A Twist In The U2 Album-Trilogy Thing

[namkcuR]

I assume that most of us are familiar with the theory of U2 doing records in threes. I don't really think the band consciously sees they've made two records in the same vein and says 'ok, we need to make third one before we try something new'. I just don't think that's the way they operate. However, I'll pretend I do just so I can pose this question: what if the album trilogies we've come to accept are not exactly right?

Boy-October-War

and

UF-JT-R&H can stay the same

but...

what if trilogy #3 is in fact

AB-Zooropa-Passengers

and trilogy #4 is in fact

Pop-ATYCLB-HTDAAB(believe it or not there are some similarities between Pop and ATYCLB)

??

Or maybe I'm just bored.

 

[Zoots]

believe it or not there are some similarities between Pop and ATYCLB

Would you care to explain your blasphemous theory a little better, mr. scientist?

 

[Flying FuManchu]

LMAO.... that would shake the worlds of many Interferencers!

 

[pepokiss]

that means we have 3 more albums !!!

 

[Palace_Hero]

I would agree there are alot of similarities between Pop and ATYCLB. In the latter there are alot of synthesized sounds, with a core of pop rock.

Whilst the changes from War to UF and R&H to Achtung were drastic, I am of the rare school of thought that the arc from Achtung to Hut Dab has been a steady transitional one.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

I agree that U2 don't do it deliberately, it's just a natural cycle of inspiration and reaction.

On the 90's to now, I think Achtung, and more importantly ZooTV, led directly to Zooropa, then to me the follow on to Zooropa could have gone in two directions (a) take this mainly electronic sound further in it's own direction, or (b) take what we've learned in this area and bring it into rock. In the end they chose (c) Both, and we got Passengers and Pop.

To me the change post Pop is as monumental as the change post Rattle & Hum.

 

[dudeman]

Re: Re: A Twist In The U2 Album-Trilogy Thing

Would you care to explain your blasphemous theory a little better, mr. scientist?

there's a lot of talk about blasphemy around these parts lately! what zealots we are!

 

[thrillme]

Pop-ATYCLB-HTDAAB(believe it or not there are some similarities between Pop and ATYCLB)

Considering "City" started as an outtake from the Pop sessions, I would say it's not too far a stretch as some might think.

Bass is quite strong on both Pop and How to. AtYCLB, Adam was kinda buried at times, or he took a more subtle approach with his work.

That would mean the next album would be something else, not really like the last 3.

Excellent.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Plenty of U2 songs are carry overs from an album before, or the one before that, or the one before that. What they end up as though is often very, very, very different to what they began as. I don't think that a carried over idea for a song = album link. If the basic idea for COBL ended up on Pop, it wouldn't have sounded ANYTHING like it does on HTDAAB.

 

[blueyedpoet]

Here's how i see things:
Boy, October, War. Under a Blood Red Sky is kind of an extension, or an epilogue.
Unforgetable Fire is an amazing moment. It takes the band and turns them to a new direction. It is a link between the post-punk U2 and the rock gods U2.
Amnesty International tour, Joshua Tree, Rattle and Hum = U2 awakens the sleepy giant and swallows it.
Achtung Baby, Zoo TV, Zooropa=U2 destroying the giant and creating a gigantic cool-ass robot
Passengers, Pop=Let's fuck music U2
ATYCLB, HTDAAB=bit of this, bit of that, bono saving the world
Next=with the thoughts of Mercy, Smile all i can say is

 

[Meghan]

Originally posted by namkcuR
AB-Zooropa-Passengers

BUT..... I was under the impression that Passengers was the name of a different group that just happened to include all four members of U2.

So I still believe in the trilogy, and I also think the next U2 album will be more like the Achtung Baby--Zooropa--Pop trilogy than the past two albums.

Let me explain, ATYCLB is kind of a throwback to the The Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree and Rattle & Hum days, while HTDAAB is slightly similar to the Boy, October and War days, so I think we're due for a 90's U2 flashback.

Just a thought.

 

[Pero]

Re: Re: A Twist In The U2 Album-Trilogy Thing

Would you care to explain your blasphemous theory a little better, mr. scientist?

 

[the tourist]

Well, they did say the album that will come out in 2006 is full of songs from the How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb sessions....

 

[POP-ROMANCER]

that means we have 3 more albums !!!

Or...

This was the last one!

 

[Tarvark]

I have been living a lie my whole life...

 

[RobH]

They do consciously make albums in three's...they've said as much over the years.

 

[namkcuR]

They do consciously make albums in three's...they've said as much over the years.

Show me some quotes.

 

[pepokiss]

" "


there... happy?

 

[RobH]

Namcku...I don't have access to an unlimited library of U2 quotes, nor do I care to do the research online, but I don't think I'm saying something incredibly off-base here. I will say that I distinctly remember them saying that they considered the first three a triology and that they made a conscious decision to go in a different direction for UF. Same thing after Hum , with the famous "Dream it all up again" speech that led to Achtung. I've never even considered this to be anything other than fact. Not even an unconscious one.

 

[ponkine]

The Ultimate U2 trilogy is:

ACTHUNG BABY - ZOOROPA - POP

 

[Acrobat_Al]

1) Boy, October, WAR

2) Unforgettable fire, THE JOSHUA TREE, Rattle and Hum

3) ACHTUNG BABY, Zooropa, Pop

4) All that you can leave behind, How to dismantle an atomic bomb, ??????¡¡¡


So, if the trilogy theory it's correct, then (I don't have other thing to think of) the next album it's going to be the best of the fourth trilogy; let me try to give you my explanation:

the best album of the first trilogy is WAR (the third of that trilogy); the best album of the second trilogy is Joshua tree (the second one of that trilogy); and the best album of the third trilogy is Achtung baby (The first one of that one); so...

The best of the first: the 3erd. (1-3)
The best of the second: the second one. (2-2)
the best of the third: the first one. (3-1)
the best of the fourth: the third one! (4-3)

Yeah, I'm really tired...

 

[pookybear]

Here's how i see things:
Boy, October, War. Under a Blood Red Sky is kind of an extension, or an epilogue.
Unforgetable Fire is an amazing moment. It takes the band and turns them to a new direction. It is a link between the post-punk U2 and the rock gods U2.
Amnesty International tour, Joshua Tree, Rattle and Hum = U2 awakens the sleepy giant and swallows it.
Achtung Baby, Zoo TV, Zooropa=U2 destroying the giant and creating a gigantic cool-ass robot
Passengers, Pop=Let's fuck music U2
ATYCLB, HTDAAB=bit of this, bit of that, bono saving the world
Next=with the thoughts of Mercy, Smile all i can say is

I agree with this.
UF should be in an era of its own. It's also the only time they really venture into artsy, atmospheric territory.