OFFICIAL - U2.Com - New Album Out In 2009 / Speculations Pt. 3

[bratty_cat]

This has probably already been covered in other threads but the "record release party" in Half Moon Bay, California was actually an event for Elevation Partners. Edge happened to be there with Bono and they supposedly performed a couple of songs from the new album. It doesn't seem to have any bearing on an actual release date (other than they have a couple of songs that will potentially be on the new album).

 

[Rob33]

The song title is utter shit....There's no way this ends up on the new record....if it does, goodbye masterpiece!


That's a slight exaggeration, but if their judgment is this far off, who knows what the hell we're going to get this time

 

[LemonMelon]

I always love it how people judge a song they only know by title.



Great news, btw.

No, we're judging it by its origin, and that its title is this close to "Stand Up And Stop (The Poverty)".

 

[josh82]

Yeah, 'knees'...

 

[Varitek]

All "Stand Up" needs is a title change, and "Stop (The Poverty)" will become a reality.

also the first thing I thought of.

 

[Gilead12]

Beach Clip #1... isn't there a "rise up" or something of that nature just before the "whoah" chorus comes in at least once?

Just a thought. But it seems like a "tear down our own hypocrisy" kind of song to me, from what I could make out.

Anyone else?

 

[LemonMelon]

Beach Clip #1... isn't there a "rise up" or something of that nature just before the "whoah" chorus comes in at least once?

Just a thought. But it seems like a "tear down our own hypocrisy" kind of song to me, from what I could make out.

Anyone else?

No, "Stand Up" is far newer than that track.

 

[kassandra]

Daniel Lanois is at a creative peak these days -- his brain not only brimming with the latest U2 licks, but also casting back 20 years to reflect on the shaping of his first solo album, Acadie.
A repackaged version of his 1989 debut is in stores this month. Lanois made himself available for a phone interview from New York City, where he was working with Bono and the lads on the next U2 disc.
Will it be another Achtung Baby, or more like How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb? We were supposed to be talking about Acadie, but couldn't resist pressing for hints about Lanois' most famous clients. U2 is due to release the new disc next year.

Daniel Lanois plays a number of Ontario dates in the weeks ahead, but the Quebec-born musician has recently been busy working on U2's upcoming album. It's "very sophisticated, rhythmically," Lanois hints. "I think we've just done something that's never been done before. The president of the company is singing like a bird."


"It's very sophisticated, rhythmically," said a coy Lanois. "I'm talking high-grade and wicked. We've gotten to a place, a combination of myself and (Brian) Eno, I think we've just done something that's never been done before. The president of the company is singing like a bird."


Daniel Lanois brings his eclectic style to the stage

 

[SamuelSmeloc]

 

[quadcaster]

Daniel Lanois is at a creative peak these days -- his brain not only brimming with the latest U2 licks, but also casting back 20 years to reflect on the shaping of his first solo album, Acadie.
A repackaged version of his 1989 debut is in stores this month. Lanois made himself available for a phone interview from New York City, where he was working with Bono and the lads on the next U2 disc.
Will it be another Achtung Baby, or more like How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb? We were supposed to be talking about Acadie, but couldn't resist pressing for hints about Lanois' most famous clients. U2 is due to release the new disc next year.

Daniel Lanois plays a number of Ontario dates in the weeks ahead, but the Quebec-born musician has recently been busy working on U2's upcoming album. It's "very sophisticated, rhythmically," Lanois hints. "I think we've just done something that's never been done before. The president of the company is singing like a bird."


"It's very sophisticated, rhythmically," said a coy Lanois. "I'm talking high-grade and wicked. We've gotten to a place, a combination of myself and (Brian) Eno, I think we've just done something that's never been done before. The president of the company is singing like a bird."


Daniel Lanois brings his eclectic style to the stage

THERES that lanoism again! "Singing like a bird"

 

[dabiggestu2fan]

Daniel Lanois is at a creative peak these days -- his brain not only brimming with the latest U2 licks, but also casting back 20 years to reflect on the shaping of his first solo album, Acadie.
A repackaged version of his 1989 debut is in stores this month. Lanois made himself available for a phone interview from New York City, where he was working with Bono and the lads on the next U2 disc.
Will it be another Achtung Baby, or more like How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb? We were supposed to be talking about Acadie, but couldn't resist pressing for hints about Lanois' most famous clients. U2 is due to release the new disc next year.

