Psychic Readings: ask The Slow Loris anything about the new album here

[last unicorn]

In the same vein Bono plays lead guitar on most of the album?

Wow, I have no doubt now that this is going to be the BEST U2 ALBUM EVER!!!

 

[the scuv]

The identity of The Slow Loris

Could the slow loris possible be...........

slow loris label

based in Dublin, makes music, who knows

 

[mikal]

Could the slow loris possible be...........

slow loris label

based in Dublin, makes music, who knows

hmm....good find.

 

[U2DMfan]

Could the slow loris possible be...........

his name is actually Firelight MacFish

 

[MissAdamBomb87]

I don't care who he is, I just want him to come back and answer my questions in what ever psychic way he sees fit.

 

[The Slow Loris]

Greetings Humans! I will attempt to do a couple predictions and will do the rest later...

Whether TSL is for real or not, these answers are great. Keep 'em coming!

I'm only as real as my fur is....or put another way, as real as my predictions turn out to be. I'm only a loris, and lorises are a bit slow. It will be fun to see if my "psychic" predictions turn out to be true! I believe it will mark the first time in recorded history that a Slow Loris successfully (or unsuccessfully for that matter) predicts how a new U2 albums turns out. And that is a moment to behold, let's be honest.

Oh Great and merciful Slow Loris, I have but three questions for you, if only you would oblige me and grace me with your knowledge.

1)If you could describe the album in terms of sound, how would you describe it?
2)Is there any significant or personal theme that relates to any of the band members?
3)Could you describe what the best song on the album will sound like?

Shiny and rythmic with plenty of style and dynamics. Cascading guitars tumbling down rhythmic foundations. Plenty of atmosphere, plenty of groove, melodies that won't stop playing in your head, melodies that take you out of the muddy feelings of life and back to the places where inspirations bloom. You will want to play this album in the garden before sunset....the smell of the roses and the sunlight intermingling as feelings, memories, and hopes and dreams wash over you. It's one of those albums.

I feel Adam is a a strong presence on this record, and in the way Bono wrote about some of Edge's emotional states on Achtung Baby, Bono does some of that with Adam on this record.

There are so many great songs on this album that are completely different to each other, that no one will agree on the "best" song. I don't really see that one standout track, though some will call 'Moment of Surrender' that song. A spiritual song with an emotional charge that will change the atmosphere and vibration of any room, and also the world, once it hits the airwaves.

Dear Slow Loris,

- Will Larry get a bit more excited about hitting his drum kit like he used to?
- Does Bono sound like a bird really? Is there any new singing style?

Thank you so much for making interferencers dream all over again....

Thank you for the compliment It's fun to dream, isn't it? This thread is supposed to be all about that. I'm glad some people get that!

This is Larry's best album, BY FAR. The bass and drum rhythms on this album flow so incredibly well it's almost sad that other records will be compared to this one...because none this year have even come close. Larry and Adam standout on this record when compared to previous U2 albums. There's a progression at place just as there was when Achtung Baby was made. It's a shift toward a more electronic rhythm section...yet as Daniel Lanois says, very much "hand played".

Bono is singing like a bird, but not in the literal sense, though you could argue his falsetto on a couple songs could be construde that way His style of singing is a progression from the last album. Not entirely different, but a progresssion. I will say however there are times on the album where he doesn't sounds anything like he ever has. Some of the songs are almost hypnotic, and flavours are entirely new. You will be pleasantly surprised, I suspect.

Will people enjoy this album for more than a week? Y/N

Yes.

Until next time, my human friends! I have to go!

 

[MissAdamBomb87]

Thank you very VERY much Mr. Loris.

 

[Moser]

I'm like crapping myself. This teasing has come too early.

 

[jonnytakeawalk]

Thanks Slow Loris.

Although I'm a bit concerned about this statement.....

There are so many great songs on this album that are completely different to each other, that no one will agree on the "best" song. I don't really see that one standout track.

I hope that doesn't mean it will be like bomb which Bono said didn't have a bad song on it but the whole just didn't equal the sum of its parts.

