Should T-Bone Burnett Produce a U2 Album?

[Niceman]

By history, yes. It is okay to be arty sometimes, agreed. Thanks for sticking with us, also agreed.
Stay is a beautiful song that deserves more attention despite being on a record that got less attention. I think that was the point they were making.

October is a hidden track on the Best of. Switch it with Gloria and the 80's Best of is complete.

Well, if you're talking historically, then you're right. But those of us who have been fans since back then remember events differently than Das U2's official history.

Yes, I know October is the hidden track on some versions of the album. October and Gloria needed to be there, and if you ask me Out of Control and A Sort of Homecoming would have to be squeezed in as well to get the "perfect" 1980-1990 disc.

 

[LemonMelon]

IMO:

No album containing Desire, Hawkmoon 269, Heartland and All I Want Is You could possibly be a misfire. While the extraneous live tracks were a mistake (hell, they didn't even pick the right ones...not even close), the choice to craft the album as a travelogue was their choice, and it functions well enough on those terms. But what they were doing at the time should be applauded, not disregarded. They honestly had nothing to apologize for. If you're going to fault a European act for being influenced by American folk, blues and country, you might as well chuck out Beggars Banquet while you're at it. While the final product didn't reach those great heights, they had a great batch of songs. It was just sequenced and marketed poorly. Focus the album to 12 tracks, forget about the disastrous (but fucking funny) film and you're left with an album most would remember fondly.

 

[cobl04]

Larry at Graceland aside, I don't see what's so bad about R&H. It contains some of their best live performances ever and I really don't give a fuck if Edge played a non-Blues solo.

 

[U2girl]

IMO:

No album containing Desire, Hawkmoon 269, Heartland and All I Want Is You could possibly be a misfire. While the extraneous live tracks were a mistake (hell, they didn't even pick the right ones...not even close), the choice to craft the album as a travelogue was their choice, and it functions well enough on those terms. But what they were doing at the time should be applauded, not disregarded. They honestly had nothing to apologize for. If you're going to fault a European act for being influenced by American folk, blues and country, you might as well chuck out Beggars Banquet while you're at it. While the final product didn't reach those great heights, they had a great batch of songs. It was just sequenced and marketed poorly. Focus the album to 12 tracks, forget about the disastrous (but fucking funny) film and you're left with an album most would remember fondly.

Well, they had a decent travelogue idea with the album, but it ends up a complete mess (only 2 times this happened to them). Studio tracks, live songs, covers ... indeed plenty white acts borrowed off blues/country. U2 just wasn't great at it.

And the movie can't decide between being a straight up rock show movie or a documentary of a band travelling through America. It could use more humble and actual "biggest band in the world pays tribute to legends that came before" moments. Larry at Graceland gets a lot of flack, but I liked that raw moment.

Desire is a U2 classic and AIWIY is a live stand out. Other than that, there are several better U2 records as a whole.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

IMO if you strip down the album for it's absolute value of original content, it's a winner.

It boils down to what you take away from R&H. I choose to take away that original content. To me, it's a good album. The construction might not have been so smart, but at the same time through all the haze and bullshit there's an awesome album somewhere in there.

 

[Niceman]

Well, they had a decent travelogue idea with the album, but it ends up a complete mess (only 2 times this happened to them). Studio tracks, live songs, covers ... indeed plenty white acts borrowed off blues/country. U2 just wasn't great at it.

And the movie can't decide between being a straight up rock show movie or a documentary of a band travelling through America. It could use more humble and actual "biggest band in the world pays tribute to legends that came before" moments. Larry at Graceland gets a lot of flack, but I liked that raw moment.

Desire is a U2 classic and AIWIY is a live stand out. Other than that, there are several better U2 records as a whole.

I don't hear you saying anything more complicated or objective than "I didn't like it." That doesn't make the album a failure, or a mess, or misstep.

ETA: And you prefer the live version of AIWIY to the studio? I'll disagree with that too. I might even go so far as to call that take of the song one of their greatest ever studio moments, up there with the album take of Pride.

 

[U2girl]

No. The critics' opinion, and time/history make it a misstep.

Yes. AIWIY is better live. Studio, it feels like U2 wanted to beat WOWY at its own game and failed. Live, it's probably the best R&H song.

 

[Niceman]

No. The critics' opinion, and time/history make it a misstep.

Yes. AIWIY is better live. Studio, it feels like U2 wanted to beat WOWY at its own game and failed. Live, it's probably the best R&H song.

nO.

 

[LemonMelon]

I'll take AIWIY over WOWY any day of the week and twice on Sunday, especially as far as studio versions are concerned.

AIWIY never really matched the studio version live. I find those strings too haunting for the song to succeed without them. There are some incredible live performances of WOWY though that far surpass the studio version.

 

[Niceman]

I'll take AIWIY over WOWY any day of the week and twice on Sunday, especially as far as studio versions are concerned.

AIWIY never really matched the studio version live. I find those strings too haunting for the song to succeed without them. There are some incredible live performances of WOWY though that far surpass the studio version.