Daniel Lanois plays a number of Ontario dates in the weeks ahead, but the Quebec-born musician has recently been busy working on U2's upcoming album. It's "very sophisticated, rhythmically," Lanois hints. "I think we've just done something that's never been done before. The president of the company is singing like a bird."


"It's very sophisticated, rhythmically," said a coy Lanois. "I'm talking high-grade and wicked. We've gotten to a place, a combination of myself and (Brian) Eno, I think we've just done something that's never been done before. The president of the company is singing like a bird."


Daniel Lanois brings his eclectic style to the stage

This might just be an AWESOME album oh yeah!!!

and stand up could be an awesome song or it could totally suck but based on what little information we have I can't make any conclusions. But what if it was like sunday bloody sunday style?? oh man that would frikin rule!!!

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I'm talking high-grade and wicked.

High-grade and wicked. Sounds like the last bag of weed I bought.

 

[Moser]

"It's very sophisticated, rhythmically,"

Larry's ditched the drums for spoons?

About damn time...

 

[U2girl]

Considering how much time (and who knows what else) he invested in his activism, I'm surprised it doesn't feature prominently in his lyrics, "statistics don't rhyme" line aside.

 

[U2DMfan]

"It's very sophisticated, rhythmically," said a coy Lanois. "I'm talking high-grade and wicked. We've gotten to a place, a combination of myself and (Brian) Eno, I think we've just done something that's never been done before. The president of the company is singing like a bird."


Daniel Lanois brings his eclectic style to the stage

1-Quite telling where he notes the innovation seems to be coming from.
2-Hyperbole apparently runs in the "company", done something that hasn't been done before? Sheesh.
3-Singing like a bird on a track that's months and months old doesn't do you much good if your "President" goes back to re-record a lyric that he's decided to change for the 87th time.

Other than that, sounds awesome.
Sophisticated music would be good enough,
I'm afraid Bono's up to the same 'sophistication' as before.
"Stand up" yeah, that couldn't have been a song title from 1968.
Yeah I know, song titles don't mean shit. But c'mon, Bono is in obvious mode from here on out and we all know it.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

"It's not a 'let's hold hands and the world is a better place sort of song.' It's more kick down the door of your own hypocrisy," he said.

Good, this one should have attitude.

I think Bono has been on Interference....

 

[last unicorn]

^ He's been saying this for years. Bono's not the "holding hands" kind of guy.


Though I wouldn't mind holding hands with him.

 

[PowerSurge]

The song title is utter shit....There's no way this ends up on the new record....if it does, goodbye masterpiece!


That's a slight exaggeration, but if their judgment is this far off, who knows what the hell we're going to get this time

No more of a shitty title than:

Discotheque, Playboy Mansion, Trying to Throw your Arms around the World, Elvis Pressley and America, Electric Co (which till this day I keep telling my friends the "co" does NOT stand for company) Beautiful Day, Kite...have I made my point yet?

All great songs (expect maybe EP&A) but not so great titles IMO.

Hear the song first...THEN pass judgement. Just some smart advice. Take it from somone who has eaten his words about a lot of stuff

 

[PowerSurge]

1-Quite telling where he notes the innovation seems to be coming from.
2-Hyperbole apparently runs in the "company", done something that hasn't been done before? Sheesh.
3-Singing like a bird on a track that's months and months old doesn't do you much good if your "President" goes back to re-record a lyric that he's decided to change for the 87th time.

Other than that, sounds awesome.
Sophisticated music would be good enough,
I'm afraid Bono's up to the same 'sophistication' as before.
"Stand up" yeah, that couldn't have been a song title from 1968.
Yeah I know, song titles don't mean shit. But c'mon, Bono is in obvious mode from here on out and we all know it.

Yeah, that whole singing like a bird thing is over the top cheesy. I can't stand when birds sing, because usually its at 6 am when I'm trying to sleep. Everytime I hear that Bono is singing like a bird I get a mental picture of me sticking my head out the window and throwing a sexy boot at him....but I digress.

I like the idea of "sophisticated" but why do I get the musical impression of somekind of Crate and Barrel or Pottery Barn corny and pretentious music vibe when I hear that term? I'd take "raw" over "sophisticated" anyday....but then again, we haven't heard anything yet so I'll wait till the music hits my eardrums before I say anything else.