Although imo bomb had plenty of shit songs. So

 

[Jim]

..melodies that take you out of the muddy feelings of life and back to the places where inspirations bloom.

that'll do for me !!

 

[BVS]

Could the slow loris possible be...........

slow loris label

based in Dublin, makes music, who knows

Interesting first and only post

Funny how so many are taking this as gospel truth...

 

[doctorwho]

sorry Loris for asking such a question but i'm suffering from exhaustion, heat and sun stroke and too much drinking.

And that's just from your typical Tuesday morning at work!

I also have no further questions of the Loris, except to wonder how he's doing. Is everything good? Place of life nice and slow?

 

[Utoo]

Dear Masterful Loris!

Will you be faithfully watching the Olympics this summer, or will you save the excitement for when they head their way up north in a few years?

 

[The Slow Loris]

Slow Loris you have me by the knackers with these readings!!

Questions:

Does the album lend itself to a more stripped back tour or a something at the other end of the scale?

What have the band been listening too that may have inspired them during the album session?

Cheers,
Jim

The album is stripped down in the organic sense of the phrase, yet there are heavy distortion and electronic effects throughout. The tour will be primarily a stadium tour, as the songs are very "big" and some are even epic. There are also very intimate moments on the album that are very stripped down. This album is extemely varied in style.

The band have been listening to everything from Led Zeppelin to Sufi Moroccan music. Their palette is deep on this record, and there are many influences from rock n' roll and celtic and arabic roots.

What does the album cover look like?

There has not been a decision on the final album cover, and the photographs have not been finalized. I see a cover that is either black and white or something of the other extreme....that is to say, very, very colourful. The Moroccan backbone of the album will shine though in some way, I feel. If not, it will be an Irish theme.

Some more questions for the ever so lovely Loris:

1) Not just Bono and The Edge has described their amount of material for this album. Adam mentioned something last summer about having 30-40 small pieces to build the album on when that day would come. According to you, that seems to be true but we won't get a double/triple album this time. So I'm wondering; will we get any original b-sides with this album? More than with the last record? (Are You Gonna Wait Forever - basically a All That You Can't Leave Behind outtake)

2) The ones of us following fan reports on location in Dublin the past couple of months have noticed how U2 decided to bring in a couple of fans inside their recording studio, presumably to let the fans comment on the new material. (I've seen myself how Sam came out and invited a fan this past April.) Some have also listened to live rehearsals it seems. I've basically been a fan since All That You Can't Leave Behind, and I don't know if they done it before that but here's my question: What is it that made U2 decide to bring in some actual fans (not just the mail delivery man etc.) in the middle of the recording process all of a sudden, months before the album was to be completed? Did they feel happy with the material to the extent that they were comfortable with sharing it with their fans at an early stage? Did they perhaps want to reward the ("crazy, stalking" ) fans even more than just coming out to greet them? Or both?

3) Final question at this time. Judging by the Lanois trailer and the U2.com reports - it seems like Bono has taken a genuine interest in playing the guitar again. He also played some guitar on the last leg of the Vertigo Tour - on Original of The Species, with Edge on the piano - not just wee bits of strumming (The Fly, Running To Stand Still). Will we hear more guitar-playing from Bono just like on the Joshua Tree tour again in the near future?

Thank you very much in advance.

1) There will not be a tradional "b sides" album, though you will hear many of the outtakes and "b sides" on subsequent projects, and internet only releases.

2) U2 enjoy their fans, and they have no hidden agenda with allowing their fans in. They honestly just get a kick out of it. They are past caring about any angles they can cover. They are at a point now where they are not doing it for the money whatsoever.

3) Bono does play some guitar on this album, but primarily it is Edge and Lanois. Bono has written a couple songs, however, and the piano has been his biggest conspirator.

TSL is it true that on this album Edge sings 90% of the lead vocals and Bono only sings lead on one song?

In the same vein Bono plays lead guitar on most of the album?

Now that my friends would be a major change in direction for the band!

No, definitely not to the first question.

No, not true at all to the second question!

Thanks Slow Loris.

Although I'm a bit concerned about this statement.....