 

[Hollow Island]

Larry at Graceland aside, I don't see what's so bad about R&H. It contains some of their best live performances ever and I really don't give a fuck if Edge played a non-Blues solo.

The slow motion during Bad.
Every time Bono speaks, aside from Sunday Bloody Sunday.
Watching Buskers.
The pilgrim chic attire.
Bono reciting his lyrics to BB King.
The "blues" jam.
All Along the Watchtower.
Rock N Roll Stops the traffic (which didn't even take place during Watchtower).
"This is a song Sharlz Maansin stole frum the beatles...we're stealin it bak"
Helter Sketler performance.
"During the third verse...not the first, not the second, the third..." Adam should have punched him.


It's pretty embarrassing film, but the performances are great and I've seen it way too many times.

I don't know any U2 fan that doesn't like the album.

 

[Nick66]

The slow motion during Bad.
Every time Bono speaks, aside from Sunday Bloody Sunday.
Watching Buskers.
The pilgrim chic attire.
Bono reciting his lyrics to BB King.
The "blues" jam.
All Along the Watchtower.
Rock N Roll Stops the traffic (which didn't even take place during Watchtower).
"This is a song Sharlz Maansin stole frum the beatles...we're stealin it bak"
Helter Sketler performance.
"During the third verse...not the first, not the second, the third..." Adam should have punched him.


It's pretty embarrassing film, but the performances are great and I've seen it way too many times.

I don't know any U2 fan that doesn't like the album.

It's funny....you're right about all that. But the thing is, when the R&H movie came out, I loved it. Hell, I still love it. And when it came out on video I also watched it way too many times. None of those things, at the time, seemed out of place or embarrassing to me (well, maybe Bono reading BB the lyrics a little bit).

Now, of course, looking at it I see all those things, but it really doesn't lessen my affection for the film. Just makes me realise how much better it could have been.

And the studio tracks on the album continue, IMO, to be U2 classics and among their best.

 

[Niceman]

The slow motion during Bad.
Every time Bono speaks, aside from Sunday Bloody Sunday.
Watching Buskers.
The pilgrim chic attire.
Bono reciting his lyrics to BB King.
The "blues" jam.
All Along the Watchtower.
Rock N Roll Stops the traffic (which didn't even take place during Watchtower).
"This is a song Sharlz Maansin stole frum the beatles...we're stealin it bak"
Helter Sketler performance.
"During the third verse...not the first, not the second, the third..." Adam should have punched him.


It's pretty embarrassing film, but the performances are great and I've seen it way too many times.

I don't know any U2 fan that doesn't like the album.

The only one I agree with is the reading the lyric sheet to B.B. Otherwise, I LOOOVE all those other moments. Not Like. I love 'em!

ETA: Well, okay that fake scene "During the third verse..." is actually the worst moment in the film. Yes, Adam should have punched him. I wonder if he did?

 

[corianderstem]

Shit, I loved it so much when it came out, I saw it about 5 times in the theater! I think I even begged my dad to drive me to the theater one weekend, because I simply had to see it again.

And then later I realized there were parts that were a bit cringe-worthy. But the performances more than make up for the cringey bits, so there you go.

 

[LemonMelon]

I have no idea what they were thinking with the live track picks. Silver and Gold, ISHFWILF, All Along The Watchtower, Pride and Bullet?

Yeah, replace those with Exit, In God's Country, WOWY, Sunday Bloody Sunday and Bad and you have a much more interesting and functional set of songs to pair with your solid new studio material.

 

[Hollow Island]

I have no idea what they were thinking with the live track picks. Silver and Gold, ISHFWILF, All Along The Watchtower, Pride and Bullet?

Yeah, replace those with Exit, In God's Country, WOWY, Sunday Bloody Sunday and Bad and you have a much more interesting and functional set of songs to pair with your solid new studio material.

Holy Shit, the live version of Silver and Gold is one of their best songs! Agree on Exit, In God's Country, WOWY, Sunday Bloody Sunday and Bad though.

 

[Hollow Island]

Shit, I loved it so much when it came out, I saw it about 5 times in the theater! I think I even begged my dad to drive me to the theater one weekend, because I simply had to see it again.

And then later I realized there were parts that were a bit cringe-worthy. But the performances more than make up for the cringey bits, so there you go.

For years - YEARS! maybe 10? - I didn't see anything cringe worthy, such was love for the band. It's still one of my favourite movies, too, even though some parts are ... you know. It's awesome.

 

[Niceman]

Well, Silver and Gold and AATWT had the advantage of being songs that had never been on a U2 album before (and great performances.)

 

[LemonMelon]

Holy Shit, the live version of Silver and Gold is one of their best songs! Agree on Exit, In God's Country, WOWY, Sunday Bloody Sunday and Bad though.

Well, I'm in the minority there. I think it's OK, just not as mindblowing and definitive as some of the performances they left off, and since it's supposed to represent the best of the movie...