 

[mama cass]

Electric Co (which till this day I keep telling my friends the "co" does NOT stand for company)

oh, what does it stand for then??

 

[Michael Griffiths]

I'd take "raw" over "sophisticated" anyday....but then again, we haven't heard anything yet so I'll wait till the music hits my eardrums before I say anything else.

I don't know...."kicking down the door of your own hypocricy" sounds pretty raw to me...

 

[PowerSurge]

oh, what does it stand for then??

Hopefully this will help:

Electroconvulsive therapy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The song's lyrics are kind of vague, but the main idea behind the song was that it was trying to make a statement against that kind of treatment. Long story, but its in many of the books that were written to decifer their lyrics. I'll try to find the passage for you. The story behind it is actually kind of sad.

 

[Irishteen]

All great songs (expect maybe EP&A)

Denial of EPAA greatness makes me sad

 

[PowerSurge]

Denial of EPAA greatness makes me sad

Sorry.

I just can't get myself to like a song that is so wishy washy and pointless.

Do you know the story behind it? It makes it even worse when you hear that Bono basically freestyled (horribly) over a slow down insturmental version of "A Sort of Homecoming" unknowingly.

It sounds so disconnected and trying to be something important though it never does. Then they slap a title on it to try to portray it as being important. Its like the painting equivelent of randomly throwing a bunch of paint on a canvas (ala Pollock) then calling it "The Crucifiction"

Horribly pretentious and meaningless.

Rant over.

 

[LemonMelon]

Sorry.

I just can't get myself to like a song that is so wishy washy and pointless.

Do you know the story behind it? It makes it even worse when you hear that Bono basically freestyled (horribly) over a slow down insturmental version of "A Sort of Homecoming" unknowingly.

It sounds so disconnected and trying to be something important though it never does. Then they slap a title on it to try to portray it as being important. Its like the painting equivelent of randomly throwing a bunch of paint on a canvas (ala Pollock) then calling it "The Crucifiction"

Horribly pretentious and meaningless.

Rant over.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Sorry.

I just can't get myself to like a song that is so wishy washy and pointless.

Do you know the story behind it? It makes it even worse when you hear that Bono basically freestyled (horribly) over a slow down insturmental version of "A Sort of Homecoming" unknowingly.

It sounds so disconnected and trying to be something important though it never does. Then they slap a title on it to try to portray it as being important. Its like the painting equivelent of randomly throwing a bunch of paint on a canvas (ala Pollock) then calling it "The Crucifiction"

Horribly pretentious and meaningless.

Rant over.

Sounds to me like the story behind it has coloured your perception of it to some degree, which is a shame. I love the passion in that song. It's like pure emotion on a spiritual level. Like Bono's subconscious being let out to go directly to tape. I love how the song climaxes at the end and then kind of falls into spoken, almost fragmented words. Engergy caught in a bottle for just a few moments before being let back into the universe...

The sound of the song is actually quite hypnotic, as well. As a sonic piece, it's great for a rainy day, and just to drift off to. That is what I love about The Unforgettable Fire, as a whole as well. It's not concrete. It is splashed on a canvas to some degree. It isn't bold like The Joshua Tree. It's a beautiful haze, bleeding its territory behind rain and mist, a terrain not quite seen, but knowingly there, omnipresent, a terrain only our emotions can encompass, a terrain that exists simply because our feelings say so.

Anyway, that's just the way I see that song. We all are built differently emotionally, which is what makes music subjective.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

This inspired me to find the lyrics. Seems to be a conversation Bono is having with God - or, God is having with himself. The experiencer as the experience. The nature of duality as One. Bono seems to be opening up a channel here to his higher self... This song may be the most overlooked U2 song in their entire catalogue...

U2 Lyrics - Elvis Presley And America

(Black flash)
Black flash over my own love
Tell me of my eyes
Black flash come though my own life
Telling these things
And I believe them
And I believe in you

White flash sees the sky
And it turns its side from you
She won't turn my back
And I know you disapprove
And you know
And your sky is feeling blue
And your heart
So cold when I'm with you
And you feel
Like no one told you to
And your time is your side
And your time with me
Ah, don't talk to me
Ah, don't talk to me
Don't talk to me

You know
Like no one told you how
But you know
Though the king that howls has howled
But you feel like sentimental
But you don't care
If I just share it in your heart
(heart...)

