Here's what I'm worried about...

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COBL_04 said:
I am so glad they sweeped up. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is a terrific album, and it's time some people here realised that.

Personally I really don't care what U2 do next because I'm not immediately going to compare it to Achtung Baby or Zooropa or Pop or even 80's music. Besides, I think the music they have made so far in this decade is magnificent.

Beautiful Day, Walk On, Kite, When I Look at the World, The Ground Beneath Her Feet, Miracle Drug, Love and Peace or Else, City of Blinding Lights, Crumbs From Your Table, Mercy...

Nothing wrong with that lot.


Well said!!!!!

I really don't think it matters what the next album will be like. A true U2 fan will like it anyway.

:yes: :yes: :yes: :yes:
 
t8thgr8 said:
well they lost for atcylb... and they lost for achtung.... and after those came similar follow ups. They won for JT.. out came achtung baby. so Id say were in for something strange. They pretty much have the green light to be free again. Bono said its already gone to their heads and you know theyre itching to shake things up.

Yeah, my thoughts exactly!!!:rockon:
 
I think that winning 5 grammys will make them very selfasured and egoistic and they'll make something different this time
 
I'm expecting something different from the band, and I'm expecting brilliance.

I think BOMB is a brilliant album. I see it as a simple pop rock album that is basically a collection of songs that could be played on the radio. Looking at it like, I think it was a great success and was really strong at the same time. I dont know, I feel u2 have been great at any "direction" they take. For some reason, I feel like if they start experimenting with a new sound I have no doubt it will be good.

Bono admitted after the Grammys that this was far from their most innovative record. We all know the band cares what the public thinks and wants to sell records, but I think they themselves as a band want to change it up and challenge themselves again.

At least I'm hoping.
 
I think they already know what direction the next album will go in and I really don't think it has gone to their heads because they are just not like that.....the next one will be different based on Bono saying in the CNN interview after the grammys that ATYCLB and HTDAAB were a pair of albums....and the names were too long.:giggle:
 
doctorwho said:


While I'm not a fan of Radiohead's recent work (even though I continue to get their CD's...), I do agree with this part of your post. And that's a rarity - I'm not sure I ever agreed with you. ;)

Had U2 tried making a JT-2 in 1991, which is actually what Larry and Adam wanted to do, I don't think U2 would be around today. I'm sure sales would have been solid (for a JT-2), but it also probably would have been the beginning of the end.

One could argue that despite the success of AB, "Zooropa" and "Pop" still weren't huge sellers in the U.S. While true, U2's transition from JT to AB always kept critics and the public interested. "Discotheque" became a huge hit based on anticipation alone! Had U2 not made that transition in 1991, no one would have cared about U2 come 1997.

U2's transition from "Pop" to ATYCLB in 2001, also kept people interested. Despite "Pop" failing to find the audience U2 hoped, come 2001, U2 set a personal best record for a debut week in the SoundScan era when ATYCLB sold over 400,000 copies its first week.

As was posted by others, U2 try to stay relevant. Sometimes I think that quest takes them places that are more "popular" than relevant. For example, some songs on "Pop" were more hip for that particular moment in time rather than songs that could "last through the ages". And this is key - U2 have found a way to make songs that are not only hits, but remain fresh for years after their release. IMO, "Pop" didn't succeed as much because U2 emulated a current style, rathern than leading the way as they've done so often.

Regardless, U2 can only go try a certain style so many times. I feel that JT was a refinement of the sounds on UF. Similarly, I feel HTDAAB is a refinement of the sounds on ATYCLB. U2 were able to have these sets of similarly sounding albums sell well and be well received. But by R&H, U2 were already starting to suffer. So U2 defintely can't try their current style again unless they want to endure yet another backlash - this time for not being creative enough!

If U2 continue in the style of "Fast Cars", "Love & Peace" and even "Vertigo" and "Mercy", then this is a good thing. However, if they continue in the style of "Walk On", "Beautiful Day", "Sometimes..." or "Stuck...", then I will be very disappointed, and I think this will hurt them considerably.

agreed. :up:
 
You guys are driving me crazy...

Seriously... For christ sakes. I'm worried. WTF???????

They have been around for 25 years and continue....

You know I'm too tired of people on this fan site. Skrew it!!!
 
MrBrau1 said:
I'm worried about saving for retirement.

yeah, I gotta agree that that's something more worth worrying about lol!

I predict they'll shake things up a bit and even go with a shorter album title too. It'll be a nice contrast, a more 'challenging' album and a shorter title. But I don't think it'll be *all* challenging; I'm guessing they'll be aiming for some immediately accessible stuff on it that's "just about the songs", and then some more out-there tunes, and wrap it all in a pretty coherent package with some edge to it and send it out for us all to love. but who knows? just "more extraordinary music" sounds good to me, and they talk like they believe they got more to give us, hoorah!

cheers...
 
DreamOutLoud13 said:

Pop is lyrically brilliant. Beyond the music and the stigma, that fact remains.

ATYCLB and HTDAAB are not so lyrically brilliant. Some of the lyrics on ATYCLB just make me cringe and facepalm and cry out "Bono, what the hell were you thinking?!"
HTDAAB is better, but not by great leaps and bounds.

Much of the 80s songs were great lyrically as well. But lyrics completely aside, focusing entirely on sound, I prefer the 90s over everything else? Why? Because I also tend to prefer music I can move to. The 90s had everything, great sounds and great lyrics.

ATYCLB and HTDAAB are a bit short on both of those things, in my opinion. There are great songs on both albums, don't get me wrong. But they're just not what I want. They'll do. They'll feed my U2 hunger just fine, but they're not what I crave.

Hopefully it'll be better. In my opinion HTDAAB is better than ATYCLB, so maybe they're moving back in the right direction.


