footage from Cuba any day.

 

[Hewson]

(upbeat rock music continues)

 

[Hollow Island]

Mofo should have been the lead single. I loved Discotheque at the time and still do but its similarity to the Fly was disappointing. It was also disappointing how Pop's sequencing mirrored that of Achtung. I like how they thought their shit didn't stink and that they could do whatever they wanted - bands their size have earned that right.

My Pop single choices would have been:

Mofo
Gone
Staring at the Sun
Do You Feel Loved
Playboy Mansion
Last Night on Earth

Please was a weird choice. If God Will...was a weird choice. I don't think it's a very good song, either.

 

[womanfish]

Mofo should have been the lead single. I loved Discotheque at the time and still do but its similarity to the Fly was disappointing. It was also disappointing how Pop's sequencing mirrored that of Achtung. I like how they thought their shit didn't stink and that they could do whatever they wanted - bands their size have earned that right.

My Pop single choices would have been:

Mofo
Gone
Staring at the Sun
Do You Feel Loved
Playboy Mansion
Last Night on Earth

Please was a weird choice. If God Will...was a weird choice. I don't think it's a very good song, either.

God I do love Mofo. At that time, with videos being important companion pieces to songs, i can see it working as the lead single with a cool video. Do You Feel Loved has always been a favorite of mine as well.

I think Please was also sort of a shot at saying - Hey, look, we're still doing emotional songs about the troubles. This album isn't just dance oriented. Although not a great single choice, still a great song.

Also agree that If God Will Send... is probably in my bottom 2 or 3 songs on the album.

And as for them being too cocky. Yes they earned it. But there's a difference in being confident and ballsy, and actually publicly stating the bar that you need to reach for it to be viewed as a success. That's just unnecessary and pretty stupid.

You also have to have the goods to back it up. If they had made the right first single choice and accompanying rollout, AND the album was really better than AB or JT, then yeah, you're safer. But none of those things happened.
When U2 was saying - "We don't need em" to the "pop" kids during ZooTV, and opening the show with 8 songs straight from the new album. THAT was confident and ballsy. And they backed it up in spades.

 

[wolbersu2]

Mofo, still one of their best imo. The album - version could've been a killer of a single. U2 at top of their 'exploring' nineties. The song is timeless. It still gives me the thrills if it comes out loud of my my speakers

 

[lazarus]

Man - what a blown opportunity. Gone, Last Night On Earth, Staring At The Sun - any of the straightforward rock songs - could have completely changed the trajectory of the album.

Mofo should have been the lead single. I loved Discotheque at the time and still do but its similarity to the Fly was disappointing.

Gone might be the best track on the album, but I think it works better as a deep cut than a single. And I think it resonates more with longtime fans than with the casual ones that a lead single should be targeting. It's not exactly a sing-along track.

Discotheque was a good dance/rock hybrid but yes the flippancy of the video and the overall PR for the album was not the right mix at the right time.

Staring at the Sun is an anthemic ballad that I don't think would be the right fit as the lead. It was a perfect choice for the second single but the mainstream crowd had thrown up their hands and walked away by that point, so that's why it didn't save the album.

Mofo is only good if you're legitimately trying to scare or shock people, and I don't think that's the vibe or intent for Pop. Numb worked well for Zooropa, but this was meant to be a BIG album as opposed to a mid-tour diversion, and Mofo is anything but welcoming to the radio crowd.

The clear answer for me has always been Last Night on Earth. It's more of a rock song but it still sounds "modern" and slightly weird, and doesn't betray the sound of the album. It has a huge chorus. Thematically it really fits in with the crisis of faith that ties the whole album together. To me it's got a bigger umbrella that allows old and new fans in.

 

[the tourist]

I’ll go on forever saying that U2 should have kept Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill me off that stupid Batman soundtrack and it should have been the first single from Pop.

A one-two punch of Hold Me... and Last Night On Earth would have been incredible and I think Pop and Popmart would have done much better.

 

[Gonna Run 2 U]

Dark experimental U2 is never happening again guys I’m sorry to break it to you.

If we’re lucky we will get one more up tempo lightly produced album like Boy or War.

 

[womanfish]

I’ll go on forever saying that U2 should have kept Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill me off that stupid Batman soundtrack and it should have been the first single from Pop.

A one-two punch of Hold Me... and Last Night On Earth would have been incredible and I think Pop and Popmart would have done much better.

So true. imagine POP with HMTMKMKM and no Miami. hmmmmm

 

[womanfish]

Gone might be the best track on the album, but I think it works better as a deep cut than a single. And I think it resonates more with longtime fans than with the casual ones that a lead single should be targeting. It's not exactly a sing-along track.

Discotheque was a good dance/rock hybrid but yes the flippancy of the video and the overall PR for the album was not the right mix at the right time.

Staring at the Sun is an anthemic ballad that I don't think would be the right fit as the lead. It was a perfect choice for the second single but the mainstream crowd had thrown up their hands and walked away by that point, so that's why it didn't save the album.

Mofo is only good if you're legitimately trying to scare or shock people, and I don't think that's the vibe or intent for Pop. Numb worked well for Zooropa, but this was meant to be a BIG album as opposed to a mid-tour diversion, and Mofo is anything but welcoming to the radio crowd.

The clear answer for me has always been Last Night on Earth. It's more of a rock song but it still sounds "modern" and slightly weird, and doesn't betray the sound of the album. It has a huge chorus. Thematically it really fits in with the crisis of faith that ties the whole album together. To me it's got a bigger umbrella that allows old and new fans in.

Very good analysis here. Last Night is sort of like Achtung meets Bomb style. big chorus, catchy and a good groove, represents the sound of the album and is completely non-alienating . Would have played well on both rock and alternative stations at the time,

 

[Irvine511]

Very good analysis here. Last Night is sort of like Achtung meets Bomb style. big chorus, catchy and a good groove, represents the sound of the album and is completely non-alienating . Would have played well on both rock and alternative stations at the time,

But that video …

 

[the tourist]

So true. imagine POP with HMTMKMKM and no Miami. hmmmmm

Honestly Miami isn’t the song I’d cut - I’d take If God Will Send His Angels off and give that to a movie instead. Wasn’t it on the City of Angels soundtrack?

 

[womanfish]

Honestly Miami isn’t the song I’d cut - I’d take If God Will Send His Angels off and give that to a movie instead. Wasn’t it on the City of Angels soundtrack?

LOL. That's so funny. I was driving home from the store and I thought... Ya know, Miami is not horrible and really belongs on POP. If God Would Send... i probably the one that should go.
And they did some pretty killer live performances of Miami.

great minds!

 

[womanfish]

But that video …

Seriously what happened to U2's video budget? Achtung Baby had incredible videos, especially the first 3 singles. Then a few years later POP's videos suck (for the most part).