Hopelessly
So hopelessly
I'm breaking through for you and me
And you don't
Though no one told you to
And you found out
Where you were going, where to
You're through with me
But I know that you will be back
For more

You know
And though no one told you so
And you know, blue sky
Like a harder shade of blue
And you walk
When you want
To let go
Me, I'm the outside, tell me fade away
Drop me down but don't break me
In your sleep

In your sleep, inside
It's in your heart and mine
Whole sea is dark
It's in your heart and mine

Sweetly, those will come
Loving is on your side walking through
So let me in your heart
Your beat is like something...

They...
Run...
See say you're sad and reach by
So say you're sad above beside
Oh stay you're sad over midnight
So stay sad above we said

You know I don't
No one told you how
(and you don't)
(and you wipe sweat off your white brow)
And you care
And no one told you tried
And your heart
Is left out from the side

And the rain beats down
And the shame goes down
And this rain keeps on coming down
And this sky
Tonight...

You know "S" "O" "N" "G", why
You're going go join to God
You know "S" "O" "N" "G", why
Give away some him no lie
Give away some my de day no

You know
And though no one told you sky
And you feel
Like you pretend you can
You say go, you live
Go live outside of me
Don't you leave
Don't leave out part of me
Then can feel
Like I feel before
Like I hurt now
And I see the floor
If you pick me up
Bits and pieces on this floor

 

[PowerSurge]

Sounds to me like the story behind it has coloured your perception of it to some degree, which is a shame. I love the passion in that song. It's like pure emotion on a spiritual level. Like Bono's subconscious being let out to go directly to tape. I love how the song climaxes at the end and then kind of falls into spoken, almost fragmented words. Engergy caught in a bottle for just a few moments before being let back into the universe...

The sound of the song is actually quite hypnotic, as well. As a sonic piece, it's great for a rainy day, and just to drift off to. That is what I love about The Unforgettable Fire, as a whole as well. It's not concrete. It is splashed on a canvas to some degree. It isn't bold like The Joshua Tree. It's a beautiful haze, bleeding its territory behind rain and mist, a terrain not quite seen, but knowingly there, omnipresent, a terrain only our emotions can encompass, a terrain that exists simply because our feelings say so.

Anyway, that's just the way I see that song. We all are built differently emotionally, which is what makes music subjective.

Its funny, because in your description of the song you've nailed what I love most about the rest of the album.

IDK, I really didn't like the song too much before I heard the story...but YES the story brought down my opinion of the song. Its just too fragmented and forced to me. I remember talking to a friend of mine, who by the way thinks that UF is U2's 3rd best album behind JT and Boy...so that says alot. He and I both felt the song was a bit "off" but could never understand why. Then we heard about the impetus of the recording and it kind of made sense.

I have to reiterate that your description of EP&A works so well when talking about the rest of the album:

"It's a beautiful haze, bleeding its territory behind rain and mist, a terrain not quite seen, but knowingly there, omnipresent, a terrain only our emotions can encompass, a terrain that exists simply because our feelings say so"

BTW, part of the haze could be the mix/sound of the album. Do yourself a favor and pick up the remastered gold version of the album and some great headphones and the album blooms in your ears. Its like when they cleaned up the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and discovered all of the vibrant colors that were hidden for so long. This album has some really great sounds that kind of got muddled on the original album and eventual CD.

 

[bonocomet]

BTW, part of the haze could be the mix/sound of the album. Do yourself a favor and pick up the remastered gold version of the album and some great headphones and the album blooms in your ears. Its like when they cleaned up the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and discovered all of the vibrant colors that were hidden for so long. This album has some really great sounds that kind of got muddled on the original album and eventual CD.

True that. The gold version sounds amazing. I've been wondering though what the comparison will be when this album gets its remastering. Does anyone know how the remastered JT album compared to the gold version?

 

[quiltybones]

Elvis Pressley and America is one of my favorite U2 recordings, so I had to chime in. It's pure abstract expressionism, the equivalent of a painting by Mark Rothko or Jackson Pollock. Don't worry about the meaning of the words. Give in to the atmosphere, the raw unformed emotion. It's like Sigur Ros before Sigur Ros were even born ...

Remember too, that this is U2 before The Joshua Tree was even a gleem in their eye. Eno's little experiment with Bono is like a snapshot of the very birth of that new artistic freedom and creativity that would ultimately lead to their best work ...