I hope that doesn't mean it will be like bomb which Bono said didn't have a bad song on it but the whole just didn't equal the sum of its parts.

Although imo bomb had plenty of shit songs. So

No, the difference is that this album has stunning songs throughout. Imagine an entire album with songs as good as 'Until the End of the World' or 'Exit'...or 'Mysterious Ways', for example.

And that's just from your typical Tuesday morning at work!

I also have no further questions of the Loris, except to wonder how he's doing. Is everything good? Place of life nice and slow?

Nothing is too slow for a loris. Life has its way of passing by incredibly quickly when you're a loris! Things are great, though. Life is amazing, isn't it?

Dear Masterful Loris!

Will you be faithfully watching the Olympics this summer, or will you save the excitement for when they head their way up north in a few years?

I hope to see the olympics soon! I'm thinking of trying out for the Indonesian bob sled team, but they somehow don't think I will be fast enough. I call discrimination!

 

[Reead]

Well, if I wasn't already, I'm now officially dying of anticipation for the new album.

I hope the Slow Loris is right

 

[last unicorn]

3) Bono does play some guitar on this album, but primarily it is Edge and Lanois. Bono has written a couple songs, however, and the piano has been his biggest conspirator.

Are we going to hear Bono on the piano?

And if so: Is he good at it?

 

[jonnytakeawalk]

Funny how so many are taking this as gospel truth...

I dunno his answers are pretty good. I think he is an insider.

 

[Rob33]

I dunno his answers are pretty good. I think he is an insider.

I doubt it, and I don't really believe any of this....but if he is an insider.....

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Dear Slow Loris

When should we expect a little snippet of the first song????

 

[The Slow Loris]

Are we going to hear Bono on the piano?

And if so: Is he good at it?

Bono came up with some of the songs on piano, but mostly they are songs that the band have turned into something completely different. Bono is an intermediate piano player at best!

I dunno his answers are pretty good. I think he is an insider.

They're only "psychic readings"!

I doubt it, and I don't really believe any of this....but if he is an insider.....

Again, only predictions! It will be fun to see how accurate they are though.

Dear Slow Loris

When should we expect a little snippet of the first song????

Nothing official until September.

 

[popacrobat]

I believe Bono had told Brian Williams or somebody in an interview a couple years back that he had been taking piano lessons and coming up with tunes on them?

 

[mikal]

Slow Loris, I don't think anyone's asked this, but is "Mercy" on the album.

Thank you and good job!

 

[The Slow Loris]

Slow Loris, I don't think anyone's asked this, but is "Mercy" on the album.

Thank you and good job!

No...it missed the cut....for the 2nd time!

 

[mikal]

i knew it! oh well, i like the leaked version.

loris, do you have any predictions on the Green Bay Packers this year, other than a ton of drama?

 

[The Slow Loris]

Greetings! I must have been drunk after eating too many fermented mangoes, and forgot to answer a few questions....

How many songs on the album and are there any ballads?

12 songs, and yes, you could call two or three of them ballads by some definitions.

Which song has the best Edge guitar performance?

'Cedars of Lebanon' is pretty amazing...but so are most of the songs!

Slow Loris -

Is this album going to be 'safe' and 'radio-friendly' like the last two? I'll be pretty upset if it is.

It isn't safe pop music, but it is pop music, just as much as Achtung Baby was pop music. It will be played (relentlessly) on the radio just as Achtung Baby and The Joshua Tree were.

Now excuse me...a tree beckons...

 

[JOFO]

It will be played (relentlessly) on the radio just as Achtung Baby and The Joshua Tree were.

...

Well, this is where your credibility goes into the toilet.


No radio station plays music anymore......

 

[Zoots]

Dear Slow Loris,

Are you jick?

Thanks.

 

[The Slow Loris]

Dear Slow Loris,

Are you jick?

Thanks.

No. Is Jick a cute little tree dweller?

 

[The Slow Loris]

Well, this is where your credibility goes into the toilet.


No radio station plays music anymore......

Luckily there are radio stations outside of the U.S!

 

[waynetravis]

Whats the longest song on the album?