If I had to replace Silver and Gold with a "new" studio track, it would have to be Dancing Barefoot. Awesome song.

 

[corianderstem]

For years - YEARS! maybe 10? - I didn't see anything cringe worthy, such was love for the band.

Oh yeah, it was probably that long for me as well. When R&H came out, that's when I was hooked hard, and it lasted .... well, I'll be honest. It's still going. Although I'm all grown up and junk now, and can usually be a bit more objective towards the objects of my obsession.

 

[djerdap]

Well, I'm in the minority there. I think it's OK, just not as mindblowing and definitive as some of the performances they left off, and since it's supposed to represent the best of the movie...

If I had to replace Silver and Gold with a "new" studio track, it would have to be Dancing Barefoot. Awesome song.

Meh, Dancing Barefoot is a cover, and not a very interesting one at that. Silver and Gold is great live, and easily the live highlight on Rattle and Hum. The other live tracks are pretty weak though, especially since the ones in the movie are so much better.

 

[U2girl]

I'll take AIWIY over WOWY any day of the week and twice on Sunday, especially as far as studio versions are concerned.

AIWIY never really matched the studio version live. I find those strings too haunting for the song to succeed without them. There are some incredible live performances of WOWY though that far surpass the studio version.

No disrespect to the shine like stars part and the solo, but WOWY live doesn't surpass the great studio cut. Just one of those few times where it happens with U2. Pride, WOWY/I still haven't found, Desire, One.

Unlike AIWIY, where the live version blows away the studio version every time. The solo works better live, as it appears more natural (instead of the show -off nature of the solo in the studio version) and the crowd really carries the screams at the end (the screams can't be done right live by Bono post Lovetown).

 

[Joey788]

Going back to the original question, I personally feel that T-Bone Burnett wouldn't be a great fit for U2 at the moment.

What they really need is a producer who is very hands-on and not afraid to push the band in a new direction. Danger Mouse seems like a daring choice on U2's part, something they definitely need at the moment.

I would still love to see Nigel Godrich produce a U2 record. Besides his work with Radiohead, he did an excellent job on Beck's The Information. He was also very blunt with Paul McCartney, eliminating tracks he felt very subpar or too sentimental. That's what U2 needs. They need a producer who will attack anything that sounds phoned-in.

 

[Hollow Island]

Going back to the original question, I personally feel that T-Bone Burnett wouldn't be a great fit for U2 at the moment.

What they really need is a producer who is very hands-on and not afraid to push the band in a new direction. Danger Mouse seems like a daring choice on U2's part, something they definitely need at the moment.

I would still love to see Nigel Godrich produce a U2 record. Besides his work with Radiohead, he did an excellent job on Beck's The Information. He was also very blunt with Paul McCartney, eliminating tracks he felt very subpar or too sentimental. That's what U2 needs. They need a producer who will attack anything that sounds phoned-in.

He'd cut all the bullshit.

The Information is my favourite Beck record. The production and mixing are just incredible. Modern Guilt is my second favourite. It would be cool if DM brought that kind of vibe to U2, or the murkiness of The Good, the Bad, and the Queen. It's one of the best sounding rock records of the last ten years, and the rhythm section sounds amazing (probably not that hard to do since it's Paul Simonen and Tony Allen).

 

[LemonMelon]

Really glad to hear some praise for nu-Beck. He's getting a unique sound of his own going, after years of wandering from one genre to the next. That's slightly disappointing (the jarring duo of Midnite Vultures/Sea Change was my favorite part of his career), but he has terrific taste in producers. Modern Guilt sounds amazing. Also, he's become a great producer in his own right (Charlotte Gainsbourg's IRM is a feast for the ears).

 

[Hollow Island]

Really glad to hear some praise for nu-Beck. He's getting a unique sound of his own going, after years of wandering from one genre to the next. That's slightly disappointing (the jarring duo of Midnite Vultures/Sea Change was my favorite part of his career), but he has terrific taste in producers. Modern Guilt sounds amazing. Also, he's become a great producer in his own right (Charlotte Gainsbourg's IRM is a feast for the ears).

Same with his work on Thurston Moore's record. It sounds incredible.

 

[djerdap]

No disrespect to the shine like stars part and the solo, but WOWY live doesn't surpass the great studio cut.

The Rattle and Hum version destroys the studio one. And I love the studio version.

 

[Registered Dude]

I would still love to see Nigel Godrich produce a U2 record. Besides his work with Radiohead, he did an excellent job on Beck's The Information. He was also very blunt with Paul McCartney, eliminating tracks he felt very subpar or too sentimental. That's what U2 needs. They need a producer who will attack anything that sounds phoned-in.

his Walk On mix really is excellent

 

[U2girl]

The Rattle and Hum version destroys the studio one. And I love the studio version.

In particular no "live" (read: studio polished up version) version tops the album cut.

 

[djerdap]

In particular no "live" (read: studio polished up version) version tops the album cut.

Tons of JT, Lovetown and ZooTV versions do precisely that as well.