Wow. Amen, buddy.. amen!!! I wholeheartedly agree with what you've said here, that it's the lyrics that are at fault on the last 2 albums and not necessarily the music!... In fact I quoted the parts I strongly agree with.

Also, I have to agree with doctorwho (for a change :wink: ) and of course Zoomerang. The OK Computer - Kid A transition was just... :bow: Interesting and completely unexpected!
 
RademR said:
I'm expecting something different from the band, and I'm expecting brilliance.

I think BOMB is a brilliant album. I see it as a simple pop rock album that is basically a collection of songs that could be played on the radio. Looking at it like, I think it was a great success and was really strong at the same time. I dont know, I feel u2 have been great at any "direction" they take. For some reason, I feel like if they start experimenting with a new sound I have no doubt it will be good.

Bono admitted after the Grammys that this was far from their most innovative record. We all know the band cares what the public thinks and wants to sell records, but I think they themselves as a band want to change it up and challenge themselves again.

At least I'm hoping.

:up:

We've had quotes from I think everyone in the band about wanting to experiment more, which I think is a good sign. Winning Album of the Year just further proves that right now they are the biggest band in the world and are therefore free to do whatever the fuck they want with little risk.
 
doctorwho said:


While I'm not a fan of Radiohead's recent work (even though I continue to get their CD's...), I do agree with this part of your post. And that's a rarity - I'm not sure I ever agreed with you. ;)

Had U2 tried making a JT-2 in 1991, which is actually what Larry and Adam wanted to do, I don't think U2 would be around today. I'm sure sales would have been solid (for a JT-2), but it also probably would have been the beginning of the end.

One could argue that despite the success of AB, "Zooropa" and "Pop" still weren't huge sellers in the U.S. While true, U2's transition from JT to AB always kept critics and the public interested. "Discotheque" became a huge hit based on anticipation alone! Had U2 not made that transition in 1991, no one would have cared about U2 come 1997.

U2's transition from "Pop" to ATYCLB in 2001, also kept people interested. Despite "Pop" failing to find the audience U2 hoped, come 2001, U2 set a personal best record for a debut week in the SoundScan era when ATYCLB sold over 400,000 copies its first week.

As was posted by others, U2 try to stay relevant. Sometimes I think that quest takes them places that are more "popular" than relevant. For example, some songs on "Pop" were more hip for that particular moment in time rather than songs that could "last through the ages". And this is key - U2 have found a way to make songs that are not only hits, but remain fresh for years after their release. IMO, "Pop" didn't succeed as much because U2 emulated a current style, rathern than leading the way as they've done so often.

Regardless, U2 can only go try a certain style so many times. I feel that JT was a refinement of the sounds on UF. Similarly, I feel HTDAAB is a refinement of the sounds on ATYCLB. U2 were able to have these sets of similarly sounding albums sell well and be well received. But by R&H, U2 were already starting to suffer. So U2 defintely can't try their current style again unless they want to endure yet another backlash - this time for not being creative enough!

If U2 continue in the style of "Fast Cars", "Love & Peace" and even "Vertigo" and "Mercy", then this is a good thing. However, if they continue in the style of "Walk On", "Beautiful Day", "Sometimes..." or "Stuck...", then I will be very disappointed, and I think this will hurt them considerably.

:up: Doctorwho, you're on a roll today. :D
 
AtomicBono said:


We've had quotes from I think everyone in the band about wanting to experiment more, which I think is a good sign. Winning Album of the Year just further proves that right now they are the biggest band in the world and are therefore free to do whatever the fuck they want with little risk.

I agree. The fact that they have been showered with so much praise and great album sales and an insane amount of Grammys (even though, to me, a Grammy means a whole lotta nothing) makes me think they have the fan base and the cred to try something a little different. And yes, this is probably similar to what they felt after ZooTV ended and during the recording of POP, but I think they learned from their PR/Time management mistakes in that case.

And regarding U2 on the radio---while the older hits are all over the American airways, the new stuff is not, and that may have to do with it not fitting a particular format (one of the reasons I see a great opportunity for Satelite Radio. American Radio is atrocious). The new songs are obviously not classic rock, they're generally not hard enough for modern rock stations, Top 40 generally stays with younger artists and hip-hop and pop music--or something like Vertigo that just can't be ignored. A local alternative station in my town played a lot of new stuff, but even then something like SYCMIOYO sounded odd mashed in between Queens of the Stone Age and Bloc Party.
 
yeah... it'll be like little boxes or cubicles where the priveleged fans (or pretty ones :huh: ) get to stand and the inner center stage will be flat and circular and that's where the band will be... okay, a slightly modified waffle :shifty:
 
Zootlesque said:
yeah... it'll be like little boxes or cubicles where the priveleged fans (or pretty ones :huh: ) get to stand and the inner center stage will be flat and circular and that's where the band will be... okay, a slightly modified waffle :shifty:

that sounds like a waffle/pancake combo :lol:

It's pretty appropriate though, Bono does waffle from time to time :wink:
 
Achtung_Bebe said:
or a 40 ft. donut :drool:

You've just discovered the title for the next album. After realizing that their last two album titles were too long, U2 have decided to name the next one....................."40-Foot Donut." :hyper:

:wink:
 
Zootlesque said:
yeah... it'll be like little boxes or cubicles where the priveleged fans (or pretty ones :huh: ) get to stand and the inner center stage will be flat and circular and that's where the band will be... okay, a slightly modified waffle :shifty:

and there will be ramps around all the boxes, right? because U2 has to be able to go out into the audience. I think they'll use new technology to put Larry's drumkits on an electronic wheel system so it can go around the waffle, too, and the band can just be moving in the waffle the whole time.
 
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